Marriage -Monogamy
Heber C. Kimball, Deseret News, April 22, 1857 - Second councillor to Brigham Young, on how monogamy makes a man wither and dry up:
“I have noticed that a man who has BUT ONE WIFE, and is inclined to that doctrine, soon begins to WITHER AND DRY UP, while a man who goes into PLURALITY looks fresh, YOUNG AND SPRIGHTLY. Why is this? Because God loves that man, and because he honors his word. Some of you may not believe this, but I not only believe it but I also know it. FOR A MAN OF GOD TO BE CONFINED TO ONE WOMAN IS SMALL BUSINESS,… I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO IF WE HAD ONLY ONE WIFE APIECE.”
Brigham Young (The Deseret News, August 6, 1862) - Monogamy a system established by robbers:
“Monogamy, or restrictions by law to ONE WIFE, IS NO PART OF THE ECONOMY OF HEAVEN AMONG MEN. Such a system was commenced by the founders of the Roman empire….Rome became the mistress of the world, and introduced this order of monogamy wherever her sway was acknowledged. Thus this MONOGAMIC ORDER OF MARRIAGE, so esteemed by modern Christians as a HOLY SACRAMENT and DIVINE INSTITUTION, is nothing but a system established by a SET OF ROBBERS….
“Why do we believe in and practice polygamy? Because the Lord introduced it to his servants in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, and the Lord’s servants have always practised it. ‘And IS THAT RELIGION POPULAR IN HEAVEN?’ IT IS THE ONLY POPULAR RELIGION THERE,…”
George A. Smith (Deseret News, April 16, 1856) – Monogamists should be ashamed:
“We breathe the free air, we have the best looking men and handsomest women, and if they envy us our position, well they may, for they are a poor, NARROW MINDED, PINCH-BACKED RACE OF MEN, WHO CHAIN THEMSELVES DOWN TO THE LAW OF MONOGAMY AND LIVE ALL THEIR DAYS UNDER THE DOMINION OF ONE WIFE. They ought to be ASHAMED OF SUCH CONDUCT, and the still fouler channel which flows from their practices; and it is not to be wondered at that they should envy those who so much better understand the social relations.”
Brigham Young (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, p. 128) – Monogamy is the source of prostitution and whoredom:
“Since the founding of the Roman empire monogamy has prevailed more extensively than in times previous to that. The founders of that ancient empire were robbers and women stealers, and made laws favoring monogamy in consequence of the scarcity of women among them, and hence this MONOGAMIC SYSTEM which now prevails throughout Christendom, and which had been so fruitful a source of PROSTITUTION AND WHOREDOM throughout all the Christian monogamic cities of the Old and New World, until rottenness and decay are at the root of their institutions both national and religious.”
Brigham Young (Millennial Star, Vol. 15, p. 227)“
… THE ONE-WIFE SYSTEM NOT ONLY DEGENERATES THE HUMAN FAMILY, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY, but it is entirely incompatible with philosophical notions of immortality; IT IS A LURE TO TEMPTATION, AND HAS ALWAYS PROVED A CURSE TO A PEOPLE.”
Mormon apostle Orson Pratt - The Seer, p. 12. Explains that the debauched state of Europe is due to monogamy:
“Some of the nations of Europe who believe in the one wife system have actually forbidden a plurality of wives by their laws; and the consequences are that the whole country among them is overrun with the most abomi[na]ble practices? adulteries and unlawful connections prevail through all their villages, towns, cities, and country places to a most fearful extent.”
George Q. Cannon (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 202 - Monogamy responsible for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire:
“It is a fact worthy of note that the shortest lived nations of which we have record have been monogamic. Rome…was a MONOGAMIC NATION AND THE NUMEROUS EVILS ATTENDING THAT SYSTEM EARLY LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THAT RUIN WHICH EVENTUALLY OVERTOOK HER.”
Apostle Orson Pratt: Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, page 195.
“This law of MONOGAMY, or the MONOGAMIC SYSTEM, laid the foundation for prostitution and the evils and diseases of the most revolting nature and character under which modern Christendom groans,…”
Brigham Young – (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 50) – Adam was a polygamist:“Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and Sinner! When OUR FATHER ADAM came into the the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, ONE OF HIS WIVES WITH HIM.”
Brigham Young – (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269. To become a god, one must be a polygamist:“The ONLY MEN WHO BECOME GODS, even the Sons of God, are those WHO ENTER INTO POLYGAMY.” Brigham Young -Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4., pp. 55-57; also printed in Deseret News, Vol. 6, pp. 235-236 – Gives Mormon women 2 week ultimatum to quit complaining about polygamy:“Now for my proposition; it is more particularly for my sisters, as it is frequently happening that women say they are UNHAPPY. Men will say, ‘My wife, though a most excellent woman, has NOT SEEN A HAPPY DAY SINCE I TOOK MY SECOND WIFE,’ ‘No, NOT A HAPPY DAY FOR A YEAR,’ says one; and another HAS NOT SEEN AHAPPY DAY FOR FIVE YEARS. It is said that women are tied down and abused: that they are misused and have not the liberty they ought to have; that many of them ARE WADING THROUGH A PERFECT FLOOD OF TEARS,…
“I wish my own women to understand that what I am going to say is for them as well as others, and I want those who are here to tell their sisters, yes, all the women of this community, and then write it back to the States, and do as you please with it. I am going to give you from this time to the 6th day of October next, for reflection, that you may determine whether you wish to stay with your husbands or not, and then I am going TO SET EVERY WOMAN AT LIBERTY and say to them, Now go your way, MY WOMEN WITH THE REST, go your way. AND MY WIVES have go to do one of two things; either round up their shoulders to endure the afflictions of this world, and live their religion, OR THEY MAY LEAVE, for I will not have them about me. I will go into heaven alone, rather than have SCRATCHING AND FIGHTING AROUND ME. I WILL SET ALL AT LIBERTY. ‘WHAT, FIRST WIFE TOO?’ YES, I WILL LIBERATE YOU ALL….
“I wish my women, and brother Kimball’s and brother Grant’s to leave, and every woman in this Territory, or else say in their hearts that they will embrace the Gospel —the whole of it….say to your wives, ‘Take all that I have and be set at liberty; but if you stay with me you shall comply with the law of God, and that too WITHOUT ANY MURMURING AND WHINING. You must fulfil the law of God in every respect, and round up your shoulders to WALK UP TO THE MARK WITHOUT ANY GRUNTING.’ “Now recollect that two weeks from to morrow I am going to set you at liberty. But the first wife will say, ‘It is hard, for I have lived with my husband twenty years, or thirty, and have raised a family of children for him, and it is a great trial to me for him to have more women;’ then I say IT IS TIME THAT YOU GAVE HIM UP TO OTHER WOMEN WHO WILL BEAR CHILDREN. If my wife had borne me all the children that she ever would bare, the celestial law would teach me TO TAKE YOUNG WOMEN that would have children….
“SISTERS, I AM NOT JOKING, I do not throw out my proposition to banter your feelings, to see whether you will leave your husbands, all or any of you. BUT I KNOW THAT THERE IS NO CESSATION TO THE EVERLASTING WHINING OF MANY OF THE WOMEN IN THIS TERRITORY; I am satisfied that this is the case. And if the women will turn from the commandments of God and continue to despise the order of heaven, I will pray that the curse of the Almighty may be close to their heals, and that it may be following them all the day long….
“Prepare yourselves for two weeks from to morrow; and I will tell you now, that if you will tarry with your husbands, after I HAVE SET YOU FREE, YOU MUST BOW DOWN TO IT, and SUBMIT yourselves to the CELESTIAL LAW. You may go where you please, after two weeks from to-morrow; but, remember, that I WILL NOT HEAR ANY MORE OF THIS WHINING.” Brigham Young - Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, page 178. Brags about his virility:“Brother Cannon remarked that people wondered how many wives and children I had. He may inform them, that I SHALL HAVE WIVES AND CHILDREN BY THE MILLION, and glory, and riches and power and dominion, and kingdom after kingdom, and reign triumphantly.” Brigham Young - Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, page 210
Mormon Apostle Ezra T. Benson, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, pages 80-81
“The next man who came on to the carpet wanted to know HOW MANY WIVES BROTHER BRIGHAM HAD. I replied, ‘… I will guess, if that will do you any good….if I may judge from APPEARANCES, I SHOULD PRESUME HE HAS SOME FIFTY OR SIXTY.’“
Jedediah M. Grant, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, pp. 13-14, February 19, 1854, Second councilor to Brigham Young, spoke in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, telling of Joseph Smiths demands for other men’s wives,
“When the family organization was revealed from heaven—the PATRIACHAL ORDER of God, and JOSEPH began, ON THE RIGHT AND ON THE LEFT, TO ADD TO HIS FAMILY, what a quaking there was in Israel. Says one brother to another, ‘Joseph says all covenants are DONE AWAY, and NONE ARE BINDING BUT THE NEW COVENANTS; now suppose JOSEPH should come and say HE WANTED YOUR WIFE, what you say to that?’ ‘I would tell him to go to hell.’ This was the spirit of many in the early days of this Church….”
“What would a man of God say, who felt aright, when JOSEPH ASKED him for his money? He would say, ‘Yes, and I wish I had more to help to build up the kingdom of God.’ Or if HE CAME AND SAID, ‘I WANT YOUR WIFE?’ O YES,’ he would say, ‘HERE SHE IS, THERE ARE PLENTY MORE.’… Did the PROPHET JOSEPH WANT EVERY MAN’S WIFE HE ASKED FOR? He did not,… If such a man of God should come to me and say, ‘I want your gold and silver, OR YOUR WIVES,’ I should say,’ HERE THEY ARE, I WISH I HAD MORE TO GIVE YOU, TAKE ALL I HAVE GOT.’“
Brigham Young – Journal Of Discourses VOL 17 page 159Threatens Hell to the women on resisting Plural Marriage.
Brother George A. Smith has been reading a little out of the revelation concerning celestial marriage, and I want to say to my sisters that if you lift you heels against this revelation, and say that you would obliterate it, and put it out of existence if you had the power to nullify and destroy it, I say that if you imbibe that spirit and feeling, you will go to hell, just as sure as you are living women………………………….You sisters may say that plural marriage is very hard for you to bear. It is no such thing. A man or woman who would not spend his or her life in building up the kingdom of God on the earth, without a companion, and travel and preach, valise in hand, is worthy of God or his kingdom and they never will be crowned, they cannot be crowned; the sacrifice must be complete. If it is the duty of a husband to take a wife, take her. But it is not the privilege of a woman to dictate the husband, and tell who or how many he shall take, or what he shall do with them when he gets them, but it is the duty of the woman to submit cheerfully Apostle Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 203“Some quietly listen to those who speak against the plurality of wives, and against almost every principle that God has revealed. Such persons have half-a-dozen devils with them all the time. You might as well deny ‘Mormonism,’ and turn away from it, as to oppose the plurality of wives. Let the Presidency of this Church, and the Twelve Apostles, and all the authorities unite and say with one voice that they will oppose the doctrine, and the whole of them will be damned.”
“I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow.”
- Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Twenty Seventh Wife, Irving Wallace, p. 101.
Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Lion of the Lord, New York, 1969, pp.129-30. - Speaking to a group of departing missionaries… “Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women for themselves before they get here, and bringing on the ugly ones for us; hereafter you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a fair shake.”
and again… Apostle Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.256.“I say to those who are elected to go on missions, remember they are not your sheep: they belong to Him that sends you. Then do not make a choice of any of those sheep; do not make selections before they are brought home and put into the fold. You under stand that. Amen”
JOD VOL 9 page 37 Brigham Young - Young girls given in marriage to Old Men . How will you be happy? Love the Giver more than the gift. Delight
yourselves in your duties, mothers. Here are the middle-aged and the
young. I am now almost daily sealing young girls to men of age and
experience. Love your duties, sisters. Are you sealed to a good man?
Yes, to a man of God. It is for you to bear fruit and bring forth, to
the praise of God, the spirits that are born in yonder heavens and are
to take tabernacles on the earth. You have the privilege of forming
tabernacles for those spirits, instead of their being brought into
this wicked world that God may have a royal Priesthood, a royal
people, on the earth. That is what plurality of wives is for, and not
to gratify lustful desires. Sisters, do you wish to make yourselves
happy? Then what is your duty? It is for you to bear children, in the
name of the Lord, that are full of faith and the power of God,—to
receive, conceive, bear, and bring forth in the name of Israel’s God
that you may have the honour of being the mothers of great and good
men—of kings, princes, and potentates that shall yet live on the earth
and govern and control the nations. Do you look forward to that? Brigham Young Journal Of Discourses Vol 16 p70 ,JUNE 28, 1873 – Couldn’t care less about Wives and Kids . But my heart has been set in me to do the will of God, to build up his kingdom on the earth, to establish Zion and its laws, and to save the people; and I can say truly and honestly that the thought never came into my mind, in all my labors, what my reward will be, or whether my crown would be large or small, or any crown at all, a small possession, a large possession, or no possession. I do not know that I shall have a wife or child in the resurrection. I have never had any thoughts or reflections upon this, or cared the first thing about it. All that I have had in my mind has been that it was my duty to do the will of God, and to labor to establish his kingdom on the earth. Wilford Woodruff, JOD 13:165 – p.166 ,1869. Mormonism’s future fourth president : If we were to do away with polygamy, it would only be one feather in the bird, one ordinance in the Church and kingdom. Do away with that, then we must do away with prophets and Apostles, with revelation and the gifts and graces of the Gospel, and finally give up our religion altogether and turn sectarians and do as the world does, then all would be right. We just can’t do that, for God has commanded us to build up His kingdom and to bear our testimony to the nations of the earth, and we are going to do it, come life or come death. He has told us to do thus, and we shall obey Him in days to come as we have in days past .
Polygamy
Brigham Young, Deseret News, September 17, 1873. “Now, where a man in this church says, ‘I don’t want but one wife, I will live my religion with one,’ he will perhaps be saved in the Celestial kingdom; but when he gets there he will not find himself in possession of any wife at all. He has had a talent that he has hid up. He will come forward and say, ‘Here is that which thou gavest me, I have not wasted it, and here is the one talent,’ and he will not enjoy it but it will be taken and given to those who have improved the talents they received, and he will find himself without any wife, and he will remain single forever and ever.”Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 178.“Brother Cannon remarked that people wondered how many wives and children I had. He may inform them, that I shall have wives and children by the million, and glory, and riches and power and dominion, and kingdom after kingdom, and reign triumphantly,”
Lots Of Wives awaiting in the next life for the mormon Leaders .Earthly ones not really needed for exaltation. So quit complaining about polygamy basically.
Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p. 209.
Supposing that I have a wife or a dozen of them, and she should say, “You cannot be exalted without me,” and suppose they all should say so, what of that? The never will affect my salvation one particle. Whose salvation will they affect? Their own. They have got to live their religion, serve their God, and do right, as well as myself. Suppose that I lose the whole of them before I go into the spirit world, but that I have been a good, faithful man all the days of my life, and lived my religion, and had favour with God, and was kind to them, do you think I will be destitute there? No, the Lord says there are more there than there are here. They have been increasing there; they increase there a great deal faster than we do here, because there is no obstruction. They do not call upon the doctors to kill their offspring; there are no doctors there, that is, if they are there, their occupation is changed, which proves that they are not there, because they have ceased to be doctors. In this world very many of the doctors are studying to diminish the human family.In the spirit world there is an increase of males and females, there are millions of them, and if I am faithful all the time, and continue right along with brother Brigham, we will go to brother Joseph and say, “Here we are brother Joseph; we are here ourselves are we not, with none of the property we possessed in our probationary state, not even the rings on our fingers?” He will say to us, “Come along, my boys, we will give you a goodsuit of clothes. Where are your wives?” “They are back yonder; they would not follow us.” “Never mind,” says Joseph, “here are thousands, have all you want.” Perhaps some do not believe that, but I am just simple enough to believe it.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 50.
“When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives with him,”
Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p. 309.
“The Scripture says that He, the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with His train; I do no know who they were, unless His wives and children . . .”
LDS Apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 172.“We have clearly shown that God the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His first Born, and another being upon the earth by whom He begat the tabernacle of Jesus (Mary – ed.), as his only begotten in the world. We have also probed most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom kings’ daughters and many honorable wives were to be married. We have also proved that both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their wives in eternity as well as in time . . . If you do not want your morals corrupted, and your delicate ears shocked and your pious modesty put to the blush by the society of polygamists and their wives, do not venture near the New Earth; for polygamists will be honored there, and will be among the chief rulers in that Kingdom,”
LDS Apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 158“If none but Gods will be permitted to multiply immortal children, it follows that each God must have one or more wives,” LDS Apostle George Teasdale, Journal of Discourses, vol. 25, p.21.“I bear my solemn testimony that plural marriage is as true as any principle that has been revealed from the heavens. I bear my testimony that it is a necessity, and that the Church of Christ in its fulness never existed without it. Where you have the eternity of marriage you are bound to have plural marriage; bound to; and it is one of the marks of the Church of Jesus Christ in its sealing ordinances,”LDS President and Prophet Joseph F. Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 20, pp. 28-31. “Some people have supposed that the doctrine of plural marriage was a sort of superfluity, or non-essential to the salvation of mankind. In other words, some of the Saints have said, and believe that a man with one wife, sealed to him by the authority of the Priesthood for time and eternity, will receive an exaltation (attainment to godhood – ed.) as great and glorious, if he is faithful, as he possibly could with more than one. I want here to enter my protest against this idea, for I know it is false. . . . Therefore, whoever has imagined that he could obtain the fullness of the blessings pertaining to this celestial law, by complying with only a portion of its conditions, has deceived himself. He cannot do it. . . . it is useless to tell me that there is no blessing attached to obedience to the law, or that a man with only one wife can obtain as great a reward, glory or kingdom as he can with more than one,” JD 5:204 − p.205, Heber C. Kimball, October 12, 1856Some quietly listen to those who speak against the Lord’s servants, against his anointed, against the plurality of wives, and against almost every principle that God has revealed. Such persons have half−a−dozen devils with them all the time. You might as well deny “Mormonism,” and turn away from it, as to oppose the plurality of wives. Let the Presidency of this Church, and the Twelve Apostles, and all the authorities unite and say with one voice that they will oppose that doctrine, and the whole of them would be damned. What areyou opposing it for? It is a principle that God has revealed for the salvation of the human family. He revealed it to Joseph the Prophet in this our dispensation; and that which he revealed he designs to have carried out by his people JD 11:239, Brigham Young, June 3, 1866
OFFICIAL DECLARATION—1
To Whom It May Concern: …………… We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our Temples or in any other place in the Territory………………………. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.
Wilford Woodruff
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah, October 6, 1890.
JD 11:221, John Taylor, April. 7, 1866
Where did this commandment come from in relation to polygamy? It also came from God. It was a revelation given unto Joseph Smith from God, and was made binding upon His servants. When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, “that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.” When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church that it was told them if they were not prepared to enter into it, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostacy, and I do to−day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom.
JD 21:296, Orson Pratt, July 18th, 1880
All these principles that I have treated upon, pertaining to eternal marriage, the very moment that they are admitted to be true, it brings in plurality of marriage, and if plurality of marriage is not true or in other words,if a man has no divine right to marry two wives or more in this world, the marriage for eternity is not true, and your faith is all vain, and all the sealing ordinances and powers, pertaining to marriages for eternity are vain, worthless, good for nothing; for as sure as one is true the other also must be true. Amen.
JD 21:10, Joseph F. Smith, December 7th, 1879
And as he has here stated, as having come from the mouth of the Prophet, this doctrine of eternal union of husband and wife, and of plural marriage, is one of the most important doctrines ever revealed to man in any age of the world. Without it man would come to a full stop; without it we never could be exalted to associate with and become gods, neither could we attain to the power of eternal increase, or the blessings pronounced upon Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fathers of the faithful.
Bruce McConkie – Mormon Doctrine
“All who pretend or assume to engage in plural marriage in this day, when the one holding the keys has withdrawn the power by which they are performed, are guilty of gross wickedness” (Mormon Doctrine, pp.579).“Obviously the holy practice will commence again after the Second Coming of the Son of Man and the ushering in of the millenium.” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 578).
JD 3:266, Brigham Young, July 14, 1855
Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned; and I will go still further and say, take this revelation, or any other revelation that the Lord has given, and deny it in your feelings, and I promise that you will be damned.
Brigham Young didn’t know and didn’t care if he would have a wife or child in the resurrection.
JD 16:69 − p.70, Brigham Young, June 28, 1873But my heart has been set in me to do the will of God, to build up his kingdom on the earth, to establish Zion and its laws, and to save the people; and I can say truly and honestly that the thought never came into my mind, in all my labors, what my reward willbe, or whether my crown would be large or small, or any crown at all, a small possession, a large possession, or no possession. I do not know that I shall have a wife or child in the resurrection. I have never had any thoughts or reflections upon this, or cared the first thing about it. All that I have had in my mind has been that it was my duty to do the will of God, and to labor to establish his kingdom on the earth.
LeGrand Richards a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostlesof The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 16 September 1975.
The man in charge said, “Now, Mr. Richards, you’ve told us that you believe that God is a personal god.” I said, “That’s right.” He said, “We’re heard it said that you believe that God has a wife. Would you explain that to us?” I think he thought he had me in a corner and that I couldn’t do it. So rather facetiously I said, “Well, I don’t see how in the world he could have a Son without a wife, do you?” They all began to titter, and I didn’t have any more trouble with that question.
Church Leaders Lying
Here is where the policy of lying through church newspapers to the church members and the public started.
TIMES AND SEASONS.CITY OF NAUVOO,
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1, 1842.
PERSECUTION OF THE PROPHETS.
Inasmuch as the public mind has been unjustly abused through the fallacy of Dr. Bennett’s letters, we make an extract on the subject of marriage, showing the rule of the church on this important matter. The extract is from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and is the only rule allowed by the church.“All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. It is not right to persuade a woman to be baptized contrary to the will of her husband neither is it lawful to influence her to leave her husband.”
Joseph Smith The Editor is even quoting the Doctrine and Covenants section 101( 1835 edition) which says : Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. John C Bennett was telling the truth about the secret polygamy being practiced.
And again One Month later .This time they are saying that it’s all John C Bennett’s own secret wife system .This is a lie also. Just look how they are denying and lying about Polygamy to their own ordinary church members. How awful .Look at the words I have highlighted in Bold, The lying is shocking and even worse, many of the Church Leaders signed their Testimonies to the ‘Truthfulness’ of this
TIMES AND SEASONS
“TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.”
VOL. III. NO. 23.] NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, OCT. 1, 1842.
All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. ……………………………………………….We have given the above rule of marriage as the only one practiced in this church, to show that Dr. J. C. Bennett’s “secret wife system” is a matter of his own manufacture; and further to disabuse the public ear, and shew [show] that the said Bennett and his misanthropic friend Origen Bachelor, are perpetrating a foul and infamous slander upon an innocent people, and need but be known to be hated and despise. In support of this position, we present the following certificates:-We the undersigned members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and residents of the city of Nauvoo, persons of families do hereby certify and declare that we know of no other rule or system of marriage than the one published from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and we give this certificate to show that Dr. J. C. Bennett’s “secret wife system” is a creature of his own make as we know of no such society in this place nor never did.S. Bennett, N. K. Whitney,
( Bishop Whitney Knew about Polygamy –He already gave his daughter to Joseph Smith in polygamy 15 months ago )
George Miller, Albert Pettey,Alpheus Cutler, Elias Higbee,Reynolds Cahoon, John Taylor, ( Taylor Knew about Polygamy )
Wilson Law, E. Robinson, Aaron Johnson.W. Woodruff, ( Woodruff Knew about Polygamy )
We the undersigned members of the ladies’ relief society, and married females do certify and declare that we know of no system of marriage being practised [practiced] in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints save the one contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and we give this certificate to the public to show that J. C. Bennett’s “secret wife system” is a disclosure of his own make
.Emma Smith, President,Elizabeth Ann Whitney, Counsellor [Counselor], ( Knew of Polygamy )
Sarah M. Cleveland, Counsellor [Counselor], ( one of Joseph Smiths polygamous wives)
Eliza R. Snow, Secretary, ( married Joseph Smith just 4 Months earlier on 29th June 1842)
Mary C. Miller, Catharine Pettey,Lois Cutler, Sarah Higbee,Thirza Cahoon, Phebe WoodruffAnn Hunter, Leonora Taylor,Jane Law, Sarah Hillman,Sophia R. Marks, Rosannah Marks,Polly Z. Johnson, Angeline Robinson,Abigail Works.
Its bad that those who knew about Polygamy were signing their names in this Testimony saying their was no such thing being practiced in The Church .Its bad also for those who signed this Testimony and didn’t know it was false. They were lied to in the most despicable way. This next quote below is just two weeks later.Here Joseph Smith republishes a revelation which says I command thee, that thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife. This was printed October 15th 1842 and Joseph Smith had already married 9 already married women by this time ( His followers wives). So much for the commandment about coveting your neighbour’s wife.
TIMES AND SEASONS
“TRUTH WILL PREVAIL.”
VOL. III. NO. 24.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, OCT. 15 1842.
WHOLE NO. 60. HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
A commandment of God and not of man to Martin Harris, given (Manchester, New York, March 1830,) by him who is eternal………………. And again: I command thee, that thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife. Nor seek thy neighbor’s life. And again: I command thee, that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the book of Mormon, which contains the truth and the word of God, which is my word to the Gentile, that soon it may go to the Jew, of whom the Lamanites are a remnant, that they may believe the gospel, and look not for a Messiah to come who has already come.
And it continues . The following was written by Hyrum Smith and he had at least 5 wives when he wrote this ( all married one year earlier in 1843). Notice what he says “ for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here “The lying is still going very strong. L saying that there is no such doctrine of many wives , taught or practiced in the church L and anyone teaching it faces a High Council meeting and discipline ? Well Joseph Smith and his secret inner circle were teaching it to the women they fancied.
TIMES AND SEASONS.
March 15, 1844, (Vol.5, No.6, p.474)
To the brethren of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, living on China Creek, in Hancock County, Greeting: Whereas brother Richard Hewitt has called on me to-day, to know my views concerning some doctrines that are preached in your place, and states to me that some of your elders say, that a man having a certain priesthood, may have as many wives as he pleases, and that doctrine is taught here: I say unto you that that man teaches false doctrine, for there is no such doctrine taught here; neither is there any such thing practiced here, and any man that is found teaching privately or publicly any such doctrine, is culpable, and will stand a chance to be brought before the High Council, and lose his license and membership also: therefore he had better beware what he is about.
Now Two Months later The Prophet Joseph Smith lies in Public ( and to his own church members ) .
“Address of the Prophet—His Testimony Against the Dissenters at Nauvoo.’’ (Sunday, May 26, 1844) (printed in The History of the Church Vol. 6, p. 408-412 . )
“What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one.I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers. I labored with these apostates myself until I was out of all manner of patience;”
He had at least 33 wives by this time , many teenage girls and 11 wives of other Husbands (Exodus 20:17 …… thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife….. ) . But the lying did not stop there .The Leaders ( Joseph Smith’s Inner Circle ) continued practicing it all secretly from ordinary church members L and continued to lie about in Church Newspapers . How would you have felt at the time as a church member to be lied to in this way? This is what was happening to young female converts , they were not told the truth .Can you imagine travelling all the way from England to Nauvoo USA after hearing the missionaries talk about Jesus Christ and salvation etc and then to face Polygamy when they arrived and in secret .What a nightmare .There was one brave young Woman from England called Martha Brotherton , she refused Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and came back to England to warn other girls about what was going on. I read that Joseph Smith was denying her claims in public and criticising her for lying (but it was him lying ) .Joseph Smith and his followers had the Nauvoo Expositor Newspaper Press burnt down because they were exposing the secretly polygamy and lying to church members .The newspaper was started by one of his 1st Presidency Councillors William Law and other members who were angered by Joseph Smiths secretly polygamy, lying and practice of taking other men’s wives .Joseph Smith even approached Jane Law for sex/marriage( William Laws wife ) and many other men’s wives.Even after all this, the Leaders still continued to lie to church members and the public .They were even quoting their own Doctrine and Covenants Section 101 against polygamy. After all who would suspect they were lying if their own scripture was against it also.This is a massive deception and conspiracy ( I don’t see this kind of thing in the New Testament ).One year after Joseph Smith’s death and the lies still continue and such arrogant lying, it must have been convincing for the church members after all they could trust their church leaders couldn’t they? They wouldn’t be led astray ?Articles of faith – We believe in being Honest ?
TIMES AND SEASONS.
Vol. 6, pg. 894 (May 1, 1845)
The Latter-day Saints are charged by their enemies, with the blackest crimes. Treason, murder, theft, polygamy, and adultery, are among the many crimes laid to their charge.-The press reiterates and gives publicity to these charges. Under these circumstances, it is but right, that they should be heard in their defence [defense]. I shall, therefore, in this communication, briefly examine and refute a few of the charges, for it would need a legion of writers to answer all the lies told about us.Most of the stories against the Mormons have been propagated by apostates and traitors, (who have generally been cut off from the church for their crimes.) They publish their lies, and straightway they are believed, and hawked about as awful disclosures, and received by community with trembling and holy horror. Sidney Rigdon, I see by the papers, has made an exposition of Mormonism, charging Joseph Smith and the Mormons with polygamy, &c. It does not require a very sagacious mind to fathom Mr. Rigdon’s motive for so doing. Soon after the murder of the Smiths, he declared in a pvblic [public] address in Nauvoo that Joseph Smith died approved of God-that the Latter-day Saints were a blessed people, &c. His tone is now changed, and why? Because he sought to be presiding elder, and on account of his corruption, was rejected. On the 10th of September, last, he was tried before the church and excommunicated as a schismatic. If he knew such enormities to exist among the Mormons, why did he call them a blessed people, and endeavor to place himself at the head of their church? Mr. Rigdon’s spiritual wife system was never known till it was hatched by John C. Bennett who was cut off from the church for seduction.As to the charge of polygamy, I will quote from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which is the subscribed faith of the church and is strictly enforced. Article Marriage, sec. 91, par. 4, says, “Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have BUT ONE WIFE, and one woman but one husband except in case of death when either is at liberty to marry again.” Sec. 13, par. 7. Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart and shall cleave unto her and NONE ELSE.” In ancient days the church was troubled with traitors, and always will be till God cleanses the earth, and restores the government of his Son. Paul says he was in perils among false brethren; again he says, “know this that, in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be TRAITORS, FALSE ACCUSERS, INCONTINENT, fierce despiser of those that are good.” No wonder then that apostates rage, or that the fnlness [fullness] of truth revealed again should bring a storm of persecution.
Once again they are quoting their own Doctrine and Covenants Section 101 which says “Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have BUT ONE WIFE, and one woman but one husband except in case of death when either is at liberty to marry again.”Did you notice this part also , it says “They publish their lies,” but who is publishing the lies really ?? It was the Church Prophets and Apostles.
Here is John Taylor lying now after a trip in Europe ( Boulugne-surmer France ) lying in Public talks , denying polygamy .He then printed it in a tract also L L its absolutely breathtaking the arrogance and lying .
Three Nights’ Public Discussion…, published by John Taylor, Liverpool 1850. We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the most indelicate, obscene, and disgusting, such that none but a corrupt and depraved heart could have contrived. These things are too outrageous to admit of belief; therefore… I shall content myself to reading our views of chastity and marriage, from a work published by us, containing some of the articles of our Faith. “Doctrine and Covenants,” page 330,“Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have BUT ONE WIFE, and one woman but one husband except in case of death when either is at liberty to marry again.”
Once again he is quoting the church’s own Doctrine and Covenants which says “Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have BUT ONE WIFE, and one woman but one husband except in case of death when either is at liberty to marry again.” It must have been a favourite Scripture !He had 11 wives in addition to his first wife at this time …….This section condemning polygamy was published in all the Doctrine and Covenants versions of 1844,1852 and 1866 …… it was removed in the 1876 edition.
And here we have Hyrum Brown cut off from the church for preaching polygamy and other false and corrupt doctrines ! Notice how Joseph And Hyrum , both practicing secret Polygamists call polygamy a false and corrupt doctrine .
TIMES AND SEASONS.CITY OF NAUVOO,THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1, 1844.NOTICE.As we have lately been credibly informed, that an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, by the name of Hyram Brown, has been preaching polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan.This is to notify him and the Church in general, that he has been cut off from the church, for his iniquity; and he is further notified to appear at the Special Conference, on the 6th of April next, to make answer to these charges.
JOSEPH SMITH
HYRUM SMITH.
