Polygamy...Still Doctrine?

By Eric Hoffman

Today the largest sect of Mormonism lead by prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, has garmented themselves with Christian terminology and abandoned several early teachings in order to better mainstream themselves for the viewing pleasure of our world today. Polygamy is one of these abandoned doctrines that the LDS church has strived very hard to distance themselves from. But is this teaching really not a part of their important doctrine today?
The Doctrine and Covenants is one the four canonized scriptures that LDS adhere to today. In the prelude to Doctrine and Covenants the following is written:

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also plurality of wives. HC 5: 501–507. Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.
Exaltation is gained through the new and everlasting covenant; The terms and conditions of that covenant are set forth; Celestial marriage and a continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods; The strait and narrow way that leads to eternal lives; Law given relative to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; Promises of eternal increase and exaltation made to prophets and saints in all ages; Joseph Smith is given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven; The Lord seals upon him his exaltation; Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful and true; Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.”

We can see here that Smith was allegedly instructed by God that polygamy was to be practiced in order for the highest reward of heaven to be obtained. The first verse of section 132 goes on to state:

“VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines.
Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter. Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same. For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.

We want to add emphasis to the fact that the Lord God supposedly instructed Smith that the concept of plural marriage would entail these two aspects:
A) Everlasting
B) Anyone who rejected this covenant would be damned.

Joseph Smith did indeed embrace this covenant with great passion with the boldness of taking on over thirty wives. While in the process of receiving this revelation, great opposition came from Smith’s first wife, Emma Smith.
Emma was not pleased to hear of such a commandment. She had extreme skepticism towards Smith’s "new and everlasting covenant." She stubbornly opposed Joseph at every turn in his attempt to practice and teach plurality of wives. But Smith was again to receive revelation that would instruct Emma to accept this doctrine. The following is shown in doctrine and Covenants 132:54:

"And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and cleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law."

There is no wonder as to why Emma was in opposition to Smith's new revelation considering the fact that Smith's relations were not just spiritual, but physical. Smith's was also marrying women as young as fourteen years of age, while he well into his mid thirty's.

After Smith's death in 1844, the doctrine of polygamy was later continued and taught by LDS leaders. 2nd LDs president, Brigham Young had well over fifty wives. He, like Smith was theologically rooted in the idea of polygamy. President Young stated:

"Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned." -Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 266

Also,

"The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy." -Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269

It was clear that Brigham believed the doctrine of polygamy was not to be taken lightly.
Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt stated:

"The Lord has said, that those who reject this principle [polygamy] reject their salvation, they shall be damned, saith the Lord . . . they will finally go down to hell and be damned if they do not repent." - Journal of Discourses, vol. 17, pp. 224-225

Mormon apostle, George Teasdale stated:

"I bear my solemn testimony that plural marriage is as true as any principle that has been revealed from the heavens. I bear my testimony that it is a necessity, and that the Church of Christ in its fullness never existed without it. Where you have the eternity of marriage you are bound to have plural marriage; bound to and it is one of the marks of the Church of Jesus Christ in its sealing ordinances." -Journal of Discourses, vol. 25, p. 21

So what happened to the doctrine of polygamy? If you are already a Mormon or are familiar with the Mormon church, you know that polygamy is no longer practiced inside the confines of Mormonism. Or is it? Many sects of Mormonism, primarily the FLDS (Fundamental Latter Day Saints) are still to this day holding to the doctrine of plural marriage. They consider the sect of Mormonism led by Gordon Hinckley to be a fallen church who buckled under the pressure of political power and worldly persuasion.
In 1890 LDS president, Wilford Woodruff supposedly received revelation that would put polygamy to an end. He called this the "Manifesto."
Coincidently the Mormon church was facing serious conflict from the United States government. Woodruff addressed this in his Manifesto where he stated:

"Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise."[1]

This does not sit well with many fundamental Mormons, which is why they split off from the lager sect of Mormonism.

John Taylor, successor of Brigham Young stated this concerning the doctrine of polygamy:

"God is greater than the United States, and when the Government conflicts with heaven, we will be ranged under the banner of heaven and against the Government.... Polygamy is a divine institution.... The United States cannot abolish it."

Why did the Mormon church see to it that polygamy be put to rest due to laws and pressure from the United States government? If polygamy is a eternal law that would not be subject to any earthly rules or law, and must be practiced in order to receive Celestial exaltation, then it seems that the doctrines was either never ordained by God in the first place. Or, that God is not very good at keeping his laws and can indeed be subject to the laws of men.
Let’s go back to Doctrine and Covenants section 132. This LDS doctrine is exactly how it is was written by Joseph Smith. So how do Mormons reconcile this scripture? Most Mormons don’t. And the Mormons that do will spin it off to mean a spiritual experience that will take place in the afterlife.
Mormon writer John J. Stewart explains in his book “Brigham Young and His Wives:”

” The Church has never, and certainly will never, renounce this doctrine. The revelation on plural marriage is still an integral part of LDS scripture, and always will be. If a woman, sealed to her husband for time and eternity, precedes her husband in death, it is his privilege to marry another also for time and eternity, providing that he is worthy of doing so. Consider, for instance, the case of President Joseph Fielding Smith of the Council of the Twelve, one of the greatest men upon the earth.... After the death of his first wife President Joseph Fielding Smith married another, and each of these good women are sealed to him for time and all eternity.” [2]

Questions a member of the church should be asked or ask themselves:

A) If polygamy is only practiced spiritually and is only fully carried out in the after life, doesn’t this drive a man to hope for more than just his first wife? If so, does this not qualify for adultery? Jesus said that if a man or woman were to look after another person with lust then they have committed adultery of the heart.[3]

B) If the laws of today changed in the sense to legalize plural marriage, and the leaders of church commanded the practice to be in affect again; would you enter into polygamy? If so how would this make the spouse feel?




Notes
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[1]Manifesto by Wilford Woodruff
[2]Brigham Young and His Wives, 1961, p.14
[3]Matthew 5:27-30