[6] The biggest difference with polygamy is that certain powerful men have many more children than the men who do not rise into leadership. He had already taken numerous polygamous wives before ever speaking to Emma, a fact he concealed until his death. Brigham Young and others continued to argue that God was behind polygamy, even commanded it under threat, until Wilford Woodruff abruptly declared in 1890 that God wanted the practice ended, albeit only reluctantly following the federal governments passage of numerous anti-bigamy laws which would have assured the destruction of the entire church. In response to the newspaper's publication, Smith and the Nauvoo City Council declared the paper a public nuisance, and ordered the press destroyed. Unhappy with the publications of the, 25 January 1842 Joseph delivers a revelation in which God tells Ebenezer Robinson to take Marinda Hyde (aka Marinda Nancy Johnson Hyde) into his home until her husband, Orson Hyde, returns from his mission. Shortly after Joseph F. Smiths second manifesto, groups began splitting off from the mainstream church, accusing it to be in apostasy for caving into the U.S. federal governments demands rather than following Gods commands of continuing the everlasting principle of plural marriage. Smith then solicited the support of Elizabeth Durfee, whom he had married the previous year. It seems that Joseph Smith conveniently altered Gods will to coincide with his own sexual desires. He was appointed Second Counselor in Smiths Presidency but grew increasingly uncomfortable with the secretive practice of polygamy and Smiths establishment of a secret theocratic kingdom (Council of Fifty). July 1843 Joseph and Emma Smiths marriage may have begun failing at this point. When a woman marries more than one man, it's called polyandry . Joseph Smith never publicly revealed Gods command of polygamy during his life, beyond his inner sanctum of trusted elites. Despite his elaborate attempts at secrecy, rumors of Smiths infidelities began to spread within the tight-knit community of Nauvoo and their non-Mormon neighbors in Hancock County. One such instance was Apostle Richard R. Lyman who was excommunicated in 1943 for practicing polygamy. Joseph Smith again approached Emily on her nineteenth birthday, February 28, 1843. George W. Robinson reported that when Smith came to Rigdons home, the enraged father asked for an explanation. He further instructed them to burn this letter as soon as you read it, and later to keep the marriage secret from their son, whom he feared could cause serious trouble.. Unable to locate any place to move his family on short notice, his requests for a little time is rewarded with a threat to vacate that very nightor be evicted into the dead of winter. Though the Council lacked jurisdiction to judge the Expositoreditors, the proceedings continued throughout most of the day, resulting in a declaration of the Expositor being a public nuisance. Mormon Polygamy and the Economics of Salvation - Carrie Miles - Yumpu In his book, Joseph SmithSeeker After Truth, 1951, p. 324, Mormon Apostle John A. Widtsoe contended that "The record of Joseph's life is one of . The doctrinal significance of polygamy is often overshadowed by the scandalous sexual arrangements which resulted, but the practice remains essential to LDS exaltation and becoming like God. The Lightner wedding took place in the upper room of Josephs red brick store with Brigham Young officiating. Another interpretation was that Joseph offered Emma the option of divorce. So in 1885. s Federal pressure against polygamy increased, OnOct 6, 1890, the first polygamy manifesto. God's Brothel: The Extortion Of Sex For Salvation In Contemporary The LDS Church asserts that In biblical times, the Lord commanded some to practice plural marriagethe marriage of one man and more than one woman. [5] D&C 132:3439 states that God commanded Abraham to sleep with Hagar, his wifes handmaiden. . When Orson realized the gravity of the situation, it sent him into a deep depression. It is difficult to read this section of scripture and not determine it to be justification for Josephs own desires and intentions, projected onto his personal notion of God. . Stance N requires polygamists to make a complete change before baptism and admission into the church as members. Polygamy is reportedly no longer practiced in the country, though has had its roots in the past among the Hmong people. In any case, Josephs first celestial marriage, Emma Smith appears to have acquiesced to Josephs desire to be sealed to additional women to (1) secure her own endowment and sealing to Joseph, and (2) her belief that these sealing were spiritual only, meaning that she may have. At that time, Smith counseled Mary to stay with her husband and children in Farmington, IL. That same year, Taylor resigned from the Quorum of Twelve in opposition to the Churchs stance on plural marriage. So in 1885, as Federal pressure against polygamy increased, the church purchased 100,000 acres of land in Mexico, encouraging Saints to relocate from Utah and Arizona. Emily recalled, he said the Lord had commanded [him] to enter into plural marriage and had given me to him. Heber married Emily to the prophet that moment, on March 4, 1843. Orson would become the longest-serving apostle in the Church, negating the argument that Sarah perhaps required Josephs more senior priesthood because her husband was unworthy. Facing increased scrutiny on multiple fronts, particularly the Senatorial seating of Apostle Reed Smoot, President Joseph F. Smith issued a second manifesto on April 6, 1904 clarifying an end to polygamy. It is vital to understand how important polygamy was to early Mormonism, as it operated as doctrine necessary for salvation, rather than an optional practice. This clear and convincing report of compulsion makes it easier to envision what other proposals by Smith may have looked like. at odds with his long-time friend and counselor Sidney Rigdon over a reputed polygamous proposal on 9 April 1842 to Rigdons unmarried daughter Nancy. Like Lucy Walker, Smiths young wives Emily and Eliza Partridge thought of the prophet as a father figure and a protector. Was it really a commandment from God, or was polygamy the offspring of Smiths, o we side with so many former loyalists to the prophet Oliver Cowdery, William Marks, William Law, Sidney Rigdon, Nancy Rigdon, Emma Smith, and many others who felt that Smith had crossed a line and abused his power, or have we wrongfully condemned the innocent for the sake of loyalty and tradition while, Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Was it Common for 1800s Teenager Girls to Marry? Eliza Partridge was twenty-two; Emily was nineteen. Given his inability to abide by the one woman standard previously established in LDS scripture, one wonders if Smith would have presented the new revelation if only hed lived long enough to do so, or possibly have altered this particular scripture to suit his practice of polygamy, as he did in many other documented cases. Though LDS President Wilford Woodruff announced the official end of the practice in 1890, Mormon leaders continued to quietly marry plural wives up until the issue of the "Second Manifesto" in 1904. Marriage While polyamory is about intimate relationships of all kinds (including dating and marriage), polygamy specifically refers to marriage, as does polygyny and polyandry. . Though only sixteen at the time, it seems that Nancy Rigdon was confident and poised beyond her years, to the benefit of history. Some who wish to absolve Joseph Smith of any connection to polygamy propose Brigham Young as the originator of the practice. This is evidenced by the practices found within Mormon fundamentalist sects that continue today. [1] The relevant text is as follows: The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:269 .) . But Marindas history with Smith is rather complicated and unfolds over many years. Emma had seen the issues and turmoil caused by polygamy and reasonably wanted her sons church to be free from these troubles. It is rumored that Emma threw Eliza down the stairs. Lucy Walker was also sealed to Joseph at this time, reportedly with Emmas consent. In September 1890, Church President Wilford Woodruff felt inspired to issue the Manifesto. According to John Rigdon, Sidney told the family that Smith could never be sealed to one of his daughters with his consent as he did not believe in the doctrine . W, omen would continue to be seen as rewards. The letter, in essence, threatened Emmas eternal welfare if she did not accept Josephs taking of additional wives. He stated, This monogamic system which now prevails throughout all Christendom, and which has 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. [42] While historians debate to what extent sexual desire played into Joseph Smiths practice of polygamy, here Brigham Young seems to portray the male sex-drive as a primary reason for the practice. for dinner. Smith declared, Oh what a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. If Utah had been granted statehood under the governorship of Brigham Young, the chances of developing a religious theocracy/dictatorship with polygamy protected by state constitution would have been much higher. He further instructed them to burn this letter as soon as you read it, and later to keep the marriage secret from their son, whom he feared could cause serious trouble. Smith remained fearful of the results of his polygamous marriages, which eventually did lead to his assassination. Lucy recalled Emma Smith was not present and she did not consent to the marriage; she did not know anything about it at all. [20] is 30. Larry King asked, First tell me about the Church and polygamy. However, church leaders and members viewed Woodruffs manifesto as relating specifically to practices within the United States, which is why many faithfully awaited the day when the practice of polygamy would return. Emily and Eliza Partridge lost their father in 1840 and were hired by the Smith family to live in their home and help care for the Smith children. It seems that Joseph Smith conveniently altered Gods will to coincide with his own sexual desires. August 1843 The Smith family and the five young wives move into the larger Mansion House across the street from the Homestead, built by Robert Foster under revelation from Joseph two years earlier. We remained in the family several months after this, but things went from bad to worse until we were obliged to leave the house and find another home. [23]. With prosperity came increased materialism and social change. On June 10th, the town marshal complied with Smiths dual authority as Mayor and militia leader, deploying the Nauvoo Legion to destroy the unfriendly press. Apostle Orson Hyde, on an important mission to Jerusalem to consecrate Palestine for the gathering of Israel. Some have speculated that it refers to the property holdings transferred to Emma, making the owned property more evenly distributed between her and Joseph. . . and the ushering in of the millennium. [47]. She would then disseminate it to the other women Because Emma was resisting plural marriage, Joseph would not let her participate in the endowment, thus risking her own exaltation as well as delaying ceremonial endowments for other women. Purpose of Polygamy: Salvation 03/12/2018 by lifeafterministry Journal of Discourses 26:181-182; "This principle [polygamy] was given for a purpose, and that purpose is the salvation of the female sex as well as the male sex. On January 17, 1842 (15 years later) Joseph Smith married Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner while she was about six months pregnant with her third child. set a dangerous precedent which other LDS leaders followed. The Act dissolved the Corporation of The Church and directed that all Church property valued in excess of $50,000 be forfeited to the U.S. government. Examples of Smiths manipulative polyandry continue. Stance N Today's theologians have reached varied stances of nays and ayes regarding polygamy. Joseph later awoke Willard and they returned to the Smith home. Shortly after Joseph F. Smiths second manifesto, groups began splitting off from the mainstream church, accusing it to be in apostasy for caving into the U.S. federal governments demands rather than following Gods commands of continuing the everlasting principle of plural marriage. The church began exporting whole families to Canada and Mexico to continue the practice unfettered by U.S. Federal law. Smiths wives were lying because the Church encouraged them to confirm sexual relations to bolster its claim to the property. But they also testified that a high-ranking official was brought in to provide Joseph Smiths approval for their extramarital sexual relations. Emmas conflicts with Josephs live-in plural wives also increased in severity and frequency. Emily recalls, I do not know why she gave us to him, unless she thought we were where she could watch us better. [22], Church Historian Andrew Jenson recorded Emily Partridge saying: On the 11th of May, 1843, we were sealed to Joseph Smith a second time, in Emmas presence, she giving her free and full consent thereto. Much later, John Rigdon elaborated that Nancy was one of those excitable women and she went into the room and said, Joseph Smith, you are telling that which is not true. Greater stability and financial security is tied very closely to families with two full-time parents living under the same roof. What survives in her journal today only reveals a small window into the anxiety and fear she must have truly experienced. Joseph also proposed to John Taylors wife Leonora, but when rebuffed, suggested it was only a test of her husbands faith a test which Taylor passed by agreeing to Smiths proposal. Certainly afterward, Joseph acted without any regard to Emmas consent. Much later, John Rigdon elaborated that Nancy was one of those excitable women and she went into the room and said, Joseph Smith, you are telling that which is not true. Joseph dictated the plural marriage revelation, likely in response to Emmas agitation over his arrangement of marriages to young women in their household. This was reiterated in conference by George D. Watts: If a woman can find a man holding the keys of the priesthood with higher power and authority than her husband, and he is disposed to take her, he can do so, otherwise she has got to remain where she is. [3]. When Joseph married Zina Jacobs (after she rejected his proposals multiple times and was only convinced after the threat of a sword-wielding angel), she was already pregnant by her husband Henry, a faithful member and president of the Seventy. However, when viewed through a naturalistic lens, we need not appeal to divine authority to explain the doctrine and practice when the human ego and libido are more than sufficient. At this point, it becomes clear how the temple ceremony is inextricably linked to the practice of polygamy. Hyrum Smith convinced Joseph Smith to allow him to present the revelation to Emma. But the phrase eternal marriage means polygamy, if viewed in context of the time and surrounding events when it was initially written. As a result, Sarah became vilified and garnered the reputation of being an unchaste woman who supported her daughter by providing sexual favors to either Joseph or Bennett. For example, the Bible tells us that the apostle . Most notable among these splinters was Lorin C. Woolley, a devout member of the LDS Church who had been ordained an apostle by Brigham Young and who helped President John Taylor hide from Federal authorities during the polygamy raids in Utah. Unaware of their marriage to Joseph months earlier, Emma selected her live-in helpers, Emily and Eliza. Besides Emma, five of the nineteen original Relief Society members became Josephs polygamous wives (Desdemona Fulmer, Eliza R. Snow, Martha McBride Knight, Elvira Cowles, and Sarah M. Cleveland). When it started, who allowed it? Hinckley replied with a partial truth, When our people came west they permitted it on a restricted scale. This became the line of the LDS Church, though the practice originated well before the westward migration, and extended long after the Saints had settled in Utah. You have just such a family as I could love. For a man of Godto be confined to one woman is small business I do not know what we should do if we had only one wife apiece. [37], Expressing his concern for maintaining the opportunity to select the most attractive ladies, Kimball said: Brethren, I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore. Joseph Smith responded from the pulpit by delivering a boastful sermon the following Sunday, May 26th declaring that God knows then that the charges against me are false . If polygamy is legal and he has no conviction against it, he can remain married to each of his wives, treating each one with love, dignity, and respect. And thus I prayed in the agony of my soul. [19], Lucys experience and personal turmoil is consistent among many of Smiths teenage brides. Posted January 4, 2018 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina Key points Polygyny may benefit the women involved, who may. Davids wives and concubines were given unto him of me. suggesting that there is good reason why fundamentalist sects of Mormonism believe their continued practice of the sacred principle is truer to the original church of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young than the mainstream LDS Church. Robinsons livelihood is derived from, 28 January 1842 God reveals to Smith that the Twelve should take over. The article thrust Smiths long rumored polygamy, governmental secession plans, and land speculations into daylight, while proposing fourteen reforms. . His statement is ironic, given that the practice was equally illegal when the LDS Church previously practiced it. He taught that it was necessary for exaltation. neither monogamy nor polygamy is esse ntial to Christian salvation since it is not e asy to prove from the Holy Scripture that polygamy is a sin . . Polygamy | Polyandry | CES Letter - Jeremy Runnells . October 1843 Emma Smith removed Emily and Eliza Partridge from the Smith home. For example, Wilford Woodruff gave himself birthday presents of additional wives by sealing himself to young women who had died, so that he could have them in the after-life. The practice of polygamy was fraught with problems in a monogamous world. Brigham Young differentiated between celestial marriage (polygamy) and monogamy, deriding monogamy as an evil practice. What D&C 132 Reveals About Revelation: We looked at the circumstances around the production of D&C 132 on polygamy, which gives a great overview of how Joseph Smith was able to produce revelation on the spot and how he was able to use the voice of God on command.
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