Joseph Smith — "I am a man of peace, and hate contention."
I am a man of peace, and hate contention.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
The quote declares a fundamental orientation toward harmony over conflict. Smith asserts his temperament: he seeks resolution through calm rather than confrontation, preferring unity and dialogue over argument and strife. In plain modern terms, it is a man saying he does not pick fights, does not enjoy discord, and actively chooses peaceful paths when disputes arise. It speaks to character more than policy — a disposition against unnecessary quarrel.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Smith founded the LDS Church in 1830 and spent his life navigating violent opposition — tarred and feathered in 1832, driven from Missouri under an extermination order in 1838, imprisoned multiple times, and martyred in Carthage Jail in 1844. Despite preaching restoration of Christ's gospel and building cooperative communities, he consistently faced accusations of inciting unrest. This declaration reflects his self-image as a spiritual shepherd seeking unity, not a provocateur.
The era
The 1830s–1840s were defined by the Second Great Awakening — explosive religious competition, frontier lawlessness, and intense sectarian hostility. New religious movements faced mob violence and government indifference. Missouri's governor issued a literal extermination order against Mormons in 1838. Anti-Mormon riots culminated in Smith's assassination in 1844. Against this backdrop of persecution and forced displacement, publicly claiming peace was both a genuine appeal to American ideals of religious tolerance and a political necessity.
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