Good morning all! How are you doing today?

Tom, I'm afraid you offended my Mom. We were driving by your house this last week when you were mowing your lawn without your shirt on. When she learned you were a member, she gasped at your unholy practice. What do you have to say for yourself?

Well, you are right, it was hot. Okay, I think you can be forgiven this time, but don't do it again unless you are hot.

Yes, Eleanor?

No, I didn't mean hot in that way. Tom's six pack abs come from Joe's Donuts' pack of half a dozen donuts that he eats regularly. I meant temperature. It was 96°.

Well today's lesson is about the deaths of Hyrum and Joseph Smith at Carthage.

Yes, Sam. We do often hear that they were martyred. Is that technically correct, or were they simply murdered? The dictionary definitions are a bit vague. Some say that if you are killed for religious reasons you are a martyr. Others require a bit more. Some say that you have to die voluntarily for religion, which neither Joseph nor Hyrum did. They died in a gunfight, dramatically outnumbered. I'm willing to let it go, they were either martyred or murdered. I suppose it matters to some, but not to me.

Okay, so let's talk about why Joseph and Hyrum were in Carthage. Why were they there in the first place?

Yes, Sally. It is correct that they were arrested. It is a little more vague regarding whether they were arrested on relevant charges. I would hesitate to say that they were arrested on false charges.

Your turn Randy. As you have said, the events were pretty much set in motion with the destruction of the Expositor press. Why was the Expositor destroyed? 

Yes, Bruce. It is commonly held among LDS folks that the Expositor was destroyed because it was grossly libelous and that lies were being printed about Joseph in particular. I have read the Expositor from front to back, and have a hard time saying that anything was libelous. I would definitely say that it was inflammatory, but not libelous. There were three main themes. First, Joseph was practicing polygamy while publicly denying it. This was true. Second, Joseph had the secret Council of Fifty anoint him "King" of the political kingdom of God. This is true as well. The third, relatively minor issue was that Joseph was involved in some shady real estate dealing in which he used his prophetic influence to find buyers for his land vs. the land of others. This is true as well. Other than that, the Expositor had a few advertisements, a poem, and a short fiction story. There wasn't much else to it.

Yes, Maureen. Some members more accurately characterize the Expositor as a nuisance. Since when in America do we destroy presses because they are deemed to be a nuisance? This was at the core or why Joseph and Hyrum originally went to Carthage. They were charged with violating the Bill of Rights' freedom of speech. Without going into a detailed legal review, there is good evidence that the actions regarding the destruction of the press were technically legal at that point in time in Nauvoo, but it certainly violated the general understanding of how presses were to be treated. While in Carthage, Joseph and Hyrum were arrested on treason and rioting for the use of some of the local militia in the destruction the press.

What do we know about the circumstances at Carthage?

Yes, Sally. Governor Ford had promised protection, but it was not forthcoming.

Yes, Glenn. I also find it rather odd that the men in jail were given at least one gun. Since when do we give prisoners in jail guns?

Yes, Sally, back to you. Yes, the wine thing in Carthage is often brought up. The prisoners had ordered a bottle of wine to have with their dinner. I do believe that members have the misconception that once the Word of Wisdom was pronounced, none of the church leaders violated our late 20th century interpretation of it. That simply is not true.

Yes, Tom. You are right. Joseph did tell others going to Carthage with him as well as those who were not to stop wearing their temple garments. There is some speculation as to why he told them that, but there is some indication that Joseph was realizing that polygamy and the secret groups and oaths that had been set up were backfiring and may lead to the destruction of church if they continued, at least while the members were located in or near a broader non-LDS community.

How about the actual murders? How did that happen?

Yes, Brenda. Somewhere between 100 and 200 men stormed the jail shooting through the door and eventually through the open door. Hyrum was killed first. Joseph had gone to the window to call for help from any in the crowd who were Masons, but to no avail. It is unclear as to whether or not he was shot and fell through the window to the ground or if he jumped and was killed after jumping from the window. In any case, the mob sat Joseph up against a well and shot him multiple times once he was outside the jail.

Tom, you had a comment? I agree, it is tragic that something like this could have happened in America. I do think it is important to try to understand the behavior of people based upon society at that time. This was frontier America. Vigilante justice was common then as it was for another half century in Salt Lake City and other areas of the frontier.

Yes, Sally. The death of Hyrum and Joseph was tragic and really threw the church into a tailspin. Some claim their death sealed their testimonies in blood. Just what were their testimonies? The changing theology made it sometimes hard to understand exactly what they believed and what they understood to be truth. Perhaps we should focus on some of the later revelations, writings, and lectures to get the best understanding of their testimonies. But even then, Joseph seemed at the end to be trying to point people away from the secret doctrines of plural marriage and the political king, and the secret garments and oaths associated with the version of the endowment that was being given at that point in time.

Yes, Tom. I agree. My understanding is that the relocation to the Great Basin allowed the church to gel and to become firmly established as a majority in an isolated region. This helped to ensure the survival of the Brighamite branch of the church. That leads us to the succession of leadership of the church. We really don't have much time, but this was really a very big deal. Any quick comments?

Yes, Brenda. In trying to understand who should essentially be the custodian, not the prophet, it was decided that the apostles, with Brigham Young and the senior apostle, would take temporary custodianship of church affairs. He was eventually sustained as president three years later. In the interim, Brigham was very savvy politically, putting out of the way potential challengers to this structure.

Why was this succession thing so confusing?

Yes, Brent. That is correct. Joseph had promised several people at different times that each would individually become his successor. He had established a confusing array of councils and hierarchical structures with no clear establishment of superiority or inferiority of councils. These are the reasons why it was confusing.

Yes, Sally. You are hitting on all cylinders today. Stake President Marks really seemed to have the best documented claim as successor to the presidency, but he was a meek man, not seeking glory. As you said, probably one of the tragedies associated with his not becoming president was that if he would have become president, polygamy would have been put to an end. Sadly, we have to deal with all of the consequences of polygamy over the course of the rest of the history of the church.

Well, time is up. Frank will you say the closing prayer? Thanks.

See you next week.