The Know

In the months following the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the Saints continued to receive spiritual manifestations from God. However, during this time of increased blessings, Church leaders were also worried about the many debts the Church had accumulated in order to build the temple. As Steven C. Harper observed, “The resulting blessings [of building the Kirtland Temple] far surpassed the value of every penny, but the process left Joseph in debt approximately thirteen thousand dollars, with more expenses looming.”1

Many of these looming expenses came from factors outside the Saints’ control. In 1833, those living in Jackson County, Missouri, were forcefully expelled from their homes.2 Elizabeth Kuehn notes, “The Saints held on to the titles to lands they had been driven from in Jackson County as a sign of their commitment to building Zion, but they had no foreseeable way to return.”3 Furthermore, “the loss of all Church assets in Jackson County, Missouri,” weighed on the Church—a loss “estimated at $175,000.”4 Other costs, such as “funds raised in support of the displaced Missouri members, plus the costs of provisioning Zion’s Camp, had seriously depleted the resources of the Saints who contributed.”5

Despite these challenges, the Church wasn’t completely lacking in financial assets. The trouble was that the “Church was land rich and cash poor. The debt problem was largely one of cash flow rather than of net worth.”6 Thus, Joseph began looking for ways to increase cash flow without losing Church lands in Missouri, especially as the Saints were still under divine commandment to continue purchasing lands in Missouri for the building up of Zion (see Doctrine and Covenants 105:29).

During this time, Joseph Smith received word that a Church member named Jonathan Burgess had become aware of some possible treasure available for the Church in Salem, Massachusetts. Burgess was apparently the only one aware of the location of this treasure, supposedly hidden away in the basement of a house that had been pointed out to him.7

Stories of treasure in Salem were not uncommon at this time. Kenneth W. Godfrey notes, for instance, “Salem in the early 1800s had also gained some notoriety for being the possible site for the burial of pirate gold.”8 Indeed, during the 1800s, “Salem was a prosperous seaport with a world trade. The possibility of treasure being located in Salem was very likely.”9 For leaders of the Church, the prospect of being able to receive a quick means to pay back some of the Church’s creditors must have felt like a potentially miraculous means of deliverance.

On July 25, 1836, Joseph, his brother Hyrum, Oliver Cowdery, and Sidney Rigdon traveled east, first visiting creditors in New York before arriving in Salem in early August.10 When they arrived, however, Burgess was unable to identify the house he had been told about, so the group rented another house on Union Street and preached while in the area.11 Shortly after arriving, Joseph also received a revelation on August 6 that addressed the concerns over Church finances and the trip to Salem.

According to this revelation, found in Doctrine and Covenants 111, “I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies” (Doctrine and Covenants 111:1). Though the Lord was not displeased with the initiative Joseph and the other leaders had shown in trying to pay off their debts, they had apparently made the trip without first consulting with the Lord.12 However, the Lord promised that it would ultimately be for the Church’s good: “I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality” (verse 2).

The treasures that Joseph and the other leaders of the Church would find in Salem in 1836 were not the kind they had set out for. Rather than buried riches, they were commanded to “form acquaintance with men in this city, as you shall be led,” and “inquire diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants and founders of this city; for there are more treasures than one for you in this city” (Doctrine and Covenants 111:3, 9–10). Any material treasure would come in due time; for the moment, the men were not to concern themselves with the matter and instead were to trust that the Lord would provide the means to pay off their debts (see verses 4–6).

As Joseph sought to obey this revelation, the treasures promised by the Lord were manifest in various ways. First, although Joseph, Hyrum, Oliver, and Sidney did not baptize anyone while in the area, they did preach the gospel and introduced it to many. Five years later, Erastus Snow and Benjamin Winchester were called by Hyrum Smith and William Law, who were counselors in the First Presidency at the time, to preach the gospel and fulfil this revelation specifically. As Donald Q. Canon notes, “Their efforts bore fruit. By March of 1842 they had organized the Salem Branch with 53 members. By the end of that summer, the branch had 90 members.”13 That number grew further to 110 members by February 1843.14 Missionary work steadily progressed in the area after that time, with each convert being gathered into Zion. The Lord had promised He would gather many from this area “in due time,” and the promise was now being fulfilled.

Second, Joseph Smith and his companions did take the time to learn about the founders and early inhabitants of Salem and the surrounding areas, as they were instructed. While some have speculated that this command was to introduce the Saints to family history (especially as Joseph Smith’s ancestors lived in the nearby Topsfield, Massachusetts), Craig James Ostler has observed that there is no evidence that Joseph understood the revelation in this way.15 Rather, the Church leaders devoted much of their time to learning about the history of Salem and the American Revolution. Oliver even appears to have purchased books regarding the history of the Puritans in Salem.16

Casey Griffiths observed,

Joseph and the other Church leaders spent roughly three weeks in the area, learning about the local culture. In a letter to his brother, Oliver Cowdery shared what he had learned about the history of the Puritans in Salem, including the famous witch trials. The men also learned more about the history of the American Revolution and reflected on its meaning to them.17

The Church leaders also visited Charleston, Massachusetts, where they saw the remnants of the Catholic Ursuline Convent, which had been destroyed by an anti-Catholic mob just two years prior. “The scene of the wreckage was deeply moving to the men, themselves the victims of religious persecution.”18

The Why

The scenes and histories of the area had both revitalized the Church leaders and caused them great sorrow. On the one hand, as the Saints faced religious persecution in Missouri, they were inspired by the scenes of the American Revolution. Joseph’s own grandfathers had fought in that war, and the Prophet would later recount that his “love of liberty was diffused into my Soul by my grandfathers, while they dandled me on their knees.”19 Throughout his life, Joseph and the Saints continued to petition government leaders to uphold the constitution of the land and protest the rights that had been fought for in the Revolutionary War.

On the other hand, they saw sites where horrible acts of religious persecution had taken place. Salem, known for its infamous witch trials, was initially founded by Puritans to be a society set apart from the wicked world but became the site where multiple innocent people were executed by a frenzied mob. The fairly recent Ursuline Convent riots in Charlestown, Massachusetts (about a dozen miles from Salem), and indeed the Saints’ own experiences in Missouri, showed that such acts of violence could still occur.20 By witnessing these sites, Joseph and the other leaders became even more firm in their desire to protect all people’s religious freedom. Zion was to be a society based upon the love of God for all His children, where there would be an “intolerance for wickedness [but] tolerance for differing religious beliefs.”21 As such, this revelation had a significant impact on the building up of the kingdom.

The revelation also serves as a reminder that the Lord will take care of His people, especially as they seek to follow His will. “In context, the journey to Salem demonstrates the sincere desire of Joseph and the other leaders to follow the Lord’s command to pay their debts and deal justly with their creditors.”22 While Joseph may not have initially consulted the Lord about possibly finding wealth in Salem, this revelation shows “how deeply religious the Prophet Joseph Smith was. He felt a moral obligation to do all he could to help fulfill the decrees of the god he worshipped. . . . He took positive steps that allowed the Lord to fulfill His promises.”23

The Lord ultimately did deliver the Saints from their debts, as He had promised, while still utilizing this experience to bless the Saints with more treasures than one. Thus, even when things don’t turn out as planned or hoped for, the Lord often has blessings waiting for those who sincerely seek His will, no matter their current circumstances or prior mistakes.