Twenty-Six (1831)Joseph Sr. signed the agreement and Martin put up a bond of $3,000 that ensured
payment to Grandin, if the book didn’t sell. When Hyrum found out about Martin’s visit
to his father, and knowing his father’s soft heart and convictions concerning Joseph’s
work, he became incensed against Harris because of the duplicity of his heart. This rift
created a personality conflict that kept Hyrum and Martin emotionally separated
thereafter. When Joseph heard about the backroom deal and Martin’s obsession with
selling the books to be repaid, he did what he always did—received another “revelation
from the Lord” about Martin’s attitude:
And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but
impart it freely to the printing of the Book of Mormon, which contains the truth
and the word of God.^2Though completed in March of 1830, the only outlet “for sale, wholesale or retail,
[was at] the Palmyra Book Store by Howard and Grandin.”^3 It was not until a year later that
Martin obtained the necessary monies to have the books released to him, and that only after
selling his farm to obtain the proceeds with a little help from Joseph’s revelation, “thou shalt
not covet thine own property.”
The Truth About Early Missionary Work
As a result of the financial maneuvering required to get the Book of Mormon
printed, the first missionary efforts of the LDS Church were not meant to spread the
gospel, but to sell copies of the Book of Mormon outside of the county where it was
published and printed. Because the only outlet for sale was the Palmyra Book Store,
and the local people who lived in the area were true to their word, very few books
were sold. The people resorted to the most extreme of efforts, even circulating
petitions (which the majority of the local residents eagerly signed) mutually agreeing
not to purchase the book.
Previous to its publication, Joseph’s parents had lost their farm and the house
Alvin had built that had been so dear to their mother. His parents moved in with
Hyrum and Jerusha, which increased the financial burden on the young couple. Joseph
was being cared for by other families while translating the book, but now had to find a
way to take care of his own family, including his destitute parents.
Under these circumstances, Joseph assigned his younger and faithful brother Samuel
to the task of selling the Book of Mormon in other areas outside of the hostile environment of
Palmyra to bring income to the Smith family. Of the copies Samuel obtained and sold, he
was also able to pocket the proceeds from them—answering only to Joseph—thereby
depriving Martin of any control over the earnings from his sales. Samuel became the first
LDS/Mormon missionary, not out of a personal desire to spread the gospel, but out of
necessity to bring some much-needed income home to his parents and brothers.
Samuel wasn’t much of a missionary or a salesman, because neither
complimented his pleasant, introverted personality. But he was the only Smith brother
who could do the job and ensure that the Smiths were the sole benefactors of the sales.
Whether Samuel knew it or not, traveling throughout the nearby states and selling the
book (to the few who bought it), led many to the Church, some of whom became its
first leaders. Samuel’s travels were responsible for getting the Book of Mormon into