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Discourse, 26 May 1842

Source Note

JS, Discourse, , Hancock Co., IL, 26 May 1842. Featured version copied [ca. 26 May 1842] in Relief Society Minute Book, [51]–[53]; handwriting of ; CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book.

Historical Introduction

On the evening of 26 May 1842, JS spoke to the about showing mercy to individuals who had sinned and helping them to reform. He gave this discourse at the organization’s ninth meeting, held on the second floor of JS’s in , Illinois. Accompanied by his wife , president of the Female Relief Society, he arrived late and began his sermon shortly after entering.
JS began by reading the fourteenth chapter of Ezekiel. He then counseled the assembled women to take responsibility for their own salvation. He especially emphasized being merciful to those in the community who had erred and encouraging them to repent. Although vague, these instructions seem to reference women in who had been seduced and deceived by and other men who told them their immoral actions were sanctioned by JS. Two days earlier, on 24 May, Sarah Miller, Margaret Nyman, and Matilda Nyman gave depositions before the Nauvoo high council as part of the council’s investigation into unvirtuous acts committed by men and women in Nauvoo. In his 26 May discourse, JS also directed the women of the Relief Society to “put a double watch over the tongue” and to spare the from retribution from those outside the religion by not openly or publicly discussing sin or other details about their community.
After JS concluded his discourse, addressed the Relief Society as its president, offering similar remarks, though she placed more emphasis on the public repudiation of sin. She agreed with JS’s direction to abandon “idle rumor and idle talk” and insisted that “sin must not be covered, especially those sins which are against the law of God and the laws of the country.” She warned that “all who walk disorderly must reform, and any knowing of heinous sins against the law of God, and refuse to expose them, becomes the offender.”
recorded an account of JS’s discourse in the minutes she kept as secretary for the Relief Society. Her original notes of the meeting are apparently not extant, but she recorded the minutes, including the discourse, in the Relief Society Minute Book, presumably sometime shortly after the 26 May 1842 meeting.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    This is the location where all prior Female Relief Society of Nauvoo meetings had been held.

  2. [2]

    See Historical Introduction to Notice, 11 May 1842; “Joseph Smith Documents from May through August 1842”; and Letter to Emma Smith and the Relief Society, 31 Mar. 1842.

  3. [3]

    JS, Journal, 24 May 1842; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 24–25 May 1842.

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  4. [4]

    While JS’s references to guilty individuals likely applied to those who had been involved with Bennett’s seductions, JS’s admonition to keep confidences may have also related to rumors and misunderstandings about JS’s practice of plural marriage. (See “Joseph Smith Documents from May through August 1842”; Historical Introduction to Letter to Emma Smith and the Relief Society, 31 Mar. 1842; and Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 11–12.)

    Derr, Jill Mulvay, Carol Cornwall Madsen, Kate Holbrook, and Matthew J. Grow, eds. The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2016.

  5. [5]

    For the full minutes of the 26 May 1842 meeting of the Relief Society, see Derr et al., First Fifty Years of Relief Society, 68–72.

    Derr, Jill Mulvay, Carol Cornwall Madsen, Kate Holbrook, and Matthew J. Grow, eds. The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2016.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Discourse, 26 May 1842
Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 Addenda “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [51]

J. Smith rose, read the 14th Chap. of Ezekiel— said the Lord had declar’d by the prophet that the people should each one stand for himself and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church— that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls— app[l]ied it to the present state of the — said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall— that they were depending on the prophet hence were darkened in their minds from neglect of themselves— envious toward the innocent, while they afflict the virtuous with their shafts of envy.
There is another error which opens a door for the adversary to enter. As females possess refin’d feelings and sensitivenes[s], they are also subject to an overmuch zeal which must ever prove dangerous, and cause them to be rigid in a religious capacity— should be arm’d with mercy notwithstanding the iniquity among us. Said he had been instrumental in bringing it to light— melancholy and awful that so many are under the condemnation of the devil & going to perdition.
With deep feeling said that they are our fellows— we lov’d them once. Shall we not encourage them to reformation?
We have not forgivn them seventy times— perhaps we have not forgiven them once. There is now a day of salvation to such as repent and reform— they should be cast out from this , yet we should woo them to return to God lest they escape not the damnation of hell!
When there is a mountain top there also is a vally— we should act in all things an a proper medium— to every immortal spirit. Notwithstanding the unworthy are among us, the virtuous should not from self-importance grieve and oppress needlessly those unfortunate ones, even [p. [51]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [51]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 26 May 1842
ID #
13544
Total Pages
3
Print Volume Location
JSP, D10:101–105
Handwriting on This Page
  • Eliza R. Snow

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Ezekiel 14:14–20.

  2. [2]

    See Ezekiel 14:7–8.

  3. [3]

    See Matthew 7:3–5; Luke 6:41–42; and Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 470 [3 Nephi 14:4–5].

  4. [4]

    JS had also referenced misplaced zeal in a discourse to the Relief Society on 31 March. In his sermon, he counseled the women to reduce the rate at which they were admitting members to the organization. (Discourse, 31 Mar. 1842.)

  5. [5]

    Two days before this discourse, on 24 May, Sarah Miller, Margaret Nyman, and Matilda Nyman gave depositions against Chauncey Higbee. As a result of the Nauvoo high council’s investigation into illicit and unvirtuous acts, three men were disfellowshipped in late May. (JS, Journal, 24 May 1842; Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 24–28 May 1842.)

    Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.

  6. [6]

    See Matthew 18:21–22; and Revelation, 6 Aug. 1833 [D&C 98:40].

  7. [7]

    JS had earlier counseled Relief Society members to examine applicants carefully for worthiness before admitting them to the society. (Discourse, 31 Mar. 1842.)

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