Saturday, June 18, 2022

Joseph F. Smith in April 1880 Distinguishing between "Eternal Marriage" and "Polygamy"

In his letter to William E. McLellin, April 18, 1880 (ten years before the first manifesto), Joseph F. Smith wrote the following where he distinguished the “principle of” eternal marriage and polygamy, showing he did not think they were one and the same:

 



 

I do not care to argue with you about the character of Joseph Smith, I always have had and still have the highest regard for him and his works, and not the least of these the great and glorious principle of the Eternity of the marriage Covenant, including a plurality of wives. In my judgement had he died without revealing these, then indeed his mission would have been a failure, but putting all together from the first to the last and I see a perfect organism and a grand design in the revealed purposes of god.