Joseph Smith's Death: A Political Assassination

The martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith was among the most tragic and defining moments in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it continues to reverberate deeply in the hearts and minds of Latter-day Saints around the world. Hyrum was 44 years old, and Joseph was 38 and a half when they were murdered in cold blood in Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844. Many have read the brief account of the events of that day, outlined in Section 135 of the Doctrine and Covenants, and wondered what more there was to know about this poignant event in our history. Like, how did they come to be incarcerated in Carthage Jail in the first place? What were the charges against them? Who had motivations to kill Joseph Smith and why? Was Joseph betrayed at all by insiders, or was this entirely an outside job? Who were those in the mob who actually pulled the trigger? And were they ever brought to justice? On this episode of Church History Matters, we begin a new series where we seek to begin pinning down answers to these and other related questions about this highly significant event. Specifically, we will take a close look today at what we know about some of the external factors, especially political ones, that led to the martyrdom.

This is the first episode of our 8-part podcast series on the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.o...

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Originally published May 21, 2024

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