I can’t remember if I ever heard a Church lesson centered around Emma Hale Smith until, perhaps, a seminary lesson in the Church History year – do you recall any earlier lesson? Like most, my real introduction to the real Emma Hale Smith came with 1984’s Mormon Enigma, the biography by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery. I really don’t remember what impression I had of Emma before then – no doubt somewhat negative, but I don’t think anywhere near as bitter as earlier generations. That is, I recall speaking with my aunt in the early 2000s when the topic of Emma came up, and my aunt’s scornful, “That woman! She kept Joseph’s children’s out of the Church!”

So I was interested when I came across a 1928 Sunday School lesson for, I think, 8- and 9-year-olds. Taught on May 6 that year, lesson materials included three types of material: The student manual which the children were actually supposed to read; hints for the teacher provided in an earlier issue of the Juvenile Instructor, and an article of more complexity than the children’s reader, also published in the Juvenile Instructor. Together, I suppose they give us a very good picture of what was taught, and why, and how Church members’ opinions of Emma Smith were formed in that earlier generation.

Student Manual

Emma Hale Smith, The Prophet’s Wife

Today you learn from the title that our lesson will tell the story of the Prophet’s wife and of some of the things she did to assist in making our “New Day” possible.

Emma was the daughter of Isaac Hale, born July 10, 1804, Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. You have already read about harmony and the home of Emma’s parents where most of the Book of Mormon was translated.

But you may ask, “Why did Joseph leave home and go more than one hundred miles off into another State to find a wife?” It was this way: As the Smith farm was new and not all cleared, the crops were small. Joseph heard that Josiah Stole was hiring men to dig for a “lost silver mine.” He told his folks that he would go down and work and send home the money. Accordingly, as soon as he had gone to the Hill Cumorah, September 22, 1825, and had met with the angel for the third time at the hill, he made ready and by October was on his way.

He was now nineteen years old and was as fine a looking young man a any girl would wish to see. His manner and countenance at times were almost divine. There was a daughter at Isaac Hale’s home, where Joseph boarded, who was as fine looking as Joseph: black hair, black eyes and, most of all, a very thoughtful young housekeeper. It was not long before Joseph had actually “fallen in love!”

Joseph felt a great responsibility upon himself. He must tell this girl of his visions, of the coming of the Father and Son; of Moroni, and all about the Golden Plates and the coming of the “New True Church,” etc. God touched Emma’s heart. She believed her sweetheart’s story! How happy Joseph felt!

But when Joseph told the wonderful news to Emma’s parents, they ridiculed and laughed at Joseph. But this did not hurt Joseph or Emma’s faith and love. George Q. Cannon writes in his Latter-day Prophet, page 22: “She (Emma) was a worthy girl of high character, and they became engaged. There are some girls that have not enough love within them to marry a man unless he is rich or popular, or at least approved of by their friends or relatives, but Emma Hale was not of this class. Joseph was poor, and did not have a home of his own. (Poor here means that Joseph, like most of us, had to work for wages.) He was persecuted also and Emma’s family objected to her marrying a man who had so many enemies. But she knew he was a manly man and believed him a chosen servant of God; she loved him and was willing to leave a comfortable home and to live in poverty among strangers with him.

“The marriage occurred January 18, 1827, less than a month after Joseph’s twenty-first birthday.” Emma was also of age, for she was sixteen months older than Joseph. Immediately Joseph and Emma returned to Manchester. Joseph’s mother writes, “and the next January(Joseph) returned with his wife in good health and fine spirits.”

The summer of 1827 slipped by. Emma and Joseph looked forward to getting the plates on the twenty-second of September, for the four years spoken of by the angels had come to an end. On the night of September 21st, neither Joseph nor Emma went to bed. Joseph had secured a rig, for Emma was to drive the two miles and a half with Joseph, out to the Hill Cumorah.

The mother, Lucy, writes, “Shortly after this (midnight(, Joseph’s wife passed through the room with her bonnet and riding dress; and in a few minutes they left; together, tkaing Mr. Knight’s horse and wagon. I spent the night in prayer and supplication to God, for the anxiety of my mind would not permit me to sleep.”

Sometime after breakfast the next morning, Joseph and Emma came riding into the yard. The plates had been hidden in the woods. About four days later while Joseph was away working to get money to buy a strong chest with, Emma sprang onto a stray horse at the Smith home and galloped like the wind mile after mile to get Joseph. Wicked men were hunting the sheds and woods on every side in search for the hidden treasures. Joseph got on another horse and away they rode back. Joseph then brought the plates home and kept them hidden in various places.

For the next few months neither Joseph, Emma, or the Smiths had any peace. Wicked men, breaking all rules of the law, came with search warrants, going through the house, even to the attic. Emma finally got an invitation from her father and mother, inviting the young Prophet and his wife to come live with them. Emma’s brother, Alva, drove more than one hundred miles to get the couple. Once at Harmony, Joseph and Emma started the work of translating the golden records, Emma acting as the first scribe to the Prophet before Martin Harris came in February. Even though they were able to accomplish but little, this young husband and wife made the beginning of what is now our “Book of Mormon.”

Emma was baptized by Oliver Cowdery in a creek at Colesville, Broom County, New York, early Monday morning, June 17, 1830. The mob had torn out the dam in the creek Sunday evening. The dam was replaced Monday morning and the new members baptized.

For the next seventeen years Emma’s life was filled with the persecutions that were heaped upon the saints. It is sad to think that when the saints moved West, Emma chose to stay with her home at Nauvoo. By so doing she lost her standing in the Church. She died in Nauvoo, Aril 30, 1879.

Questions

1. Give Emma Hale’s parents and birthplace and date of birth.

2. Name some events in Church History that occurred at or near Emma’s home.

3. Tell about the meeting of Joseph and Emma.

4. What were some of the things that Joseph must tell this young woman about himself?

5. Tell what happened the next September 21st and 22nd after they were married.

Teacher’s Guide

Lesson18. Emma Hale Smith, The Prophet’s Wife.

Text: “Sunday School Lessons,” No. 18.

Objective: Loyalty begets loyalty.

Supplementary References: See Special article in this issue of the Juvenile Instructor entitled “Emma Hale Smith, the Prophet’s Wife.” The author has sought out from many sources material not commonly available. Use it to make your lesson presentation vivid and rich.

Suggestions on Preparation and Presentation: Picture to the imagination of your pupils the kind of little girl Emma Hale must have been. Bring out vivid details of conditions of life when she was as old a the girls of your class. Who was President of the Untied States? What did little girls do in those days? Why did Emma remain loyal to the Prophet during the trying days of persecution?

Find from the Bible, other literature, history, examples of heroic self-sacrifice and devotion on the part of girls and women for the advancement of great causes. Note: Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the other women of the Bible, Joan of Arc, Nancy hanks Lincoln, Pioneer women.

For the sake of the boys of your class make clear the nobility of chivalry toward women and the joy which comes from winning the loyalty and respect of good girls and women by upright, honorable conduct.

It is opportune in this Sunday’s lesson to enlarge the scope of the noble sentiments of Mother’s day to be celebrated next Sunday, and have them include consideration for the well-being and happiness of all womankind.

Supplementary Article

Emma Hale Smith, the Prophet’s Wife

By Carter Grant

To be a wife to the young persecuted Prophet, Joseph, carried grave responsibility. it is said that every person is given “a time to rise or fall under the pressure of responsibility.” Especially was this so while the “Laying of the Foundations” of our Church was in rapid progress. Emma was to be no exception to the rule.

Emma Hale met opposition form her parents and friends from the day she first fell in love with Joseph. This opposition expanded into a sea of unreasonable, daily obstructions, heaped on by false friends and treacherous enemies. Every force that could be mustered was organized to prevent God’s kingdom from being again established.

Emma suffered so much persecution during “The Laying of the Foundations,” that we must respect her for the part she played. After the church was organized and Emma was baptized, the young couple again went to the Hale home in Harmony. While there, in August, 1830, Newel Knight and his wife paid them a visit to learn more of the new gospel. Neither Sister Knight nor Emma had been confirmed by the “Laying on of hands.” Joseph records, “It was proposed that we should confirm them, and partake together of the Sacrament, before he and his wife should leave us. In order to prepare for this I set out to procure some wine for the occasion, but had gone only a short distance when I was met by a heavenly messenger, and received the following revelation.’ (See Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 27 – especially first four verses.) Emma then prepared some wine of their “own making.’ Joseph exclaims, “We partook together of the Sacrament, after which we confirmed these two sisters into the Church, and spent the evening in a glorious manner. The spirit of the Lord was poured out upon us, we praised the Lord God, and rejoiced exceedingly!” It is from this revelation that our first authority is given that later substituted water for wine in our Sacrament.

At this time Emma was twenty-five years of age. The Lord of Heaven spoke to her through Joseph her husband, July, 1830. (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 25.) – “hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter, for verily I say unto you * * Behold thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady whom I have called. * * The office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto my servant, Joseph Smith, Jr., thy husband, in his afflictions with consoling words in the spirit of meekness. * * Thou shall lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better * * and it shall be given thee also to make a selection of sacred hymns, etc. (Read it all.)

Soon after this Emma’s parents turned against their daughter because of the many lies told by a Methodist minister. With this parental influence severed, Emma and Joseph left the old Harmony home forever! Emma’s folks never joined the “New Church.” During that winter (January, 1831), Emma, with Joseph and others of the Church, made the long journey to Kirtland, Ohio. As Emma was “very sickly,” it was a hard trip through the intense cold. Three months later, April 30, 1831, twins were born to Emma, but they lived only three hours and died. the parents were heart broken! Nine days later the Murdock motherless twins were adopted by Emma. she cared for the new babies as only an anxious mother could.

Eleven months later both children came down with a severe case of measles. Emma and Joseph watched over them night after night until both children took a slight change for the better. One, however, was still very bad. Joseph records, “In the evening I told her, (Emma), she had better retire to rest with one of the children and I would watch the sicker child. In the night she told me I had better lie down on the trundle bed, and I did so, and was soon afer awakened by her screaming ‘murder,’ when I found myself going out of the door, in the hands of about a dozen men, some of whose hands were in my hair, and some had hold of my shirt, drawers, and limbs.” Joseph fought the mob with his giant strength. Emma rushed also to his assistance but was forced back amid threats and curses. Joseph was then overpowered and choked until he fainted. “After I came to,” he says, “as they passed along with me about thirty rods from the house, I saw Sidney Rigdon stretched out on the ground, whither they had dragged him by his heels. I supposed he was dead.” The crowd flocked around, shouting to kill Joseph. Had the Devil and all his infernal followers suddenly donned mortality, their hideous and horrifying brutal assaults and profanity could hardly have been a match for these mobbers.

Emma could hear it all! She heard Joseph exclaim, “You will have mercy and spare my life, I hope!” To which they mocked “—- ye, call on your God for help, we’ll show ye no mercy!” They then pounced upon Joseph, beating and scratching like wild-cats. The rest of his under clothing was torn from him and his body was bleeding. With a tar-paddle they smashed tar into his face and tried to “tar-up” his mouth, saying “—- ye, hold up her head and let us give ye some tar.” “A man fell on me,” exclaims Joseph, “and scratched my body with his nails like a mad cat, and then muttered, “—- ye, that’s the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks!” It’s all too terrible to relate!

After they had finished their shameful assault and fled, Joseph finally got back o the house. He had been beaten until he could hardly walk. “When I came to the door I was naked, and the tar made me look as if I were covered with blood, and when my wife saw me she thought I was all crushed to pieces, and fainted.” The rest of the night was spent scraping and removing the tar from Joseph’s bruised and bleeding body. During the mobbing one of the twins contracted a severe cold. Emma was frantic as it grew worse. Two days late rit died. how could we feel under the same condition?

For the next six years in and around Emma’s home at Kirtland, persecution raged. On the night of Jan. 12, 1838, Joseph bad Emma good-bye. The mob was thirsting for his blood! While they were on his very heels, Joseph exclaimed, “Emma, I’ll wait for you sixty miles westward! The brethren will care for you and bring you and the children!” All that wintry night Joseph and Sidney Rigdon rode forward on horseback. After being secretly joined by their families, they reached Far West, Mo., two months later. We can only guess the suffering during that one thousand miles of wintry travel.

As persecutions were as sore in Missouri as in Kirtland, the next year, 1839, the Saints were again on the move to nauvoo, Ill. Here Emma’s family life was one round of sorrow brought on by wicked men watching her home regularly for her husband. One time a boisterous officer from Missouri burst suddenly into her room and made all sorts of threats against her if she did not tell where Joseph was hiding. Cannon says, “All kinds of tricks were tried in order to capture Joseph. A reward of $1,300.00 was offered for his arrest.” This was in the fall of 1842. The day after Emma and Joseph had celebrated Christmas, Wilson Law arrested Joseph and hurried him away from Emma and the children, to Springfield, Ill., for trial. Two weeks later Emma and her family were delighted at the Prophet’s release. Jan. 18th, 1843, Emma invited many of Joseph’s friends to a banquet. It was the fifteenth anniversary of their marriage.

March 17th, 1842, Emma was made the first president of the Female Relief Society Organization.

After Joseph’s martyrdom and the Saints were driven from Nauvoo, Emma’s faith failed her. She stayed at Nauvoo and married Lewis C. Bidamon, Dec. 23, 1847. She died April 30, 1879;. The Deseret News of that date says, “To the old members of the Church the deceased was well known as a lady of more than ordinary intelligence and force of character. * * She was the mother of seven children. – There is no feeling of bitterness in the hearts of the Saints toward Sister Emma Smith, but only of pity and sorrow for the course she pursued.” Let us hope that God will indeed be merciful and gracious toward Emma for her twenty years of faith and hardships during the “Laying of the Foundations” of the “New Church.”