Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-11
Death Calls HEAD
OF mormon Church
JOSEPH SMITH DIED YESTER-
DAY AFTER A LONG
ILLNESS.
Son, Who Was Designated in a
Revelation, " viii
Succeed Him.

II NlJlIl' 'I4N lJE4NtI Ii Mo- l'S'' ~
Il A revelation received by Jos
Smith, president Of the Re-organized
Church of the Latter Day Saints,
eight years ago designating as his
successor his eldest son, lifted from
the church the burden of choosing a
new leader upon the death here this
afternoon of the patriarch who for
| 54 years had presided over the or
ganization The son, Friedrich M.
Smith. who, since his father an
nounced the divine revelation in 1906,
has fulfilled many OF the duties Of
leadership, automatically becomes
head Of the church.
Selection Ratified.
The new president Is 81 years old.
| HIS designation to succeed his father
was ratified by the general confer
ence shortly after the father an
| nounced the revelation.
Although he was blind and during
the last days suffered frequent rushes
of pain, President Smith in his final
| hours showed a cheerful humor. Just
before he became unconscious he
smiled and said:
Il wish that those of my friends
who may intend placing flowers on
my coffin would refrain. Let them
! give the money to charity"
The funeral will be held from tho
| Old Stone church next Sunday after
noon. The body is to lie in state in
, the church from in the morning
until noon Burial will be in Mound
! Grove cemetery just outside lnde-
pendence, the official burying ground
of the Re-organized church.
A Great History.
A history of Joseph Smith, who
was a son OF Joseph Smith. prophet,
and founder Of Mormonism, is a his
tory of the Re-organized church Of
the Latter Day Saints. 1t was he
who brought together the little bands
Of Mormons in Illinois, Iowa and
Missouri, left behind when the main
body emigrated to Utah. He became
the first president of the re-organ-
lied church, and held that office
more than half century, until his
| death He was a cousil. of Joseph
! Fielding Smith, in recent years pres
ident OF the Latter Day Saints in
Utah.
The greater part of President
Smiths life was struggle. as had
been the life of his father, to place
| Mormonism upon a sound footing.
During the last years of his life he
was blind.
He was born November 6. 1882. at
Kirkland O., where his father had
gone two years earlier with a few
followers. from Manchester, N. Y.
Soon afterwards the colony moved to
Missouri. There at Independence, the
prophet, as he was known. estab-
lished the New Jerusalem" of the
church. obeying, he said. a revela-
ton. Enmity OF other settlers. how
ever. resulted in the Mormons being
driven out. Prophet Joseph Smith
was arrested and placed in Jail at
| Liberty, Mo.
In the Jail, where the younger
first night with his father. the pro-
phet bent over the child as he
sobbed himself to sleep, and to him
commended the hopes and aspira-
tions of the church.
MY mother accompanied my
father to Liberty" Joseph Smith told,
in later years, but fearing for her
life. my father induced her to 20
with members of the church to IL
linois.
Father Killed by Mob.
IL tramped across the almost un-
inhabited prairies of Missouri to
Nauvoo, Illinois, where by father,
when he was released. joined US,
Then. in 1914, when / was twelve
years old, one day his dead body was
brought to us. He had been shot by
a mob in Carthage. Illinois"
After the death of the prophet
most OF the members of the church
emigrated to Utah under the leader
ship of Brigham Young Young Jo-
seph Smith, remaining behind,
worked as farmer and as clerk and
studied law. This he gave up to ef-
feet the reorganization of the church
which was formally accomplished at
Amboy. ILL.,, in 1860. Twenty years
later headquarters of the church was
established In Lamont, Iowa, and in
1906 removal was made to In
dependence, Mo. where President
Smith made his home and where he
resided until his death.
President Smith lived simply, oc-
cupying a modest cottage, one room
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