TESTIMONY OF LUCY W. SMITH
The day I received a copy of the Ensign containing your discourse from which you give extracts in your "reply," in relation to your "conversation" with Aunt Lucy W. Smith, I sent her a copy of your remarks with the request that she tell me if you had correctly reported her testimony. In the course of a few days I received this:
My Dear Boy: I very much regret not feeling able to answer your request at an earlier date. I am, however, much improved in health since coming to Logan, and take pleasure in declaring to you that the infamous discourse delivered 16th Feb. 1905 (the date of the Ensign) at St. Louis, Missouri, by Mr. Evans, is a fabrication of falsehoods and misrepresentations. I confess that I was not only surprised, but shocked beyond measure. Now one of the presidency of the Reorganized church, just think of it! And at the time he came to Salt Lake City three years ago, he claimed to be one of "young Joseph's apostles; came with a letter of introduction from cousin Joseph to his cousin Joseph F., saying that any courtesy shown him would be appreciated. Accordingly, Mr. Evans was shown every consideration. He accepted the generous hospitality of our President and his model family. Having expressed a desire to meet Mrs. Lucy W. Kimball, who was engaged that afternoon, arrangements were made to meet at the theatre, as he had to leave next day. He asked me many questions which I answered frankly—some very offensive hearsay questions that aroused my indignation, but I bore the ordeal as a martyr should. And from this opportunity sprang the wonderful discourse of wicked falsehood and malicious misrepresentation. O, shame! Where canst thou hide thy brazen face! How dare he resort to such infamy unless to satiate a morbid desire for notoriety among sensation-mongers, who seek not for light or truth! If so he only gratified the cravings of the basest and lowest caste.
I cannot believe that the once highly and beloved Emma who was so loyal and true to her husband in all the early trials and hardships to which he was subject, when in chains and bondage, when he was dragged from his bed, tarred and feathered, imprisoned and mocked and scoffed at, ridiculed and abused, and his life threatened by infuriated mobs and she stood by him and comforted him in all of his afflictions—I cannot believe after enduring all this for his sake, that Emma Smith ever denied seeing the revelation on celestial marriage after receiving it in good faith and accepting it as a command from God, knowing as I do, that she taught it to Eliza and Emily Partridge, Maria and Sarah Lawrence, and urged them to accept it by being sealed to her husband. She treated them kindly and considerately and knew they were associated with him as his wives. She was then a happy woman, until the tempter came in human form, and she partook of the apostate spirit so rife in those days. She could not deny these facts without sinning against her husband, sinning against his wives, against the truth, and against her God!
If her son insists that this denial was her last testimony he fastens a stigma on her once noble character in the estimation of her former friends and associates, who were familiar with the facts of the period referred to. This misguided son, young and without experience, was surrounded by his father's most wicked enemies who had betrayed his father, and had been instrumental in taking his life; and who, after they had accomplished this foul act, through sinister policies, determined to destroy the work his father was commanded to do, and had laid a permanent foundation on which to build up his church—the Church of Christ. They sought to influence his son against the teachings of his father, call him forth as a "leader" with promises of success, and good backing. Poor boy was flattered and led on and on, by crafty men, until he became an unbeliever of the principles his father had taught; and I cannot but believe that through such influences his mother has been misrepresented. I am unwilling to believe otherwise.
I expressed regrets to Mr. Evans in relation to the course taken by "young Joseph" through the influence of the bitter opponents of his father. I said he had closed his eyes to anything that would cast a ray of light on the vexed question: "Did my father have more [other] wives than my mother?" I answered truthfully without hesitation. Afterwards he went to Lehi, called on Melissa Lott, with whom he had been associated from early childhood and asked: "Will you answer me one question, I come to you knowing you will tell me the truth, were you my father's wife?" "Yes, Joseph, I was." "Where is your proof?" She stepped to the stand and took the family Bible opened to the family record, placed it on his knee and asked: "Do you recognize the handwriting?" "Certainly that is your father's (Cornelius P. Lott's) handwriting, know it as well as my own." Then read the marriage certificate of the Prophet Joseph and Melissa Lott.
Oliver Huntington who is still living testifies that they were very intimate as boys, and when together had often talked the matter over.
Referring to Mr. Evans again. I said: "Does this prove him (Joseph) an honest man?" Now does this cover the ground of your inquiry? I have so often been interrupted by callers, that I may not have been explicit enough. My personal testimony you already have, if not you can get it by referring to "Reminiscences of Latter-day Saints," by L. O. Littlefield, which you will find at the President's (Historian's) office.
Does this read much like she had been correctly represented?