Friday, January 18, 2013

He Didn’t Get a Public Funeral

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We know that the prophet Joseph Smith did not have a public funeral, at least not one where his actual body was in the coffin (This was done to fool those who would mutilate his body later). What other prophet of the Church did not have a public funeral?


a.      David O. McKay

b.      Lorenzo Snow

c.       Joseph F. Smith

d.      Joseph Fielding Smith


Yesterday’s answer

b.   His prison stripes


The following is in reference to William Flake from the journal of his wife Lucy Flake.


In prison, William “kept a journal . . . which is very interesting.” Although it documents several significant events, the record includes little information about how his family fared in his absence, nor does Lucy focus on that theme. Rather, she spent far more space in her journal on his welcome home party in Snowflake after completing his sentence of June 11, 1885. After the speeches praising his sacrifice, he reportedly said “that he could afford to serve another term, if it were necessary, but that he could not afford to deny a principle of the Gospel.” He retained his striped prison garb and wore it at parades, and local celebrations, “suggesting that he took some pride in the experience, or in surviving it.” While he may have seen it as a badge of honor, it was likely a painful reminder to Lucy of the loneliness and struggle experienced in his absence. According to a family story, Lucy or one of her daughters finally burned it because of its unpleasant associations.

David F. Boone, “ ‘As Bad As I Hated To Come’: Lucy Hannah White Flake in Arizona, Journal of Mormon History, Vol. 38, No. 4, Fall 2012, 75.

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