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Joseph Smith Fought Polygamy
Volume I
How Men Nearest
the Prophet Attached Polygamy to His Name
in Order to Justify Their Own Polygamous Crimes
By Richard and
Pamela Price |
"What a thing it is
for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven
wives,
when I can only find one"—Joseph Smith (LDS
History of the Church 6:411).
[ Joseph
Smith Fought Polygamy Index ]
Chapter 14
Dr. Bennett Expelled from the Church
It would seem that Dr. Bennett would have been afraid to have
continued his promiscuity after coming so close to being expelled
in July 1841, but he continued his crimes unabated. When Bennett
heard that Chauncey L. Higbee was being tried before the High
Council in May of 1842, he feared that his name would be mentioned—that
some of the women would name him as also seducing them. Therefore,
Bennett hurried to President William Law, Joseph's counselor in
the First Presidency, and asked Law to intercede in his behalf
if anyone tried to implicate him.
Law testified:
he came to me and told me that a friend of his [Chauncey Higbee]
was about to be tried by the High Council, for the crime of
adultery, and that he feared his name would be brought into
question. He entreated me to go to the council and prevent his
name from being brought forward, as, said he, "I am not
on trial, and I do not want my mother to hear of these things,
for she is a good woman." (Times and
Seasons 3 [August 1, 1842]: 873)
Dr. Law went to the Church authorities to plead for Dr. Bennett,
but in spite of Law's pleadings, Bennett's crimes were so horrible
that he was ordered to appear before the High Council for another
trial.
Women's Names
Published
Bennett had reason to fear the investigation by the High Council
into Chauncey's activities, because the hearings had barely begun
when the doctor's name was linked to women both in and out of
the Church, with whom he had practiced spiritual wifery. Those
women who were members of the Church were immediately brought
before the High Council to face interrogation. The names of five
Church women were published in the Wasp,
a Nauvoo newspaper edited at that time by Joseph's brother, Apostle
William Smith. Church leaders close to Joseph advised him not
to publish the women's names. However, William published a letter
from Dr. Robert Foster, Surgeon General of the Nauvoo Legion,
in which the names of six of the women were listed. The five who
belonged to the Church were: Sarah Pratt, wife of Apostle Orson
Pratt, who was accused of having an affair with Bennett while
her husband was a missionary in England; Martha Brotherton, a
teenage English immigrant; and two young sisters, Margaret and
Matilda Nyman. A non-member, Emmeline Hibbard White, ex-wife of
Captain Hugh White from whom Joseph had purchased the Homestead
and adjoining land, was also named.
Dr. Robert Foster wrote a letter to the editor of the New York
Herald, in which he named some of
the women who had been involved with Bennett. Foster gave William
Smith a copy of that part of his letter for publication in the
Wasp. The letter stated:
I challenge Bennett or any other man or woman to show a more
examplary man beneath the sun, or cite to any time or place
when he [Joseph Smith] has violated the laws of his country,
or when he has taught, either publicly or privately, by precept
or example, any thing repugnant to the laws of the Holy Bible,
or worthy of bonds or death. It can't be done; it is too well
known that he stamps with indignation and contempt every species
of vice—if it had not been so Bennett would have been
with us yet.... Alas, none but the seduced join the seducer;
those only who have been arraigned before a just tribunal [the
Church's High Council] for the same unhallowed conduct can be
found to give countenance to any of his black hearted lies,
and they, too, detest him for his seduction, these are the ladies
to whom he refers his hearers to substantiate his assertions.
Mrs. [Emmeline] White, Mrs. [Orson] Pratt, Niemans [Margaret
and Matilda Nyman], [Sarah] Miller, [Martha] Brotherton, and
others. Those that belong to the church have had to bear the
shame of close investigation as to their adulteries, and have
been dealt with according to church order, in such case made
and provided, in the Book of Covenants, (Sec. 91 and Sec. 13,
page 122 [of the 1835 Edition], and the Holy Bible, Book of
Mormon &c.) Mrs. [Emmeline] White never was a member of
the Mormon church, but really did Bennett try to seduce her
from her father's home to wander with him, God knows where....
Why does he not ... contribute to the wants of his wife and
helpless family in Ohio? (Wasp 1
[October 15, 1842]: 2)
Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants is now Section 42 in
both the RLDS and LDS Editions. In that section God commands:
"Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shall cleave
unto her and none else; and he that looketh upon a woman to lust
after her, shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit;
and if he repents not, he shall be cast out. Thou shalt not commit
adultery; and he that committeth adultery and repenteth not, shall
be cast out" (RLDS DC 42:7d–e; LDS DC 42:22–23).
One week after Foster's letter appeared in the Wasp,
Apostle William Smith published:
We have two presses in Nauvoo [the Wasp
and the Times and Seasons], and
it has yet to be shown that either of them has spread falsehood
or held back the truth. (Wasp 1
[October 22, 1842]: 2)
Hyrum Smith's Affidavit Described Bennett's Crimes
Hyrum Smith, ever a foe of polygamy, gave the following affidavit
concerning Bennett:
On the seventeenth day of may, 1842, having been made acquainted
with some of the conduct of John C. Bennett, which was given
in testimony under oath before Alderman G. W. Harris, by several
females, who testified that John C. Bennett endeavored to seduce
them and accomplished his designs by saying it was right; that
it was one of the mysteries of God, which was to be revealed
when the people was strong enough in the faith to bear such
mysteries—that it was perfectly right to have illicit
intercourse with females, providing no one knew it but themselves,
vehemently trying them from day to day, to yield to his passions,
bringing witnesses of his own clan to testify that their was
such revelations and such commandments, and that it was of God;
also stating that he would be responsible for their sins, if
their was any; and that he would give them medicine to produce
abortions, providing they should become pregnant.
One of these witnesses, a married woman [who was not named]
that he attended upon in his professional capacity, whilst she
was sick, stated that he made proposals to her of a similar
nature; he told her that he wished her husband was dead, and
that if he was dead he would marry her and clear out with her;
he also begged her permission to give him [her husband] medicine
to that effect; he did try to give him medicine, but he would
not take it—on interogating her [of] what she thought
of such teaching, she replied, she was sick at the time, and
had to be lifted in and out of her bed like a child. Many other
acts as criminal were reported to me at the time. On becoming
acquainted with these facts, I was determined to prosecute him
[Bennett], and bring him to justice.—Some person knowing
my determination, having informed him of it, he sent to me Wm.
Law and Brigham Young, to request an interview with me and to
see if their could not be a reconciliation made. I told them
I thought there could not be, his crimes were so henious; but
told them I was willing to see him; he immediately came to see
me; he begged on me to forgive him, this once, and not prosecute
him and expose him, he said he was guilty, and did acknowledge
the crimes that were alleged against him; he seemed to be sorry
that he had committed such acts, and wept much, and desired
that it might not be made public, for it would ruin him forever;
he wished me to wait; but I was determined to bring him to justice,
and declined listening to his entreaties; he then wished me
to wait until he could have an interview with the masonic fraternity;
he also wanted an interview with Br. Joseph; he wished to know
of me, if I would forgive him, and desist from my intentions,
if he could obtain their forgiveness; and requested the privilege
of an interview immediately.
I granted him that privilege as I was acting as master pro.
tem. at that time; he also wished an interview first
with Br. Joseph; at that time Brother Joseph was crossing the
yard from the house to the store, he immediately come to the
store and met Dr. Bennett on the way; he reached out his hand
to Br. Joseph and said, will you forgive me, weeping at the
time; he said Br. Joseph, I am guilty, I acknowledge it, and
I beg of you not to expose me, for it will ruin me; Joseph replied,
Doctor! why are you using my name to carry on your hellish wickedness?
Have I ever taught you that fornication and adultery was right,
or poligamy or any such practices?
He said you never did.
Did I ever teach you any thing that was not virtuous—that
was iniquitous, either in public or private?
He said you never did.
Did you ever know anything unvirtuous or unrighteous in my
conduct or actions at any time, either in public or in private?
he said, I did not; are you willing to make oath to this before
an Alderman of the city? he said I am willing to do so.
Joseph said Dr. go into my office, and write what you can
in conscience subscribe your name to, and I will be satisfied—I
will, he said, and went into the office, and I went with him
and he requested pen ink and paper of Mr. Clayton, who was acting
clerk in that office, and was also secretary pro.
tem. for the Nauvoo Lodge U. D.
Wm. Clayton gave him paper, pen and ink, and he stood at the
desk and wrote the following article which was published in
the 11th No. of the Wasp [newspaper]; sworn to and subscribed
before Daniel H. Wells, Alderman, 17th day of May, A. D. 1842;
he [Bennett] called in Br. Joseph, and read it to him and asked
him if that would do, he [Joseph] said it would, he then swore
to it as before mentioned; the article was as follows:
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
City of Nauvoo.
Personally appeared before me, Daniel H. Wells, an Alderman
of said city of Nauvoo, John C. Bennett, who being duly sworn
according to law, deposeth and saith: that he never was taught
any thing in the least cantrary to the strictest principles
of the Gospel, or of virtue, or of the laws of God, or man,
under any occasion either directly or indirectly, in word or
deed, by Joseph Smith; and that he never knew the said Smith
to countenance any improper conduct whatever, either in public
or private; and that he never did teach me in private that an
illegal illicit intercourse with females was, under any circumstances,
justifiable, and that I never knew him so to teach others.
JOHN C. BENNETT.
Sworn to, and subscribed, before me, this 17th day of May,
1842.
DANIEL H. WELLS, Alderman. (Times and
Seasons 3 [August 1, 1842]: 870–871)
Affidavit of [President] Wm. Law.
I believe it was on the evening of the 11th day of May ...I
had some conversation with J. C. Bennett and intimated to him
that such a thing [as his expulsion] was concluded upon, which
intimation I presume led him to withdraw immediately. I told
him we could not bear with his conduct any longer—that
there were many witnesses against him, and that they stated
that he gave Joseph Smith as authority for his illicit intercourse
with females. J. C. Bennett declared to me before God that Joseph
Smith had never taught him such doctrines, and that he never
told any one that he (Joseph Smith) had taught any such things,
and that any one who said so told base lies; nevertheless, he
said he had done wrong, that he would not deny, but he would
deny that he had used Joseph Smith's name to accomplish his
designs on any one; stating that he had no need of that, for
that he could succeed without telling them that Joseph approbated
such conduct.... He plead with me to intercede for him, assuring
me that he would turn from his iniquity, and never would be
guilty of such crimes again.... I accordingly went to Joseph
Smith and plead with him to spare Bennett from public exposure,
on account of his mother. On many occasions I heard him acknowledge
his guilt, and beg not to be destroyed in the eyes of the public,
and that he would never act so again, "So help him God."
From such promises, and oaths, I was induced to bear with him
longer than I should have done.
On one occasion I heard him state before the city Council
that Joseph Smith had never taught him any unrighteous principles,
of any kind, and that if any one says that he ever said that
Joseph taught such things they are base liars, or words to that
effect. This statement he made voluntarily; he came into the
council room about an hour after the council opened, and made
the statement, not under duress, but of his own free will, as
many witnesses can testify.
On a former occasion he came to me and told me that a friend
of his was about to be tried by the High Council, for the crime
of adultery, and that he feared his name would be brought into
question.—He entreated me to go to the council and prevent
his name from being brought forward, as, said he, "I am
not on trial, and I do not want my mother to hear of these things,
for she is a good woman."
I would further state that I do know from the amount of evidence
which stands against J. C. Bennett, and from his own acknowledgements,
that he is a most corrupt, base, and vile man; and that he has
published many base falsehoods since we withdrew the hand of
fellowship from him.
About the time that John C. Bennett was brought before the
Masonic Lodge he came to me and desired that I would go in company
with B. Young, to Hyrum Smith, and entreat of him to spare him—that
he wished not to be exposed.... WM. LAW. (ibid., 872–873)
Dr. Bennett Was Expelled from the Church
John C. Bennett was tried before the Church's High Council and
was expelled from the Church on May 11, 1842 (ibid. [June 15,
1842]: 830). He was tried by the Masonic Lodge and Nauvoo Legion
and expelled from both. He was also tried before the Nauvoo City
Council, which removed him from the office of mayor.
Joseph reported part of the proceedings which took place in the
City Council meeting:
The following conversation took place in the City Council,
and was elicited in consequence of its being reported that the
Doctor had stated that I [Joseph] had acted in an indecorous
manner, and given countenance to vices practised by the Doctor,
and others:
Dr. John C. Bennett, ex-Mayor, was then called upon by the
Mayor [Joseph Smith] to state if he knew aught against him;
when Mr. Bennett replied:
"I know what I am about, and the heads of the Church
know what they are about. I expect I have no difficulty with
the heads of the church. I publicly avow that any one who has
said that I have stated that General Joseph Smith has given
me authority to hold illicit intercourse with women is a liar
in the face of God, those who have said it are damned liars;
they are infernal liars. He never, either in public or private,
gave me any such authority or license, and any person who states
it is a scoundrel and a liar. I have heard it said that I should
become a second Avard by withdrawing from the church, and that
I was at variance with the heads and should use an influence
against them because I resigned the office of Mayor; this is
false. I have no difficulty with the heads of the church, and
I intend to continue with you, and hope the time may come when
I may be restored to full confidence, and fellowship, and my
former standing in the church; and that my conduct may be such
as to warrant my restoration—and should the time ever
come that I may have the opportunity to test my faith it will
then be known whether I am a traitor or a true man."
Joseph Smith then asked: "Will you please state definitely
whether you know any thing against my character either in public
or private?"
Gen. Bennett answered: "I do not; in all my intercourse
with Gen. Smith, in public and in private, he has been strictly
virtuous.
| Aldermen. |
GEO. A. SMITH, |
| N. K. WHITNEY, |
WILSON LAW, |
| HIRAM KIMBALL, |
B. YOUNG, |
| ORSON SPENCER, |
JOHN TAYLOR, |
| GUST. HILLS, |
H. C. KIMBALL, |
| G. W. HARRIS, |
W. WOODRUFF, |
| |
|
| Counsellors. |
JOHN P. GREEN, |
| WILLARD RICHARDS, |
|
| JAMES SLOAN, City Recorder. |
| May 19th 1842. (ibid.[ July 1, 1842]: 841) |
Joseph's Official Statement Concerning Dr. Bennett
The Prophet Joseph made the following statement concerning the
promiscuous doctor:
After I had done all in my power to persuade him to amend
his conduct, and these facts were fully established, (not only
by testimony, but by his own concessions,) he having acknowledged
that they were true, and seeing no prospects of any satisfaction
from his future life, the hand of fellowship was withdrawn from
him as a member of the church, by the officers; but on account
of his earnestly requesting that we would not publish him to
the world, we concluded not to do so at that time, but would
let the matter rest until we saw the effect of what we had already
done.
It appears evident, that as soon as he perceived that he could
no longer maintain his standing as a member of the church, nor
his respectability as a citizen, he came to the conclusion to
leave the place; which he has done; and that very abruptly;
and had he done so quietly, and not attempted to deceive the
people around him, his case would not have excited the indignation
of the citizens, so much as his real conduct has done.
In order to make his case look plausible, he has reported,
"that he had withdrawn from the church because we were
not worthy of his society;" thus instead of manifesting
a spirit of repentance, he has to the last, proved himself to
be unworthy the confidence or regard of any upright person,
by lying, to deceive the innocent and committing adultery in
the most abominable and degraded manner.
We are credibly informed that he has colleagued with some
of our former wicked persecutors, the Missourians, and has threatened
destruction upon us; but we should naturally suppose, that he
would be so much ashamed of himself at the injury he has already
done to those who never injured, but befriended him in every
possible manner, that he could never dare to lift up his head
before an enlightened public, with the design either to misrepresent
or persecute; but be that as it may, we neither dread him nor
his influence; but this much we believe, that unless he is determined
to fill up the measure of his iniquity, and bring sudden destruction
upon himself from the hand of the Almighty; he will be silent,
and never more attempt to injure those concerning whom he has
testified upon oath he knows nothing but that which is good
and virtuous.
Thus I have laid before the Church of Latter Day Saints, and
before the public, the character and conduct of a man who has
stood high in the estimation of many; but from the foregoing
facts it will be seen that he is not entitled to any credit,
but rather to be stamped with indignity and disgrace so far
as he may be known. What I have stated I am prepared to prove,
having all the documents concerning the matter in my possession....
JOSEPH SMITH. Nauvoo, June 23, 1842.(ibid., 841–842)
Dr. John Bennett left Nauvoo soon after his expulsion from the
Church, and immediately began a campaign to blacken the name of
Joseph Smith by declaring many falsehoods, including the charge
that Joseph was practicing polygamy. Bennett wrote letters to
the editors of the Sangamo Journal at
Springfield, Illinois, and other newspapers, which were reprinted
far and wide. Bennett attempted to prove that Joseph was guilty
in order to take the focus from himself. Dr. Robert D. Foster
said of Bennett, "He tried to father all his own iniquity
upon Joseph Smith" (Wasp, September
24, 1842). To this day the Mormon Church declares that some of
Dr. Bennett's claims that Joseph was a polygamist are true.
Brigham Young Learned More of Polygamy from Bennett
Brigham Young learned from the High Council hearings how polygamy
could be practiced secretly without Joseph's approval. He was
one of the judges in the 1841 trial of Bennett and Francis Higbee,
and in the 1842 trials of Bennett and Chauncey Higbee. In1844
Brigham testified under oath, "I knew of the whole affair,
it [Francis Higbee's trial] was on the 4th of July [1841], or
a few days after—it was shortly after I came from England"
(Times and Seasons 5 [May 15, 1844]:
539).
Joseph said, "I brought Francis M. Higbee before Brigham
Young, Hyrum Smith and others; Bennet was present" (ibid.).
Of course Brigham had learned about polygamy from the Cochranites,
among whom he ministered in Maine in the 1830s—and he claimed
that God had given him a vision favorable to polygamy while he
was in England, as previously noted.
Bennett's "plausible tale" was just what Brigham needed
to assist him in taking plural wives. On June 15, 1842, less than
one month after the Chauncey Higbee-John Bennett Church trials
ended, Brigham secretly took Lucy Decker Seely (Mrs. William Seely)
as his first plural wife (Stewart, Brigham
Young and His Wives, 85).
In spite of Joseph's constant battle against polygamy, Brigham
led others into the practice of that doctrine.
The question is, Who was telling the truth? Was it Joseph and
Hyrum and their supporters who declared Joseph was not a polygamist?
Or was it Brigham Young and other polygamists who asserted that
Joseph was practicing polygamy in secret? In the final analysis,
one should remember that the supposed purpose of polygamy was
to produce many children. However, Joseph and Hyrum fathered no
children by plural wives, while Young fathered fifty-six! This
is another strong proof that Joseph was truthful and Brigham was
lying.
[ Joseph
Smith Fought Polygamy Index ]
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