Mormonism Exposed (Hancock)/Chapter 23

It was, we may safely say, an admitted fact, that Joseph Smith, the reputed prophet, was the author of celestial marriage, or in other words, polygamy as practiced by the Utah Mormons, until it was denied by what is known as the Reorganized Church. It will, it must be admitted, that if the Mormon prophet was the author of the polygamous revelation that we have given, he was the real author of that practice, and was himself in such practice when that document was written, for there is in it a labored effort to justify "My servant Joseph" in such practice. If Smith was the author of that document, it follows, as a consequence, that polygamy is a legitimate tenet of and belongs to genuine Mormonism. Such being the case polygamy rests upon the same foundation that the Book of Mormon does, and is sustained by the same inspiration. Such being so, Mormonism and polygamy must stand or fall together. One cannot hold to the one and reject the other. President Joseph Smith, son of the prophet, and president of the Reorganized Church, makes an effort to account for the origin of polygamy; and of course, does the best that can be done on the negative of the question now before us. He says:

"I believe that during the last years of my father's life there was a discussion among the elders, and possibly in practice, a theory like the following: that persons who might. believe that there was a sufficient degree of spiritual affinity between them as married companions to warrant the desire to perpetuate that union in the world to come and after the resurrection, could go before some high priest whom they might choose, and there making known their desire, might be married for eternity, pledging themselves while in the flesh unto each other for the observance of the rights of companion​ship in the spirit: that this was called spiritual marriage, and upon the supposition that what was sealed by this priesthood, before which this pledge was made on earth, was sealed in heaven, the marriage relation then entered into would continue in eternity. That this was not authorized by command of God or rule of the church; but grew out of the constant discussion had among the elders, and that after a time it resulted in the wish (father to the thought) that married companionship rendered unpleasant here by incompatibilities of different sorts, might be cured for the world to come, by securing through this means a congenial companion in the spirit; that there was but brief hesitancy between the wish and an attempt to put it in form and practice. That once started, the idea grew; spiritual affinities were sought after, and in seeking them the hitherto sacred precincts of home were invaded; less and less restraint was exercised; the lines between virtue and license, hitherto sharply drawn, grew more and more indistinct; spiritual companionship if sanctioned by a holy priesthood, to confer favors and pleasures in the world to come, might be antedated and put to actual test here—and so the enjoyment of a spiritual companionship in eternity became a companionship here; a wife a spiritual wife, if congenial; if not, one that was congenial was sought, and a wife in fact was supplemented by one in spirit, which in easy transition became in essential earthly relationship. From this, if one, why not two or more, and plural marriage or plurality of wives, was the growth."

Why should there have been much discussion among Mormon officials, in the incipiency of that system, upon the subject of spiritual marriage? "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." That about which officials are muchly concerned they talk much, gives the secret of this discussion. Christ put the Sadducees to silence when they came to him with the question, Whose wife shall she be in the "resurrection?" But neither the wisdom nor authority of heaven can silence a self-constituted modern priesthood. If these ​officials in Nauvoo had consulted the Savior's answer to the Sadducees' question, and had any respect for the great Teacher they would not have been concerned about a wife in eternity! President Smith further says:

"That which in life they (Joseph and Hiram Smith) were powerless to prevent, rapidly took the successive forms heretofore stated and polygamy, after eight years of further fostering in secret, rose in terrible malignity to essay the destruction of the church. That my father may have been a party to the first step in this strange development, I am perhaps prepared to admit, though the evidence connecting him with it is vague and uncertain; but that he was in any otherwise responsible for plural marriage, plurality of wives, or polygamy, I do not know, nor are the evidences so far produced to me conclusive to force my belief." Tullige, pp. 798, 799, 800.

Mr. Smith was very confident of his ability to vindicate his father's character so far as polygamy was concerned, and in this confidence he provoked a controversy with the Utah branch of the Mormon family. The evidence on the other side will be given. We are willing, however, for our readers to hear the best that can be said in Smith's defense. As published in The Saint's Herald, Lamoni, Iowa, Elder William Marks, a stanch member of the Reorganized church, says:

"About the first of June, 1844, situated as I was at that time, being the Presiding Elder of the stake at Nauvoo, and by appointment, the presiding officer of the High Council, I had a very good opportunity to know the affairs of the church, and my convictions at that time were that the church, in a great measure had departed from the pure principles and doctrine of Jesus Christ. I felt much troubled in mind about the condition of the church. I prayed earnestly to my heavenly Father to show me something in regard to it, when I was wrapped in vision and it was shown me by the Spirit that the top or branches had overcome the root in sin and wickedness, and that the only way to cleanse and purify it was to disorganize it ​and in due time the Lord would reorganize it again. There were many other things suggested to my mind, but the lapse of time has erased them from my memory."

Mr. Marks saw, in his vision, just what he was grieving over. These officials that were so much concerned about congenial wives for eternity had overcome the membership in sin and wickedness! Tell me, gentle reader, what are we to think of the inspiration of such a set of men?! These officials, by their corruption, were smothering whatever good there might be in the body. All this was under the superintendence of the prophet of Mormonism, whose inspiration we are asked to accept and honor—asked to believe that God left the throne of the universe, took his son from the mediatorial throne, and brought him to earth just to introduce him to the one that was at the head of this corruption!! Now, under the supervision of this man, that institution he was especially chosen to establish was so corrupt that the Lord concluded he would have to destroy the concern and try it again!! Marks further says:

"A few days after this occurrence I met with Bro. Joseph. He said that he wanted to converse with me on the affairs of the church, and we retired to ourselves. I will give his words verbatim, for they were indelibly stamped upon my mind. He said that he had desired for a long time to talk with me on the subject of polygamy. He said it would eventually prove the overthrow of the church, and we would have to leave the United Stated unless it could be speedily put down."

This conversation was in 1844. For a long time, we are told, Smith had been wanting to talk with Marks on the subject of polygamy. For a long time, therefore, polygamy had been on hand in Nauvoo, and the Mormon prophet was aware of the fact. At that time it had such a hold on the church that Smith was alarmed, for fear they would have to leave the United States! How came polygamy there? Smith could get revelations whenever he called for them. Why could he not ​get one that would have stopped such practice? Instead of seeking such he was discussing spiritual wifery! Why should Smith have been alarmed for fear they would have to leave the United States? It had been revealed to him, if we credit Mormon inspiration, that he was to build God's Zion—the New Jerusalem here. B. of M. p. 468: 3–6. Mormon inspiration is a queer something, anyway. We can prove by it that the militia of Missouri and Illinois were the power of God. When they were to begin to build their Zion, under the directions of the promised seer, the power of God was to come upon them. Under the directions of Joseph they began to build at Independence, Mo. But the Missouri militia came upon them. Therefore the Missouri militia was the power of God.

Under the directions of Joseph they began to build at Nauvoo, Illinois. But the Illinois militia came upon them. Therefore the Illinois militia was the power of God.

The testimony of Smith and Marks shows that polygamy had been practiced for a long time previous to the time of their conversation.

When the charter of Nauvoo was drafted, under the supervision of Smith, Gen. Bennett objected to certain clauses as being too strong. Smith replied:

We must have that power in our courts, for this work will gather of all mankind; the Turk, with his ten wives, will come to Nauvoo, and we must have laws to protect him with these wives. Budle, p. 72.

Ebenezer Robinson, at one time editor of the Times and Seasons, the official church organ at Nauvoo, and an especial confident of Smith's, being opposed to polygamy, united with the Reorganized church, in which he lived and died. Being intimately acquainted with the condition of affairs in Nauvoo, he considered it his duty, in behalf of truth to make a statement of facts. This he and his wife did. That statement was as follows:

​"To whom it may concern:

We, Ebenezer Robinson and Angeline Robinson, husband and wife, hereby certify that in the fall of 1843 Hiram Smith, brother of Joseph Smith, came to our house at Nauvoo, Illinois, and taught us the doctrine of polygamy. And I, the said Ebenezer Robinson, hereby further state that he gave me special instructions how I could manage the matter so as not to have it known to the public. He also said that while he had heretofore opposed the doctrine, he was wrong and his brother Joseph was right, referring to his teaching it. Ebenezer Robinson.
Angeline Robinson.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 29th day of December, 1873.[l. s.]James Sallee, Notary Public."

Soon after this affidavit was filed Mrs. Robinson died. Mr. Robinson being questioned with regard to the matter, filed the following:

"To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that in the latter part of November, or in December, 1843, Hiram Smith (brother of Joseph Smith, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) came to my house in Nauvoo, Illinois, and taught me the doctrine of spiritual wives, or polygamy. He said he heard the voice of the Lord give the revelation on spiritual wifery (polygamy) to his brother Joseph, and that while he had heretofore opposed the doctrine, he was wrong, and his brother Joseph was right all the time. He told me to make a selection of some young woman and he would send her to me, and take her to my home and if she should have an heir, to give out word that she had a husband who had gone on a mission to a foreign country. He seemed disappointed when I declined to do so. E. Robinson.

Davis City, Iowa, Oct. 23, 1885.

Subscribed and sworn to before me, a Notary Public in and for Decatur County, Iowa, this 24th day of October, A. D. 1885.

These affidavits are recorded in the Biographical and ​Historical records of Ringold and Decatur counties, Iowa, pp. 543, 544. These founders of Mormonism had room to fear the United States and it is well that there was an earthly power they had to fear for it is evident that they did not have the fear of God before their eyes. In the fact that the earth did not open and let Nauvoo sink into the pit, nor the Lord cause fire and brimstone to be poured upon it, gives a demonstration that miraculous times are past. It does seem strange that such wretches could make any pretence to fear God, or regard man.