Monday, July 29, 2024

William Clayton and Eliza R. Snow on Joseph Smith's Polygamy and Addressing Purported Polygamy Denials from Joseph and John Taylor

  

Inasmuch as it may be interesting to future generations of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to learn something of the first teachings of the principle of plural marriage by President Joseph Smith, the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and Translator of said Church, I will give a short relation of facts which occurred within my personal knowledge, and also matters related to me by President Joseph Smith.

 

I was employed as a clerk in President Joseph Smith's office, under Elder Willard Richards, and commenced to labor in the office on the 10th day of February, 1842. I continued to labor with Elder Richards until he went east to fetch his wife to Nauvoo.

 

After Elder Richards started East I was necessarily thrown constantly into the company of President Smith, having to attend to his public and private business, receiving and recording tithings and donations, attending to land and other matters of business. During this period I necessarily became well acquainted with Emma Smith, the wife of the Prophet Joseph, and also with the children—Julia M. (an adopted daughter), Joseph, Frederick and Alexander, very much of the business being transacted at the residence of the Prophet.

 

On the 7th of October, 1842, in the presence of Bishop Newel K. Whitney and his wife Elizabeth Ann, President Joseph Smith appointed me Temple Recorder, and also his private clerk, placing all records, books, papers, etc., in my care, and requiring me to take charge of and preserve them his closing words being, "When I have any Revelations to write, you are the one to write them."

 

During this "period the Prophet Joseph frequently visited my house in my company, and became well acquainted with my wife Ruth, to whom I had been married five years. One day in the month of February, 1843, date not remembered, the Prophet invited me to walk with him. During our walk, he said he had learned that there was a sister in England, to whom I was very much attached. I replied, there was nothing further than an attachment, such as a brother and sister in the Church might rightfully entertain for each other. He then said: "Why don't you send for her?" I replied, "In the first place, I have no authority to send for her, and if I had, I have not the means to pay expenses." To this he answered, "I give you authority to send for her, and I will furnish you the means," which he did. This was the first time the Prophet Joseph talked with me on the subject of plural marriage. He informed me that the doctrine and principle was right in the sight of our Heavenly Father, and that it was a doctrine which pertained to Celestial order and glory. After giving me lengthy instructions and information concerning the doctrine of celestial or plural marriage, he concluded his remarks by the words, "It is your privilege to have all the wives you want." After this introduction, our conversations on the subject of plural marriage were very frequent, and he appeared to take particular pains to inform and instruct me in respect to the principle. He also informed me that he had other wives living besides his wife Emma, and in particular, gave me to understand that Eliza R. Snow, Louisa Beman, Desdamona C. Fullmer and others, were his lawful wives in the sight of Heaven.

 

On the 27th of April, 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith married to me Margaret Moon, for time and eternity, at the residence of Elder Heber C> Kimball; and on the 22d of July, 1843, he married to me, according to the other of the Church, my first wife Ruth.

 

On the 1st day of May, 1843, I officiated in the office of an Elder by marrying Lucy Walker to the Prophet Joseph Smith, at his own residence. During this period the Prophet Joseph took several other wives. Amongst the number I well remember Sarah Ann Whitney, Helen Kimball and Flora Woodworth. These all, he acknowledged to me, were his lawful, wedded wives, according to the celestial order. His wife Emma was cognizant of the fact of some, if not all of these being his wives, and she generally treated them very kindly.

 

On the morning of the 12th of July, 1832, Joseph and Hyrum Smith came into the office in the upper story of the "brick store," in the bank of the Mississippi river. They were talking on the subject of plural marriage. Hyrum said to Joseph, "If you will write the revelation on Celestial Marriage, I will take and read it to Emma, and I believe I can convince her of its truth, and you will hereafter have peace." Joseph smiled and remarked, "You do not know Emma as well as I do." Hyrum repeated his opinion and further remarked, "The doctrine is so plain, I can convince any reasonable man or woman of its truth, purity and heavenly origin," or words to their effect. Joseph then said, "Well, I will write the revelation and we will see." He then requested me to get paper and prepare to write. Hyrum very urgently requested Joseph to write the revelation by means of the Urim and Thummim, but Joseph, in reply, said he did not need to, for he knew the revelation perfectly from beginning to end.

 

Joseph and Hyrum then sat down and Joseph commenced to dictate the revelation on Celestial Marriage and I wrote it, sentence by sentence, as he dictated. After the whole was written, Joseph asked me to read it through, slowly and carefully, which I did, and he pronounced it correct. HE then remarked that there was much more that he could write, on the same subject, but what was written was sufficient for the present.

 

Hyrum then took the Revelation to read to Emma. Joseph remained with me in the office until Hyrum returned. When he came back, Joseph asked him how he had succeeded. Hyrum replied that he had never received a more severe talking to in his life, that Emma was very bitter and full of resentment and anger.

 

Joseph quietly remarked, "I told you you did not know Emma as well as I did." Joseph then put the revelation in his pocket, and they both left the office.

 

The revelation was read to several of the authorities during the day. Towards evening Bishop Newel K. Whitney asked Joseph if he had any objection to taking a copy of the Revelation; Joseph replied that he had not, and handed it to him. It was carefully copied the following day by Joseph C. Kingsbury. Two or three days after the Revelation was written Joseph related to me and several others that Emma had so teased, and urgently entreated him for the privilege of destroying it, that he became so weary of her teasing, and to get rid of her annoyance, he told her she might destroy it and she had done so, but he had consented to her with in this matter to pacify her, realizing that he knew the Revelation perfectly and could rewrite it at any time if necessary.

 

The copy made by Joseph C. Kingsbury is a true and correct copy of the original in every respect. The copy was carefully preserved by Bishop Whitney, and but few knew of its existence until the temporary location of the Camp of Israel at Winter Quarters, on the Missouri River, in 1846.

 

After the Revelation on on celestial marriage was written Joseph continued his instructions privately, on the doctrine to myself and others, and during the last year of his life we were scarcely ever together, alone, but he was talking on the subject, and explaining that doctrine and principles connected with it. He appeared to enjoy great liberty and freedom in his teachings, but also to find great relief in having af ew to whom he could unbosom his feelings on that great and glorious subject.

 

From him, I learned that the doctrine of plural and celestial marriage is the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on the earth, and that without obedience to that principle no man can never attain to the fulness of exaltation in celestial glory.

 

(Signed) WILLIAM CLAYTON.

Salt Lake City, February 16th, 1876. (Wiliam Clayton, Affidavit in “Joseph Smith and Celestial Marriage,” Deseret Evening News 19, no. 151 [May 20, 1886]: 2)

 

 

The communication from President Joseph Smith, with the accompanying affidavit of William Clayton, which we publish in this issue, will be interesting to a large number of our readers. It will tend to clear up in the minds of those who are not familiar with the details of the manifestations to the Prophet Joseph Smith on the subject of celestial marriage, some apparent discrepancies which are perfectly harmonious which correctly understood.

 

The revelation on celestial marriage published in the Doctrine and Covenants, which was given July 12th, 1843. The principles it contains, with further intelligence on the same subject, were revealed to the Prophet many years before but not formulated in writing for the Church. Acting under instructions from the Lord, the Prophet had several wives sealed to him before the date of that revelation, and they are referred to in verse 52. There are other matters spoken of in the revelation that pertained to the time when it was written, showing that the statement in the heading, as it appears in the book, is correct; namely, that the revelation was given on that date, although the doctrines it contains were made known and had been acted upon under special instructions previous to that date.

 

These opponents of plural marriage who deny that it was taught and practised by the Prophet Joseph, in fact of testimony enough to establish any fact beyond the possibility of rational contradiction, frequently refer to the utterances of the leaders of the Church in Nauvoo against the teachings of certain persons on polygamy; and also the denials and affidavits of several ladies concerning polygamy and spiritual wifeism. These statements are cited as evidence that Joseph and Hyrum Smith were opposed to plural marriage, and that it was denied by some of the leaders who afterwards avowed their own marriage to the Prophet or to his brother Hyrum.

 

But examination of the history and the facts will disclose that there is no real contradiction between the alleged conflicting statements, nor between the actions of Joseph and Hyrum in regard to polygamy and the doctrines laid down in the revelation of July 12, 1843. Polygamy, in the ordinary and Asiatic sense of the term, never was and is not now a tenet of the Latter-day Saints. That which Joseph and Hyrum denounced and for preaching which without authority an Elder was cut off the Church in Nauvoo, was altogether different to the order of celestial marriage including a plurality of wives, which forms the subject of the revelation.

 

So with that spiritual wife doctrine which lustful men attempted to promulgate at that period. Joseph the Prophet was just as much opposed to that false doctrine as any one could be. IT was a counterfeit. The true and divine order is another thing. The errors which those ladies who signed the affidavits declared were not known to them as doctrines of the Church were not, are not, and never will be part of the creed of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were conscientious in their statements. Joseph and Hyrum were consistent in their action against the false doctrines of polygamy and spiritual wifeism, instigated by the devil and advocated by men who did not comprehend sound doctrine nor the purity of the celestial marriage which God revealed for the holiest of purposes.

 

It has been frequently asserted by the enemies of the Church that President John Taylor, in France, publicly denied that the Church entertained the doctrine of plural marriage. Investigation for the purpose of learning facts will show that he did no such thing. Directly he denied nothing; indirectly he disputed the assertion that polygamy and certain infamous doings were part of the creed of the Church. In answer to the charges he simply read a section of the Doctrine and Covenants relating to the subject of marriage.

 

Until the open enunciation of the doctrine of celestial marriage by the publication of the revelation of the subject in 1852, no Elder was authorized to announce it to the world. The Almighty has revealed things on many occasions which were for His servants and not for the world. Jesus enjoined His disciples on several occasions to keep to themselves principles that he made known to them. And his injunction, "Cast not your pearl before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you," has become as familiar as a common proverb. In the rise of the Church the Lord had occasion to admonish his servants in regard to revelations that were afterwards permitted to be published:

 

"I say unto you, hold your peace until I shall see fit to make all things known unto the world concerning this matter."

 

"And now I say unto you, keep these things from going abroad into the world until it is expedient in me."

 

"But a commandment I give unto them that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak of them before the world, for these things are given unto you for your profit and your salvation."—(Doc. & Cov.)

 

Under these instructions Elders had no right to promulgate anything but that which they were authorized to teach. And when assailed by their enemies and accused of practising things which were really not countenanced in the Church, they were justified in denying those imputations and at the same time avoiding the avowal of such doctrines as were not yet intended for the world. This course which they have taken when necessary, by commandment, is all the ground which their accusers have for charging them with falsehood.

 

The doctrine of celestial marriage including the plurality of wives, was revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet by the same power and from the same source as all the other revelations contained in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, and they stand or fall together. The Church was commanded at its inception to receive the revelations and percepts which God would manifest through him and this is one of them, to the truth of which the heavens have borne witness at least as much as to the divinity of any others. That Joseph practiced what he taught and was himself the husband of several wives in the holy order of celestial marriage, has been thoroughly authenticated, and the affidavit of William Clayton forms one more strong and important link in a chain of evidence that is so complete and convincing as to leave no room for reasonable controversy.

 

The world may not receive the glorious doctrine of eternal matrimony by which husbands and wives are made one forever, nor the principle of plural marriage, which is an essential part of that doctrine. But those who have come out of darkness into light, and have learned now to know the voice of the Good Shepherd, will see the beauty and divinity of that comprehensive revelation and hearken to the spirit which leads in the way to the continuation of the lives, wherein are exaltation and dominion and power in the presence of God and His Christ throughout the eternal ages. ("Joseph Smith and Celestial Marriage," Deseret News 35, no. 20 [June 2, 1886]: 6)

 

 

Br. Joseph:

 

On looking over the pamphlet it seems perfectly easy to disprove the statenebts which refer to the article over the brehtren's and the sister's signatures, by proving what J. C. Bennett's secret wife sister really was.

 

At the time the sisters of the Relief Society signed our article, I was married to the prophet. We made no allusion to any other system of marriage than Bennett’s. His was prostitutioh, and it was truly his, and he succeeded in pandering his course on the credulity of the unsuspecting by making them believe that he was thus authorized by the Prophet. In those articles there is no reference to divine plural marriage. We aimed to put down its opposite.

 

Yours respectfully,

 

E. R. Snow (Eliza R. Snow, Letter to Joseph F. Smith, undated, Joseph F. Smith Papers, MS 1325, Church History Library)

 

Further Reading:


Brian C. Hales, "'Denying the Undeniable': Examining Early Mormon Polygamy Renunciations," Journal of Mormon History 44, no. 3 (July 2018): 23-44

   

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