History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5 — John Shaqi
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5Smith, Joseph, Jr.
History
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
Again, in May, 1836, in Missouri, in a series of questions asked and
answered through the _Elder's Journal_, the following occurs:
"Do the Mormons believe in having more wives than one?"
To which the answer is given:
"No, not at the same time."
This again represents the belief of the Saints at that time,
unenlightened as they then were by the revelation received by their
Prophet. But again, why this question unless there had been some
agitation of the subject? Had some one before the time had come for
making known this doctrine to the Church, again unwisely referred to
the knowledge {XXXI} which had been revealed to the Prophet some seven
years earlier?
All these incidents blend together and make it clearly evident that the
revelation on marriage was given long before the 12th of July, 1843.
Doubtless as early as 1831.
In addition to these indirect evidences is the direct testimony of the
late Elder Orson Pratt, of the council of the Twelve Apostles. In 1878,
in company with President Joseph F. Smith, Elder Pratt visited several
states east of the Mississippi in the capacity of a missionary; and
at Plano, Illinois, at a meeting of the so-called Reorganized Church
of the Latter-day Saints, he was invited by the presiding officer,
a Mr. Dille, and the meeting, to occupy the time, which he did. In
his remarks, according to his own and his companion's report of the
meeting--
"Elder Pratt gave a plain, simple narration of his early experience
in the Church, relating many interesting incidents connected with its
rise; explained the circumstances under which several revelations were
received by Joseph, the Prophet, and the manner in which he received
them, he being present on several occasions of the kind. Declared
[that] at such times Joseph used the Seerstone when inquiring of the
Lord, and receiving revelation, but that he was so thoroughly endowed
with the inspiration of the Almighty and the spirit of revelation that
he often received them without any instrument, or other means than
the operation of the spirit upon his mind. Referred to the testimony
which he received of the truth of the great latter-day work while yet a
boy. Testified that these things were not matters of belief only with
him, but of actual knowledge. He explained the circumstances connected
with the coming forth of the revelation on plural marriage. Refuted
the statement and belief of those present that Brigham Young was the
author of that revelation; showed that Joseph Smith the Prophet had
not only commenced the practice himself, and taught it to others,
before President Young and the Twelve had returned from their mission
in Europe, in 1841, but that Joseph actually received revelations upon
that principle as early as 1831. Said: '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
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