[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] I have never shed a tear since I heard of the death of the prophets untill this morning but my whole soul has felt nerved up like steel.
/Elder B. Young arived in Boston this morning. I walked with him to 57 Temple st and called upon sister Voice. Br Young took the bed and I the big Chair, and I here veiled my face and for the first time gave vent to my grief and mourning for the Prophet and Patriarch of the Church Joseph and Hiram Smith who were murdered by a gentile mob. After being bathed by a flood of tears I felt composed.
[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
If Joseph Smith would have kept the faith & doctrine pure and the church from being corrupted he would have lived to Dec.23-31,1890 (D&C 130:15-16), passing away in great peace at the age of 85. There would have been absolutely no succession crisis.
ReplyDeleteBut as "Uncle Walter" [Cronkite] would have said closing the CBS Evening News: "And that's the way it is for Wednesday [July 17, 1844] ..."
Also on this same day:
ReplyDelete"Mrs. Emma Smith, in company with Messrs. Woods and Wasson, went to Carthage for letters of administration on the estate of her deceased husband, Joseph Smith." [HC 7:194].