By Jerald and Sandra Tanner
In the October, 1845 Conference of the Mormon Church, Lucy Smith announced that she had finished writing her book concerning the history of her son Joseph Smith. In 1853 Orson Pratt (the Mormon Apostle) published this book in England. In 1854 the Mormon newspaper, the Deseret News, recommended Lucy Smith’s book, Joseph Smith the Prophet:
Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and his Progenitors for Many Generations: by Lucy Smith, mother of the Prophet.
This new and highly interesting work should be possessed by all saints who feel in the least degree interested with the history of the latter day work. Many facts which it contains, and never before published, are of great importance to the world, and the work constitutes a valuable acquisition to the libraries of the saints. (Deseret News, November 16, 1854)
By the year 1865, however, Brigham Young (the second President of the Mormon Church) was trying to suppress the use of this book by the Mormon people:
The President then made some remarks on the book entitled “Joseph Smith and his Progenitors,” requesting those who had copies to let him have them, and receive value for them if they desired it. (Deseret News, June 21, 1865)
In the Millennial Star for October 21, 1965, Lucy Smith’s book was severely condemned by the First Presidency of the Mormon Church:
Happening lately, while on a preaching trip to Cache Valley, to pick up a book which was lying on a table in the house where we were stopping, we were surprised to find that it was the book bearing the title, on the outside, of “Joseph Smith, the Prophet;” . . . Our surprise at finding a copy of this work may be accounted for, by the fact of our having advertized some time ago that the book was incorrect, and that it should be gathered up and destroyed, so that no copies should be left; and, from this, we had supposed that not a single copy could be found in any of the houses of the Saints.
. . . It is sufficient to say that it is utterly unreliable as a history, as it contains many falsehoods and mistakes. We do not wish such a book to be lying on our shelves, . . . we, therefore, expect . . . every one in the Church, male and female, if they have such a book, to dispose of it so that it will never be read by any person again. If they do not, the responsibility of the evil results that may accrue from keeping it will rest upon them and not upon us.
. . . . .
Many of the Saints may not know that the book is inaccurate; but those who have been instructed respecting its character, and will still keep it on their tables, and have it in their houses as a valid and authentic history for their children to read, need rebuke. It is transmitting lies to posterity to take such a course, and we know that the curse of God will rest upon every one, after he comes to the knowledge of what is here said, who keeps these books, for his children to learn and believe in lies.
We wish those who have these books to either hand them to their Bishops for them to be conveyed to the President’s or Historian’s Office, or send them themselves, that they may be disposed of; and they will please write their names in the books, with the name of the place where they reside, and if they wish to hand them over without pay in return, state so; and if they wish to get pay for them, state whether they desire it applied on Tithing, or wish the value returned in other books. (Millennial Star, vol. 27, pages 657-658)
After Brigham Young ordered the first edition of Lucy Smith’s book to be destroyed, he decided to change it and put out another edition. Joseph F. Smith stated:
Subsequently, a committee of revision was appointed by President Young consisting of President George A. Smith and Judge Elias Smith, cousins of the Prophet, men personally familiar with the family and thoroughly conversant with Church history. They were instructed carefully to revise and correct the original work throughout, which they did, reporting their labors to President Young to his entire satisfaction. (History of Joseph Smith by his Mother, 1954 edition, Introduction)
Elias Smith, who was a member of the “committee of revision” wrote the following in his journal under the date of May 2, 1866:
Wednesday 2 got through with the session of court today as soon as I could and the remainder of the day or some part of it I spent at the Historian’s office assisting George A. Smith—Church Historian—in the revision of a book written by Lucy Smith mother of the Prophet Joseph and by some mistake misunderstanding or other consideration published in England in [blank space] as the history of “Joseph the Prophet” which was [word illegible] suppressed by the “First Presidency,” in consequence of certain errors that had been in [word illegible] in the work It has been resolved by President Young to revise and republish it and my servises have been solicited in the revision of the book or manuscript (Journal of Elias Smith, microfilm copy at the Utah State Historical Society)
When Brigham Young told the “committee of revision” to “revise and correct” this book, he did not mean to put in footnotes where there was an error (as any honest historian would do) but rather to make actual changes in the text.
In comparing the first edition of Lucy Smith’s history (that is the edition Brigham Young tried to destroy) with the edition printed in 1954, we have found that 436 words have been added 1,379 words have been deleted and 220 words have been changed. This is a total of 2,035 words added, deleted or changed without any indication. In addition, 736 words have been deleted with the omissions properly indicated.
On page 101 of the first edition Lucy Smith described the Urim and Thummim:
I knew not what he meant, but took the article of which he spoke into my hands, and upon examination, found that it consisted of two smooth three-cornered diamonds set in glass, and the glass were set in silver bows, which were connected with each other in much the same way as old fashioned spectacles. He took them again and left me, . . .
In the 1954 reprint (page 104) her description of the Urim and Thummim has been deleted:
I knew not what he meant, but took the article of which he spoke into my hands and examined it. He took it again and left me, . . .
On page 107 of her book Mrs. Smith stated that she could see the glistening metal of the breast-plate; in the 1954 edition of this book this statement has been removed. She also makes a statement concerning the value of the breast-plate which has been deleted.
On page 225 of the first edition Lucy Smith stated:
Here I shall introduce a brief history of our troubles in Missouri, given by my son Hyrum, before the Municipal Court, at Nauvoo, June 30, 1843, when Joseph was tried for treason against the state of Missouri:—
In the 1954 reprint (page 259) this has been changed to read:
Here I shall introduce a brief history of our troubles in Missouri, given by my son Hyrum, when Joseph was before the Municipal Court, at Nauvoo, June 30, 1843, on a writ of Habeas Corpus:
On page 216 of the first edition Lucy Smith told of the arrest of her husband:
He was taken for marrying a couple; and as Esquire Cowdery, and the mob, did not consider that he was a minister of the gospel, they disputed his having the right to perform this ceremony, and so fined him the sum of three thousand dollars, and, in case he should fail to pay this amount forthwith, he was sentenced to go to the penitentiary.
The Mormon Historians evidently felt that Lucy Smith told too much. In the 1954 reprint (page 248) 57 words were deleted, and 4 words added:
He was taken for marrying a couple without being licensed.
In the first edition (page 216) Lucy Smith continued the story as follows:
Luke Johnson bustled about pretending to be very much engaged in preparing to draw writings for the money, and making other arrangements, . . .
In the 1954 reprint (page 248) this has been changed to read:
Luke Johnson bustled about, pretending to be very much engaged in drawing the bonds and in making arrangements, . . .
On page 216 of the first edition Lucy Smith continued:
The first opportunity that offered itself, he went to Hyrum, and told him to take his father into a room, which he pointed out to him, and, said Johnson, “I will manage to get the window out, which will set him at liberty to jump out, and go where he pleases.” Mr. Smith and Hyrum, who had been together all the time, then retired from the company, who were kept from following them by Luke Johnson, who told the mob, that the prisoner had gone to consult about raising the money. In this way they were stilled, until Mr. Smith, help of Hyrum and John Boynton, escaped from the window.
In the 1954 reprint (page 248) many words have been deleted, and others have been changed:
The first opportunity that offered itself, he went to Hyrum and told him he would take his father into a room, which he pointed out, and, said Johnson, “I will manage so that he can get out, which will set him at liberty to go where he pleases.” In this way he escaped, by the help of Hyrum and John Boynton, from the window.
Many other changes have been made in this book, however, lack of space prevents us from mentioning them in this issue.
It has been a hundred years since Brigham Young ordered the first edition of Lucy Smith’s book destroyed, and since that time it has become quite rare. We are happy to announce, however, that a collector of rare Mormon books has allowed us to use his copy of the first edition, and that we have made a photomechanical reprint which we can now offer. This book also includes a 15-page introduction which we have written, showing many of the changes and facts concerning the suppression of this book. This should be very interesting to all students of Mormonism.
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