E35: Oh What a Relief it is!

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:41)
In all our episodes, we've talked a lot about the early organization of Mormonism. Priesthood is formed and restored and organized, and quorums and councils, and groups are created to rule the church, yada yada yada, all this is fine and good. But it really only tells the story of what the men were doing at this time. Boys club, boys club, boys club. In Nauvoo, there were around 12 to 15,000 Mormons at any given time, and half of them were women. So what were they doing?

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:07)
There were women there? Well, apparently they weren't sitting idly by. So go back to Kirtland, Mormon women helped temple efforts by sewing clothing for the workers. They sewed curtains and carpets. They helped organize for materials. They had voted in general assemblies as far back as 1835, but they still weren't serving any formal offices. They were busy, they were very involved in the early church, but it wasn't until 1842 that they formally organized as women. Phoebe Woodruff would later remark that the Mormon Women's Relief Society was organized as kind of a parallel to the School of the Prophets that the men had organized. So what was this organization?
Did it carry the same weight as a priesthood quorum?

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:46)
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:48)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:49)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the Everlasting Hills, straight out of Zion, this isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:17)
This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:22)
Gird your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:30)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:55)
As the story goes, in the spring of 1842, Sarah Granger Kimball and Margaret A. Cook, who was a seamstress, were trying to figure out how to help those people at the Nauvoo Temple build that temple. They decided to form a lady society where women in Nauvoo could sew shirts and clothing for temple workers and for the poor.
Eliza Arseneau was called to write the bylaws and submit them to Joseph Smith for review. He comes in, he reviews them, he says they're great. He actually calls the bylaws the best he had ever seen.

**Bryan Buchanan** (3:27)
But then in an act of ultimate mansplaining, Joseph tells the women, 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.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (3:41)
We actually have the account from Sarah's own mouth. She says, quote, March 1st, 1842, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was poor in worldly goods and earnest in devotion to the labors required. The Nauvoo temple walls were about three feet high. Strong appeals were being made by the president of the church and others for help to forward the work. Ms. Margaret Cook, a maiden lady seamstress, one day in conversation with me on the subject of a recent appeal for provisions, clothing, bedding, and general supplies for the workmen and their families, remarked that she would be pleased to contribute needlework if it could be made available. I proffered material for her to make up and suggested that others might feel as we did. We then agitated the subject of organizing a sewing society, the object of which should be to the aid in the erection of the temple. About a dozen of the neighboring sisters by invitation met in my parlor the following Thursday and the subject was further discussed. And approved, Sister Rigdon, Phoebe Rigdon, suggested that Sister ER. Lizar Snow, be invited to take part and to assist in getting up a constitution and bylaws. The speaker was delegated to wait on Ms. Snow and solicit her aid, which was cheerfully and efficiently rendered. A constitution and bylaws was prepared and submitted to President Joseph Smith. He pronounced it the best constitution he had ever read. Then remarked, this is not what the sisters want. There's something better for them. I have desired to organize the sisters in the order of the priesthood. I now have the key by which I can do it. The organization of the Church of Jesus Christ was never perfect until the women were organized. He then said, I want you, Lizar Snow, to tell the sisters who delegated you that their offering is accepted of the Lord and will result in blessing to them. He further said, I want the adjourned meeting to meet with me and a few of the brethren in the Masonic Hall on Thursday at 1 p.m. next. And I will organize you in the order of the priesthood after the pattern of the church. And I wish Emma to be nominated an elected president of the organization in fulfillment of the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants, which says she is an elect lady, and elect lady is one who is elected, end quote.