Emma Hale Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), experienced a great deal of hardship throughout her married life. As a stalwart and near-founding member of the church, many wonder, why did Emma Smith leave the church, or perhaps more accurately, why did she not follow the main body of the church to the Utah Territory after her husband’s death. Her decision to remain in Nauvoo, Illinois, and not follow the main body of LDS Church westward, was influenced by several key factors:
One of the most significant reasons, if not the most significant reason, for Emma Smith’s estrangement from the main body of the LDS Church was her opposition to polygamy. Joseph Smith had introduced and practiced polygamy to a few other leaders of the church, including Emma. The practice was kept secret from the public and from many other church members for some time. Emma’s feelings towards polygamy were complex and conflicted; records show that she consented to and even attended a few plural marriages, but later revoked her support for Joseph Smith’s plural wives. Later, she would express her opposition to polygamy both privately and publicly. This tension created a significant strain on her marriage and her relationship with the church.
After Joseph Smith’s assassination in 1844, there was considerable confusion and conflict over who should succeed him as the leader of the church. Brigham Young, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, emerged as the leader of the majority of the church members and eventually led them to the Utah Territory. Emma Smith did not support Young’s leadership. She favored a more local leadership approach, and she felt that her son, Joseph Smith III, should eventually lead the church. This difference in opinion on leadership succession contributed to her decision to stay in Nauvoo.
Emma was deeply concerned about the well-being of her family and the preservation of their property. Nauvoo was her family’s home, and she chose to stay there to provide stability for her children. Additionally, she faced significant financial difficulties and legal challenges after Joseph’s death, and moving to an uncertain future in the West under Brigham Young’s leadership did not seem like a viable option.
In 1860, Joseph Smith III formally reorganized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS). Emma Smith became involved with the RLDS Church from the date of its reorganization. The RLDS Church rejected Joseph Smith’s polygamy practice, which Emma denied her husband practiced for the rest of her life. Emma’s belief that the leadership succession of her husband’s church should be vested in her son, Joseph Smith III.
Emma’s personal convictions played a crucial role in her decisions. She had a strong sense of her own beliefs and was willing to act on them, even when it meant standing against those within the church. Her relationships with other leaders and members of the LDS Church in Nauvoo, many of whom were also disaffected by the leadership changes and the move west, influenced her decision to remain.
Conclusion
So, why did Emma Smith leave the church is complex. Emma’s decision to leave the main body of the LDS Church and stay in Nauvoo was influenced by her opposition to polygamy, her views on leadership succession, her desire to protect her family and property, and her personal convictions. Her involvement with the RLDS Church allowed her to continue her faith in a way that aligned more closely with her beliefs and her understanding of her husband’s teachings. Emma’s legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting the turbulent and transformative period in the history of the Latter Day Saint movement.
By Todd Noall, Source Expert
Todd Noall is an author and religious scholar at Mormonism Explained with a focus on the history and theology of religion.
Fact Checked by Mr. Kevin Prince, Source Expert
Kevin Prince is a religious scholar and host of the Gospel Learning Youtube channel. His channel has garnered over 41,000 subscribers and accumulated over 4.5 million views. Mr. Prince also created the Gospel Learning App, a reliable platform where individuals seeking truth can access trustworthy answers to religious questions from top educators worldwide.
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