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Joseph Smith Fought
Polygamy
Volume 2
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 17
Apostle John Taylor Lied about Polygamy Being
Practiced by Church Leaders
Apostle John Taylor and other leading apostles secretly began
practicing polygamy at Nauvoo even before Joseph's death. Brigham
Young, President of the Quorum of Twelve, led the way by taking
his first plural wife, Lucy Ann Decker Seely, in June 1842 (see
John Stewart, Brigham Young and His Wives:
And the True Story of Plural Marriage [Salt Lake City,
Utah: Mercury Publishing Company, Inc., 1961 ], 85). Apostle John
Taylor, who succeeded Joseph in November 1842 as the editor of
the Times and Seasons, was one of
the leaders who practiced polygamy in secret, while denying it
openly. For example, he denied it in November 1844 in a communication
in the Times and Seasons, and again
in 1850.
Taylor secretly married his first plural wife February 12, 1843
(see Utah Genealogical Magazine 21:105).
He married two more plural wives before Joseph's death which occurred
on June 27, 1844 (see Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker,
A Book of Mormons [Salt Lake City,
Utah: Signature Books, 1982], 354). Six years later in 1850, which
was two years before polygamy was publicly proclaimed a doctrine
in Salt Lake City, John Taylor participated in a public debate
in France. During the debate he denied that polygamy had been
practiced by Church leaders at Nauvoo, although he at that time
had fifteen wives (ibid.).
Rigdon Revealed
the Twelve Were Practicing Polygamy
 |
President Sidney Rigdom, who revealed that
the apostles practiced polygamy in Nauvoo. |
After the death of Joseph and Hyrum, Brigham Young and the majority
of the Twelve moved quickly to take control of the Church. On
September 8,1844, they held a public conference in the Grove near
the Temple in Nauvoo, where they tried President Sidney Rigdon.
After they expelled Elder Rigdon he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
where he had been at the time of Joseph's martyrdom. One month
later, he published a paper entitled The
Messenger and Advocate. In his first issue, Sidney published
that some of the Twelve were practicing polygamy. Sidney devoted
much space in his paper to the subject of the Twelve "and
their adherents" being engaged in polygamy. Rigdon wrote:
It is a fact, so well known, that the Twelve and their adherents
have endeavored to carry on this spiritual wife business in
secret, that I hardly need mention it here, and have gone to
the most shameful and desperate lengths, to keep it from the
public. First, insulting innocent females, and when they resented
the insult, these monsters in human shape would assail their
characters by lying, and perjuries, with a multitude of desperate
men to help them to effect these corrupt practices from the
view of the world. I could bring facts which can be established
in any court of justice, in relation to these vile abominations
practiced under the garb of religion that would make humanity
blush. No falsehood too great, and no perjury too daring, in
order to conceal these heaven-daring abuses of mankind....
How often have these men and their accomplices stood up before
the congregation, and called God and all the holy Angels to
witness, that there was no such doctrine taught in the church;
and it has now come to light, by testimony which cannot be gainsaid,
that at the time they thus dared heaven and insulted the world,
they were living in the practice of these enormities; and there
were multitudes of their followers in the congregation at the
time who knew it.... SIDNEY RIGDON.
(Messenger and Advocate 1 [October
15, 1844]: 14)
Elder Rigdon also printed an article by one John A. Forgeus,
who proclaimed against "that odious doctrine as taught in
Nauvoo and other places, that a man can have more wives than one"
(ibid., 6).
Rigdon and his followers held a conference and afterwards printed
the "Minutes of a Conference held in Pittsburgh, Oct. 12th
1844." The conference adopted the following resolution:
2. Resolved, that in consequence of the most flagrant violation
of the original, or true principles and order of the church,
by the Twelve and their abettors, by rejecting Elder Rigdon,
and practicing the doctrine of polygamy, despoiling female virtue
and chastity by seducing them, and tyranizing over those who
will not sanction their works of darkness, and many other like
things, for which we regard them as apostates, and men fallen
from the true order of the church, into a state of wickedness
and corruption; therefore, we hold no fellowship with them,
(ibid., 6)
Apostle Taylor Denied that Polygamy Was Being
Practiced
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Apostle John Taylor, who practiced polygamy
secretly while denying it openly. |
In November of 1844, Apostle Taylor's denial of Rigdon's charges
against the Twelve came swiftly. Although Taylor was the husband
of three wives at that time, he published in the Times
and Seasons that polygamy was not taught nor practiced
by the Twelve. At that time he was married to his legal wife,
Leonora Cannon Taylor, whom he married July 25, 1833 (see Utah
Genealogical Society 21 [1930]: 105). He married wife number
two, Elizabeth Kaighin, December 12, 1843, and wife number three,
Jane Ballantyne, on February 25, 1844 (see Francis M. Gibbons,
John Taylor: Mormon Philosopher, Prophet
of God [Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1985], 52,
53). Taylor as editor answered Sidney by publishing:
The saints of the last days have witnessed the outgoings and
incomings of so many apostates that nothing but truth has any
effect upon them. In the present instance, after the sham quotations
of Sidney and his clique, from the Bible, Book of Mormon, and
Doctrine and Covenants, to skulk off, under the "dreadful
splendor" of "spiritual wifery," which is brought
into the account as graciously as if the law of the land allowed
a man a plurality of wives, is fiendish, and like the rest of
Sidney's revelation, just because he wanted "to go to Pittsburg
and live." Wo to the man or men who will thus wilfully
lie to injure an innocent people! The law of the land and the
rules of the church do not allow one man to have more than one
wife alive at once, but if any man's wife die, he has a right
to marry another, and to be sealed to both for eternity; to
the living and the dead! there is no law of God or man against
it! This is all the spiritual wife system that was ever tolerated
in the church, and they know it.... An Old Man of Israel. (Times
and Seasons 5 [November 15, 1844]: 715)
Apostle Taylor also reassured his readers that the communication
of an "Old man of Israel," which appeared in the Times
and Seasons, was "genuine" (ibid., 711).
Many Knew Taylor's Words Were False
In spite of Taylor's assurances that polygamy was not being
practiced at Nauvoo, there were those who knew that he was lying—such
as the Prophet's widow, Emma, and Joseph III, his son. Joseph
III was well-acquainted with Apostle Taylor and other members
of the Twelve who went west.
Joseph III testified under oath of his knowledge of Taylor,
other apostles, and their followers. He declared:
The ones that went west to Salt Lake Valley were preaching
and openly proclaiming and practicing a doctrine contrary to
the fundamental principles of the church, and all its teachings....
Now these people who went to Utah [from Nauvooj were addicted,
before they went, to the practice of polygamy, and continued
the practice after they went there.... That is not simply my
opinion, no sir; I know it.... When John Taylor or any other
man presumes to preach or practice a doctrine contrary to the
teachings of ... the books that the church has authorized and
recognized as authority, it is the right of everybody, either
individually or collectively to say whether or not they shall
follow his example or associate with him or anyone who preaches
these doctrines that are forbidden and condemned by the church
in its authorized books of doctrine and practice. (The
Temple Lot Case, 81, 82)
During the Debates in France, Taylor Lied about
Polygamy at Nauvoo
Three years after leaving Nauvoo, four apostles left Salt Lake
City for Europe. One of those was Apostle John Taylor whose destination
was France. In New York City, Taylor was joined by Elder John
Pack and Elder Curtis E. Bolton, who was quite fluent in the French
language. By June 26, 1850, Taylor and his companions began holding
meetings and proselyting in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. They soon
received a letter from the Reverend C. W. Cleeve, the Reverend
James Robertson (an independent minister), and Philip Gates, challenging
them to a three-night public debate. Those men wished to debate
three subjects, including the topic of "Joseph Smith."
Taylor and his companions agreed to a three-night debate. It is
fortunate that Elder Bolton took extensive notes during the debate,
and Apostle John Taylor published the words of the debaters, including
his own answers to charges that Joseph Smith was an impostor and
a polygamist. Taylor's answers show a willingness to bear false
testimony to cover his own deeds.
Although he upheld Joseph's innocence and declared polygamy
had not been practiced by Joseph or other Church leaders, Taylor
at the time was the husband of fifteen wives! They were: (1) his
first and legal wife, Leonora Cannon Taylor; (2) Elizabeth Kaighin;
(3) Jane Ballantyne; (4) Mary Ann Oakley; (5) Mary Amanda Utley;
(6) Ann Hughlings Pitchforth; (7) Ann Ballantyne; (8) Mary Ramsbottom;
(9) Lydia Dibble Smith; (10) Sarah Thorton Coleman; (11) Mercy
Thompson Smith; (12) Sophia Whittaker; (13) Harriet Whittaker;
(14) Caroline Hooper Saunders Gillian; and (15) Margaret Young
(see Richard S. Van Wagoner and Steven C. Walker, A
Book of Mormons [Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books,
1982], 354). Taylor gave true testimony concerning Joseph, but
lied where he himself was concerned.
Shortly after the debate Apostle Taylor left France and went
to Liverpool, England, and there published a tract on the debates.
In compiling the tract he used "the record of the debates
prepared from Elder Bolton's extensive notes" (John
Taylor: Mormon Philosopher, 111).
Below are extracts from Taylor's tract. He began by quoting
from the Reverend C. W. Cleeve:
The Rev. C. W. Cleeve then said,.... The first question of
discussion is, Was Joseph Smith an imposter? .... The Rev. gentleman
then proceeded to read general extracts from a work by the Rev.
Henry Caswell, General [John C.) Bennett, and others, and an
article from the English Review,
charging Joseph Smith and the Mormonites with a number of crimes
and immoralities. (John Taylor, Three Nights'
Public Discussion Between The Revds. C W. Cleeve, James Robertson,
and Philip Cater, and Elder John Taylor of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, At Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France
[Liverpool, Great Britain, 1850], 4)
The reader should remember that Dr. John C. Bennett's charges
against Joseph included the charge that Joseph was practicing
polygamy, which Bennett referred to also as spiritual wifery,
a plurality of wives, and celestial marriage. He also charged
that Joseph was claiming to have received a revelation on the
subject.
Apostle John Taylor responded:
I was intimately acquainted with the late Joseph Smith, and
know that the statements made by Mr. Cleeve are untrue. I have
been with Mr. Smith for years; I have travelled with him; I
have been with him in public and in private, at home and abroad;
I was with him living, and when he died—when he was murdered
in Carthage gaol, and I can testify that he was a virtuous,
moral, high-minded man—a Christian and a philanthropist.
... In relation to the characters who made those statements,
I happen to be acquainted with them, and know of the circumstances
under which some of them were written, Concerning Mr. Caswell,
I was at Nauvoo during the time of his visit. He came for the
purpose of looking for evil. He was a wicked man, and associated
with reprobates, mobocrats, and murderers....
Respecting John C. Bennett; I was well acquainted with him.
At one time he was a good man, but fell into adultery, and was
cut off from the church for his iniquity; and so bad was his
conduct, that he was also expelled [from] the Municipal Court,
of which he was a member. He then went lecturing through the
country, and commenced writing pamphlets for the sake of making
money, charging so much for admittance to his lectures, and
selling his slanders. His remarks, however, were so bad, and
his statements so obscene and disgraceful, that respectable
people were disgusted. These infamous lies and obscene stories,
however, have been found very palatable to a certain class of
society, and in times of our persecutions multitudes were pleased
with them. Hence, not only did it suit the inclination of these
gentlemen above alluded to, but preying upon the cupidity of
the uninformed, they made a very lucrative business of their
disgusting traffic, and sold it to the world garnished with
the names of Doctor Bennett, the Rev. Mr. Turner, the Rev. Mr.
Caswell, and numbers of other reverends, associates of blacklegs
and murderers. ... I say now, as I said before, that reports
have nothing to do with truth; and I will say, moreover, that
public opinion has very little to do with it. (ibid., 5, 6)
Taylor recorded that his opponent Mr. Robertson then said:
He and his friends had quoted against the testimony of General
Bennett and Professor Caswell, and of works published in America,
in 1848. These works had testified that Joseph Smith kept up
a seraglio of "Sisters of the White Veil," and "Sisters
of the Green Veil;" and that Sidney Rigdon, who had at one
time been almost as great a man among the Mormonites as Joe
Smith, had quarrelled with Joe for the Batter's attempt to introduce
his, Rigdon's daughter, into the sisterhood.... Now he (Mr.
Robertson) demanded distinctly of Mr. Taylor what was the nature
of the sisterhood of the White and Green Veil—what was
the nature of the dispute between Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith,
(ibid., 7)
Apostle Taylor countered with:
It would seem from the remarks of Mr. Robertson, that he also
attaches very great importance to the statements of Mr. Caswell
and John C. Bennett, of course, for want of better testimony.
I have already referred to their characters, I have already
stated that I proved Mr. Caswell to have told one lie, and
a man that will tell one falsehood to injure an innocent people,
will tell five hundred, if necessary, for the same object....
We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the most indelicate,
obscene, and disgusting, such that none but a corrupt and depraved
heart could have contrived. These things are too outrageous
to admit of belief; therefore leaving the sisters of the "White
Veil," the "Black Veil," and all the other veils,
with those gentlemen to dispose of, together with their authors,
as they think best, I shall content myself by reading our views
of chastity and marriage, from a work published by us, containing
some of the articles of our Faith. "Doctrine and Covenants,"
page 330. (ibid., 7, 8; italics added)
Taylor Quoted the Article on "Marriage"
While Denying Polygamy
It is important for the reader to be aware that Taylor was telling
a falsehood—he was lying by insisting that there had been
no polygamy at Nauvoo. He too would have "told five hundred
lies" for "the same object." Taylor, in order to
convince his opponents that he was telling the truth, read from
the article on "Marriage" which Joseph had caused to
be placed in the Doctrine and Covenants at the General Assembly
of the Church in 1835. Taylor read the following from the law
of the Church:
1. |
According to the custom
of all civilised nations, marriage is regulated by laws and
ceremonies; therefore we believe that all marriages in this
Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, should be solemnized
in a public meeting, or feast, prepared for that purpose;
and that the solemnization should be performed by a presiding
High Priest, High Priest, Bishop, Elder, or Priest, not even
prohibiting those persons who are desirous to get married,
of being married by other authority. We believe that it is
not right to prohibit members of this church from marrying
out of the church, if it be their determination so to do,
but such persons will be considered weak in the faith of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. |
2. |
Marriage should be celebrated with
prayer and thanksgiving; and at the solemnization, the persons
to be married, standing together, the man on the right, and
the woman on the left, shall be addressed by the person officiating,
as he shall be directed by the Holy Spirit; and if there be
no legal objections, he shall say, calling each by their names,
"You both mutually agree to be each other's companion,
husband and wife, observing the legal rights belonging to
this condition; that is, keeping yourselves wholly for each
other, and from all others during your lives." And when
they shall have answered "Yes," he shall pronounce
them husband and wife, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
'May God add his blessing, and keep you to fulfil your covenants
from henceforth, and for ever. Amen.' |
3. |
The clerk of every Church should keep
a record of the marriages solemnized in his branch. |
4. |
All legal contracts of marriage made
before a person is baptized into this Church should be held
sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this
Church of Jesus Christ has been reproached with the crime
of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that
one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband,
except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry
again. (italics added) |
Then the polygamist Taylor continued to defend the Church against
his accuser by replying:
Is it difficult for such men to write books, such as we have
heard, to cover their infamy and deeds of darkness? Who but
depraved men could write such books? These statements are too
flimsy for intelligence to be blended with. We hear Joseph Smith's
crimes, he was tried thirty-nine times before the tribunals
of his country, and nothing proven against him. Why do not these
gentlemen bring some legal authenticated testimony from those
courts? Why did not the authors of these books do this? because
they could not. When Joseph Smith was among his enemies, on
the ground where they have proven these things, why did they
not do it? I ask these gentlemen for some legal proof. It will
go further with me than the statements, opinions and reports
of their Rev. authors, and might shew from whence springs that
bitter, acrimonious spirit, which has been manifested by my
opponents? (ibid., 8, 10)
Mr. Robertson continued to press Taylor for an answer to his
important questions by asking:
Why did Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith differ? Was it not
about Sidney Rigdon's daughter? (ibid., 17)
Taylor quickly replied:
I know nothing of Mr. Smith but what is good; he [Mr. Robertson|
ought to prove his assertions, or not make them.... I stated
concerning Gen. Bennett, that at one time he was a good man;
but that he fell into iniquity, and was cut off from the church
for adultery, and then commenced his persecutions. If I had
my books here [the Times and Seasons]
I could have shown an affidavit made before the city council,
about the time he was cut off, stating that he knew nothing
evil or bad of Joseph Smith. An affidavit that I heard him make
myself.... Concerning Joseph Smith, as there has been a good
deal said about him, I am now going to introduce testimony about
his character, that no one will be able to gainsay. It is not
the report of this man, that, or the other, but positive living
testimony; such as would be received by any court, and it is
all I shall say on that subject. In the first place, I give
my own, as I did before. I testify that I was acquainted with
Joseph Smith for years. I have travelled with him; I have been
with him in private and in public. I have associated with him
in councils of all kinds; I have listened hundreds of times
to his public teachings, and his advice to his friends and associates
of a more private nature. I have been at his house and seen
his deportment in his family. I have seen him arraigned before
the tribunals of his country, and seen him honourable acquitted,
and delivered from the pernicious breath of slander, and the
machinations and falsehoods of wicked and corrupt men. I was
with him living, and with him when he died, when he was murdered
in Carthage gaol by a ruthless mob, headed by a Methodist minister,
named Williams, with their faces painted. I was there and was
myself wounded. I at that time received four balls in my body.
I have seen him, then, under these various circumstances, and
I testify before God, angels, and men, that he was a good, honourable,
virtuous man—that his doctrines were good, scriptural,
and wholesome—that his precepts were such as became a
man of God—that his private and public character was unimpeachable—and
that he lived and died as a man of God and a gentleman. This
is my testimony; if it is disputed, bring me a person authorized
to receive an affidavit, and I will make one to this effect.
I therefore testify of things which I know and of things which
I have seen, (ibid., 22, 23, 24)
Such was the testimony of John Taylor, the polygamous apostle
and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
with headquarters in Utah. His tract, Three
Nights' Public Discussion, was published in 1850 and was
sold throughout Great Britain and in France. It was republished
in Liverpool in 1851 in a book compiled by Orson Pratt under the
title of O. Pratt's Works. Thus, it
was widely distributed.
Apostle Edmund C. Briggs Questioned John Taylor
 |
Apostle Edmund Briggs, who questioned Apostle
Taylor about his denying polygamy during the debate in France. |
In 1864, RLDS Apostle Edmund C. Briggs, while on a missionary
assignment to Utah, questioned Apostle Taylor about the statements
the latter made during the debate in France. Edmund's brother,
Apostle Jason W. Briggs, published:
Mr.
John Taylor, in 1850, in a public discussion in France, on being
accused of polygamous proclivities, said:
"We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the most
indelicate, obscene and disgusting, such than none but a corrupt
and depraved heart could have conceived."
And to refute this charge, he read from the Doctrine and Covenants
the article on marriage, in which the husband and wife covenant
to keep themselves for each other
and from all others during their lives.
And in 1864, when asked by E. C. Briggs how he reconciled his
statement then with the alleged fact of the polygamy revelation
of 1843, he took the same ground,—made a "prudential
statement;" for if he had owned himself a polygamist, which
he was at the time, he would have been driven out of France, and
so cut off his usefulness in that country. "What! Mr. Taylor
tell a lie," said E. C. Briggs. "Yes," said the
former, "under the circumstances it was justifiable, the
cir-cum-stan-ces [sic] were peculiar.
(Jason W. Briggs, The Messenger 2
[Salt Lake City, Utah, April 1876]: 22)
Conclusion
While in Nauvoo, even before the death of the Prophet Joseph,
Apostle John Taylor followed the example of Brigham Young and
practiced polygamy secretly, while vehemently denying it openly.
Taylor's statement that "a man that will tell one falsehood
to injure an innocent people, will tell five hundred, if necessary,
for the same object," should be applied to himself—for
during the years of 1843 to 1850, he denied polygamy while practicing
it secretly. He and others injured an innocent people, the Saints
and the Prophet Joseph—for as has been proven so often in
previous chapters, Joseph had only one wife and no children by
polygamous unions. He always spoke and wrote in opposition to
polygamy. As will be shown in future chapters, Joseph did not
receive the document on polygamy which is now Section 132 of the
Utah Doctrine and Covenants.
[ Joseph
Smith Fought Polygamy Index ]

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