Daynes shows that plural marriage encompassed several forms of marriage endorsed by the church, each with its own. A book of commandments manuscript, law and covenants books b and c, and printed sheets from 1833, the book of the law of the lord manuscript, the william clayton journal, zebedee coltrin journal, the evening and the morning star, joseph smith letterbook 1, kirtland revelations book manuscript, manuscript letter. The bible and the book of mormon teach that monogamy is gods standard for marriage unless he declares otherwise see 2 samuel 12. The beginnings of mormon polygamy joseph smiths polygamy. It is difficult to convince the prejudiced mind that any but base intents and impure desires prompted the practice of plural marriage, but nevertheless it was entered into, god knows, with the highest religious and moral motives. Nov 11, 2014 the founder of the mormon church, joseph smith, wed as many as 40 wives, including one as young as 14 years old, the church acknowledged. Nancy black eldredge, hannah mariah savage eldredge, and helvig marie andersen eldredge. Joseph then goes to that spot on the hill its not far from where the smith family farm was and he locates the place there on the hill, and the plates are under a rock, which hed seen very. If you want this digital book download link sent to a different email, please indicate in the special instructionscomments section at checkout purchasing grants one user license for the.
Smith remembered that he joseph smith recognized that it would be a troubling doctrine. Aug 11, 2011 throughout life and on her deathbed denied joseph smith, jr. Joseph smith 18051844, the founder of the latter day saint movement, secretly taught and practiced polygamy during his ministry, and married multiple women during his lifetime. Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be in the room when the prophet joseph smith received revelation or translated scripture. The topic of joseph smiths polygamy 1 tends to polarize those who grapple with it. According to both a 2016 article and a 2011 article in deseret news, eight of twelve children that joseph smith, jr. A statue of joseph smith and his first wife, emma, at temple square in salt lake city. The wild enthusiasm and the many denominations present confused smith and he was uncertain of what to believe. This alleged revelation is described in a letter to brigham young written in 1861 by an early. I have found no evidence of a plot to expose the prophet and sarah ann, so possibly some other motivation might have existed prompting the performance of this pretended marriage. In conclusion, though it is possible that joseph had some marriages in which there were no sexual relations, there is no explicit or convincing evidence for this except, perhaps, in the cases. Johnson remembered that joseph put it off and waited until an angel with a drawn sword stood before him and declared that if he longer delayed fulfilling that command he would slay him. The church made the disclosure about joseph smith to show. Smiths marriage to louis beaman is considered by some to be his first official plural marriage since it is the first for which there is a witness and a.
Unlike the 1831 revelation, the 1830 version of the book of mormon does not specify that the. One of the blessings of having firstperson, eyewitness accounts of church history events is that they give us an armchair view of the unfolding of the restoration just as the early members of the. Focusing on the small community of manti, utah, kathryn m. Indictment for adultery and fornication was called on may 27, when smith was in carthage, but he did not appear. Joseph smith 18051844, the founder of the latter day saint movement, secretly taught and practiced polygamy during his. Joseph smith and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Understandably, it is difficult to remain neutral when faced with the fact that joseph smith took at least thirty women as wives, that he physically consummated many of those. Pdf version of remembering the wives of joseph smith. Mar 30, 2015 additionally, elder joseph fielding smith jfs, then working in the office of the church historian and recorder, had a prolonged correspondence with richard c. Evans, second counselor in the presidency of the reorganized church refuting charges evans had made in the press regarding certain lds doctrines. Description contains a detailed study of the mormon doctrine of plural marriage, the spiritual wife doctrine, the john c. Smiths book takes us on a fresh perspective, dealing directly with the revelation and how each section related to major periods of the church under joseph smith, brigham young, wilford woodruff, joseph f. More wives than one offers the first indepth look at the longterm interaction between belief and the practice of polygamy, or plural marriage, among the latterday saints. This statement of the angel to john was repeated often by the prophet joseph smith.
Smith had received a revelation from god, first through an angel, and then through. Brigham young, sidney rigdon, joseph smith iii, and at least four others each claimed succession. Wikipedia book book v t e joseph smith 18051844, the founder of the latter day saint movement, secretly taught and. December 23, 1805 june 27, 1844 was an american religious leader and founder of mormonism and the latter day saint movement. End reason death 2nd mayor of nauvoo, illinois in office may 19, 1842 18420519 june 27, 1844 18440627.
Bennett, some have charged that joseph would send men on missions in order to marry their wives. Joseph smith, american prophet and founder of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. While jfs had collected records of over a hundred affidavits attesting to the reality and circumstances of joseph smith jr. Chart of joseph smiths plural wives mormons in transition. The ohio origins of the revelation on eternal marriage, journal of mormon history 5 1978. Divinely sanctioned governments director, joseph smith foundation inspira project. Following a revelation to joseph smith, the practice of plural marriage was instituted among church members in. Throughout life and on her deathbed denied joseph smith, jr. Smith published the book of mormon in 1830 and shortly thereafter organized a small church of his first followers. The plural wives of joseph smith compton, signature books, salt lake city, 1997 doctrine and covenants the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, salt lake city all books available through deseret book and corrections, comments and questions are welcome.
God declared in the book of mormon that monogamy was the standard. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present. Reemerging mormon feminism, and has been published in the american journal of philology, dialogue. Manuscript revelation books presents the earliest surviving manuscripts of many of joseph smiths revelations, the ones used by smith and his associates in preparing the published scriptures of their day. February 27 joseph receives the revelation on the word of wisdom doctrine and covenants 89, the mormon health code. Did joseph smith have children by his plural wives. Smith and some of the leading quorums of his church publicly denied he taught or practiced it in 1852, leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church acknowledged that smith had practiced. Not found in book 4, undoubtedly because book 4 was located in the church historians office along with book 3, whereas joseph f. Its a story that comes out of a very concrete, historical family situation. His collection of 170 documents arranges in chronological order the revelations received by mormonisms founding prophet, joseph smith, in their earliest available form.
However, behind the controversy, lies the untold history and inspiring stories of real women with their personal experiences, successes, failures, trials, and legacies. The doctrine and covenants, of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, containing the revelations given to joseph smith, jun. Why did joseph smith marry women who were already married. William victor smith is the first to make the attempt in textual studies of the doctrine and covenants. Joseph smiths first wife was emma hale 180479 the daughter of isaac and elizabeth lewis hale. It is a key to understanding the nature of testimony as well as the need for prophecy and revelation in the church and in our personal lives. Revelations and translations, volume 2 goes hand in hand with manuscript revelation books, the first volume in this series. When he was 24, smith published the book of mormon. A motion picture about the life and legacy of joseph smith, the founding prophet of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints who translated the book of mormon. After receiving a revelation commanding him to practice plural marriage, joseph smith married multiple wives and introduced the practice to close associates. Actually, emma smith approved of plural marriage for only a short timemaybe a few weeksbut she otherwise always despised polygamy and her husbands involvement with this practice.
Life early years 180527 smith was born on december 23, 1805 in sharon, vermont to lucy mack smith and her husband joseph sr. Claimed that the very first time she ever became aware of a polygamy revelation being attributed to joseph smith was when she read about it in orson pratts booklet the seer in 1853. What do latterday saint churches believe and teach about polygamy today 3. Compton, fawn brodie on joseph smiths plural wives, 165. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion that continues to the present with millions of global adherents. Some christian scholars in later centuries questioned its authorship, objected to some of its doctrines for instance, its teachings about the millennium or its teaching that people would be judged according to their works, and found its. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints was founded by joseph smith in new york state in the usa in 1830. Following a revelation to joseph smith, the practice of plural marriage was instituted among church members in the early 1840s see section 2. Joseph smiths revelation on marriage declared that the continuation of the seeds. Understandably, it is difficult to remain neutral when faced with the fact that joseph smith took at least thirty women as wives. The founder of the mormon church, joseph smith, wed as many as 40 wives, including one as young as 14 years old, the church acknowledged. When joseph smith announced his revelation that plural marriage was essential to attaining the highest level of eternal salvation, he introduced what became the most notorious aspect of mormon culture.
Courtesy of the international society of the daughters of utah pioneers. Plural marriage in kirtland and nauvoo church of jesus christ. The faith at stake in the news the historic salt lake mormon temple during the184th semiannual general conference of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints on. One of the most controversial facets of latterday saint history is joseph smith s practice of plural marriage. This circuit court was held twice a year, for two weeks in may and october. Snow, mary elizabeth rollins, helen mar kimball, rachel ivins grant cancel reply. Mormon leaders have acknowledged for the first time that the churchs founder and prophet, joseph smith. They were married on january 18, 1827 in south bainbridge, chenango county, new york.
Joseph smith 1st president of the church of christ later the church of jesus christ of latter day saints april 6, 1830 18300406 june 27, 1844 18440627 successor disputed. The plural wives of joseph smith compton, signature books, salt lake city, 1997 doctrine and covenants the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, salt lake city available at the deseret book special order desk. Jun 25, 2008 the lds church lies by 1 not educating the common mormon people about the nature of joseph smith s polygyny and polyandry, and 2 allowing gigantic faithpromoting rumors concerning polygamy to. The book is the latest addition to greg kofford books series textual studies of the doctrine and covenants and is a scholarly examination of doctrine and covenants 2, which contains the. When he was a child his family moved to palmyra in western new york where there was a lot of revivalism and religious fervor due to the second great awakening. A scribe then copied them into the manuscript books, portions of which were eventually typeset and published as scripture. Joseph smith dictated the words of these texts to a scribe, who committed them to paper. Joseph married many additional wives and authorized other latterday saints to. Some latterday saints may rationalize smiths behavior.
Nov 11, 2014 a statue of joseph smith and his first wife, emma, at temple square in salt lake city. Textual studies of the doctrine and covenants the plural marriage revelation, by william victor smith. Mormon leaders have acknowledged for the first time that the. The plural wives of joseph smith signature books, 1997 788 pages, cloth, isbn 156085085x. Joseph organizes the first presidency of the church from the presidency of the high priesthood, with joseph smith as the president, and sidney rigdon and frederick g. Our pdf books are fully text searchable in pdf readers, and can be saved with highlighting and annotations in programs that support those features, such as adobe acrobat reader. In 1943 joseph fielding smith told fawn brodie about this revelation, but he would not allow her to see it. Smith kept books 1 and 2 in his personal possession. After all, some might think, his wife emma must have been a believer in this practice. A journal of mormon thought, classical quarterly, and the journal. Joseph smith and a great selection of similar new, used and. Joseph smiths practice of plural marriage religious.
Learn more about the life, writings, and legacy of joseph smith. Joseph smith was born on december 23, 1805 in sharon, vermont. By june 1844, when joseph died, approximately 29 men and 50 women had entered into plural. Plural marriage in kirtland and nauvoo church of jesus. This is too substantial of a number twothirds to be ignored and has great implications in proving that joseph didnt practice polygamy. The digital book download link is sent to your email address used to place the order, usually within 24 hours or next business day. A journal of mormon thought, classical quarterly, and the. Polygamy bookinitiation of the practice fairmormon. The prophets contemporaries recorded that joseph smith reacted to the command to practice polygamy with dismay, and he afterwards sympathized with the challenge that plural marriage represented to church members. Foundational to the church and to my own testimony of mormonism is the story of the first vision of joseph smith. Joseph smith, history of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, ed. Important textual revisions that appeared in the canonized 1835 doctrine and covenants. The testimony of jesus is the spirit of prophecy revelation 19. Some of josephs closest associates wrote lateinlife that an angel commanded him to marry plural wives, and he initially resisted that directive.
Polygamy revelations of joseph smith worlds without end. For example, joseph smith dictated a revelation on 6 december 1832 as sidney rigdon wrote it. Verily, thus saith the lord unto my servant newel k. The first plural marriage in nauvoo took place when louisa beaman and joseph smith were sealed in april 1841. Nov 09, 2014 on july 12, 1843, hyrum smith asked joseph smith to provide a revelation to help convince emma smith to accept polygamy. In fact, the case of the people of the state of illinois v. To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here notes john dehlin, questions and answers, mormon stories podcast 25 june 2014. Watching joseph smith receive revelation meridian magazine. Over the last few decades, several quality books on the history of polygamy have been published. Joseph smithpolygamysent husbands on missions to steal wives. Snow, who was a plural wife to joseph smith and brigham young. Joseph smiths indictment for adultery and fornication. Smith examines the text of this complicated and rough revelation to explore the motivation for its existence, how it reflects this dynamic theology of the nauvoo.
Oct 05, 2009 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints was founded by joseph smith in new york state in the usa in 1830. Prelude to the restoration producer, unlocking the mystery of the two prophets. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints praises the balanced analysis in the book. Bachman, a study of the mormon practice of polygamy before the death of joseph smith purdue university, 1975, 67 and danel w.
The two primary witnesses, william and wilson law, appeared and promised to be present for trial at the october 1844 term of the circuit. Some answers but many questions on may 20, 1844, nauvoo stake president william marks was subpoenaed and selected to serve on the grand jury of hancock county. This product will release and ship by midseptember. Polygamy, or plural marriage, in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is generally. History and recollections inscribed in this book book 2 on november 19, 1903. Joseph said he knew the revelation by heart and did not need to use the urim and thummim, and dictated the revelation on marriage as its referred to in the essay published in the lds doctrine and convents, section. Did joseph smith have sexual relations with wives other than emma. Did joseph smith send men on missions in order to steal their wives. The book of revelation was written in the first century a. What is known is that in 1843, joseph smith dictated the revelation authorizing polygamy, claiming god had commanded his people to live in plural marriages and.