Joseph Smith remarked to a crowd in Nauvoo that, “You don’t know me; you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it: I shall never undertake it. I don’t blame any one for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I would not have believed it myself. I never did harm any man since I was born in the world. My voice is always for peace.” He said this in April 1844, two months before he was killed.
Those there DIDN’T know him. Nor do I think the Latter-day Saints today know him either. There are more lies, misrepresentations and false accusations made about him today than the many falsehoods spread about him while he lived.
Joseph presented a unique opportunity for believers to accomplish something great. But to accomplish those great things necessarily required people who would give heed to the message. In January 1841 the Lord spoke through Joseph to give a final opportunity to realize the great culmination of the restoration. But that would be dependent upon whether “my people will hearken unto my voice and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people[.]” T&C 141:13
The Lord’s voice spoke through Joseph (who delivered this revelation). And that revelation appointed Hyrum Smith to be the first, to stand at the head and hold the sealing power or Holy Spirit of Promise: “First, I give unto you Hyrum Smith to be a patriarch unto you, to hold the sealing blessings of my church, even the Holy Spirit of Promise whereby you are sealed up unto the day of redemption, that you may not fall, notwithstanding the hour of temptation that may come upon you.” T&C 141:41
Second, Joseph Smith was to stand as the presiding elder over the church: “I give unto you my servant Joseph to be a presiding elder over all my church, to be a translator, a revelator, a seer, and prophet.” T&C 141:42
These January 1841 appointments of Hyrum and Joseph were made to identify for the Nauvoo people the “servants whom [the Lord] appointed to lead [His] people.” But 27 months later in a conference held in April 1843, Hyrum was required to condemn the stealing and counterfeit money printing going on in Nauvoo. “(They say) They have a right to steal from any man who is not a member of the Church if they consecrate 2/3 of it. They are also making Bogus money.” JSP, Documents Vol. 12, p. 161. Joseph followed Hyrum’s talk and added his own condemnation. Joseph said, speaking for the Presidency, that “such things have never been tolerated, I despise a thief above ground. because I would know that he would be a detriment to my cause and would steal my horse when I wanted to run away. It has been said that some was afraid to disclose what they know of these secret combinations[.]” Id., p. 162.
Of what use was it to the people of that day to have a living Patriarch embodying the Holy Spirit of Promise, if they were thieves? The only message a prophet could deliver to such a group was to denounce their dishonesty. Why speak of heavenly things to people who were unable to live honorably and honestly with one another?
The greatest opportunity offered mankind in two millennia was squandered by people the Lord has called “fools.” They continue to squander what the Lord offered through Hyrum and Joseph. They pretend to be equals, when they are nothing of the sort. The Lord explained to Joseph that, “The ends of the earth shall inquire after your name, and fools shall have you in derision, and hell shall rage against you, while the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under your hand. And your people shall never be turned against you by the testimony of traitors, and although their influence shall cast you into trouble, and into bars and walls, you shall be had in honor. And but for a small moment, and your voice shall be more terrible in the midst of your enemies than the fierce lion, because of your righteousness, and your God shall stand by you for ever and ever.”
It is still that way. Reading the Joseph Smith Papers publication by the LDS Church Historian’s Office reminds me over and over of how they hold him in derision still. Joseph continually reminds people to be virtuous, honest, moral and upright. He denounces immorality, dishonesty, and hypocrisy. “it is against my principles to act the part of a hypocrite, or to dissemble in any wise whatever, with any man.” JSP Documents Vol. 12, p. 114. But the LDS Church Historian’s Office continually accuses Joseph of hypocrisy, lying, deceiving, and acting the two-faced deceiver. That is their official narrative.
I could not admire, much less follow, an adulterous man as the LDS Church claims to do. At Joseph’s request, Hyrum wrote a letter to the entire church condemning what would later be proclaimed as a principle of salvation for Latter-day Saints: “Behold, this is a wicked generation, full of lyings, and deceit, and craftiness, and the children of the wicked are wiser than the children of light, i.e., they are more crafty, and it seems that it has been the case in all ages of the world. And the man, when he leaves his wife and travels to a foreign nation, while on his way, darkness overpowers his mind, and Satan deceives him and flatters him with the graces of the harlot, and before he is aware, he is disgraced for ever. And greater is the danger for the woman that leaves her husband. And there are several instances where women have left their husbands and come to this place, and in a few weeks or months they have found themselves new husbands and they are living in adultery, and we are obliged to cut them off from the church. There are men also that are guilty of the same crime, as we are credibly informed, we are knowing to their having taken wives here, and are credibly informed that they have wives in England.” T&C 149:4
One of those adulterous men mentioned in this letter was apparently Brigham Young. But once Brigham Young gained control over the church, he secured a chorus of voices to falsely accuse Joseph and make both him and Hyrum hypocrites and deceivers.
If no one else will proclaim it then I will: Joseph and Hyrum were virtuous men. And unless you are virtuous also you will be condemned by God for your wickedness. “For I, the Lord, cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven, and he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received. For my spirit shall not always strive with man, says the Lord of Hosts.” T&C 54:5
The reason gross darkness now flows continually from the LDS Church, Fundamentalist mormons, and the many pretenders claiming to be strong and mighty is because they only seek their own vain ambitions. They undertake to cover their sins rather than to confess them. They gratify their pride, and vain ambition, by claiming they are great in God’s eyes, when they are nothing of the sort. They want to exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of men to further their unrighteous purposes. And therefore we can behold from their words and deeds that the Heavens have withdrawn themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved with them, and their pretensions to priesthood or authority have evaporated. They offer conceit and flattery, not light.
Joseph offered humility, light and truth. Hyrum was a moral man of unquestioned integrity. The LDS Church Historian’s office shamefully throws mud at both these men to uphold the wickedness of those who got control after their murders.
I know of no way to make this matter clearer than to express my contempt of those who hold Joseph and Hyrum in derision. None of their wealth or status will excuse them before God for these terrible falsehoods and false accusations. Clearly, like their ancestors, they don’t know Joseph. They never knew him.