If Alexander Doniphan had executed Joseph Smith in late 1838 as he was Told To Do, Joseph would have died 6 years earlier than he did. The whole history of the Church would be very very different. At that time Brigham Young was Apostle #3, not President, the Temple ceremony had not yet come, polygamy had not yet started, and many other things had not developed that make the LDS understanding of the Gospel so unique.

Just think of the Church without the precedent of Senior Apostle as successor, no Temple Endowments,
no Temple Marriages, and no polygamy, and no
Nauvoo experience. One could only speculate what the Church would be today if Alexander Doniphan
had "followed his orders" rather than questioning
the morality and ethics of that order to execute
Joseph Smith.

If Brigham Young had not been successor, then Utah history would be very different and All those Immigrants from Europe would have most likely NOT had that means to come to America. Many would have stayed there in Europe. Mr. Doniphan's decision
certainly had its impact!!

Another thought: What if Joseph had lived another SIX years after Carthage (1844)?? What would the Church look like today??

The Lord will always find men and ways to provide for and protect the Saints and in time he will provide a means to drive the evil gentiles out of our mist so that we may live in peace and prosperity.

"Church History" makes some interest comments about what might have been. However, since the Lord is in charge, I have no doubt that things happened in keeping with his plan. I don't believe that Joseph Smith went one minute later or sooner than he was supposed to. While God allows us our personal agency, he direct events so his purposes.

Church History: Thanks for your comments. They are very interesting.

Thank the Lord and thank Alexander Doniphan for being the man of principle that he was.

One one hand, some who commit heinous sins, but who are not technically eligible to be 'sons of perdition' will, nonetheless, inherit a similar fate. On the other, those who were heroes and helpers of God's prophets and people, though not becoming, in mortality, "saints" themselves, must surely inherit eternal destinies befitting those "valiant in the testimony of Jesus".

If only someone in the Mountain Meadows Massacre could have been as defiant and courageous as Colonel Doniphan, perhaps we wouldn't be needing another book to shed further light on that subject either.

To "Cats": Enjoyed your response to my comments of
"what if". I too believe that the Lord is in charge.
My mother's family tree has one English doctor bringing his family from India to settle in Utah because of Brigham and the Church being THERE in the
mid 1860's before the "Golden Spike". Also two young adults from England in the the early 1880's were coming to Utah because of joining the Church and the Perpetual Immigration Program. He was from Northern England near the Scottish border and she was from just outside of Liverpool. They met on the ship to America to get to Utah. They would have probably never met if the Church wasn't in Utah at
that time. They got married in the Logan Temple and had 7 kids. Grandma was #5 born 5/5/1895.
Grandma had a lot of 5's in her background. She and her Dad and brother all sang in the Tabernacle Choir about 100 years ago.

To "Thank goodness for Doniphan": Enjoyed your comments too. Mountain Meadows could have been
avoided IF...

IN Late 1960's, (US History) remember Lieutenant William Calley and his "just following orders" statement on the slaughter at My Lai?

To Robert, your desire "to drive the evil gentiles out of our mist(sic)" is embarassing to all LDS everywhere. Your prejudice against others not like you is what caused Brigham Young's death, the Mountain Meadows Massacre, and so many other terrible events, there's no space for them to be mentioned here. The fact you said "mist" instead of "midst" show how truly backward, eneducated, and unenlightened you are. Please keep hateful, prejudiced comments like "drive the outsiders away" to yourself. You do not represent me, or most other Mormans, who welcome the opportunity to show our brothers the proper path, by showing our good example. You should be ashamed of yourself. Lord knows I'm ashamed of you.

I was delighted to see this article about Alexander Doniphan. He is one of my great heroes in Church history. I hope I am worthy one day to shake his hand and express my gratitude to him for his courage in the face of bitter opposition as he defended Joseph Smith and the early leaders and members of the Church.