The Most Holy Principle

THE MOST HOLY PRINCIPLE

Volume 3

A HISTORY PROBLEM

23 Dec. 1805 Jun. 1970

GEMS

COPYRIGHT 1971

GEMS Publishing Company

P.O. Box 7434

Murray, Utah, 84107

2. And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the

Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall

be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the

mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach

us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go

forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and

they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into

pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither

shall they learn war any more.

5. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Isaiah 2:25

PREFACE

* * * The Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, suffered greater

sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man

can be. But, notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God, and

remained without sin, showing thereby that it is in the power of man to

keep the law and remain also without sin; and also, that by him a

righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in

the law of God may justly be condemned by the law, and have no excuse for

their sins.

JOSEPH SMITH.

* * * 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. * * * 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 ever attain to the fullness of

exaltation in celestial glory.

WILLIAM CLAYTON.

* * * The principle spoken upon by Brother Pratt, this morning, we believe

in. And I tell you, for I know it, it will sail over, and ride

triumphantly above all the prejudice and priestcraft of the day; it will

be fostered and believed in by the more intelligent portions of the world,

as one of the best doctrines ever proclaimed to any people.

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

* * * I have refused to give any recommendations for the performance of

plural marriages since I have been president. I know that President

Taylor, my predecessor, also refused. Since the EdmundsTucker law we have

refused to recommend plural marriages, and have instructed that they

should not be solemnized. * * * I told the Bishop that it would not do at

all. There must be no more plural marriages. I am confident that there

have been no more plural marriages since I have been in this position.

WILFORD WOODRUFF.

[i] INTRODUCTION

Plural, Celestial marriage was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith

as one of the "mysteries of godliness." He in turn taught it to others in

the same manner. Those to whom it has been revealed have been taught that

it is "the most holy and important principle revealed by God to man." They

have been placed under severe restrictions not to reveal this principle

nor teach it to others except under certain conditions. They must not

betray God nor His revelations to the wicked. Because of these things much

of the material found in this volume will appear of a contradictory

nature.

When wicked men have come to know of these sacred principles, they

have sought to use them in an attempt to justify their own wickedness in

pursuing an unholy course in their lives. When their wickedness has been

exposed, they have betrayed God and their brethren who trusted them. They

published to the world that Joseph and his brethren were adulterers,

seducers of women, wicked, lustful, etc. In this way they accused them of

the very sins of which they themselves were guilty, or which they

entertained in their own hearts. They twisted the words and intents of the

Prophets and Apostles of God to suit their own evil designs and purposes.

Often they clothed themselves with a deceiving sanctity through false

affidavits, lies, etc., to the degree that, in many cases, they actually

believed themselves to be correct and justified in their course and

actions.

Though surrounded by false brethren and traitors, Joseph and Hyrum

Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Heber

C. Kimball, and many others stood true to and kept their covenants. In the

face of all their traditions, and in the face of all the apparent

contradictions, they kept the whole law and maintained their integrity.

"By their fruits ye shall know them." Peruse the history of the lives of

these men. Observe the fruits which flowed from their lives. The record

will prove who were truly the servants of God.

[ii] It is neither the intention nor the desire of the compiler to cause

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints any embarassment. He does

not wish to cast unkind reflections upon her or her leaders in any way. He

entertains a deep and abiding love and respect for and confidence in the

Church and her Leaders. He wishes to make it clear that he sustains the

Church in her present policy relating to plural marriage. He also wishes

to be understood by all, that in publishing this work he does not mean to

imply that her leaders have gone astray. He regards the Church as

fulfilling her destiny in the world today.

We proffer no excuse for those who maintain the propriety of

perpetuating the living of plural marriage in this day. Certainly they are

out of harmony with the present policy of the Church and her leaders.

Whatever the consequences may be, they alone must bear the burden and

answer to God for their behavior. It is certain that if any man or woman

enters into any unlawful union, whether polygamous or not, they must

suffer the consequences. When anyone violates even the least of the

commandments of God they must pay the penalty. It matters not how

sophisticated their arguments may be, God "knows the hearts and tries the

reins" of the children of men. Those who wilfully violate or set aside His

laws and the counsels of His servants may find in the end that the burden

will be greater than they had anticipated. They may find that they have

forfeited the very blessings that they had deceived themselves into

believing that they had secured unto themselves.

If plural, celestial marriage is to be continued in the Church and

among God's people today, there is sufficient keys and authority within

the Church to perform those sealings. It is not so much a question of

authority as it is a matter of permission to perform such sealings. The

ordinances of the Gospel do not contemplate death. If a man's first wife

dies and a second is seated to him for time and for all eternity, it is

the same as if the first wife were still alive. If there is sufficient

authority to seal a living woman to a man who has a wife sealed to him who

is dead, there is sufficient authority to seal living [iii] women to a man

in any number. The authority and the ceremony in each and all of these

cases is the same. When the President of the Church says that no man

either in or out of the Church has authority to perform a living plural

sealing, it is the same as to say that no man has permission to do so.

The sealing power is the power to bind on earth and it shall be bound

in heaven, or beyond the grave. This power was restored to the earth

through the instrumentality of Elijah the Prophet in the Kirtland Temple.

This power was to remain with the Church until the end of time. The keys

of this power reside in the Apostleship. If this power is not present, the

Apostleship is not present. Just before Joseph Smith died he conferred all

of the keys, power and authority that he himself held upon the heads of

the Twelve Apostles. These keys, power and authority have been handed down

by regular succession, and remain with the Church to the present day.

In this volume will be found many interesting and curious documents.

They have been included because they have attracted the attention of many

people who have delved into the history of plural, celestial marriage.

They are items which were major issues either at the time of their

presentation or have becomes such since that time. Their inclusion does

not necessarily indicate indorsement by the compiler.

One of these items is a portion of a manuscript entitled THE PEACE

MAKER. This manuscript was written by Udney Hay Jacob in 1840 or before. A

portion of this work dealt with plural marriage and related items as

provided for by the Law of Moses. This was published by Mr. Jacob on the

Church press in Nauvoo in 1842. This unique and curious item is included

in its entirety with the original spelling and punctuation. Many of the

socalled "Fundamentalists" and others have taken portions of this work

and attributed it to Joseph Smith. They have used many things contained

therein to justify themselves in deviations from the true principles of

celestial marriage. When he wrote and published this pamphlet, Mr. Jacob

was not a [iv] member of the Church. Joseph Smith denounced this work

through the official Church organ, The TIMES AND SEASONS. The Latterday

Saints are striving to live by the law of Christ, which is above the Law

of Moses around which THE PEACE MAKER was written.

These volumes follow a chronological format. For the most part only

easily accessable reference material has been used, so that those wishing

to confirm the source or to invistigate more thoroughly may do so. Most of

the material is available at the Salt Lake City Public Library Special

Collections. Other material in the form of microfilms and reproductions of

other documents, diaries, etc., have been obtained from Universal

Microfilms, Inc., of Salt Lake City, Utah; The New York Public Library;

The Illinois State Historical Society Library at Springfield, Illinois;

The Henry E. Huntington Library at San Marino, California; Brigham Young

University Library at Provo, Utah; The University of Utah Library at Salt

Lake City, Utah; and, in a few instances, from private collections.

NOTE

It is interesting to note that the earliest journals of Joseph Smith,

Brigham Young, and others, which are readily available, contain no

contemporary entries which would confirm dates of plural marriages or the

fact that a plural wife was taken on a given date, or of other events

concerning this principle, and often no entry at all, and the testimony

upon which we are dependent, to establish these early facts and dates, is

given, by those involved or personally acquainted with them, many years

after the event. Thus we are entirely dependent upon the integrity of the

words and recollections of the individuals giving their testimony. The

same condition of affairs exists in connection with the early events of

the "underground" movement of the 1880's and 1890's, as in the case of the

much disputed events of Sept. 2627, 1886, when President John Taylor

received a certain revelation concerning this principle, so closely

guarded were the details of those [v] events concerning this "most holy

and important principle ever revealed by God to man." Just as in the

Nauvoo period, where the contemporary journal entries, for instance, of

Joseph Smith, are often bland and usually extremely nonrevealing as

pertaining to this particular principle, so it is in those of the

principals of the "underground" era, and afterward, and we are entirely

dependent upon the testimonies given years after the events by those

directly involved or personally acquainted with them if they left any

testimony at all, together with the natural fruit which flows from those

historical events.

[1]

23 Dec 1805:

Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was born in Sharon, Windsor County,

Vermont.

1821 1828:

These years may be termed the preparatory period preceding the

restoration of the Priesthood and the organization of the Church of Christ

on the earth. The Angel Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, jun.

several times, and finally delivered to him the plates of the Book of

Mormon. The translation of the sacred records was begun, and Joseph

commenced to receive revelations.

7 Nov 1822:

Vilate Murray was married to Heber C. Kimball.

(Carter, HEBER C. KIMBALL, HIS WIVES AND FAMILY p. 9)

8 Oct 1824:

Miriam Works was married to Brigham Young.

(Crockwell, BRIGHAM YOUNG AND HIS WIVES, p. 14)

18 Jan 1827:

Emma Hale was married to Joseph Smith in a secret ceremony.

(Jensen, CHURCH CHRONOLOGY)

1829:

During this year the translation of the Book of Mormon was completed

by Joseph Smith, jun. who was assisted by Oliver Cowdery as scribe; the

plates were shown to the [2] Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses; the

Aaronic Priesthood was restored to the earth by John the Baptist, and,

later, the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James and John; Joseph Smith,

jun., and Oliver Cowdery also commenced to preach and baptize.

The earliest revelation given upon the principle of plurality of

wives, of which we have record, was apparently given during the time that

Joseph, the Prophet was translating the Book of Mormon, Oliver Cowdery

being scribe. Brigham Young alludes to this incident in the report of a

sermon made by him by Charles Walker in his journal entry under the date

of 26 Jul 1872:

Brigham spoke on the folly of apostacy, and the lying spirit that

apostates give way to after turning away from the truth. Said that while

Joseph and Oliver were translating the Book of Mormon they had a

revelation that the order of Patriarchal Marriage and the Sealing was

right. Oliver said unto Joseph, "Brother Joseph, why don't we go into the

Order of polygamy, and practice it as the ancients did? We know it is

truethen why delay?" Joseph's reply was "I know that we know it is true

and from God, but the time has not yet come." This did not seem to suit

Oliver who expressed a determination to go into the order of plural

marriage anyhow, although he was ignorant of the order and pattern and the

results. Joseph said, "Oliver, if you go into this thing, it is not with

my faith or consent." Disregarding the counsel of Joseph, Oliver Cowdery

took to wife Miss Annie Lyman, cousin to Geo. A. Smith. From that time he

went into darkness and lost the spirit. Annie Lyman is still alive a

witness to these things. (Journal of Charles Walker, 26 Jul 1872, see also

the testimony of Joseph B. Noble under date Jun 1886, THE MOST HOLY

PRINCIPLE, vol. 1:422424)

6 Apr 1830:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints was [3] organized

according to the Laws of the State of New York, at Fayette, Seneca County,

New York.

1831, Orson Pratt, re: Lyman Johnson:

Lyman Johnson, who was very familiar with Joseph at this early date,

Joseph living at his father's house, and who was also very intimate with

me, we having traveled on several missions together, told me himself that

Joseph had made known to him as early as 1831 that plural marriage was a

correct principle. Joseph declared to Lyman that God had revealed it to

him, but that the time had not come to teach or practice it in the Church,

but that the time would come.

(HISTORICAL RECORD, 6:230)

1 Jul 1831, Revelation:

For verily I say unto you, my law shall be kept on this land. Let no

man think he is ruler; but let God rule him that judgeth, according to the

counsel of his own will, or, in other words, him that counseleth or

sitteth upon the judgment seat. Let no man break the laws of the land, for

he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the

land. Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he reigns whose

right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet. (D. & C.

58:1922)

JanSep 1832, Brigham Young:

I never preached to the world but what the cry was. "That damned old

Joe Smith has done thus and so." I would tell the people that they did not

know him, and I did, and that I knew him to be a good man; and that when

they spoke against him, they spoke against as good a man as ever lived.