The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
Ebenezer Robinson, explaining in the Return a statement signed by him
and his wife in October, 1842, to offset Bennett's charges, in which
they declared that they "knew of no other form of marriage ceremony"
except the one in the "Book of Doctrine and Covenants," said that this
statement was then true, as the heads of the church had not yet taught
the new system to others. But they had heard it talked of, and the
prophet's brother, Don Carlos, in June, 1841, had said to Robinson, "Any
man who will teach and practise spiritual wifery will go to hell, no
matter if it is my brother Joseph." Hyrum Smith, who first opposed the
doctrine, went to Robinson's house in December, 1843, and taught the
system to him and his wife. Robinson was told of the "revelation" to
Joseph a few days after its date, and just as he was leaving Nauvoo on a
mission to New York. He, Law, and William Marks opposed the innovation.
He continues: "We returned home from that mission the latter part of
November, 1843. Soon after our return, I was told that when we were
gone the 'revelation' was presented to and read in the High Council in
Nauvoo, three of the members of which refused to accept it as from the
Lord, President Marks, Cowles, and Counsellor Leonard Soby." Cowles at
once resigned from the High Council and the Presidency of the church at
Nauvoo, and was looked on as a seceder.
Robinson gives convincing testimony that, as early as 1843, the
ceremonies of the Endowment House were performed in Nauvoo by a secret
organization called "The Holy Order," and says that in June, 1844, he
saw John Taylor clad in an endowment robe. He quotes a letter to
himself from Orson Hyde, dated September 19, 1844, in which Hyde refers
guardedly to the new revelation and the "Holy Order" as "the charge
which the prophet gave us," adding, "and we know that Elder Rigdon does
not know what it was." *
* The Return, Vol. II, p. 252.
We may find the following references to this subject in Smith's diary:
"April 29, 1842. The Lord makes manifest to me many things which it is
not wisdom for me to make public until others can witness the proof of
them."
"May 1. I preached in the grove on the Keys of the Kingdom, etc.
The Keys are certain signs and words by which the false spirits and
personages can be detected from true, and which cannot be revealed to
the Elders till the Temple is completed."
"May 4. I spent the day in the upper part of my store... in council with
(Hyrum, Brigham Young and others) instructing them in the principles
and order of the Priesthood, attending to washings, anointings,
endowments.... The communications I made to this Council were of things
spiritual, and to be received only by the spiritually minded; and there
was nothing made known to these men but what will be made known to all
the Saints of the last days as soon as they are prepared to receive, and
a proper place is prepared to communicate them." *
* Millennial Star, Vol. XIX, pp. 390-393.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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