To all,
In light of the recent raid on the FLDS compound in Eldorado, Texas, I felt that you may be interested in the practice of polygamy among the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and why it was discontinued.
Rember that members of the FLDS are neither Mormons nor associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in any way.
Admittedly, I cannot be as thorough as I would like to be in this discussion, and if anyone has questions about this very brief summary, please let me know. I felt that a time line would assist your understanding of this topic. Also, at the end of the discussion, you will find scriptures discussing polygamy.
-Craig
Time Line
1830-Joseph Smith and five other original members organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fayette, New York.
1831?-Joseph Smith, while studying the Old Testament, asks God why Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and other prophets were allowed to have more than one wife and receives a revelation about the eternal nature of marriage and the plurality of wives.
1841-After ten years of resisting the practice, an angel appears to Joseph Smith with a drawn sword and says he had been commanded to slay Joseph unless Joseph begins practicing the principle of plural marriage. Joseph begins instructing the leaders of the Church about the practice.
1843-The revelation received in 1831 is dictated to and recorded by William Clayton, secretary to Joseph Smith. The revelation can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 132 (attached at the end of this document).
1844-Martyrdom of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young presides over the Church.
1847-Brigham Young and an advance group of Latter-day Saints arrive in the Great Salt Lake Valley.
1853-The revelation received in 1831 and recorded in 1843 is presented before the general body of the Church and unanimously accepted.
1862-Passage of the Morrill Law
1874-Passage of the Poland Law
1877-Death of Brigham Young, John Taylor presides over the Church
1878-Reynolds v. United States1882-Passage of the Edmunds Act
1887-Death of John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff presides over the Church
1887-Passage of the Edmunds-Tucker Act
1890-Late Corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints v. United States
1890-Wilford Woodruff writes “The Manifesto”, and it is accepted by unanimous vote of the Church.
The Initiation of Polygamy
To understand the practice of polygamy among the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you must always remember that we accept Joseph Smith and his successors as prophets, seers, revelators, and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. These men are entitled to the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as the ancient, biblical prophets and Apostles, including direct communion with God.
As early as 1831, the exact date isn't certain, Joseph Smith was studying the Old Testament and wondered why it was that Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon were allowed to have more than one wife. Joseph approached the Lord and received a revelation about marriage, which is now located in Doctrine and Covenants 132.
During the revelation, the Lord taught Joseph two doctrines, one comforting, the other controversial. The first is that through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a man and a woman's marital relationship need not terminate upon the death of one or the other. Rather, if the couple has been married by the proper authority, within a temple, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, then their marriage will last for all eternity.
We believe that marriage is a tripartite covenant between a man, a woman, and God. In fact, eternal marriage (as we call it) is the highest order of the Priesthood, and unless one has been married for eternity, one cannot enter into the highest degree of heaven. Neither is man without the woman nor woman without the man in the Lord, or in the highest heaven.
Importantly, this marriage covenant can only be entered into within a temple (except in times of extreme poverty when the Church possessed no temple, but those days are passed). In fact, the existence of temples, as you will see, is one of the reasons why the practice of polygamy was discontinued.
On a personal note, if the doctrine of eternal marriage were the only doctrine taught by my Church, it would be enough for me to be faithful to Mormonism forever. I cannot imagine heaven without my wife and children. Without them, it would not be heaven!
The second doctrine the Lord taught Joseph is that there are times when, to build up the kingdom of God on the Earth and for reasons known only to the Lord, the Lord commands His servants to take more than one wife. And Joseph was told that he was to initiate this practice among the Latter-day Saints.
But Joseph didn't initiate the practice for ten years until, in 1841, an angel of the Lord appeared with a drawn sword and said, "I have been sent to slay you unless you begin practicing the principle of plural marriage (polygamy)."
Joseph did not announce the practice to the general membership of the Church. Rather, he taught the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about it. But even among them, it wasn't received warmly.
Brigham Young, then the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, was repulsed by the idea of taking more than one wife. While he struggled, he reflected that whenever he saw a funeral procession or attended a funeral service that he wished he could have traded places with the corpse rather than practice polygamy.
Heber C. Kimball, also a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, had a much different experience. Joseph taught him of the doctrine of plural marriage and said, "Heber the Lord has also commanded you to give me your wife." Heber agonized over what Joseph had said, repulsed by the idea of having multiple wives and heartbroken that Lord would require him to give away his beloved wife. At length, Heber and his wife decided to obey the Prophet.
When they came to Joseph and announced their determination to follow the counsel of the Lord, Joseph wept, "Heber, the Lord would never require you to give your wife to me." It was then that Joseph taught them both the doctrine of eternal marriage and performed the ordinance which would allow Heber and his wife to be together forever.
The practice of polygamy was not made public until 1853 when it was presented before the general assembly of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Saints unanimously accepted it.
Thus began the struggle between the Church and the Federal government.
Opposition to the Practice of Polygamy
In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Law which prohibited polygamy in the territories, unincorporated the Church, and restricted the Church’s ownership of property to fifty thousand dollars. Latter-day Saints, believing the law unconstitutional, refused to obey it until it was constitutionally defined.
In 1874, the Poland Law dissolved Utah’s judicial system and placed exclusive civil and criminal jurisdiction in the United States District Courts. Now, the United States had direct control over enforcing the Morrill law but could not prosecute the leaders of the Church because they had married prior to 1862. Church leaders wanted a “test case” to be brought before the United States Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of the Morrill Law. The Church began cooperating with the U.S. Attorney, William Carey, who promised to cease seeking to prosecute Church officials while the test case was pending.Church leaders hand selected George Reynolds, a secretary to the First Presidency of the Church, to stand in for the Church in the courts. George Reynolds was born in England in 1842 and joined the Church in 1856 at the age of fourteen. In 1865, he immigrated to the United States. At the age of 32, he married his second wife.
During the trial, Reynolds provided Carey numerous witnesses who could testify of his being married to two wives.However, when Carey broke his promise and arrested President George Q. Cannon, the Church and Reynolds ceased cooperating with Carey. Reynolds lost at trial and appealed his conviction all the way to the Supreme Court, where he also lost. Reynolds spent several years in prison and, while there, began writing a concordance of the Book of Mormon and taught his fellow prisoners in secular and spiritual matters.
In 1882, the U.S. Congress passed the Edmunds Law, defining “unlawful cohabitation” as supporting and caring for more than one woman. Proof of a second marriage was no longer necessary. The law disenfranchised polygamists and declared them ineligible for public office. ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN PLURAL MARRIAGE WERE DISQUALIFIED FROM JURY SERVICE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY PRACTICED IT.
In 1887, The Edmunds-Tucker Law was passed, requiring wives to testify against their husbands and all marriages to be publicly recorded. County probate judges were to be appointed by the President of the United States. WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE, which had been granted in 1870, WAS ABOLISHED IN UTAH. The Perpetual Emigration Fund was dissolved. The Act dissolved the Church’s status as a legal corporation and required the Church to forfeit all property in excess of $50,000 to the government. Men were arrested and nearly automatically sentenced to prison. The Church could no longer build temples, do missionary work, publish material, and provide for the welfare of the Saints effectively.
In 1889, President Wilford Woodruff wrote, “Thus ends the year 1889 and the word of the Prophet Joseph Smith is beginning to be fulfilled that the whole nation would turn against Zion and make war upon the Saints. The nation has never been filled so full of lies against the Saints as to day.”
In 1890, the Church again lost at the Supreme Court and stood to lose its temples and leaders. Remember that without our temples, our marriages and families could not be eternal.
The Practice of Polygamy Is Discontinued
President Wilford Woodruff approached the Lord to find out what to do. For nearly thirty years, he and other members of the Church had continued to practice polygamy despite the intense persecution which the Church was experiencing.
At length, President Woodruff received a revelation that the practice of plural marriage was no longer to be practiced among the Latter-day Saints. This revelation was presented before the general assembly of the Church and was accepted unanimously. (Click here to read what is referred to as The Manifesto and statements which President Woodruff made regarding the discontinuance of the practice of plural marriage.)
Plural marriage was a practice which began by revelation and ended by revelation.
Today, if a man attempts to practice plural marriage, he is summarily excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Furthermore, groups like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by Warren Jeffs are not Mormons. Instead, they are groups which apostatized from the Church when Wilford Woodruff announced the will of the Lord to discontinue the practice of plural marriage.
Scriptures about Plural Marriage: Is Polygamy as Repugnant and Barbarous to Judeo-Christian Thought as Late-nineteenth-century Lawmakers Believed?
THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED GENESIS CHAPTER 16
Sarai gives Hagar to Abram as his wife—Hagar flees from Sarai—An angel commands Hagar to return and submit herself to Sarai—Hagar bears Ishmael.
1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4 ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7 ¶ And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 25:1-6
CHAPTER 25
Abraham marries, has seed, dies, and is buried in the cave of Machpelah—His generation through Ishmael set forth—Rebekah conceives, and Jacob and Esau struggle in her womb—The Lord reveals their destiny to Rebekah—Esau sells his birthright for a mess of pottage.
1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
Genesis 29
THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED GENESIS CHAPTER 29
Jacob meets Rachel at the well—He serves Laban seven years for her—Laban gives to Jacob, first Leah, then Rachel in marriage—Jacob serves another seven years—Leah bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.
9 ¶ And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15 ¶ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will aserve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21 ¶ And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31 ¶ And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
Genesis 30:1-26
CHAPTER 30
Jacob marries Bilhah and she bears Dan and Naphtali—He marries Zilpah and she bears Gad and Asher—Leah bears Issachar and Zebulun and a daughter, Dinah—Then Rachel conceives and bears Joseph—Jacob works for Laban for wages of cattle and sheep.
1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
7 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son.
12 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son.
13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
14 ¶ And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes.
15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.
16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband adwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
22 ¶ And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
25 ¶ And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee
Exodus 21:7-11
7 ¶ And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
Exodous 2:18-21 & Numbers 12:1
18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Deuteronomy 17:15-17
15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
Deuteronomy 21:15
15 ¶ If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
2 Samuel 2:2
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
2 Samuel 5:13
13 ¶ And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
2 Samuel 12:7-9
7 ¶ And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
1 Kings 11-1-4
1 But king Solomon loved many strange cwomen, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
2 Chronicles 13:21
21 ¶ But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
2 Chronicles 24:33
And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
Isaiah 4:11
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy cname, to take away our dreproach.
Latter-day Saint Scriptures Concerning the Practice of Polygamy (The key doctrine to understand is that polygamy is only allowed if the Lord commands it. If He does not, then it is an abomination).
Ether 10:5 (Book of Mormon)
5 And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.
Jacob 2:23-30 (Book of Mormon, the practice of plural marriage is prohibited unless
commanded by the Lord.)
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people [to practice plural marriage]; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.
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