Well[,] bro[thers] & Sis[ters] I have been looking round upon this con[greâ gation]. I have long been waiting for the time when the Lo[rd] would give me strength to look upon you & my children. [I] feel solemn. [I] Want evâ ery one to look into their hearts to see what they have come to this place for Whether [they have come] to follow Ch[ri]st through evil & good report or for any other cause.
I want to have time to talk about my husband[, ] [and my sons] Hyrum [and] Joseph and want to give you all my advice. B[righam] Y[oung] has done the errand. He has fixed it completely. For a long time I have [been] wanting to ask whether you were willing to receive stolen goods or not. <I want to know if you believe in such things>
There is one thing I want to speak off â "There is may be 2000, here that never was acquainted with Mr Smith or my family. I raised 11 children, 7 boys, we raised them in the fear of God. When they w
ere 2 or 3 year[s] old {I told them I wanted} that they may [would] love God with all their hearts <I told them to do good> Wants all you to do the same. God gives us our children & we are accountable. In the fear of God I warn you I want you to take your little children & teach them in the fear of God. [I] Want you to teach them about Joseph in Egypt and such things and when they are 4 yr. old they willlove to read their bible.
I presume there never were a family that were so obedient as mine. <I did not have to speak to them only once" Set your children to work & try to bring them up to your comfort> donât let them play out of doors. If I cant talk to a few 1000s how can I meet millions and talk in celestial glory [?]. [I] Want the young men to remember that I love children, young folks and every body. [I] Want them to be obedient to their parents and do every thing just right. [I want them to] <be good & kind and do in secret as you would do in the presence of
Millions> Brothers & sisters I can call you bro[ther]s sisters children If you consider me a mother in Israel I want you to say so <Presid[ent]. B[righam] Young arose & said "all who consider Mother Smith as a Mother in Israel signify it by saying yea (loud shouts of Yes)> my feelings has been hurt by hearing them say[,] ["]Told mother Smith. there goes old Mother Smith.["] had her feelings hurt a great deal.
[I] Want to speak about the dead. 18 years ago last 2[2] September that J[oseph] took the plates out of the earth. 18 years last Monday since the J[oseph]. S[mith] the prophet of the Lord got the plates from the earth. {It was in a morning my son} J[oseph]. came to me and told me he had taken those plates out of the ground. <and he said ["]go> Tell all three f them {The} (Harris[s]) that I have got them I want Martin to assist me and {I want} [to] take some of the characters off to send them to N[ew]. Y[ork].["] I am in my 70[th] year,{it is} 18 years since
J[oseph] began to receive this gospel {of Glad tidings to all people} and preach it. I have got [it] all in a history & I want this people to be so good {and so kind} as to get it printed before they go to C[alifornia]. Martin Harris was the first person that helped Joseph about this work to get the book of Mormon printed[,] for the gospel Could not be preached until this was done. <here was only my family and Martin Harris to do anything about it> Just as soon as they commenced the devil began to war {roar} <and attempt to destroy them>. But a little while before we were turned out of house & home. Joseph went to P[ennslyvani]a. Joseph, Hyrum and Samuel had to go and work in the woods <all day & then at night haul[ing] the wood> & they had to go to get means to help Joseph publish the book. 2 of them guarded the house.
This was the way it commenced and now see what a congregation is here. You talk about going to Cal[ifornia]. how easy this can be done. My famil
y could go to work and get means to print the B[ook] of M[ormon]. You need not be to work and get means to print the B[ook] of M[ormon]. You need not be discouraged you cant get wagons & every thing else. {As Brigham says you must be honest} But if you are not honest you wont get there and if you feel cross you will have trouble. My family made out to get the Book pr[inted]. the Angels <of the Lord> told them what to do. They began 18 years last Monday. {Thousands have come into the church since then} [I] Dont suppose that ? of this people every saw or knew any thing of Joseph H[yrum] S[amuel], {William} or [the rest of] my family. Now they are all gone and none left but poor Wm. and he is gone I donât know where. I have 3 daughters at home they have never had any thing [from tithing] but worked for the church. After the Book was printed Samuel took some of them to sell. He went into bro. Greens. <a Methodist preacher.> [Samuel] had been turned out of doors 3
times. Samuel asked him[,] ["]wont you buy a book[?""] He asked[,] ["]what it is[?""]. Samuel said[,] ["]it is a B[ook] of M[ormon]. that my brother has translated <from plates out of the ground>.["] She asked her husband but he would not buy. Sam[ue]l left one till he returned. He had to sell them to buy us victuals. I want to speak of this that you may not complain of hard times. {He went into a [another] house [in the neighborhood] and asked to have a breakfast & he would give a book for it} [Later] He again went to Mr Greens he was not at home. She [Mrs. Green] said he must take the book again. Samuel took the book & looked & looked" said {She afterward told me} she never saw a man look so" she [k]new he had the sp[ir]it of God. He said he could not take the book. <the Spirit forbids me taking this book> She fell on the floor & asked him to pray with her. She read & became a Mormon & thus the work began <& then it spread like a mustard seed>" After the chur
ch began to grow we were driven again we had to go from place to place to Kirtland <then> to Mo. W[illia]m was taken sick", Sam[ue]l[s] wife and others [too] and we had 20 or 30 sick to take care off during the mobbing. <I felt strong in health> [I] Could take care of 20 sick then better than sit on my chair now. Whilst W[illia]m. was sick he had a Vision & saw the mob come in. He said he saw them come thousands & thousands and says he <Mother> {You will be driven and says} ["]if I die I
want you to take care of my wife <I want you to carry my corp[se] wherever you go["]" The first day William was able to Walk as far as the door> {the mob came} When the mob came in 10 of them inâ to my house {room} after they had taken Joseph & Hyrum {into their camp} there was thousands of them hollowing & screaching in my hearing how do you think I feel [felt][?] Have you any feelings for me[?]. Whilst they were in the camp I could not go to see them {and now my children are in the
grave} 10 men came in & said they wanted {we have come in} to kill the heads of the family. Says I[,] ["]do you want to kill me.["] They said ["]yes.["] Then says I[,] ["]do it quick like men for I would then be hapâ py.["] They then said ["]Gd damn it these Mormons would as soon die as live.["] They then tried Joseph & Hyrum & sentenced them to be shot in 15 minutes. A man came in and said[,] ["]<Mother Smith> if you ever want to see Mr Smith again you must go now for he is going to be shot in Jackson Co.["] I went to the wagonthey men lift up their swords and swore I should not see them. {He took me by the hand & it was as much as we could do to get thru the crowd to the waggon} I finally got to the wagon & put up my hand & he [Joseph] took hold of it & kissed it. Says I ["]now Joseph speak once more.["] Says he now ["]God bless you my poor mother.["] They were taken away They were in bands and irons. All this time my <my son> W[ilâ lia]m & wife were sick. Samuels
wife was sick and some others & I had them all to take care off. After that we had to move. Joseph went to City of Washington It rained 3 days as hard as it could rain but we had to travel & nothing to shelter us
We walked 6 miles <in the [river] bottom> my cloth[e]s was we
t {so high up I could scarcely walk} and when we got to the quincy river it snow[d] {it rained} & hailed and was cold. We laid down on the <cold> snow <& a blanâ ket over us> and took off our wet stockins & did the best we could. In the morning <the cover [over us] was frozen stiff> we could not make a fire for the snow, Joseph then went to the City of W[ashington]. He had a rev[elaâ tion]. to importune at the Governors feet & the prest. feet for the Lord said if they would not heed them he would vex the nation. After he reâ turned he went to preaching down between Mr. Durfees [and] the Mansion house He told the brethren & sis[ters] that he had done all he could for them, says he ["]they are determined we shall not have justice <while we stay in Nauvoo>["] But says he ["]keep good courage You never shall suffer for bread as you have done before.["] says he ["]all these cases is a record on earth & what is recorded here is a record in heaveny.["]
Now says he ["]I am
a going to lay this case of their taking away our propâ erty or I am a going to take it up to the highest court in heaven.["] he said so 3 times"Never did I think he was going to leave us so soon to take this case to heaven. He never could get justice till he took it there. {The Lord has got even the Marshall there} I feel now just exactly that the Lord has got even the Smiths there"They know all our sufferings and dont you think our case is being tried[?] I think they will do more for us there than they could if they were here. I feel if there was no evil here [] no talking [] all would go right <I feel that if every soul would stay at home they would be blessed> I feel that the Lo[rd] is vexing the Nation a little here & there. And I feel that the Lo[rd] will let brother Brigham take the people away.
I dont know that I shall go [West] but if W[illia]m and the rest of the family go I shall go. I feel to bless you all <I pray that the Lord may bless the heads of the
Church> Brother Brigham and all. <when I go to anâ other world I want to meet you all> Here lays my dead my husband and chilâ dren. I want to lay my bones so that in the res[surection].
I can rise with my husband & children. If so be that my children go <And I would to God all my children would go> with you but they will not go withâ out me and if I go I want to have my bones fetch[ed] back to be laid with my husband & children.
[source: Ronald Walker, "Lucy Mack Smith Speaks to the Nauvoo Saints" BYU Studies]
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