Early Life and Marriage of Emma Hale Smith

Emma Hale Smith was born on July 10, 1804, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. She met her future husband, Joseph Smith, while he boarded at her parents’ farm in Harmony, and they married on January 18, 1827. The couple briefly resided in Fayette, New York, before relocating to Kirtland, Ohio; Far West, Missouri; and ultimately Nauvoo, Illinois. Emma played a vital role in the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, notably as the first president of the Relief Society, established in 1842. A well-educated and resilient woman, she faced significant hardships, including familial persecution and the tragic loss of several children, yet remained a steadfast support to Joseph throughout their shared trials.

“I read the letters between Joseph Smith and his wife, Emma. Emma was a stronger personality than Joseph. Emma was his trusted counselor and guide. Joseph deferred to her; he took advice from her; he took counsel from her. She was better educated than him.” Denver Snuffer, 8^th Address to All Christians, Montgomery, AL (May 18,2019)

Divine Calling: The 1830 Revelation to Emma Smith

This is the first written revelation given directly to Emma Smith, received in 1830 through Joseph Smith. The revelation affirms her divine calling as an “elect lady,” pronounces forgiveness of her sins, and delineates her responsibilities in supporting the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It emphasizes meekness, selfless service, and fidelity to covenants as essential for receiving eternal blessings.

SECTION 5

A revelation given through Joseph Smith Jr. at Harmony, Pennsylvania, in July 1830, to Emma Smith.

Emma, my daughter in Zion, a revelation I give unto you concerning my will. Behold, your sins are forgiven you and you are an elect lady, whom I have called. Murmur not because of the things which you have not seen, for they are withheld from you and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.

And the office of your calling shall be for a comfort unto my servant Joseph, your husband, in his afflictions, with consoling words in the spirit of meekness. And you shall go with him at the time of his going and be unto him for a scribe, that I may send Oliver Cowdery wherever I will. And you shall be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures and exhort the church, according as it shall be given you by my spirit, for he shall lay his hands upon you and you shall receive the holy ghost. And your time shall be given to writing and to learning much.

And you need not fear, for your husband shall support you from the church, for unto them is his calling, that all things might be revealed unto them, whatever I will, according to their faith. And truly I say unto you that you shall lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better.

And it shall be given you also to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given you, which is pleasing unto me to be had in my church, for my soul delights in the song of the heart, yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

Wherefore, lift up your heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which you have made. Continue in the spirit of meekness and beware of pride. Let your soul delight in your husband and the glory which shall come upon him. Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness you shall receive. And except you do this, where I am you cannot come. And truly I say unto you that this is my voice unto all. Even so, Amen.

Leadership in the Relief Society

In 1842, the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was organized, and Emma Smith was elected president. Joseph referenced the 1830 revelation as the divine mandate for her new responsibilities, stating that her leadership role fulfilled the promises outlined therein. From the Relief Society’s first meeting, President Emma Smith emphasized the group’s duty “to watch over the morals—and be very careful of the character and reputation—of the members of the Institution.”(JS, Minutes and Discourses, March 17,1842, page 13)

Addressing Slander and Moral Challenges

During the first half of 1844, Joseph Smith engaged in a series of legal proceedings with Nauvoo resident Orsamus F. Bostwick, stemming from slanderous rumors about Hyrum Smith and various women who were in confidential practice of plural marriage. The Voice of Innocence from Nauvoo was composed in late February–early March 1842 as a formal public defense against defamatory rumors and slander targeting the moral character of Nauvoo women and Church leaders.

In 1842, nineteen members of the Relief Society published a statement denouncing John C. Bennett for practicing a form of polygamy known as “spiritual wifery.” Bennett had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1840, served as mayor of Nauvoo, and was a member of the Church’s First Presidency from 1841 into 1842. The statement refuted allegations that the Church endorsed a “secret wife system.” The marriage statement featured below formed part of the Latter-day Saints’ efforts to counter Bennett’s growing influence in late 1842.

On Marriage, pages 939-940 Times and Seasons Vol #3

We the undersigned members of the ladies’ relief society, and married females do certify and declare that we know of no system of marriage being practised in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints save the one contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and we give this certificate to the public to show that J. C. Bennett’s “secret wife system” is a disclosure of his own make.

Emma Smith, President, Elizabeth Ann Whitney, Counsellor, Sarah M. Cleveland, Counsellor, Eliza R. Snow, Secretary,

Mary C. Miller,	Catharine Pettey [Petty],
Lois Cutler,	Sarah Higbee,
Thirza Cahoon,	Phebe Woodruff,
Ann Hunter,	Leonora Taylor,
Jane Law,	Sarah Hillman,
Sophia R. Marks,	Rosannah Marks,
Polly Z. Johnson,	Angeline Robinson,
Abigail Works.

The Voice of Innocence: A Collective Defense

Over the next two years, rumors of polygamy and “spiritual wifery” persisted in Nauvoo and surrounding areas, with women being seduced under false pretenses of divine sanction without proper marriage ceremonies. To address this, The Voice of Innocence was composed by William W. Phelps, a printer and occasional ghostwriter for Joseph Smith, at the request of the Relief Society women. The document provided a dignified platform to refute baseless allegations and protect the Church’s moral integrity. Emma Smith, as Relief Society president, personally reviewed and refined the text to ensure its tone and message aligned with the women’s collective voice and Church principles.

In the document, Phelps likened the claims of Bostwick to the “blood stained mobbers of Missouri, in their hellish career” and urged “the whole virtuous female population of the city, with one voice, declare that the seducer of female chastity, the slander of female character, or the Defamer of the character of the heads of the church or the canker worms of our husband’s peace, the prostitute, their pimps, whether in the character of elite lawyer, doctor . . . shall have no place in our houses, in our affections, or in our society.” The document concluded that “the marriage bed, undefiled is honorable” and advocated that “polygamy, bigamy, fornication, adultery, and prostitution, be frowned out of the hearts of honest men.” (“The Voice of Innocence from Nauvoo”)

 Adoption and Publication of The Voice of Innocence

On March 7, in a public meeting at the Nauvoo temple before an audience of about eight thousand church members, Phelps read aloud the “Voice of Innocence,” to which the assembly responded by saying “Amen” twice. During an afternoon continuation of that meeting, “notice was given for th[e] relief society to meet” Saturday to adopt the statement written by Phelps.(JS, Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 4, 1 March–22 June 1844)

On March 9, 1844, Smith read her slightly amended version at the first meeting of the Relief Society held that year and the assembled members of the Relief Society unanimously voted that they were “willing to receeve the princples of vurtue, keep the commandments of God, and uphold the Prestss in puting down iniquity”.  (Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, Mar. 9, 1844, in JSP)

Since the meeting room could not accommodate all the members of the Relief Society who wished to attend, Emma Smith presided over three more meetings—one on the afternoon of March 9 and two on March 16—that all approved the “Voice of Innocence.” On March 16 Smith denounced “J. C. Bennets [John C. Bennett’s] Spiritual Wife system” and exhorted Relief Society members to “cleanse thier hearts and Ears” and “throw the Mantle of Charity round to shield those who will repent and do so no more.” She called for a “reformation in boath men & woman.” (Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, Mar. 16, 1844)

She thus encouraged Relief Society members to follow the published statements of Joseph Smith and the church, as well as her husband’s teachings “from the Stand,” implying that they should abide by his public remarks against spiritual wifery rather than any private teachings regarding plural marriage.

The version of “The Voice of Innocence From Nauvoo” amended by Emma Smith and read to the Relief Society was then published in the Nauvoo Neighbor on March 20, 1844, above the names of Emma Smith and Hannah M. Ells (secretary pro tem of the Relief Society). The article was titled “Virtue Will Triumph” and included a brief introduction that explained, “At four overflowing meetings of the Ladies of Nauvoo, Members of the Female Relief Society, (each meeting being composed of different members that all might have the opportunity of expressing their feelings) held at Gen Smith’s large assembly room on Saturdays the 9th and 16th of March 1844. The following preamble and resolutions were read and unanimously adopted at each meeting. (“Virtue Will Triumph,” Nauvoo Neighbor, Mar. 20, 1844)

The Voice of Innocence (Original document)

  The Voice of Innocence (Virtue Will Triumph)

From Nauvoo

The corruption of wickedness which manifested itself in such horrible deformity on the trial of Orsemus F. Bostwick last week, for slandering President Hyrum Smith and the Widows of the City of Nauvoo, has awakened all the kindly feelings of female benevolence, compassion and pity, for the softer sex to spread forth the mantle of charity to shield the characters of the virtuous mothers, wives and daughters of Nauvoo, from the blasting breath and poisonous touch of debauchees, vagabonds, and rakes, who have jammed themselves into our city to offer strange fire at the shrines of infamy, disgrace and degradation; as they and their kindred spirits have done in all the great cities throughout the world: corrupting their way: on the earth, and bringing woman, poor defenceless woman, to wretchedness and ruin.

As such ignoble blood now begins to stain the peaceable habitations of the Saints, and taint the pure air of the only City in the world that pretends, to work righteousness in Union, as the sine qua non, for happiness, glory and salvation: and, as such ungodly wretches, burning or smarting with the sting of their own shame, have doubtless, transported with them; some of the miserable dupes of their licentiousness, for the purpose of defiling the fame of this goodly city: mildewing the honesty of our mothers: blasting the chastity of widows and wives, and corrupting the virtue of our unsuspecting daughters, it becomes US in defence of our rights, for the glory of our mothers fathers; for the honor of our Mothers; for the happiness of our husbands; and for the well fare of our dear children, to rebuke such an outrage upon the sanctity of Society; to thwart such a death blow at the hallowed marriage covenant: and to ward off such poisoned daggers from the hearts of our innocent daughters, for blast them of 〈for the honor of〉 Nauvoo; and write in 〈with〉 indellible Ink, upon every such villain: Vitare perditoris! Beware of the Wretch! and, so put in every virtuous woman’s hand a rod, to scourge such tormentors of domestic felicity, with vengeance throughout the world: Curse the man that preys upon female virtue! Curse the man that slanders a woman: Let the righteous indignation of insulted innocence, and virtue spurn him from society; Let the dignity of the Mother’s of Israel kick the blood thirsty pimp from the pale of social communion. Let the widows and wives who tread in the foot steps of their queenly mother Eve, drive such fag ends of creation, as was Cain, to the Land of Nod, and let the timid daughters of Nauvoo, dread such Canker worms more than the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and spurn 〈shun〉 them as the serpent on the land and the shark in the Sea. My God! My God! is there not female virtue and valor enough in this City to let such mean men die of the rot:— that the Sexton may carry their putrid bodies beyond the limits of the City for food, for Vultures and Eagles? Refuse them female courtesy: deny them the pleasure of family correspondence and family intercourse: curse the Woman that speaks to such rotten flesh 〈if she knows who they are〉: Curse the man that will harbor them; and Curse the Lawyer that will stoop from the dignity of his profession, to plead for them: The Apologer is as mean as the Murderer!

Female virtue is a pearl of great price, and should glitter in the abodes of men; as in the Mansions of bliss for the glory and honor of him, whose image she bears and whose help meet she is, and every attempt of man to seduce that virtue, is, next to murder, a robbery that cannot be restored. If woman swerves from the rules of righteousness:

“Ruin ensues, reproach and shame;

And one false step bedims her fame.

In vain the loss she may deplore

In vain review her life before;”

With tears she must in anguish be

Till God says, “Set that captive free”.

Many of the distinguished females of Nauvoo, have waded to their present habitations through persecution, sorrow, and death, robbed and ravished 〈insulted〉, and bereaved of husbands and children by the combined powers, of priests and spiritual wickedness in high places, but none of these piercing calamities of man touch the heart of woman with such severe poignancy, as the envenomed Slander of O. F. Bostwick. that “he could take a half bushel of meal 〈obtain his vile purposes〉 and get what accommodation he wanted with almost any woman in the City”

Wo to the Wretch that can thus follow the blood stained Mobbers of Missouri, in their hellish career, and dreul 〈deal〉 his slander about the streets of Nauvoo, as he may imagine with impunity! Wo to the Man, or Lawyer, that filthifies himself by (licking that dreul as he attempts to) advocate〈ing〉 such 〈the〉 a rotten hearted raven’s rights, 〈or recommend him to the Sympathies of any being but Satan〉 to the sympathies of any being but Satan! [p. [2]]

Has any man a Mother in this City? honor says, clear such rubbish from her door:

Has any man a Wife? benevolence whispers trap such beasts of the field that they may not wrong the flock, nor kill the lambs. Has any Man a Widowed Mother? humanity seems to caution him—thy Mother is in danger, protect her, from the Stench of such Carrion! Has any Man, Daughters? the voice of reason compels him to exclaim: There is a Wolf in the path, Beware! Has any Man, Sisters? the blood of his kindred says, evil be to him that evil thinks: and Let the whole virtuous female population of the City, with one voice, declare that the Seducer of female Chastity, the Slanderer of Female Character, or the Defamer of the Character of the Heads of the Church or the canker worms of our husband’s heaven, 〈peace;〉 the prostitute, or their pimps, whether in the character, of elites lawyer, doctor, or cisisbeo, shall have no place in our houses, in our affections, or in our Society.

Wherefore,

Resolved unanimously that Joseph Smith, the Mayor of the City, be tendered our thanks for the able and manly manner in which he defended injured innocence in the late trial of O.F. Bostwick for slandering president Hyrum Smith “and almost all the women of the City.”

Resolved unanimously that we view with unqualified disapprobation and scorn the conduct of any man or woman, whether in word or deed, that reflects dishonor, upon the poor persecuted mothers, widows, wives and daughters of the Saints of Nauvoo: they have borne aspersions, slanders and hardships enough: forbearance has ceased to be a virtue, and retaliation, like the “dagger or the bowl” ought to close the lips of such cowardly aspersions 〈assassins〉—

Resolved unanimously that while we render credence to the doctrines of Paul, that neither the man is without the woman; neither is woman without the man in the Lord, yet we raise our voices and hands against John C. Bennett’s “Spiritual Wife System,” as a scheme of profligates to seduce women; and they that harp upon it, wish to make it popular for the convenience of their own cupidity: wherefore, while the marriage bed, undefiled is honorable, let polygamy, bigamy, fornication, adultery, and prostitution, be frowned out of the hearts of honest men to drop in the gulf of fallen nature, 〈“〉where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched!〈”〉 and 〈let〉 all the Saints say Amen!

Continued Challenges and Legacy

Joseph Smith continued to be the subject of accusations from critics within and outside the church, some threatening legal action against him. On May 26, 1844, Joseph addressed the Saints in a long sermon describing the hypocrisy of his traducers and noted that he “never had any fuss with these men until that Female Relief Society brought out the paper against adulterers and adulteresses- (JS, Journal, May 26, 1844 page 6)

Joseph and Emma Smith faced escalating challenges, including legal battles like the Orsamus F. Bostwick slander case, which echoed Bennett’s claims. Emma continued leading the Relief Society, supporting temple construction, and enduring more personal losses. After Joseph’s martydom in 1844, Emma remained in Nauvoo, Illinois and later moved to Missouri. She passed away on April 30, 1879, leaving a lasting legacy in church history.