Difference between revisions of "Eliza R. Snow"

Revision as of 16:18, 28 April 2006

Eliza R. Snow was the second General President of the Relief Society and served in that capacity 21 years. Called "Zion's Poetess," Eliza is responsible for several hymns in the present day LDS hymnal and was one of the most celebrated Mormon women of the ninteenth century.

Early Life

Eliza Rocxy Snow was born in Becket, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA on January 21, 1804. She was the second of seven children born to Oliver Snow and Rosetta Pettibone Snow. Eliza's propensity for poetry showed itself early in life when she began submitting her classroom assignments to her teacher in rhyme.

Between 1826 and 1832 she published more than twenty poems in Ohio newspapers using various pen names including Angerona, Narcissa, Tullia, and Ironica. Eliza penned over 500 doctrinal, personal, occassional, and historical poems during her life time.

As a young woman Eliza worked as a seamstress, secretary, and schoolteacher.

Joseph Smith, Jr. visited the Snow home in 1831 and baptized Eliza's mother and sister, Leonora, that year. Eliza, however, was not as hasty to join the fledgling Church. After much deliberation, Eliza was baptized on April 5, 1835, and moved to Kirtland, Ohio, in December to be with the saints. In Kirtland, Eliza lived with Joseph and Emma Hale Smith working as their family school teacher. She also composed two hymns for Emma's new hymnal.

Eliza again moved with her family to Missouri in June 1836. The family had been there only nine months when persecution drove the family to Illinois. Eliza was named "Zion's Poetess" by Joseph Smith, Jr., and was a frequent contributor to Nauvoo publications. She again lived in the Smith household as a teacher from August 1842 to February 1843.

Initially repelled by polygamy Eliza became to esteem it as a divine principle. She was a plural wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. (June 29, 1842), and after his death, became the wife of Brigham Young (October 3, 1844). Emma remained childless thoughout her life.

Eliza was selected as first secretary of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. Departing March 4, 1846, she carried the records of those meetings with her on the long journey west with the Saints, arriving in Salt Lake City, Utah, safely on October 2, 1847. Eliza lived with her husband, Brigham, and several other wives in the Lion House. After his death, she used her first husband's name and went by Eliza R. Snow Smith from 1880 until her death on December 5, 1887.

As a side note, Eliza's brother Lorenzo Snow became fifth prophet of the Church.

Reorganizing Relief Society

Eliza was called by Brigham Young to help bishops reorganize Female Relief Societies in 1866. She traveled all over Utah encouraging sisters to join societies "nont only for the good of the poor, but for the accomplishment of every good and nonle work." (History of Relief Society, page 30) In her new role Eliza travelled with her counselors, Zina D. H. Young and Elizabeth Ann Whitney, to Mormon settlements in nearly every type of conveyance imaginable enduring nearly every type of weather.

Due to the efforts of Eliza's presidency, there were Female Relief Societies in the twenty Salt Lake City wards, in nearly every county in Utah, and several other nearby communities by the end of 1868. These newly organized branches of the Relief Society met twice each month. At one meeting they sewed and cared for the needs of the poor, and at the other they received instruction on a variety of educational or inspirational themes. At first sisters met in private homes, but eventually most groups built halls of their own in cooperation with the brethren.

Among the programs instituted by the Relief Society during Eliza's tenure were the grain-saving program, sericulture (silk production), and an special emphasis was placed on hygeine and nursing. Also during this time, women published their literary productions in the Women's Exponet. Relief Society news and national political updates were also included in the semimonthly publication.

In 1876, after failing to secure space at the United States Centennial Exhibit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Eliza and others organized a Women's Centennial Fair in Salt Lake City, Utah, to exhibit Mormon women's artistic and utilitarian handiwork. After the successful Fair, Relief Society opened a store to sell home manufactured articles with Eliza R. Snow acting as manager. This new store was called the Women's Commission House. Among the items sold were beautiful laces, hats, shawls, stockings, stockings, dairy products, and soap.

Due to rapid growth of Church auxilliaries, President John Taylor organized executive committees to head the Relief Society, Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association, and the Primary Association. Eliza was nominated by President Taylor to be President of the Relief Society Of the Church Of Jesus Christ in all the world in 1880.

In July 1880, the Church celebrated its Jubilee year with a great procession. Eliza joined the other Relief Society leaders in one of three horse-drawn carriages participating in the festivities. An elegant homemade silk banner proclaimed that the Relief Society now numbered 300 branches.

After many years of effort, Deseret Hospital was finally established by the Relief Society in 1882. Deseret Hospital served the people of Utah for 12 years as a hospital and school where classes in heath and hygeine were given. Eliza served as a president of the Hospital until her death in 1887.

Hymns

The following hymns in the current LDS hymnal feature lyrics by Eliza R Snow:

• Hymn 17 - "Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!"
• Hymn 77 - "Great Is the Lord"
• Hymn 122 - "Though Deepening Trials"
• Hymn 186 - "Again We Meet around the Board"
• Hymn 191 - "Behold the Great Redeemer Die"
• Hymn 195 - "How Great the Wisdom and the Love"
• Hymn 266 - "The Time Is Far Spent"
• Hymn 273 - "Truth Reflects upon Our Senses"
• Hymn 292 - "O My Father"
• Hymn 307 - "In Our Lovely Deseret"

O My Father

This poem has been considered one of Eliza's finest works. Among the expansive ideas it describes briefly the logical way she came to an understanding that Heavenly Father must also have a wife.

O my Father, thou that dwellest

In the high and glorious place,

When shall I regain thy presence

And again behold thy face?

In thy holy habitation,

Did my spirit once reside?

In my first primeval childhood

Was I nurtured near thy side?

For a wise and glorious purpose

Thou hast placed me here on earth

And withheld the recollection

Of my former friends and birth;

Yet ofttimes a secret something

Whispered, “You’re a stranger here,”

And I felt that I had wandered

From a more exalted sphere.

I had learned to call thee Father,

Thru thy Spirit from on high,

But, until the key of knowledge

Was restored, I knew not why.

In the heav’ns are parents single?

No, the thought makes reason stare!

Truth is reason; truth eternal

Tells me I’ve a mother there.

When I leave this frail existence,

When I lay this mortal by,

Father, Mother, may I meet you

In your royal courts on high?

Then, at length, when I’ve completed

All you sent me forth to do,

With your mutual approbation

Let me come and dwell with you.

Other Accomplishments

Eliza was instrumental in the organization of the Retrenchment Association for Young Ladies and Primary Association in addition to her work with the Relief Society. She also directed ordinance work in the Endowment House and was president of Deseret Hospital.

Eliza wrote two books of poetry for publication titled Poems, Religious, Historical, and Political that were published in two volumes. She assisted in the founding of a literary society.

References

• Derr, Jill Mulvay. "Encyclopedia of LDS History: Snow, Eliza R."
• Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985.
• Derr, Cannon, and Beecher; Women of Covenant: The Story of Relief Society; Deseret Book Company; 1992; pps 83-126. ISBN 0-87579-593-5
• The Relief Society General Board Association. History of Relief Society 1842-1966 1967, page 12.
• [Mormon Literature Database: Eliza Roxcy Snow].

External Links

• Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for LDS History: Eliza R. Snow - has a list of poems and biographical information