Danite - Joseph Smith's Involvement

Joseph Smith's Involvement

Establishing the true leadership of an organization that self-identifies as secret and unofficial has made establishing an accurate history surrounding the Danites difficult. While there are some primary accounts of the Danites and their activities, scholars of Mormon history largely hold that these sources are often highly partisan (and quite often contradictory), with nearly all reports coming from disaffected or disgraced Mormons such as Sampson Avard (known ex-Mormon and former Danite with a well-documented vendetta against Smith and the Church), John D. Lee (a former Danite, ex-Mormon and close contemporary of Avard), Fanny Stenhouse (a known ex-Mormon and disaffected member), and Ann Eliza Young (the ex-wife of Brigham Young and a disaffected member with a well-documented personal vendetta against the Church). To be certain, existence of the Danite band during the largely one-sided conflict known as the "Mormon War" is well attested.

Joseph Smith, never identified as a Danite himself. Nonetheless, in 1834, Smith was elected as commander-in-chief of the Armies of Israel by the Kirtland high council. Though the Danite band self-admitted as being unofficial, there is some confusion and controversy surrounding the Danite organization since its constitution states, "All officers shall be subject to the commands of the Captain General, given through the Secretary of War". Smith had the title of Secretary of War during the three (3) years prior to the year in which it is widely believed the Danites were first organized. However, Smith neither publicly nor privately attested to any involvement or affiliation with the Danite band, and none of the close contemporaries of Smith ever alleged to the contrary.

In fact, Smith wrote of the actions of the Danites largely with disapproval and on more than one occasion. However, in speaking on another subject of dissenting Mormons, Smith wrote in his Scriptory Book that Sidney Rigdon spoke on the subject of the "dissenters," who (according to Smith) "took warning, and Soon they were Seen bounding over the prairie like the Scape Goat to carry of their own Sins we have not Seen them Since, their influence is gone, and they are in a miserable condition. So also it with all who turn from the truth to Lying Cheating defrauding & Swindeling." It has been alleged by some few historians that these comments evidenced Smith's approval of the Danites' actions, though indeed there is no mention of the "Danites" in these statements and the correlation these statements have to the Danites and their activities, if any, are at the present highly speculative.

Further, LDS Church leader Sidney Rigdon likewise disapproved, even though asserting on one occasion his belief that the Mormons were within their rights to expel public aggressors from their midst, saying that: "When a country, or body of people have individuals among them with whom they do not wish to associate and a public expression is taken against their remaining among them and such individuals do not remove it is the principle of republicanism itself that gives that community a right to expel them forcibly and no law will prevent it." Again, like the statements made by Smith, whether such statements made by Rigdon could be said to be made in reference to the Danites remains highly speculative.

There is one statement made by Joseph Smith which seemingly made an endorsement of the Danite band, apparently early in its original inception. Found in Smith's journal, he stated: "Thus far, according to the order of the Danites. We have a company of Danites in these times, to put to right physically that which is not right, and to cleanse the Church of every great evil which has hitherto existed among us inasmuch as they cannot be put to right by teachings and persuasyons . This company or a part of them exhibited on the fourth day of July They come up to consecrate, by companies of tens, commanded by their captains over ten."

Nonetheless, over time, as the prominence and violence of the group grew, Smith greatly condemned the group (both publicly and privately), referring on several occasions to their being "evil" in nature and a "secret combination" to which he publicly and privately avowed no involvement. These condemnations largely appeared after Smith and the Mormons had been charged with treason in fall of 1838, and after Smith and the Church leaders became concerned with the actions of alleged rogue groups and their potential negative effect on the Mormon community at large.

Smith and the Church leaders eventually were forced to publically excommunicate the Danite leader, Sampson Avard.