Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith
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Name	Joseph Smith
Caption	A portrait of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.
Birth date	December 23, 1805
Birth place	Sharon, Vermont
Death date	June 27, 1844
Death place	Carthage, Illinois
Religion	Latter Day Saint movement
Known for	Founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, translator of the Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith was the founder and first president of the Latter Day Saint movement, a significant religious tradition originating in the United States during the Second Great Awakening. He is regarded by adherents as a prophet who restored the original Christian church through a series of divine revelations and the publication of sacred texts, most notably the Book of Mormon. His leadership, from the church's organization in Fayette, New York, to its establishment in Nauvoo, Illinois, and his eventual death at Carthage Jail, profoundly shaped the development of Mormonism and its various denominations, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Early life and background

He was born in Sharon, Vermont, to Lucy Mack Smith and Joseph Smith Sr., a family experiencing considerable economic instability. His youth was spent in Palmyra and Manchester, New York, within the region known as the Burned-over district, which was a hotbed of intense religious fervor during the Second Great Awakening. According to his own accounts, a profound religious experience in 1820, later termed the First Vision, involved a visitation from God the Father and Jesus Christ. This was followed several years later by angelic visitations from a heavenly messenger named Moroni, who directed him to a set of ancient golden plates buried in a hill near his home, now known as the Hill Cumorah.

Founding of the Latter Day Saint movement

On April 6, 1830, he formally organized the Church of Christ in Fayette, with a small group of early followers including Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris. The movement's foundational text, the Book of Mormon, was published earlier that year in Palmyra by the printer Egbert B. Grandin. The new church's doctrines and communal practices quickly distinguished it from mainstream Protestantism, leading to rapid growth and significant opposition. Seeking a central gathering place, he led the church first to Kirtland, Ohio, establishing the Kirtland Temple, and then to settlements in Missouri, such as Independence and Far West, where conflicts with other settlers escalated into the 1838 Mormon War.

Revelations and translations

His religious leadership was characterized by a continuous stream of written revelations, which he dictated to scribes and which were later compiled into the movement's standard works, chiefly the Doctrine and Covenants. These revelations covered diverse topics, including church organization, theology, and practical living, and introduced distinctive doctrines such as a belief in pre-mortal existence and a unique understanding of the Godhead. Beyond the Book of Mormon, he produced other significant translations, including an inspired revision of the King James Bible known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and the Book of Abraham, translated from Egyptian papyri he acquired in Kirtland, Ohio.

Leadership in Nauvoo and political aspirations

Following the expulsion from Missouri, he led his followers to settle in Commerce, Illinois, which he renamed Nauvoo. There, he secured a generous city charter from the Illinois General Assembly, establishing Nauvoo as a virtually autonomous city-state with its own militia, the Nauvoo Legion. His leadership expanded to include political ambitions; in 1844, he announced his candidacy for President of the United States, running on a platform that included the abolition of slavery through compensation. During this period, he introduced controversial religious practices, including the doctrine of plural marriage, and was ordained as king in a symbolic, theocratic sense, which increased internal dissent and external hostility from neighbors in Hancock County, Illinois.

Death and legacy

In June 1844, after the Nauvoo Expositor newspaper criticized his leadership and practices, he ordered the press destroyed, leading to charges of riot and treason. He surrendered to authorities and was jailed in Carthage alongside his brother Hyrum Smith. On June 27, 1844, a mob of armed men with blackened faces stormed Carthage Jail, resulting in his death and that of his brother, an event Latter Day Saints regard as martyrdom. His death precipitated a major succession crisis, leading to the schism of the movement into several factions, most significantly led by Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley and by Joseph Smith III in the reorganization of the Community of Christ. He is remembered as a pivotal and controversial figure in American religious history, whose teachings continue to influence millions of followers worldwide.

Category:American religious leaders Category:Founders of religions Category:19th-century American people