Several thousand people died in the frontier state of Illinois in 1844, and few are remembered by much more than an entry in family records.

But two who died on June 27 of that year in a small jail in Carthage will never be forgotten.Those two are Joseph and Hyrum Smith, brothers who ". . . in life were not divided, and in death they were not separated." (D&C 135:3.)

Struck down by assassins' bullets these two martyrs sealed their life's work and their testimonies by the shedding of their blood.

Today, 148 years later, the testament of their lives shines more brightly than ever on every continent of the globe and in the hearts and minds of more than 8 million followers who revere their names and honor the Church for which they made the supreme sacrifice.

The saga that led Joseph Smith to that fateful moment in Carthage Jail is one of the greatest religious epochs of all time.

Born in humble circumstances in Vermont, Joseph and his itinerant family settled in upstate New York where he was obliged to work hard and was deprived of the benefits of much formal education.

But he knew how to read, and in the family Bible he read as a young lad of 14 that if any lacked wisdom they should ask of God. In his youthful faith he did ask for guidance about which church to join, and was blessed with the most magnificent visitation of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ that has occurred in modern times.

Under divine direction Joseph restored the Church of Jesus Christ and ushered in the latter-day dispensation of gospel truth that will yet flower into the millennial appearance of Jesus Christ and the ultimate glorification of the earth as an eternal home for the faithful.

From the earliest declarations of his remarkable visitation to the end of his life, Joseph Smith was the object of persecution, hatred, and vicious physical abuse. A statement from the Angel Moroni that his name would be had for good and evil certainly is being fulfilled over and over in both extremes. (See Joseph Smith-History 1:33.)

Driven from New York to Ohio to Missouri and into Illinois, he never had a secure home. He was tarred and feathered, beaten and gagged, shot at and cursed, dragged from his family in the dead of night, falsely accused and subjected to mockery and trumped up trials.

But he never faltered in his determination to let all men everywhere know that he had seen a vision. "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it. . . ." (Joseph Smith-History 1:25.)

When his earthly work was ended by a mob's bullets, his enemies boldly proclaimed that the Church he founded was also dead.

But little did they know that the martyrdom could not stop God's purposes, and that the foundation of the Church, established through its prophet, seer, and revelator Joseph Smith, had been planted so firmly that others who had been given authority to act would rise up and carry forward the work so nobly begun by the founding prophet.

And continue they did. But the persecutions continued also, and under apostle Brigham Young, Joseph's valiant friend and legal successor, the Church came West from Illinois and was planted in a desert whose barren fields have blossomed and from whose mountain tops the words of truth are going forth to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.

Joseph's death ended only his mortal influence. His spiritual influence still permeates every part of the Church he restored. The Book of Mormon which he translated and published is one of the most widely circulated books in the world today. Other volumes of scripture that contain the revelations he received give stability and strength to the Church. The doctrines he taught are still the bedrock of the Church. Undoubtedly he has also helped guide from his eternal realm the prophets who have succeeded him, including those in our midst today.

June 27, 1844, was a mournful day in many ways, but from our perspective today we see it as a rallying point that made the saints more firm in their resolve to press forward steadfastly in the cause of truth.

Pause for a few moments and reflect on the life and death of Joseph the Seer, and also of his faithful brother Hyrum the Patriarch. Ponder what your life today means because of what they did. Then promise to help preserve their memories by working more diligently for the cause for which they made the supreme sacrifice.