175th Commemoration of Joseph & Hyrum Smith



Thursday, June 27th, was the 175th anniversary of the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in Carthage, Illinois.   We reference and honor them for their sacrifices.  Who in this day willing gives their life for the things they believe, not many.  Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830 through revelation from the Lord.  He never denied his testimony of the events that unfolded and the truth he told.  

On Thursday of June 27, 1844, a mob of 100+ men with faces blackened surrounded the jail he was being held in on trumped up charges.  They charged up the stairs and broke through the door of the room they were in shooting Hyrum, Joseph's brother, in the face killing him instantly.   Joseph was shot while trying to jump out the window and fell to the ground.  John Taylor was shot four times and Willard Richards ear was grazed, both lived.   John Taylor wrote the account of it later.  

Below is President Mark Lusvardi, of the Illinois Nauvoo Mission opening the program.  Mark H. Taylor, great, great grandson of John Taylor spoke about the eyewitness history his grandfather wrote. 
  Hyrum Smith asked John Taylor to sing, "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief' that hot muggy day so long ago and he sang it.   Later in the afternoon Hyrum asked John to sing it again.  John Taylor said he didn't feel like it.  Hyrum said to just begin and the feeling would come.  So it was sung once more.  Brother Mark Taylor sang the seven verses of the song for us.   
A 150 voice youth choir from American Fork, Utah, sang some beautiful numbers 'Praise to the Man' and "I Know That My Redeemer Lives'.
 The Nauvoo Brass Band played the prelude and postlude setting a wonderful mood.  1,100 people attended this hot muggy afternoon.  How lucky we were to have shade trees, grass, beautiful surroundings and friends attending. 

Below is a photo of the Carthage Jail window where Joseph fell out after he had been shot.  
It was such an honor to attend this anniversary and to serve in Nauvoo on a mission.   

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