--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Gates, Susa Young collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 9 number: 2 published: 1905-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Susa Young Gates, "What Joseph Smith Did for the Womanhood of the Church," *Improvement Era* 9, no. 2 (December 1905): 179–183.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0902unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0902unse start_page: 179 end_page: 183 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1905-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0902unse publication_year: 1905 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1905, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # What Joseph Smith Did for the Womanhood of the Church GENIUS OR SEEit? 177 formed there, are necessary to salvation or eternal progress, these are performed by those still in the flesh for those who have passed away without them — just as Jesus died for man because man was without the power to die efficaciously for himself. In this way will every soul have the opportunity of exercising his agency in the matter of the laws of eternal progress. Where did this idea come from? Not surely from any Heathen religion, and not from the narrow and imperfect dogmas of modern Christianity. So far as this generation is concerned, it originated with the Prophet Joseph Smith. Till Joseph Smith came, the world had no answer to the average Christian's frightful commentary on the wisdom of Jehovah in devising a plan of salvation that would save only a handful of His children. We have preferred not to discuss the question whether these ideas we have mentioned are true. The only matter that we are concerned with here is. Where did the "Mormon" Prophet get them? Clearly, if there has been any plagiarism, it has been only in the smaller and less important ideas, not in the big, central ones. But it is clear that, even if these latter were adopted, the fact that they have been combined into a viril faith like ' 'Mor- monism" places the founder of the religion in the realm of actual creation. This is the only conclusion that can be drawn from a close comparison of "Mormonism" with other faiths. Pagan and Christian. Joseph Smith, therefore, becomes one of the great religious reformers of the world. This conclusion would astonish our critics very much. But as long as these hiss out, in one breath, the vilest epithets in the language to the effect that the "Mormon" Prophet was a depraved and ignorant impostor, and then, in the next breath, construct an argument that actually presupposes in him a scholarly discrimination and a wide range of historical in- formation, so long may we be at liberty to leave them to their own devices in the way of extricating themselves from a very queer dilemma. III. But Joseph Smith and his people do not ask the world to be- lieve him a great genius. All they require is the admission that he was inspired of heaven^ in the same sense that the ancient seers 178 IMPROVEMENT ERA. were inspired. It is true that the Hebrew Scriptures teach the doctrine that man may become like God, as, for example, when the ' apostle declares that 'when He comes we shall be like Him, * and ' the injunction of Jesus for men to become perfect like the Father; these holy writings make God a personal being, after whose image man was created, that the earth shall be man's permanent home, and that the "dead" have the gospel preached to them. But with- out extraordinary genius, or, what would prove equivalent, the gift of divine inspiration, Joseph Smith would not be any more likely to discover and elaborate these beautiful truths than any other person. It is probable that, like the rest of religious teachers, he would have eagerly snatched at the Psalmist's "a little lower than the angels" as the highest conception of man, utterly ignoring, like them, the infinitely nobler idea of man's unlimited progress; that he would have chosen the psalm-singing, harp-twanging idea of heaven rather than the sensible picture given in the phrase, "The meek shall inherit the earth;" that, finally, he would have preferred to leave his followers with the preposterous notion that God could not devise a plan sufficiently comprehensive to save even the majority of his creatures, to the marvelously simple idea that men may be "saviors on Mount Zion." But this last thought we need not follow further. It is per- fectly clear that Joseph Smith was a great original genius, or one of the greatest of inspired Seers. The Saints prefer the simpler explanation —that he was and is a Seer. Salt Lake City, Utah. WHAT JOSEPH SMITH DID FOR THE WOMAN- HOOD OF THE CHURCH. BY SUSA YOUNG GATES. One hundred years permits an observer a fairly accurate per- spective by which to measure the history and character of those who began life at the beginning of that period. And although hundreds of years will be necessary in which to tell the tale of the greatness and majesty of the man, Joseph Smith, yet can we arrive at some measure of the truth in this comparatively short time. What his life and mission did for men, for science, for philoso- phy, for life in its fullest and deepest sense, others may consider; but the inquiry now and here to be answered is, what did his life and mission mean to the womanhood of the Church, and, therefore, to the women of the world? First of all, what was the condition of women, socially, polit- ically and religiously, in 1830, when the Church was organized? In answering this, it should beknown that at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Joseph was born, the full educa- tion of girls was unknown. They were allowed, not very gra- ciously, to attend school when the boys were away and at work. But the same violent opposition to every phase of the Woman's question was then centered on the ultra-liberal idea of permitting girls to acquire any learning but the polite arts of reading and writing, and perhaps a smattering of French and music, with em- broidery and fine sewing. More than this, declared preachers and teachers, came of the devil. In the early part of the century, a female seminary was opened. But even then, such strong meat as ' 180 IMPROVEMENT ERA. mathematics or science was deemed heretical to suggest as food for brains of delicate girls. Socially, women were just emerging from the long, dark traditions of the Crusades, the monasteries, and the later strait- laced Puritan prejudices woman appearing anywhere in against public life. Yet, socially women had far more opportunities and privileges than educationally, politically, or religiously. For, the way from the drawing room led often into minor powers in state affairs. Religiously, that is among the sects, the position of woman was more than subordinate. The Quakers were the only ones who acknowledged in any way the right of woman's voice to be raised within church walls. Therefore, when a young and fearless prophet arose who pro- claimed, as a first foundation principle, that women should have the religious franchise, and that all things should be done with ' ' 'common consent, one need not wonder at the horror which his ' announcement created. In the year 1830, in July, the Prophet received a revelation concerning his wife Emma, and in it were instructions and powers that extended to all the daughters of God's kingdom. Herein she was told ' 'to walk in the paths of virtue before me; to lay aside the things of this world, and seek for a better." She was 'to be ordained under the hands of Joseph Smith to ex- * pound Scriptures and to exhort the Church, as it shall be given thee by my Spirit. ' And what were the results? What has "Mormonism" and Joseph Smith done forme, for my sisters all women? —for Where would I, my sisters, my mother, yea, all women of this people be, if Joseph Smith had not been born, if he had not trans- lated the Book of Mormon, established the Church, built Kirtland, Far West, Nauvoo, consecrated temples, given endowments, es- tablished commonwealths, and finally rendered up his own life on the altar of sacrifice, returning from his contemplated trip to the Rocky Mountains, to go like a lamb to the slaughter? Can you think where we would have been? You and I? Will your mind obey your imagination, and picture for you what might have been and what now is? WHAT JOSEPH SMITH DID FOR WOMANHOOD. 181 Who would have established a splendid, independent woman's organization, giving her every right to progress, advance, and grow along every true and natural line? Where would be our Woman's Relief Society, Mutual Improvement Associations, and the Primaries, but for him? Our elective franchise in Church and state? For Brigham Young never would have reached the Rocky Mountains, if Joseph Smith had not pointed the way? And if these men had not come, what class of people would have come? Think of it, every woman, young or old; ponder it well. What debt do you owe Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the living God? What has he done for you? And how may we repay this debt, this obligation? Only by love and loyalty to him, and obedi- ence to the principles which he taught. We only remember that which is constantly before our eyes, within the hearing of our ears, and upon our lips in speech. The memory of the Savior himself would perish from the earth were he not spoken of and written about constantly. Why are the Scriptures so necessary to the people's spiritual health? Because they tell us of God and his hand-dealings on earth. And surely, the memory of any man would speedily fade, were not books written, pictures painted, and monuments erected to keep mem- ory green. Then you and I, sisters, can help, ever so little it may be, but still help, to keep the grass above Joseph's grave green in our hearts and the hearts of our children. Let us talk of him, write about him, and love and honor him daily and hourly. One key: Whenever a meeting drags, or is spiritless, let any one get up and testify to the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and see how quickly light will dispel the darkness. If a mission- ary in the field would have his mettle tested to the utmost, let him boldly testify to the truth of Joseph's message to the earth, and to the majesty and power of that man. There was a time when it took more courage to testify of Christ. But now, the mere knowledge of him is almost covering the whole earth, and it is easy to speak of him and his refulgent earth-mission. Just now, the storm centre of truth broods over the name and memory of Joseph Smith, and his new testament of the character and power of the Savior. It is because Joseph Smith testifies of the Christ