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‘Death of the prophet’

Saturday marks the 182nd anniversary of the slaying of church founder Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum at a jail in Carthage, Illinois.

Running for the White House at the time, the 38-year-old religious leader became the first U.S. presidential candidate ever to be assassinated during a campaign.

To help mark the moment, here are a few early press reports, some of which misspelled Hyrum’s first name, about the shooting:

“DEATH OF THE PROPHET — JOE AND HIRAM SMITH ARE DEAD! … A general confusion ensued in the crowd around the jail. Joe and his Mormon fellow-prisoners it seems had provided themselves with pistols and commenced firing upon the guard within. He then attempted to escape from the window, when a hundred balls entered his body, and he fell a lifeless corpse. His brother Hiram shared the same fate.”

— An account from The Quincy Herald in The Ohio Statesman, published July 12, 1844.

“About six o’clock in the afternoon the guard was surprised by an armed mob of from 150 to 250, painted red and black and yellow, which surrounded the jail and forced in — poured a shower of bullets into the room where these unfortunate men were held. … They [Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum] fell as martyrs amid this tornado of lead, each receiving four bullets! … Thus perishes the hope of law; thus vanishes the plighted faith of the State; thus the blood of innocence stains the constituted authorities of the United States, and thus have two among the most noble martyrs since the slaughter of Abel, sealed the truth of their divine mission, by being shot by a mob for their religion.”

— A June 30, 1844, account from the pro-Mormon Nauvoo Neighbor, published July 16, 1844, in The New York Herald.

“About four o’clock p.m., a company of about 100 armed men marched to the jail in Carthage and demanded the prisoners. A rush was made on the guards, who fired, but hurt nobody. They were immediately secured, and the men rushed up stairs to the room of the prisoners. For about two minutes, [the] discharge of firearms within the jail was very rapid. Finally Joe raised the window, exclaimed, ‘oh my God,’ and threw himself out. He fell heavily on the ground, and was soon dispatched. Hiram was shot in the jail.”

— An account in the anti-Mormon Warsaw Signal, published June 29, 1844.

Also of note on Saturday’s anniversary, Latter-day Saint artist Joseph Brickey is poised to unveil his new portrait and sculpture of Mormonism’s first prophet during a conference at Utah Valley University. These new depictions will be based on the much-discussed 1844 daguerreotype that an increasing number of experts believe to be the only known photo of Joseph Smith.

Latest ‘Mormon Land’ podcast: Singing those African American spirituals

Two Black Latter-day Saint musicians discuss how members of all backgrounds can integrate African American spirituals into their worship.

Listen to the podcast.

Around the world

• Bryce Harper, the highest-paid Latter-day Saint athlete, notched the first cycle of his Hall of Fame-bound career.

On Saturday, the Phillies slugger crushed a home run in the first inning, doubled and singled in the third, and raced to a triple in the fifth as Philadelphia cruised past the New York Mets in a 15-3 blowout.

“Being able to do that — having that moment — is really cool,” the two-time MVP told mlb.com.

• From the same publisher that brought us shortish biographies of former church President Joseph Fielding Smith, liberal essayist Eugene England and feminist firebrand Sonia Johnson comes “Richard Lyman Bushman: A Mormon Ambassador.”

Due out June 30, the 157-page book by J.B. Haws, professor of church history and doctrine at church-owned Brigham Young University, explores the life, writings and contributions of a man considered the patriarch of modern Mormon historians.

The Bushman volume is another in the University of Illinois Press’ “Introductions to Mormon Thought” series.

• The church recently honored Maryland Gov. Wes Moore with its JustServe Hero Award for his dedication to service.

The Democratic leader and his state’s first Black governor, who recently met with Relief Society General President Camille Johnson, has launched the JustServe platform across Maryland and instituted a volunteer service-year option for graduating seniors.

“Service,” Moore has proclaimed, “will save us.”

From The Tribune

• If that 1844 daguerreotype is really a photo of church founder Joseph Smith, it may help members, some say, better view their revered prophet as a real person — a man with flaws and gifts.

• President Dallin Oaks is spreading the word: The church soon will have more missionaries than ever serving across the globe.

• A new BYU study explores where the church ranks on retention and religiosity, especially among younger U.S. members.

• “Mormon Stories” podcaster John Dehlin fights back against a copyright lawsuit. The church, he argues, “does not own the word ‘Mormon.’”

• The church has now delivered goods to food banks in all 50 states and is halfway to its goal of sending 250 truckloads by year’s end.

• Latter-day Saints are the second-most-supportive faith group of President Donald Trump.

• Just in time for International Widows’ Day, Tribune guest columnist Eli McCann pays a touching tribute to his mother, the “widow whisperer.”

• The mayor of Fairview, Texas, has a 20-foot ask of church leaders: Lower the planned temple’s steeple by 240 inches.

• One of the Salt Lake Temple’s most photographed features is back in place.