The history of the organization known as the Relief Society in the Latter Day Saint movement began on March 17, 1842, and continues to this day.
1842 Organization in Nauvoo Original idea In the spring of 1842 Sarah Granger Kimball and her seamstress, Margaret A. Cook, discussed sewing shirts for construction workers of the Nauvoo Temple. According to Kimball, "She desired to be helpful but had no means to furnish. I told her I would furnish material if she would make some shirts for the workmen."
First meetings and initial organization in the Kimball parlor As the project grew, Cook and Kimball invited friends and neighbors to participate, meeting in Kimball's home. The Cooke-Kimball group soon discussed creating an official Ladies' Society to meet the needs of expansion, with elected officers and established procedure. At a March 4, 1842 meeting in Kimball's parlor, the women decided to establish a formal set of rules for their new organization. Eliza R. Snow was selected to write a constitution and by-laws for the society.
Influence of Joseph Smith Upon reviewing Snow's constitution and by-laws, Joseph Smith called them "the best he had ever seen" but said, "this is not what you want. Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and He has something better for them than a written constitution. ... I will organize the women. .. after a pattern of the priesthood."Sarah Granger Kimball, "Auto-Biography," Woman's Exponent vol. 12, no. 7 (September 1, 1883): 51.Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, 2nd ed. (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1994).
At the meeting in the Red Brick Store, Joseph Smith presented his wife Emma to be chosen as president. He stated Emma had already been ordained to the office twelve years earlier, when she was given the title "elect lady" in a blessing that later became canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 25. He also donated a five dollar gold piece. Throughout 1842 Joseph Smith attended nine meetings and gave six sermons.
First meeting and reorganization in the Red Brick Store Twenty Latter Day Saint women gathered on Thursday, March 17, 1842, in the second-story meeting room over Smith's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo to discuss the formation of a Ladies' Society with Smith, John Taylor, and Willard Richards. Smith, Taylor, and Richards sat on the platform at the upper end of the room with the women facing them. "The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning" was sung, and Taylor opened the meeting with prayer. The women present were Emma Hale Smith, Sarah M. Cleveland, Phebe Ann Hawkes, Elizabeth Jones, Sophia Packard, Philinda Merrick, Martha McBride Knight, Desdemona Fulmer, Elizabeth Ann Whitney, Leonora Taylor, Bathsheba W. Smith, Phebe M. Wheeler, Elvira A. Coles (Cowles; later Elivira A. C. Holmes), Margaret A. Cook, Athalia Robinson, Sarah Granger Kimball, Eliza R. Snow, Sophia Robinson, Nancy Rigdon and Sophia R. Marks.
Organizing the Society's members, officers, and procedure at the First Meeting The women present were proposed as the initial members and the men withdrew as the motion to accept all present was considered. The motion was passed and the men returned. Then another seven names were proposed by Joseph Smith for admission. They were: Sarah Higbee, Thirza Cahoon, Keziah A. Morrison, Marinda N. Hyde, Abigail Allred, Mary Snider, and Sarah S. Granger. The men again withdrew as the women considered and passed the motion. Smith then proposed the society elect a presiding officer and allow that officer to choose two counselors to aid her. They would be ordained and would preside over the society. In the place of a constitution the presidency would preside and all their decisions should be considered law and acted upon as such. At appropriate times, the body of the society should vote and the majority opinion of the sisters would be honored as law. The minutes of the meetings would serve as an additional guide to their governance. Whitney motioned and it was seconded that Emma Smith be chosen president and this passed unanimously. Emma Smith then chose her two counselors, Cleveland and Whitney. At that time Taylor, who had been presiding over the meeting, vacated that honor to Smith and her counselors. The men then again withdrew as Smith chose a secretary and treasurer. The three members of the Presidency were then ordained and blessed by Taylor.
Connection to Freemasonry The Relief Society was developed at the same time as the Nauvoo chapter of freemasons, and there are several connections between the two organizations. The March 17 meeting was held, at Joseph Smith's suggestion, in the newly established masonic lodge where he had been initiated to Master Mason on March 15 and 16. In the following weeks church leaders referred to the Relief Society members as masons, in reference to the women's ability to keep secrets. Other connections between the Relief Society organization and masonry include the implementation of a presidency of three, the practice of recommendation and unanimous voting before accepting new members, the presence of men at meetings throughout the first year, and the institutionalized secrecy through the passing of "keys" and knowledge of the mysteries of heaven. A masonic prayer was copied into the front of the minute book presented to the women by Willard Richards that read "O, Lord! Help our widows, and fatherless children! So mote it be. Amen. With the sword, and the word of truth, defend thou them. So mote it be. Amen." This was copied from the open Bible in the lodge where they met, another connection to masonry.
The covert communication patterns of masonry, such as code words and phrases known only to initiates, used within the context of Relief Society meetings allowed Joseph Smith to publicly oppose adultery while continuing polygamy with those who he had trusted with the practice. Some of these code phrases Joseph Smith and his friends used to refer to polygamy include, "the new and everlasting covenant of marriage" and calls to obey "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord."
Established purpose of the society A notice in the Times and Seasons stated, "A society has lately been formed by the ladies of Nauvoo for the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan; and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes."
Joseph Smith stated "the object of the Society—that the Society of Sisters might provoke the brethren to good works in looking to the wants of the poor—searching after objects of charity, and in administering to their wants—to assist; by correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of the female community, and save the Elders the trouble of rebuking; that they may give their time to other duties, &c., in their public teaching."Minutes of the Nauvoo Relief Society, 17 March 1842, p. 6, Church History Library; Relief Society, Charity Never Faileth: History of the Relief Society, 1842–1966 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1967), 18.
Joseph Smith viewed the Relief Society as a way to grant ecclesiastical autonomy to women under his direction, to deputize women in policing morals, to stop gossip about his practice of plural marriage, and to experiment with future temple rites.
Emma Smith viewed the object of the society as being for charitable purposes. She used the organization as a way to exercise leadership and influence in the church. She worked to enforce high moral standards among the women, particularly in fighting polygamy.
The women of the Relief Society viewed the organization as a way to exercise their own spiritual power. Several of the members were secretly married to Joseph Smith.
According to Linda Hamilton, "The organization soon became a battleground for Emma and Joseph as she tried to expose those marrying her husband and he tried to control her knowledge of the practice."
Naming the society It was proposed that the organization go by the name "Benevolent Society" and with no opposition the vote carried. However, Emma Smith made a point of objection. She convinced the attendees that the term "relief" would better reflect the purpose of the organization, for they were "going to do something extraordinary," distinct from the popular benevolent institutions of the day.Minutes of the Nauvoo Relief Society, 17 March 1842, p. 11, Church History Library. After discussion, it was unanimously agreed that the fledgling organization be named "The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo". Joseph Smith then offered five dollars (worth $ today) in gold to commence the funds of the Society. After the men left the room, Eliza R. Snow was unanimously elected as secretary of the Society with Phebe M. Wheeler as Assistant Secretary and Elvira A. Coles as Treasurer. Emma Smith remarked that "each member should be ambitious to do good" and seek out and relieve the distressed.Minutes of the Nauvoo Relief Society, 17 March 1842, p. 12, Church History Library. Several female members then made donations to the Society. The men returned, and Taylor and Richards also made donations. After singing "Come Let Us Rejoice," the meeting was adjourned to meet on the following Thursday at 10 o'clock. Taylor then gave a closing prayer. Of his experience Joseph Smith recorded: "I attended by request, the Female Relief Society, whose object is the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes. ... [W]e feel convinced that with their concentrated efforts, the condition of the suffering poor, of the stranger and the fatherless will be ameliorated".Joseph Smith, History of the Church, ed. B. H. Roberts, vol. 4, rev. ed. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1972) pp. 567–568. See also "Ladies' Relief Society," Times and Seasons, vol. 3, no. 11 (April 1, 1842): 743; Joseph Smith, 17 March 1842,The Papers of Joseph Smith: Journal, 1832–1842, ed. Dean C. Jessee, vol. 2 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1992) p. 371.
Calculation of Relief Society Age Women continued to meet through the suspension, though not officially. When Brigham Young reinstated the Society in 1867, some women considered it a new organization, based on the old one. However, original Relief Society members such as Emmeline Wells felt that, "Sister Eliza R. Snow brought with her the records from Nauvoo which proves that this association was never discontinued since its first organization." The modern Relief Society annually celebrates the organization's "birthday" using the March 17, 1842 date.
Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book Minutes of each Relief Society meeting were kept by Eliza R. Snow. Joseph Smith said, "The minutes of your meetings will be precedents for you to act upon—your Constitution and law."
Contents The record includes minutes for 17 meetings in 1842, 13 meetings in 1843, and 4 meetings in 1844. The Relief Society did not hold meetings during the winter.
The names of 1,331 women are recorded in the minute books, including women from Canada, England, Ireland, Germany, Scotland, and Wales.
Donation records included in the Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book include money, goods, and services. Food donations included apples, coffee, and rice. Goods included linens, quilts, soap, and candles. Some gave sewing supplies such as cotton flannel, thread, or flax, while others donated their sewing talents like knitting or weaving.
Other recorded donations were less conventional. Huldah Barrus donated shingles from the shingle mill she ran with her husband. Mrs. Durfee drove around a wagon to collect wool. The Relief Society helped Sister Hillman retrieve payment from employers who had refused to pay her.
The record book also records donations received by women at meetings, such as shoes or money for children's schooling. Women also networked at meetings, either expressing availability for employment or looking to fill positions.
Impact