If you had been a Latter-day Saint in 1857 and had heard that a large army was approaching your city, what concerns might you have had? Pretty ethnocentric of host and interviewee. Did not hear about MMM until the internet. Of approximately 140 emigrants who were part of the wagon train, only 17 small children were spared. Second, the consequence of losing that objective was exaggerated. Please choose appointees that are from among us and represent our values.” Basically one legislator said it was practically a declaration of independence. Lee led the attack but concealed his identity so that it would appear that only the Indians were involved. In 1859 they released from their callings stake president Isaac Haight and other prominent Church leaders in Cedar City who had a role in the massacre. The Aftermath of Mountain Meadows The massacre almost brought the United States to war against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, … Thanks, Rick. Really? The comparison with current massacres seems to me to be shallow because the Mountain Meadows massacre happened in that grey space between war and crime, at a time and place where who was governing was not clear. On September 11, 1857, some 50 to 60 local militiamen in southern Utah, aided by American Indian allies, massacred about 120 emigrants who were traveling by wagon to California. It’s hard to hate those you really know. I found this recently through genealogy studies. How would you summarize the Savior’s teaching in 3 Nephi 12:25? The militia commander, William Dame, a Church member, counseled Isaac Haight to ignore the emigrants’ threats. Home. It began as an attack, quickly turned into a siege, and eventually culminated in the execution of the unarmed emigrants after their surrender. .Walker-Turley-Leonard are impossible for orthodox Mormons to ignore because of their role as semi-official advocates for the church. This atrocity is now known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. So that’s the environment and you’ve got this war hysteria going, on if you will, in Utah Territory. A good start is the wiki article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_Massacre. Barbara: Yeah. I can be reached at gospel tangents at gmail dot com View all posts by Rick B. Burying The Past: Legacy of The Mountain Meadows Massacre”, a documentary film by Brian Patrick (2004) Most of them were eventually arrested, though only Lee was tried, convicted, and executed for the crime. Explain that because a number of local Latter-day Saints were responsible for planning and carrying out the Mountain Meadows Massacre, some people have allowed this event to negatively affect their view of the entire Church. If you didn’t grow up in Utah, you’ve probably never heard of the Utah War. Not one of them ever said that Parley P. Pratt’s murder was a motive. Were you surprised to hear Brown downplay Pratt and Haun’s Mill in the Mountain Meadows Massacre? I had a professor at BYU who often mentioned that we are kinder when we see the “truth” about people, tying the definition of truth to the way things really are, and the things they really will be. How would you summarize the choices that led to the Mountain Meadows Massacre? But the famous Pony Haslam letter, saves the day. But when I looked at it, I don’t think that was the motive. I was also at the Utah Jazz game Saturday night, a few days after the racial epithets hurled by fans against Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook. Native Americans in Great Basin. Paiute Indians also suffered from being unjustly blamed for the crime. Bagley is close to the truth (I think) but he is accused of speculation and has an edge. We will see how it works out. How can our faith in Jesus Christ strengthen us when we learn of instances when Church members have failed to live according to the Savior’s teachings? Some council members strongly disagreed with the plan and asked Haight if he had consulted with President Brigham Young about the matter. Invite students to ponder how they might better build their faith on the foundation of Jesus Christ and to set a goal to do so. Check out those other links and notes below while you’re at it, and have a great day! They shut down my old buddies, our defensive fanatics and they stake out common ground for thoughtful discussion to begin. Novak, Shannon A., and Derinna Kopp. Isaac Haight, the Cedar City mayor, militia major, and stake president, requested permission from the militia commander, who lived in the nearby settlement of Parowan, to call out the militia to confront the offenders from the wagon train. (Students might mention that the Saints had been violently driven from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois; many had lost valued possessions and land; and some had been killed or had died during these persecutions. 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