Joseph Fielding Smith
Encyclopedia
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. (19 July 1876 – 2 July 1972) was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1970 until his death. He was the son of Joseph F. Smith
, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church. His grandfather was Hyrum Smith
, brother of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith, Jr., who was Joseph Fielding's great-uncle.
Smith was named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1910, when his father was president of the church. No church president had a greater length of time as an apostle (1910–1972) nor had any church president succeeded at such a high age up to that point. He became the oldest LDS Church President, and continued to hold that honor until Gordon B. Hinckley
reached Smith's age in June 2006 (Hinckley continued as President for another 19 months). Smith's time as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
from 1951 to 1970 has been surpassed by few; he served as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the entire nineteen-year presidency of David O. McKay
.
Smith spent some of his years among the Twelve Apostles as the Church Historian and Recorder
.
Smith was a religious scholar and a prolific writer. Many of his works are used as references for church members. He wrote the text of a hymn called Does the Journey Seem Long? which appears as hymn #127 in the current edition of the LDS hymnal
.
that she attended in Salt Lake City. Growing up, Smith lived with his family in the immediate vicinity of the current West High School (Salt Lake City).
to Great Britain
by Lorenzo Snow
, the President of the Church. On May 12, 1899, Smith was set apart
as a missionary and ordained a Seventy by his father. A small group of missionaries, including Smith and his older brother Joseph Richards Smith, left the next day for England. After his return from the British mission in July 1901, Smith and his wife Louise had two daughters, Josephine and Julina. Louise Shirtliff Smith died of complications of a third pregnancy on March 28, 1908.
Smith married Ethel Georgina Reynolds (born 23 October 1889), the daughter of prominent LDS Church leader George Reynolds
, on November 2 1908. They had four girls (Emily, Naomi, Lois, Amelia) and five boys, Joseph Fielding (most often called Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.), Lewis Warren, George Reynolds, Douglas Allan and Milton Edmund. Their youngest daughter Amelia married Bruce R. McConkie
; McConkie became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shortly after Smith's death. Ethel Reynolds Smith died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 26 August 1937, at age 47.
Ethel had specifically requested that Jessie Ella Evans (December 29, 1902-1971) sing at her funeral. Evans, born to Jonathan Evans and his wife the former Janet Buchanan, joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
in 1918, was a member of the American Light Opera Company
(1923-1927) and the Salt Lake County Recorder. In November Evans and Smith got engaged.
In April 1938, Smith married Evans in the Salt Lake Temple
. The marriage was performed by Heber J. Grant
. The couple had no children, although Milton was only eleven when Joseph and Jessie married and George and Douglas were still under the age of 18. Smith's third wife died on 2 August 1971.
. He authored the book entitled The Origins of the Reorganized Church and the Question of Succession in 1909, which was written to defend the LDS Church against the recent proselytizing of missionaries for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church) in Utah. He was the acting recorder of the general conference
in 1910 when he was called as an apostle. Prior to his call as a general authority Smith served as the secretary and treasurer of the Genealogical Society of Utah
. In 1921 Smith assumed the office of Church Historian and Recorder which he held until 1970.
Early in his apostleship, his creationist views on the dispute between Mormonism's Biblical teachings and the theory of evolution brought him attention. (See Mormonism and evolution.)
Smith spent most of his time as an apostle living in Salt Lake City. He also was president
of the Salt Lake Temple
from 1945 to 1949. During this time, Smith was sent on a tour of the Spanish-American Mission
of the church. Before his return to Salt Lake he informed the president
of the Arizona Temple
that he would recommend to the First Presidency
that the temple ceremonies be translated into Spanish
.
Smith served as president of the Genealogical Society of Utah
and its successor the Genealogical Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1934 to 1961. At the time of his release from this position he had already been president of the Quorum of the Twelve for over a decade. During the late 1950s, Smith attempted to reduce staff turnover at the Society by trying to convince the First Presidency that women should be permitted to stay on as employees after they married. However, Smith was only able to get a change to allow them to work six months past marriage.
and supervised the withdrawal of missionaries immediately prior to the outbreak of World War II
. In 1950 Smith toured the Mexican
Mission of the church. In 1955 Smith made an extensive tour of Asia
. On this journey he dedicated Korea
and the Philippines
for the preaching of the gospel. In 1957 he went to Europe for the dedication of the London Temple
and also presided over the excommunication of several missionaries in the French mission who had apostatized.
. Although he only served as president of the church for two and a half years, his administration introduced several new initiatives: Area Conferences were introduced; some significant organizational restructuring in the Church Sunday School system and the Church Department of Social Services; and the church magazines were realigned into the Ensign, New Era
and Friend
in English, with centralized planning for all publications. His tenure was also marked by steady growth in the number of serving missionaries and the dedication of LDS temples in Ogden
and Provo, Utah
.
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, who was the sixth president of the LDS Church. His grandfather was Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith
Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr....
, brother of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith, Jr., who was Joseph Fielding's great-uncle.
Smith was named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1910, when his father was president of the church. No church president had a greater length of time as an apostle (1910–1972) nor had any church president succeeded at such a high age up to that point. He became the oldest LDS Church President, and continued to hold that honor until Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
reached Smith's age in June 2006 (Hinckley continued as President for another 19 months). Smith's time as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In general, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve is the most senior Apostle in the church, aside from the President of the Church...
from 1951 to 1970 has been surpassed by few; he served as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the entire nineteen-year presidency of David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
.
Smith spent some of his years among the Twelve Apostles as the Church Historian and Recorder
Church Historian and Recorder
Church Historian and Recorder is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the church and its activities...
.
Smith was a religious scholar and a prolific writer. Many of his works are used as references for church members. He wrote the text of a hymn called Does the Journey Seem Long? which appears as hymn #127 in the current edition of the LDS hymnal
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)
Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the official hymn book of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
.
Early life
Joseph Fielding Smith was born the son of Joseph F. Smith, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, and Julina Lambson. His mother was a midwife. As a boy he often helped his mother by driving her carriage to the various deliveriesChildbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
that she attended in Salt Lake City. Growing up, Smith lived with his family in the immediate vicinity of the current West High School (Salt Lake City).
Family and personal life
Smith married his first wife, Louie Emily "Emyla" Shurtliff (born 16 June 1876) on April 26, 1898. In March 1899, Smith was called on a missionMormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
by Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
, the President of the Church. On May 12, 1899, Smith was set apart
Setting apart
Setting apart is an ordinance or ritual in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whereby a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific calling or responsibility in the church....
as a missionary and ordained a Seventy by his father. A small group of missionaries, including Smith and his older brother Joseph Richards Smith, left the next day for England. After his return from the British mission in July 1901, Smith and his wife Louise had two daughters, Josephine and Julina. Louise Shirtliff Smith died of complications of a third pregnancy on March 28, 1908.
Smith married Ethel Georgina Reynolds (born 23 October 1889), the daughter of prominent LDS Church leader George Reynolds
George Reynolds (Mormon)
George Reynolds was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a longtime secretary to the First Presidency of the LDS Church, and a party to the 1878 United States Supreme Court case Reynolds v...
, on November 2 1908. They had four girls (Emily, Naomi, Lois, Amelia) and five boys, Joseph Fielding (most often called Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.), Lewis Warren, George Reynolds, Douglas Allan and Milton Edmund. Their youngest daughter Amelia married Bruce R. McConkie
Bruce R. McConkie
Bruce Redd McConkie was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1972 until his death...
; McConkie became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shortly after Smith's death. Ethel Reynolds Smith died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 26 August 1937, at age 47.
Ethel had specifically requested that Jessie Ella Evans (December 29, 1902-1971) sing at her funeral. Evans, born to Jonathan Evans and his wife the former Janet Buchanan, joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
in 1918, was a member of the American Light Opera Company
American Light Opera Company
The American Light Opera Company was a semi-professional theatre company performing light operas and musicals in Washington, D.C. from 1960 to 1968...
(1923-1927) and the Salt Lake County Recorder. In November Evans and Smith got engaged.
In April 1938, Smith married Evans in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
. The marriage was performed by Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
. The couple had no children, although Milton was only eleven when Joseph and Jessie married and George and Douglas were still under the age of 18. Smith's third wife died on 2 August 1971.
Church service
After completing his mission in 1901, Smith began working in the office of the Church Historian and RecorderChurch Historian and Recorder
Church Historian and Recorder is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the church and its activities...
. He authored the book entitled The Origins of the Reorganized Church and the Question of Succession in 1909, which was written to defend the LDS Church against the recent proselytizing of missionaries for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church) in Utah. He was the acting recorder of the general conference
General Conference (LDS Church)
General Conference is a semiannual world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held in April and October, where members gather in a series of two-hour sessions to listen to instruction from Church leaders...
in 1910 when he was called as an apostle. Prior to his call as a general authority Smith served as the secretary and treasurer of the Genealogical Society of Utah
Genealogical Society of Utah
The Genealogical Society of Utah , established in 1894, does business as FamilySearch International, which is the genealogical arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
. In 1921 Smith assumed the office of Church Historian and Recorder which he held until 1970.
Early in his apostleship, his creationist views on the dispute between Mormonism's Biblical teachings and the theory of evolution brought him attention. (See Mormonism and evolution.)
Smith spent most of his time as an apostle living in Salt Lake City. He also was president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
from 1945 to 1949. During this time, Smith was sent on a tour of the Spanish-American Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the church. Before his return to Salt Lake he informed the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Arizona Temple
Mesa Arizona Temple
The Mesa Arizona Temple is the seventh operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Mesa, Arizona, it is the first of five LDS temples built or planned in the state.-History:...
that he would recommend to the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
that the temple ceremonies be translated into Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
Smith served as president of the Genealogical Society of Utah
Genealogical Society of Utah
The Genealogical Society of Utah , established in 1894, does business as FamilySearch International, which is the genealogical arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
and its successor the Genealogical Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1934 to 1961. At the time of his release from this position he had already been president of the Quorum of the Twelve for over a decade. During the late 1950s, Smith attempted to reduce staff turnover at the Society by trying to convince the First Presidency that women should be permitted to stay on as employees after they married. However, Smith was only able to get a change to allow them to work six months past marriage.
Service abroad
Smith did, however, at times take church assignments abroad. In 1939 he was touring the missions in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and supervised the withdrawal of missionaries immediately prior to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1950 Smith toured the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Mission of the church. In 1955 Smith made an extensive tour of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. On this journey he dedicated Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for the preaching of the gospel. In 1957 he went to Europe for the dedication of the London Temple
London England Temple
The London England Temple is the 12th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in Newchapel, Surrey, England....
and also presided over the excommunication of several missionaries in the French mission who had apostatized.
Administration as President of the Church
Smith became President of the Church on January 23, 1970, following the death of President David O. McKayDavid O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
. Although he only served as president of the church for two and a half years, his administration introduced several new initiatives: Area Conferences were introduced; some significant organizational restructuring in the Church Sunday School system and the Church Department of Social Services; and the church magazines were realigned into the Ensign, New Era
New Era (magazine)
New Era is an official magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. First published in January 1971 along with the Ensign and the Friend, the New Era's intended audience has always been the youth of the Church...
and Friend
The Friend (LDS magazine)
The Friend is the monthly English language children's magazine published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is aimed at those of Primary age , approximately ages 3 through 12...
in English, with centralized planning for all publications. His tenure was also marked by steady growth in the number of serving missionaries and the dedication of LDS temples in Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
and Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
.