They were the top dog

North Americans like rankings and polls. There seems to be a top ten list for just about everything. We consult consumer reports prior to a major purchase. We follow political campaigns paying attention to who is leading in the polls. For the sport minded, College sports will list the top 25, and a team’s perceived success is measured in large part by whether they are on the poll or not. It was no different during the pioneer years of Salt Lake City. Parents wanted the best for their children in regards to education and usually sought out the best school. Who was generally the best school during pioneer Utah?

a.      The Ward Schools

b.      The LDS academy schools

c.       The neighborhood schools operated by caring moms

d.      The Protestant schools

Yesterday’s answers:

1.      C   Their deaths caused by the sinking of the ship they sailed on

Throughout the Kirtland period, Lucy Mack Smith was supportive and involved with the Church. Her leadership ability surfaced when she led a group of twenty adults and thirty children from Fayette, New York, traveling part of the way by flat boat on the Erie Canal. When a blockage of the canal delayed the barge for more than a day and there was a great deal of murmuring by the Saints because of a food shortage, Lucy stood up and declared, “you will not starve. . . . I have no doubt but the hand of the Lord is over us.” In Buffalo, she was not afraid to let people know that she and her group were members of the Church, though another group of Saints there told her that such an admission might prevent them from getting lodging. She succeeded to finding a place for the women and children to stay. When scoffers said that the ship on which the group were to cross Lake Erie could not sail because of ice, she led the Saints aboard ship and told them: “If you will all of you raise your desires to heaven, that the ice may be broken up, and we be set at liberty, as sure as the Lord lives, it will be done.” At that instant a noise was heard, like bursting thunder. The captain cried, “Every man to his post.” The ice parted, leaving barely a passage for the boat, and so narrow that as the boat passed through the buckets of the waterwheel were torn off with a crash, which, joined to the word of command from the captain, the hoarse answering of the sailors, the noise of the ice, and the cries and confusion of the spectators, presented a scene truly terrible. We had barely passed through the avenue when the ice closed together again, and the Colesville brethren were left in Buffalo, unable to follow us.

   As we were leaving the harbor, one of the bystanders exclaimed, “There goes the ‘Mormon’ company! That boat is sunk in the water nine inches deeper than ever it was before, and, mark it, she will sink—there is nothing surer.” In fact, they were so sure of it that they went straight to the office and had it published that we were sunk, so that when we arrived at Fairport we read in the papers the news of our own death.”

Joseph Smith’s Kirtland, Karl Ricks Anderson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1989), 52-53.

2.        A.   In three years time 1/3 of his congregation would leave and join the Mormons

In Kirtland, Lucy took in visitors, supported those working on the temple, and assisted in building the schoolhouse/printing office. She was noted for her missionary zeal. While traveling with her son Hyrum on a visit to Detroit to visit her brother’s family, she spoke rather plainly, with her customary missionary zeal. When someone expressed concern about her outspokenness, Hyrum proposed that “Mother Smith should say just what she pleased, and if she got into difficulty, the Elders should help her out of it.”

   Her zeal led many people to convert to the Church. During the trip to Michigan, she was introduced to a Mr. Ruggles, her niece’s Presbyterian pastor. In her history, she wrote:

   “And you,” said Mr. Ruggles, upon shaking hands with me, “are the mother of that poor, foolish, silly boy, Joe Smith, who pretended to translate the Book of Mormon.”

   I looked him steadily in the face, and replied, “I am, sir, the mother of Joseph Smith; but why do you apply to him such epithets as those?”

   “Because,” said his reverence, “that he should imagine he was going to break down all other churches with that simple ‘Mormon’ book.”

   “Did you ever read that book?” I inquired.

   “No,” said he, “it is beneath my notice.”

   “But,” rejoined I, “the Scriptures say, ‘prove all things’; and, now, sir, let me tell you boldly, that that book contains the everlasting gospel, and it was written for the salvation of your soul, by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.”

   “Pooh,” said the minister, “nonsense—I am not afraid of any member of my church being led astray by such stuff; they have too much intelligence.”

   “Now, Mr. Ruggles,” said I, and I spoke with emphasis, for the Spirit of God was upon me, “mark my words—as true as God lives, before three years we will have more than one-third of your church; and, sir, whether you believe it or not, we will take the very deacon too.”

   This produced a hearty laugh at the expense of the minister.

   Not to be tedious, I will say that I remained in this section of country about four weeks, during which time I labored incessantly for the truth’s sake, and succeeded in gaining the hearts of many, among whom were David Dort and his wife. Many desired me to use my influence to have an elder sent into that region of country, which I agreed to do. As I was about starting home, Mr. Cooper observed that our ministers would have more influence if they dressed in broadcloth.

   When I returned, I made known to Joseph the situation of things where I had been, so he dispatched Brother Jared Carter to that country. And in order that he might not lack influence, he was dressed in a suit of superfine broadcloth. He went immediately into the midst of Mr. Ruggles’ Church, and, in a short time, brought away seventy of his best members, among whom was the deacon, just as I told the minister.  This deacon was Brother Samuel Bent, who now presides over the High Council.

Joseph Smith’s Kirtland, Karl Ricks Anderson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1989), 53-55.