Joseph Smith, Forgiveness of William W. Phelps

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Joseph Smith taught by example, and one of the most poignant stories of repentance and forgiveness is the story of William W. Phelps, an early member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. William Phelps was a good friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith, for years, making his betrayal of the Prophet, even more devastating. This incredible account of heartache, selfishness, and repentance should be told and retold for all the learn from the mistakes of the past.

William W. Phelps discovered The Church of Jesus Christ only three days after the Church was organized, in 1830. Phelps met the young Parley Pratt, and was given The Book of Mormon. William and his wife Sally reportedly read The Book of Mormon through the night, comparing The Book of Mormon to the Bible. The couple received a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon and William started preaching to his neighbors right away, ultimately landing him in jail. When Phelps was released from jail he packed his family and they left to Fayette, New York to find the Prophet Joseph Smith.

It didn't take long for William W. Phelps to join in the cause of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Williams skills of editing and printing were of enormous use in the early Church. William received a call from the Lord in Doctrine in Covenants  “the work of printing and of selecting and writing books for schools in the church” (D&C 55:1-4). Phelps went on to help Emma Smith with the collections of Hymns for the Church. Phelps wrote the lyrics to twenty-nine hymns in the first Hymn book of the Church.

Phelps became one of Joseph's most trusted friends, with large influence over the Church. He was called to help the Saints move to Missouri, Jackson County. Phelps became an influential leader in Missouri, and when the Missouri Mobs came, much of their opposition settled on Phelps because of his influence as a leader in the Church, and a publisher of Church material. The Saints were forced out of Jackson County in the middle of winter, Phelps brought his family to Clay county Missouri. Phelps was then asked to return to Kirtland Ohio and help at Church Headquarters.

Phelps lived with the Prophet during his time in Kirtland, he stayed with Joseph and Emma for two years. These years in Kirtland were full of some of the most amazing heavenly manifestations and miracles, and Phelps was a witness to them all. Phelps wrote the lyrics to "The Spirit of God" The words so impressed the Prophet that he had them printed on white satin and sung at the Kirtland Temple dedication. Those words have been sung at every subsequent temple dedication.

Kirtland was a faith building time for the Saints, which they needed because the Missouri years were the opposite, they were the faith trying years. It was the Missouri years that William W. Phelps apostatized from the Church and became one working against his friends.

Phelps moved to Missouri where he in 1836 to resume his leadership position and to help the Saints move to Caldwell County to build the settlement of Far West, Missouri. It was at this time in his life where things changed for Phelps and his downfall began. All the trust that Phelps was given opened up a way for him to take from the Church and profit for himself. Phelps and John Whitmer, both presiding Church officers in Missouri, used consecrated Church funds to purchase land for their benefit, half the land in either man’s name.

Both men hoped to profiteer as they portioned off the parcels to the incoming, impoverished Saints. Whitmer and Phelps rationalized that they were entitled to money to sustain their own families. The following is a list of events that caused the downfall of two of the most prominent Latter-day Saint leaders:

• April 5, 1837–A Church council was assembled to investigate their behavior, and they were commanded to repent and desist. They did not obey.
• September 4, 1837-The Lord chastised them in a revelation given through Joseph Smith. They did not obey.
• November 7, 1837–Joseph Smith, now living in Far West, Missouri, held a conference and chastised them for their behavior. They publicly offered their confessions, whereupon the people forgave them and unanimously sustained in their callings as Church leaders. But soon Whitmer and Phelps returned to their bad conduct.
• February 5, 1838–Another conference was held, and they were stripped of their leadership callings.
• March 10, 1838–During a Church disciplinary council, which they refused to attend, they were tried for unchristian-like behavior and were disfellowshiped from the Church.

Phelps joined with the traitors working to take down and kill the Prophet Joseph Smith. Phelps worked with Colonel Hinkle, who betrayed the Prophet and handed him over to the Missouri mob, with intent to kill Joseph. Later-day Saint men, women and children were persecuted as a result of the help of William Phelps, who had once been someone they counted on.

When Joseph and friends faced trial in November 1838, Phelps was one who gave false testimony, which contributed to the Prophet’s incarceration in Liberty Jail.

William Wines Phelps was officially excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in March 1839, the same month that Joseph Smith and his companions finally broke loose from captivity and fled to Illinois, where the Prophet built the city of Nauvoo. Phelps moved his family to Dayton, Ohio and lost complete contact with the Church for several years.

William Phelps had a hard time after leaving the Church. Nothing went well for him or his family. William could not find employment, they became destitute. Sickness stuck his family, and they almost died. William became very repentant over what happened in Missouri, recognizing the role he played in the persecution of the people he once loved.

Two elder from the Church, Orson Hyde and John Page, found William while they were out serving a mission. William Phelps told the two elders how he felt, that he wished he could come back, and he recognized how wrong he was. The two elders encouraged him to write to the Prophet, and share what he shared with them. They told William they would deliver to Joseph Smith.

“BROTHER JOSEPH: I am alive, and with the help of God I mean to live still. I am as the prodigal son, though I never doubt or disbelieve the fulness of the Gospel. I have been greatly abused and humbled…. I have seen the folly of my way, and I tremble at the gulf I have passed. So it is, and why I know not. I prayed and God answered, but what could I do? Says I, I will repent and live, and ask my old brethren to forgive me, and though they chasten me to death, yet I will die with them, for their God is my God. The least place with them is enough for me, yea, it is bigger and better than all Babylon.’ …I know my situation, you know it, and God knows it, and I want to be saved if my friend will help me…. I have done wrong and I am sorry. The beam is in my own eye. I have not walked along with my friends according to my holy anointing. I ask forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ of all the Saints, for I will do right, God helping me. I want your fellowship; if you cannot grant that, grant me your peace and friendship, for we are brethren, and our communion used to be sweet, and whenever the Lord brings us together again, I will make all the satisfaction on every point that Saints or God can require. Amen.”

The response from Joseph Smith:

 “Dear Brother Phelps: — I must say that it is with no ordinary feelings I endeavor to write a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 29th ultimo; at the same time I am rejoiced at the privilege granted me.

     “You may in some measure realize what my feelings as well as Elder Rigdon’s and Brother Hyrum’s were, when we read your letter — truly our hearts were melted into tenderness and compassion when we ascertained your resolves, etc. I can assure you I feel a disposition to act on your case in a manner that will meet the approbation of Jehovah, (whose servant I am), and agreeable to the principles of truth and righteousness which have been revealed; and inasmuch as long-suffering, patience, and mercy have ever characterized the dealing of our Heavenly Father towards the humble and penitent, I feel disposed to copy the example, cherish the same principles, and by so doing be a savior of my fellow men.

     “It is true, that we have suffered much in consequence of your behavior — the cup of gall, already full enough for mortals to drink, was indeed filled to overflowing when you turned against us. One with whom we had oft taken sweet counsel together, and enjoyed many refreshing seasons from the Lord – had it been an enemy, we could have borne it.’ In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day when strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon [Far West], even thou wast as one of them; but thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother, in the day that he became a stranger, neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.’

     “However, the cup has been drunk, the will of our Father has been done, and we are yet alive, for which we thank the Lord. And having been delivered from the hands of wicked men by the mercy of our God, we say it is your privilege to be delivered from the powers of the adversary, be brought into the liberty of God’s dear children, and again take your stand among the Saints of the Most High, and by diligence, humility, and love unfeigned, commend yourself to our God, and your God, and to the Church of Jesus Christ.

     “Believing your confession to be real, and your repentance genuine, I shall be happy once again to give you the right hand of fellowship, and rejoice over the returning prodigal.

     “Your letter was read to the Saints last Sunday and an expression of their feeling was taken, when it was unanimously Resolved, that W. W. Phelps should be received into fellowship.

            “Come on, dear brother, since the war is past,

            For friends at first, are friends again at last.”

            Yours as ever, Joseph Smith, Jun.

The story is told that several months later, as Joseph was sitting down to his evening meal, he looked out his window and saw the figure of a familiar, yet bedraggled, man. It was his prodigal friend W.W. Phelps. Joseph jumped from the table, ran down the road, threw his arms around his long-lost brother, and they both wept.

William Wines Phelps was true to the end. He accompanied the Prophet to Carthage, Illinois when Joseph was incarcerated for the last time and martyred. Phelps offered to take his place and die for him, but, of course, that was not possible.

References:

Article: Praise to the Man: How Joseph Smith Freely Forgave a Grievous Wrong

By Larry Barkdull · October 12, 2021

Emmas life in pictures p 215

Joseph Smith-the Chosen of God and the Friend of Man by Ivan J. Barrett Professor of Church History and Doctrine August 12, 1975