Standard of Truth Podcast

S5B15 Kristy’s KorneЯ - D&C 135 Part 3

Host: Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat (with co-host Richard LeDuc)
Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This bonus episode delves into historical details and lingering questions about the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, focusing particularly on how events unfolded during the killing at Carthage Jail. Dr. Dirkmaat addresses ambiguities in the accounts, discusses lesser-known eyewitness perspectives, and unpacks the process by which these narratives were recorded and disseminated. The episode scrutinizes key sources and explores their influence on Latter-Day Saint faith and historical understanding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Purpose and Context of the Episode

• The hosts clarify that this is a supplemental episode (“bonus episode” [00:21]) to discuss questions not addressed in their previous two-part podcast on the Smiths’ martyrdom, especially finer details of the events and how we know (or don’t know) what actually happened.

2. Authorship and Historical Context of D&C 135 ([00:50])

• D&C 135: Originally published in Times and Seasons, then appended to the nearly-printed 1844 Doctrine and Covenants.
• The section provides a brief, formal account of the martyrdom.
• Authorship Mystery:
  • Earlier editions (1981 and before) attribute D&C 135 to John Taylor, but there’s no solid contemporary evidence for this.
  • “He never said that he wrote it…” (01:56)
  • Likely was a collaborative effort: Taylor, Willard Richards, maybe William Clayton.
• Quote ([03:07]):

  “The prophet and seer of the Lord has done more save Jesus only for the salvation of men in this world than any other man that has ever lived in it.”

  • This tribute emphasizes Joseph Smith’s pivotal role in modern Latter-day revelation and theology.

3. Primary Accounts of the Martyrdom

• Willard Richards’ Account (“Two Minutes in Jail”, Times and Seasons, Aug 1, 1844) ([06:00]):

  • Joseph attempts “as a last resort to leap the…window”—is shot multiple times (from both door and outside).
  • Joseph is “essentially dead when he hits the ground.”
  • The presence of outside shooters heightened Latter-day Saints’ sense of conspiracy.
  • Ballistic issues: dubious that an outside shot could reach Joseph at the necessary angle, adding confusion and controversy.
  • D&C 135 aligns with this account in saying Joseph “was shot dead in the attempt.”

• William Daniels’ Account (Non-LDS Eyewitness, Later Convert) ([11:35]):

  • Daniels, living in nearby Augusta, gives an affidavit asserting that Joseph survived the window jump and was “set up against the well curb and several shot him.”
  • Claims Joseph was “executed execution-style” outside, not shot in the window.
  • The account became controversial:
    • Lyman Littlefield, an LDS publisher, sensationalized Daniels’ narrative, adding embellishments Daniels later denied.
    • During the 1845 murder trial, contradictions between what Littlefield published and what Daniels testified to were exploited by the defense, undermining Daniel's credibility.

• Notable Daniels Quote ([16:00]):

  "One ball then entered the back part of his body. This is the ball that many people have supposed struck him about the time he was in the window. But this is a mistake. I was close by him and I know that he was not hit with a ball until after he was seated by the well curb."

  • Daniels claims the fatal shots came only after Joseph was propped against the well, not during his leap.

4. Miraculous Element in Daniels’ Account ([18:45])

• Daniels insists there was a supernatural intervention when the mob tried to mutilate Joseph’s corpse:

  “A light so sudden and powerful burst from the heavens upon that bloody scene and paralyzed the four shooters as well as another man…”

  • Claim: Attempt to behead Joseph was thwarted by this light, paralyzing the would-be mutilators.

  • The men involved denied this event.

  • Quote from the trial: ([20:15])

    “Suppose I did tell you I saw light, would you believe it if I told you that I did?”

  • Daniels’ account, especially due to its supernatural elements and embellishments by Littlefield, is viewed with skepticism.

5. William Clayton’s Variant Account ([24:57])

• William Clayton records, based on conversation with Daniels, a version blending elements of earlier narratives:
  • Joseph jumps, “fell heavily on his side, which evidently hurt him considerably.”
  • Mob “raised him up…set him with his back to the well curb…tantalized him…four…drew their rifles and shot him through and he expired instantly.”
  • Miraculous detail retained: Shooters are “struck dumb and motionless,” then carried away by their fellows.
  • Clayton also relays Willard Richards’ account for context, highlighting differing specifics.
• Clayton’s own journal “splits the difference”: Joseph is wounded leaping, and expires on the ground shortly afterward.

6. Historical Impact and Legacy of the Accounts

• Diversity of Stories: Discrepancies between key narratives mean historians still debate the precise details.
• Daniels’ Later Conversion: Daniels’ testimony, initially valued as a non-Mormon perspective, was later considered less objective after his conversion.
• Implications for Faith and History:
  • Even minor details are weighty for both historians and Latter-day Saints seeking to understand the martyrdom’s reality and spiritual import.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00-01:30] Introduction & episode context
• [01:30-03:30] D&C 135 authorship and textual history
• [03:30-06:00] The theological impact of Joseph’s revelations
• [06:00-10:30] Willard Richards’ account & physical details of the attack
• [11:35-15:00] William Daniels’ testimony and trial controversy
• [16:00-19:00] Daniels’ explicit claims about Joseph’s death
• [18:45-21:00] The miraculous light and failed corpse mutilation
• [22:00-25:00] William Clayton’s corroborating account and blending of narratives
• [30:00-31:30] Daniel’s conversion and impact on his credibility
• [32:30-34:30] Emotional note: Emma Smith receives bill for Joseph’s coffin

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the brevity and ambiguity of D&C 135:

  “The explanation of the martyrdom in D&C 135 provides a very, very small account of how that happened…” (03:04)

• On the authorship question:

  “He (John Taylor) never said that he wrote it. … It likely was kind of a joint effort with Willard Richards and maybe William Clayton. … But you know, let’s not get caught up in the semantics of who wrote it like I am right now.” (02:10-03:00)

• On the differences in narrative and evidence:

  “You really have a couple of aspects going on there… Willard Richards gives his understanding that Joseph is shot multiple times as he goes to the window, that makes sense, because that’s what just happened to John Taylor…” (07:40)

• On the trial and Daniels’ sabotaged credibility:

  “All it really did was discredit the Lyman Littlefield account. … You frankly don’t need a whole lot to discredit a Latter-Day Saint witness on the stand in 1845 Illinois, but that’s what it was used for.” (14:40)

• On the miraculous elements:

  “A flash of light, the dude with the bayonet is paralyzed and, like, freezes and they have to carry him away…” (19:55)

• Emotional resonance at the end:

  “I came across the bill that the people at the Hamilton Hotel in Carthage sent Emma for the cost of the nails and the wood to build the coffin they built that they sent Joseph back in. I don’t know why that made me so mad, but I gotta tell you, I was mad. … These are real people. Hiram and Joseph leave wives and children at home and who no longer have their father figure that they love because of the murders of these people.” (34:00)

Conclusion & Thematic Takeaways

• The episode illustrates how even major events in LDS history are shrouded in conflicting testimony and incomplete records.
• The diverse accounts (Richards, Daniels, Clayton) illustrate “a mystery about what happened” ([29:00]).
• Listeners are left reflecting on the real human and spiritual cost of the martyrdom—underscored by touching, personal details like Emma Smith receiving a bill for Joseph’s coffin.
• Throughout, Dr. Dirkmaat maintains a scholarly but sensitive tone, carefully distinguishing between faith, historical method, and evolving interpretation.

For further information and resources, visit standardoftruth.com.