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 on 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 pearls before swine, lest they trample them upon 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 to 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 these imputations and at the same time avoiding the avowal of such
doctrines as were not yet intended for the world. This course which tye 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. (Charles W. Penrose, "Joseph
Smith and Celestial Marriage," Deseret Evening News [20 May 1886]:2)
FairMormon, John Taylor's statements regarding polygamy
Brian C. Hales, "'Denying the Undeniable'": Examining Early Mormon Polygamy Renunciations," Journal of Mormon History volume 44 no. 3 (July 2018):23-44
