https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Awyatt&feedformat=atom MormonWiki - User contributions [en] 2024-03-28T17:07:47Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.29.1 https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Outer_Darkness&diff=10245 Outer Darkness 2007-02-26T15:44:13Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Plan of Salvation]][[Category:Scriptures and Scriptural Topics]]<br /> Outer Darkness is the place where the [[Sons of Perdition]] will go to after they are judged of God in the [[Plan of Salvation]]. The Sons of Perdition are those who cannot be redeemed, and will be the only ones who will suffer the second death. The first death is physical death, and everyone but the devil and his angels will overcome physical death through [[Resurrection]]. The second death is a spiritual one. Everyone but the Sons of Perdition and the devil and his devils, will overcome this death through the [[Atonement of Jesus Christ]]. The Sons of Perdition are the only ones who went to Earth who will not recieve forgiveness.<br /> <br /> Outer Darkness is where the Sons of Perdition will live eternally with the devil and is angels after judgement. They will not have access to the [[Holy Ghost]] or [[Heavenly Father]] or [[Jesus]]. In short, Outer Darkness is eternal torture. Another name for Outer Darkness is hell.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:Mormon_Temples&diff=10202 Talk:Mormon Temples 2007-02-15T18:50:43Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>I think we should rename this page to Temple or Temples.<br /> # This site is all about Mormons so it's a bit redundant.<br /> # As a Mormon, I consider our temples to be the same as temples of ancient--House of the Lord.<br /> --[[User:Tallred|Tallred]] 11:07, 11 August 2006 (MDT)<br /> <br /> Since the goal of the site isn't to be an LDS wikipedia, I believe the naming convention should stay. Most of those outside the Mormon community would refer to them as Mormon temples, even though they are definitely similar to ancient temples, such as those in the Old Testament. This will also help when performing searches.<br /> --[[User:Bakera|Bakera]] 22:44, 12 August 2006 (MDT)<br /> <br /> I understand your point of view, however, I believe there should be a distinction. The ceremonies of ancient and modern temples are different. For example, the modern ceremony certainly does not include animal sacrifices that were common in the days of Jesus and Solomon.<br /> --[[User:reds0xfan|reds0xfan]] 12:44, 14 August 2006 (MDT)<br /> <br /> This page needs a lot of reworking. Because of the importance we feel for temples, and the curiousity others have, this should really be one of our best pages. At present it is rather mediocre. I've done some work on it and hope to later add a section for Temples: Ancient and Modern. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.<br /> --[[User:Amaranth|Amaranth]] 15:02, 14 August 2006 (MDT)</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mormon_history&diff=10201 Mormon history 2007-02-15T18:49:09Z <p>Awyatt: /* Missouri Period */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Mormon History]]<br /> The Church of Christ (the original name for the Mormon Church) was organized with six founding members in Fayette, New York on [[April 6]], [[1830]]. (The full name, [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], was given by revelation in [[1838]].) The earliest members were almost all the family and friends of the prophet Joseph Smith. Persecution in New York, coupled with strong growth in Kirtland, Ohio, caused the Church to move to that town. Subsequently the Church moved again, first to Western Missouri, then to Illinois, and ultimately across the great plains to the Rocky Mountains. All attempts to wipe out or dislodge the Saints from that region failed, and with the ending of official persecution at the close of the nineteenth century, the Church entered upon a sustained period of growth and prosperity, which continues to this day. In its nearly two hundred year history, Mormonism has spread from its headquarters in the American Midwest and finally Utah, to become an international church with most of its members living outside the United States. The history of so broad a movement cannot be adequately condensed, but in the pages that follow is an outline of Mormon History from 1820 to contemporary times. Links go to pages that give a fuller treatment of the time period.<br /> <br /> ==[[New York Period]]==<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Smith]] has his [[First Vision|first vision]] where he sees God the Father and [[Jesus Christ]]. The [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/bom/people/moroni_2_angel_eom.htm Angel Moroni] appears to him and gives him the golden plates. He translates the [[Book of Mormon]], publishes it, receives the authority of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, and founds [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. [[Mormon missionaries|Missionaries]] go out and convert many. Persecution follows the Church.<br /> <br /> ==[[Ohio Period]]==<br /> <br /> Mormons move to Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith receives many revelations. Many Mormons move to Missouri, where they hope to build [[Zion]]. In Ohio, Mormons build their first [[Mormon temple|temple]]. Joseph translates the [[Book of Abraham]]. The [[Doctrine and Covenants]] is published. Missionaries begin going to Canada and England. The [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] is established. [[Zion's Camp]] is launched to help the persecuted Mormons in Missouri. Finally, the Church moves to Missouri in 1838.<br /> <br /> ==[[Missouri Period]]==<br /> <br /> Mormons first settle Jackson County, Missouri, in [[1831]]. By [[1833]], they are expelled by mobs after many are tarred and featherd, chased, and attacked. They settle in Clay County temporarily and finally move to Caldwell and Daviess counties in [[1836]]. Tensions mount as mobs harrass Mormon settlements. Some Mormons fight back. One group of Mormons organizes the [[Danite|Danites]][http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_Missouri.shtml], who fight back. The Missouri war escalates as Joseph Smith and the Ohio Mormons move to Missouri. Joseph Smith is arrested and thrown in jail for several months without trial. The [[Extermination Order]] expels all the Mormons from Ohio. Dozens of Mormons are massacred at [[Haun's Mill]], others are burned out of their homes. The Mormons flee to Illinois under the leadership of [[Brigham Young]].<br /> <br /> ==[[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom]]==<br /> <br /> The Mormons establish a new city at Nauvoo, Illinois. In a few years it rivals Chicago for size. [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/missionary/ Mormon missionaries] begin proselyting through Europe and have much success in England and Scandanavia. Mormons begin the Nauvoo Temple. Persecution continues both from Missouri and Illinois. Joseph Smith must frequently hide from enemies. Many important revelations come which teach about [[polygamy]], [[Baptism for the Dead| baptism for the dead]], [[Celestial marriage]], and the [[Plan of Salvation|plan of salvation]]. In June [[1844]], Joseph Smith and his brother are murdered. The [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] leads the Church. They finish the temple in 1846, but are driven out that same year.<br /> <br /> ==[[Westward Migration]]==<br /> <br /> After expulsion from Illinois, the Mormons scatter throughout Iowa. Finally, they establish the [[Mormon Trail]] to Utah. The [[Mormon Battalion]] participates in the U.S.-Mexican War and explores California. [[Mormon Pioneers]] cross the Great Plains and establish cities in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and Idaho. Ultimately they push on into northern Mexico and southern Canada. For ten years the Mormon Church has peace in the Rocky Mountains.<br /> <br /> ==The [[Utah War]]==<br /> <br /> Political pressure and lies from former Utah officials cause U.S. President James Buchanan to send Johnston's Army to Utah to quell a nonexistent rebellion. Brigham Young, who was governor, is dismissed from office, but is not notified about it. Afraid to be driven again, the Mormons harass the invading army by burning grass and scattering horses. Finally, the army realizes that no rebellion is occurring and they conclude a peace. Unfortunately, fears caused by the invasion drove some Mormons to massacre settlers bound for California at a place called [[Mountain Meadows massacre|Mountain Meadows]].<br /> <br /> ==[[Post-Civil War Persecution]]==<br /> <br /> The Mormons are generally left alone during the U.S. Civil War and continue missionary work throughout the world, going into Mexico and South America and parts of Asia and Europe. After the Civil War, the U.S. Congress passes several laws that outlaw [[polygamy]]. They ultimately jail thousands of Mormons. Others are forbidden to vote, hold office, or own property. Loyalty oaths are instituted to keep Mormons out of jobs. Many Mormons flee to Mexico and Canada. Church leaders go into hiding. Finally, after receiving revelation from the Lord, the Church stops polygamy and excommunicates those who continue to practice it, the rest are pardoned by U.S. President Grover Cleveland. The Church begins to grow once more and thousands of European Mormons come to Utah.<br /> <br /> ==[[Stability and Growth]]==<br /> <br /> The next few decades are relatively peaceful. The [[Mormon Church]] is able to regain its property, though it would be some time before they pay off all the debts brought on by persecution. Mormons still must fight to hold government offices. Reed Smoot, a Mormon Apostle, must fight for two years to take his seat in the U.S. Senate after being elected. President Joseph F. Smith receives an important revelation about [[salvation for the dead]]. The Church celebrates its centennial and begins buying historic sites. The Church Welfare program is developed during the Great Depression to help members affected by the depression. At this point, most Mormons begin staying in their own countires, rather than moving to Utah. Missionary work continues in South American and the Pacific islands where thousands join the Church. Temples are built in Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Hawaii. During World War II, Mormons find themselves on both sides of the conflict and many Mormons are trapped behind the Iron Curtain after the war.<br /> <br /> ==[[International Growth]]==<br /> <br /> Following World War II, the Mormon Church begins to grow exponentially. More temples are built throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South America, and the Pacific Islands. One temple is even built in East Germany while under Soviet control. President [[David O. McKay]] becomes the most widely travelled [[Mormon president]] to date. The Mormon Church expands its welfare and humanitarian programs and renders valuable aid in the reconstruction of Europe and Japan. Missionary training centers are established to help missionaries learn the many languages of the Church. David O. McKay encourages all members to be missionaries and one of his successors, Spencer W. Kimball, receives a revelation that all male members should serve as missionaries. Soon, the missionary force of the Church climbs to over 50,000. All this growth leads to the correlation program which streamlines Church government and Church programs to eliminate waste and duplication. Growth of the Church in Brazil and Africa causes [[Mormon prophet]] [[Spencer W. Kimball]] to pray about the ban on blacks from the [[Priesthood|priesthood.]] In [[1978]], he recieves a revelation from God that all worthy male members may receive the priesthood. Soon the Mormon Church grows exponentially in Brazil and Africa. In the 1980s the Church concentrates on translating the [[Book of Mormon]] into dozens of world languages and Mormons answer the call to &quot;flood the earth&quot; with it.<br /> <br /> ==[[Contemporary Developments]]==<br /> <br /> Since the early [[1990s]], the Mormon Church has surpassed 12,000,000 members worldwide. Much of this growth has occurred in South America and Africa as well as in the countries of the former Soviet Union, especially Russia. By the late 1990s, more Mormons live outside the United States than within. This growth requires hundreds of new churches a year. In [[1995]], [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] becomes president. He surpasses David O. McKay as most widely travelled [[Mormon president]]. He issues the [[Proclamation to the World]] concerning the breakdown of the family, and [[the Living Christ]], about the mission of [[Jesus Christ]]. He receives a revelation calling for more temples to be built and by the year [[2000]], more than 100 temples are in operation worldwide, including places such as China, Japan, more in the Philippines, three in Africa, and dozens in North and South America and Europe. For many Mormons, the rebuilding of the Nauvoo temple, destroyed by arsonists in 1846, marks a crowning point in their lives. Mormons also celebrated the sesquicentennial of the Mormon Pioneers' journey to Utah and in [[2005]], they celebrated the bicentennial of Joseph Smith's birth.<br /> <br /> {{MormonHistoryBox}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=1838&diff=10200 1838 2007-02-15T18:46:19Z <p>Awyatt: /* June */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Decade1830}}<br /> ==January==<br /> <br /> ==February==<br /> <br /> ==March==<br /> * [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 113 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> * March 14 - Church headquarters established at [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==April==<br /> * April 17 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 114 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> * April 26 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 115 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==May==<br /> * May 19 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 116 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==June==<br /> * June 17 - [[Salt Sermon]] delivered by [[Sidney Rigdon]] in Caldwell County, Missouri.<br /> <br /> ==July==<br /> * July 8 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 117, 118, 119, and 120 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==August==<br /> <br /> ==September==<br /> <br /> ==October==<br /> * October 27 - Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]] issues the [[Extermination Order]].<br /> * October 30 - A mob kills 17 and severely wounds 12 at the [[Haun's Mill|Haun's Mill massacre]].<br /> <br /> ==November==<br /> <br /> ==December==<br /> * December 1 - [[Joseph Smith]] and several others imprisoned at [[Liberty Jail]].<br /> <br /> ==Unknown Dates==<br /> <br /> ==Births==<br /> <br /> ==Deaths==</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=1838&diff=10199 1838 2007-02-15T18:46:10Z <p>Awyatt: /* June */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Decade1830}}<br /> ==January==<br /> <br /> ==February==<br /> <br /> ==March==<br /> * [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 113 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> * March 14 - Church headquarters established at [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==April==<br /> * April 17 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 114 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> * April 26 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 115 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==May==<br /> * May 19 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 116 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==June==<br /> * June 17 - [[Salt Sermon]] delivered by [[Sidney Rigdon]] in Caldwell County, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==July==<br /> * July 8 - [[Doctrine and Covenants|D&amp;C]] 117, 118, 119, and 120 recorded by [[Joseph Smith]] in [[Far West, Missouri]].<br /> <br /> ==August==<br /> <br /> ==September==<br /> <br /> ==October==<br /> * October 27 - Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]] issues the [[Extermination Order]].<br /> * October 30 - A mob kills 17 and severely wounds 12 at the [[Haun's Mill|Haun's Mill massacre]].<br /> <br /> ==November==<br /> <br /> ==December==<br /> * December 1 - [[Joseph Smith]] and several others imprisoned at [[Liberty Jail]].<br /> <br /> ==Unknown Dates==<br /> <br /> ==Births==<br /> <br /> ==Deaths==</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Salt_Sermon&diff=10198 Salt Sermon 2007-02-15T18:45:27Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The '''Salt Sermon''' was an oration delivered on June 17, [[1838]], by [[Sidney Rigdon]] in Caldwell County, Missouri. The sermon was a stern condemnation of Mormon dissenters, including [[Oliver Cowdery]], [[David Whitmer]], [[John Whitmer]], and [[William W. Phelps]]. At the time, Sidney Rigdon was first councilor in the [[First Presidency]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<br /> <br /> According to Rigdon, the dissenters were like the &quot;salt&quot; spoken of by [[Jesus]] in a portion of the Sermon on the Mount: &quot;If the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.&quot; Two days after Rigdon preached the Salt Sermon, eighty Latter-day Saints signed a statement (the so-called [[Danite|Danite Manifesto]]) warning the dissenters to &quot;depart, or a more fatal calamity shall befall you.&quot; The dissenters and their families interpreted these words as threats, and they quickly left Missouri.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wilderness_of_Akish&diff=10197 Wilderness of Akish 2007-02-15T18:37:18Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>An area mentioned in Ether 14, in which some of the most fierce final battles among the [[Jaredites]] took place. The wilderness of Akish seems to be a place into which armies were being chased by others, first mentioned in Ether 14:3 as the place where the Gilead, the brother of Shared, and his forces were forced by the armies of [[Coriantumr]]. The resulting battle was one in which &quot;many thousands fell by the sword&quot; (Ether 14:4).<br /> <br /> After Gilead made a nighttime exodus from the wilderness, in which he defeated part of Coriantumr's forces and assumed Coriantumr's throne, the armies of Coriantumr remained in the wilderness for two years of regrouping and replenishment. <br /> <br /> During that time a usurper named Lib had Gilead killed and assumed the throne. During the first year of Lib's reign, Coriantumr came out of the wilderness of Akish, attacked Lib's forces, fought battles against them in several places, and again returned to the wilderess of Akish (Ether 14:11-14). The battles in and around the wilderness of Akish were some of the final ones recounted in the book of Ether, and for the Jaredite nations.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Plural_Marriage&diff=10196 Plural Marriage 2007-02-15T18:25:46Z <p>Awyatt: /* Polygamy since the Manifesto */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Marriage and Families]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]<br /> == Introduction ==<br /> <br /> Polygamy, usually called [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html plural marriage], plurality of wives, or the Principle, by [[Latter-day Saints|Mormons]], is the most controversial practice of the [[Mormon Church]], properly called [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], even though Mormons have not practiced it since 1890. The term ''polygamy'' is actually a widely used misnomer, as Church members actually practiced ''polygyny,'' a type of marital relationship where one man marries multiple women. This practice led to severe persecution and repression of Mormons by the United States Government in the latter half of the nineteenth century and its abandonment became a condition for Utah statehood. Many misunderstandings, misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies have attended discussions of polygamy among the Mormons and are still fostered among anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons who attempt to attack the Church and its teachings. This article will address the history of polygamy among Mormons and the official teachings of the Mormon Church about polygamy.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy and the Book of Mormon===<br /> <br /> Though [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/forbid.htm anti-Mormons and critics of the Mormon Church] claim the [[Book of Mormon]] condemns polygamy, and hence contradicts later Mormon teachings, the Book of Mormon is in fact the earliest revelation by Joseph Smith that hints at God commanding polygamy. In the Book of Jacob, the third book of the Book of Mormon, an ancient American prophet teaches:<br /> <br /> :Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2:27-29) <br /> <br /> Critics cite this as contradicting Joseph Smith's and [[Brigham Young]]'s later teachings commanding polygamy, but they fail to quote the next verse:<br /> <br /> :For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (Jacob 2:30)<br /> <br /> Hence, the Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes God commands His people to practice polygamy, and sometimes He forbids it, but when He does command it, the purpose is to raise righteous children unto the Lord. This corresponds precisely to what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught:<br /> <br /> *: [...] I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, &lt;b&gt;unless the Lord directs otherwise&lt;/b&gt;. (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,'' page 324.)<br /> <br /> *:God never introduced the Patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for anything which they had done; but &lt;b&gt;He introduced it for the express purpose of raising up to His name a royal Priesthood&lt;/b&gt;, a peculiar people. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:264)<br /> <br /> *:This revelation, which God gave to Joseph, was &lt;b&gt;for the express purpose of providing a channel for the organization of tabernacles [i.e. bodies]&lt;/b&gt;, for those spirits to occupy who have been reserved to come forth in the kingdom of God, and that they might not be obliged to take tabernacles out of the kingdom of God. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:265)<br /> <br /> Critics of the Mormon Church who try to distort what the Book of Mormon says and what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said are either purposely lying and covering up the truth, or are ignorant about the subject.<br /> <br /> ===Joseph Smith and Polygamy===<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the [[Ohio Period|Mormon history]] article covering this time period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> Though never practiced openly or taught publicly during Joseph Smith's lifetime, it is nevertheless certain that he was the one who introduced polygamy into Mormon teachings. Rumors about it circulated in the 1830s and 1840s until Brigham Young had it announced publicly for the first time in [[1852]]. Joseph’s first inkling about it likely came as early as 1831, one year after the founding of the Church, as Joseph Smith was working on a translation of the Bible. According to [http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 the revelation] given to Joseph Smith, but not written down until July 12, [[1843]], Joseph Smith approached the Lord and asked Him why he permitted ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have multiple wives. The revelation states that only God can command men to practice polygamy and that he appoints a prophet to be in charge of it when he does. <br /> <br /> Joseph Smith was hesitant to teach this new principle and did not even share it with his closest associates for many years. According to later statements by [[Lorenzo Snow]], and [[Brigham Young]] Joseph was himself repelled by the idea and not until an angel of Lord appeared to him and ordered him to practice it and teach it did he begin. This apparently took place sometime after [[1839]] when the Mormons had been driven to [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo, Illinois]]. When Brigham Young learned about it he said:<br /> <br /> : Some of these my brethren know what my feelings were at the time Joseph revealed the doctrine; I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty, nor of failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral, I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin, knowing the toil and labor that my body would have to undergo; and I have had to examine myself, from that day to this, and watch my faith, and carefully meditate, lest I should be found desiring the grave more than I ought to do (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:266).<br /> <br /> It is not clear exactly how many women Joseph Smith married, but it is apparent that Joseph Smith did not ever live with any of these other wives. Mormon teachings on [[Celestial marriage|marriage]], which Joseph Smith had begun teaching in Nauvoo, taught that men and women could be married for all eternity, not just in this life. Marriage was for &quot;time and all eternity.&quot; &lt;i&gt;Time&lt;/i&gt; referred to this mortal life while &lt;i&gt;eternity&lt;/i&gt; referred to the next life. Hence, according to Joseph Smith marriages could be just for this life, for this life and the next, or just for the next life. <br /> <br /> This last category has caused much confusion and led to many attacks on the characters of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For persons whose spouses were not Mormons and thus could not be married for “time and all eternity” to that spouse, early Mormon practice allowed the person to be &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt;, a Mormon word referring to temple marriage for all eternity, to one person, but married for time to another. Thus, the person would continue to live with one spouse in this life, but have the blessings of eternal marriage, called celestial marriage, with another. Many of Joseph Smith’s and Brigham Young’s wives were of this sort. They never lived with the person or had sexual relations with them. Also confusing, was a later practice where women whose husbands could not enter a [[Mormon temple]] because of unworthiness, or else were not a Mormon, were &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt; to a deceased man like Brigham Young. Thus while Brigham Young only cohabited with about sixteen women, he was sealed to dozens more.<br /> <br /> Another aspect of Mormon polygamy that often gets attacked is reputed marriages to teenage girls. Today in the United States the average age for a first marriage is between 25 and 27 years old, but in the nineteenth century teenage marriages were not that unusual and in many cases the marriage was contracted, but the girl remained with her family until she reached adulthood.<br /> <br /> In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching polygamy to his closest and most trusted associates. Nearly 100 people were taught about it before [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith’s martyrdom]]. A few began this practice before the exodus of [[1846]], but it remained in hiatus until the Mormons were established in Utah.<br /> <br /> During the [[Nauvoo]] period, Joseph and the others [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/against_plural.htm walked a fine line]. As quoted above, Joseph Smith taught publicly that everyone should only have one wife unless God commanded otherwise, however they were wary of misunderstandings and persecution from the surrounding communities and so the practice continued in secret for a time. <br /> <br /> Some close associates took advantage of this situation. John C. Bennett, a friend of Joseph Smith and mayor of Nauvoo, perverted these teachings to gratify his own lust. He told single and married women that Joseph was teaching &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; as he called it, which he claimed gave them permission to sleep with whomever they desired. Bennett was eventually caught. He confessed that Joseph Smith had never taught &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; which amounted to adultery, and was soon excommunicated. He left Nauvoo and began publishing scathing attacks on Joseph Smith. Another close associate, William Law, pleaded with Joseph Smith to renounce polygamy. When he would not, Law and a few other disaffected Mormons published the &lt;i&gt;[[Nauvoo Expositor]]&lt;/i&gt; which claimed Joseph Smith was teaching adultery and fornication and called for him to be hung. The Nauvoo City Council decided this was a public nuisance and so destroyed the press. Riots followed and Joseph Smith was arrested, imprisoned in [[Carthage Jail]], and there murdered on June 27, [[1844]].<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy in Utah==<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the articles on [[Mormon history]] covering this period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Publicly Announced===<br /> The Mormons were driven out of Illinois in [[1846]]. Once established in Utah, [[Brigham Young]] directed Orson Pratt of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] to announce the practice publicly. He did so on [http://journalofdiscourses.org/Vol_01/refJDvol1-11.html August 29, 1852]. In this speech and others that followed, he set forth the Church’s explanation and defense of polygamy. He claimed first that God had commanded it. Secondly, the reason God commanded it was so that Mormons could raise righteous children. Lastly he noted that God only permitted His prophets to direct who will practice polygamy. As evidence he cited the story of the Prophet Nathan and King David, where Nathan tells he gave David his wives from a commandment of God (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_sam/12 2 Samuel 12:1-9]). <br /> <br /> The practice continued in Utah until [[1890]], when a revelation came from the Lord forbidding further polygamous marriages. At first, being isolated in Utah, the Mormon Church practiced it openly and without harassment. In the 1850s the newly formed Republican Party made part of its platform the abolishment of the ‘twin relics of barbarism’: slavery and polygamy. Distracted by the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, little happened at first, though the issue of polygamy was part of the justification for the [[Utah War]]. President Buchanan sent 5,000 troops to crush a non-existent rebellion in the territory in [[1857]]. <br /> <br /> ===Anti-Polygamy Legislation and Raids===<br /> Beginning in [[1862]], the U.S. Congress passed a series of increasingly stringent laws outlawing polygamy. The first, Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, passed on July 1, [[1862]], outlawed polygamy. This was difficult to prove as records were scanty and while some Mormon leaders including Brigham Young were arrested, they were generally released. George Reynolds, Young’s secretary and a British immigrant, was arrested and tried. He appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that polygamy was protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free exercise of religion. In ruling on &lt;i&gt;Reynolds v. United States&lt;/i&gt;, the Court said that this clause protected beliefs only and that Congress could pass laws preventing practices “which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order” (98 U.S. 164). Reynolds was sentenced to five years jail time.<br /> <br /> Despite this legal victory, polygamy remained difficult to prove and in [[1882]], the Congress passed the Edmunds Act which outlawed mere cohabitation. This led to what Mormons called “the raids” in the 1880s when thousands of Mormons were arrested and jailed. The Edmunds Act also forbade all persons living in polygamous families from holding public office, serving on juries, or voting. This disenfranchised many more Mormons. In [[1885]], Idaho required voters to swear an oath stating they opposed polygamy and any organization that condoned it, thus disenfranchising all Mormons.<br /> <br /> The national and even international debate surrounding polygamy produced many scathing diatribes against the Mormons, but also some unlikely defenders. John Stuart Mill, the famous British philosopher and co-founder of the Utilitarian movement, had this to say about Mormonism in his work, &lt;i&gt;On Liberty&lt;/i&gt;:<br /> <br /> :I cannot refrain from adding to these examples of the little account commonly made of human liberty, the language of downright persecution which breaks out from the press of this country, whenever it feels called on to notice the remarkable phenomenon of Mormonism... What here concerns us is, that this religion, like other and better religions, has its martyrs; that its prophet and founder was, for his teaching, put to death by a mob; that others of its adherents lost their lives by the same lawless violence; that they were forcibly expelled, in a body, from the country in which they first grew up; while, now that they have been chased into a solitary recess in the midst of a desert, many in this country openly declare that it would be right (only that it is not convenient) to send an expedition against them, and compel them by force to conform to the opinions of other people. The article of the Mormonite doctrine which is the chief provocative to the antipathy which thus breaks through the ordinary restraints of religious tolerance, is its sanction of polygamy; which, though permitted to Mahomedans, and Hindoos, and Chinese, seems to excite unquenchable animosity when practised by persons who speak English, and profess to be a kind of Christians. ... Still, it must be remembered that this relation is as much voluntary on the part of the women concerned in it, and who may be deemed the sufferers by it, as is the case with any other form of the marriage institution;<br /> <br /> He goes on several sentences later to discuss the forcible attempt to end polygamy:<br /> <br /> :A recent writer, in some respects of considerable merit, proposes (to use his own words,) not a crusade, but a civilizade, against this polygamous community, to put an end to what seems to him a retrograde step in civilization. It also appears so to me, but I am not aware that any community has a right to force another to be civilized. ... Let them send missionaries, if they please, to preach against it; and let them, by any fair means, (of which silencing the teachers is not one,) oppose the progress of similar doctrines among their own people.[http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html]<br /> <br /> Mill, while clearly opposed himself to polygamy, even to the extent that he found it barbaric, nevertheless felt that the persecutions of Mormons for this practice were actually more egregious. Many other leaders in the United States, including President Grover Cleveland, attempted to defend the Mormons. Most of these individuals personally opposed polygamy, but believed the Mormons had the right to practice as they chose. Sir Richard Burton, the famous explorer and orientalist, actually defended both the Mormons and their practice of polygamy in his book, &lt;i&gt;The City of the Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California&lt;/i&gt;. He said:<br /> <br /> :Those individuals who have the strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a plurality of wives under the light of reason and revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of divine origin; that it was embraced and practiced under the divine sanction by the most righteous men who ever lived on the earth: holy prophets and patriarchs, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost (p 382).<br /> <br /> Burton also defended the Mormons against their legal persecutors. He argued that the Constitution of the United States should protect this practice:<br /> <br /> :The Constitution and laws of the United States, being founded upon the principles of freedom, do not interfere with marriage relations, but leave the nation free to believe in and practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or to confine themselves to the one-wife system, just as the choose. This is as it should be (p 379).<br /> <br /> ===The True Nature of Polygamy in Utah===<br /> The raids and attacks of the 1880s make it appear that all Mormons were living in polygamy. Though records are not always clear, done deliberately to prevent government officers from easily finding polygamists, it is clear that only a minority ever practiced polygamy. Estimates are that at maximum 20 to 25 percent of the Church at any given time was practicing it; some estimates place it as low as 5 percent. Approximately one third of women in the 1880s lived in polygamous families. The 1,300 men arrested is certainly a small percentage of the nearly 150,000 Mormons at the time and that number approached 200,000 by [[1890]]. Some people, anti-Mormons and even some Mormons have tried to claim that Mormon prophets of the nineteenth century said that every man must practice polygamy to get into heaven, but this is a distortion of the truth. In [[1866]], [[John Taylor]], who succeeded Brigham Young as [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] said:<br /> <br /> : When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, &quot;that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.&quot; When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church, that it was told them &lt;b&gt;if they were not prepared to enter into it&lt;/b&gt;, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostasy, and I do to-day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom (John Taylor, ''Journal of Discourses'' 11:221).<br /> <br /> Here he clearly says that it is the principle that must be accepted, just as men are expected to accept every principle and revelation from God. He says men must be ‘prepared’ to enter into it and defend it, even though they may not be required to do so. If one considers that when he said that the majority of those listening were not practicing polygamy and were never asked to do so, it becomes clear that they understood this to mean that they must accept the principle as a revelation from God in order to enter heaven, since Jesus taught that man must live on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). <br /> <br /> For Mormons who practiced polygamy, it brought both blessings and trials to be overcome. Mormon women were generally in favor of polygamy feeling not only that it came from God, but also that is liberated them to do much more. Many Mormon women, with other wives to share the work, went to school and became very accomplished. Anti-Mormon leaders in Utah gave women the right to vote in 1870 hoping that these supposedly oppressed women would vote for anti-Mormon candidates, but the measure backfired. Mormon women under polygamy had much more freedom to pursue vocations and education. Three of Brigham Young’s wives studied medicine and helped found a hospital. <br /> <br /> There were also challenges and petty jealousies and fights did occur. Most complaints by polygamous wives were that their husband spent too much time with one wife or the other. Brigham Young, who discouraged divorce, allowed polygamous wives to divorce their husbands if they were being neglected or abused, but he refused to condone men divorcing one of their wives if they felt it a burden. He merely told them to work harder. Just like other families, polygamous families had problems to work out, but there is no evidence that polygamous marriages adversely affected children. In fact, many children of polygamous families succeeded very well in life. Rumors that polygamous marriages produced deformed children are also untrue. In nineteenth century Utah, there was such a large influx of new immigrants and converts that there was no need for marriages among close relatives and such marriages were likely rare, or at least no more common than in any other rural area.<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Fielding Smith]], who was a Mormon Apostle and later [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] grew up in a polygamous family. Of this situation he said: &quot;[My father [[Joseph F. Smith]]] had five wives and 43 children. No father ever at any age of the world, we feel confident in saying, had a greater love for wife or wives and children, and was more earnestly concerned for their welfare than was [my father]&quot; (Joseph Fielding Smith, ''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449). He says further of the wives and children in this family:<br /> <br /> :[T]here was and is no monogamist family which could be more united. To the astonishment of the unbelieving world, the wives loved each other dearly. In times of sickness they tenderly waited upon and nursed each other. When death invaded one of the homes and a child was taken, all wept and mourned together with sincere grief which was wonderful to see. Two of the wives were skilled and licensed practitioners in obstetrics, and brought many babies into the world. They waited upon each other and upon the other wives, and when babies came all rejoiced equally with the mother. <br /> <br /> :The children recognized each other as brothers and sisters, full-fledged, not as half, as they would be considered in the world. They defended each and stood by each other no matter which branch of the family was theirs (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> Smith concludes that the reasons the outside world viewed polygamy with such horror and disgust was that they &quot;judged the 'Mormon' people by their own corrupt standards that they failed to understand the true condition which prevailed in 'Mormon' homes&quot; (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Discontinued===<br /> In [[1887]], the Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act which disincorporated the Church and seized virtually all of its property, except the temples and some church buildings. The Church appealed this ruling, again citing the freedom of religion, but in [[1890]] in &lt;i&gt;The Late Corporation of the Mormon Church v. United States&lt;/i&gt; the Supreme Court again upheld the ban on polygamy. <br /> <br /> Facing the utter destruction of the Church, [[Wilford Woodruff]], the forth president of the Church met and prayed with the other apostles. After much prayer, President Woodruff saw a vision of what would happen if the Church continued to practice polygamy. He saw the destruction of the Church, the scattering of the Mormons, and the cessation of all their work. The Lord had previously shown that sometimes he commands men to practice polygamy and sometimes he forbids it, depending upon the circumstance. Wilford Woodruff then realized that the time had come to stop practicing polygamy. He issued what has become known as the [[Manifesto]]. It said that the Mormon Church would no longer contract marriages forbidden by law. President Grover Cleveland would later pardon all those who entered polygamous marriages before [[1890]]. Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona were required to ban polygamy in their constitutions. Idaho's originally kept all polygamists from holding office and for a time Idaho banned all persons married in Mormon temples from voting or holding office. <br /> <br /> This act has brought much [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/plural_revelation.htm criticism]. Some claimed President Woodruff was a fallen prophet and some groups split away from the Church and continue to practice polygamy today. Often these breakaway groups become so focused on one issue like polygamy that they withdraw into communes and neglect many other important teachings by Joseph Smith. Most of these groups, for instance, do not build temples or send out missionaries, which according to Joseph Smith were two of the most important principles of the Gospel. Anti-Mormons try to claim that Wilford Woodruff caved under pressure, but according to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], current President of the Mormon Church, the role of the [[Mormon president|Prophet]] is to find answers to the problems of God’s people by asking God in prayer. President Woodruff sought help from God and God gave it. Wilford Woodruff himself in speaking about this revelation said:<br /> <br /> :I have had some revelations of late, and very important ones to me, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me. Let me bring your minds to what is termed the manifesto...<br /> <br /> :The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter.<br /> <br /> :The question is this: Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice); or, after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the Prophets, Apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the Church, and also leave the Temples in the hands of the Saints, so that they can attend to the ordinances of the Gospel, both for the living and the dead?<br /> <br /> :&lt;b&gt;The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice&lt;/b&gt;. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for...any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed. A large number has already been delivered from the prison house in the spirit world by this people, and shall the work go on or stop? This is the question I lay before the Latter-day Saints. You have to judge for yourselves. I want you to answer it for yourselves. I shall not answer it; but I say to you that that is exactly the condition we as a people would have been in had we not taken the course we have.<br /> <br /> :...I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; '''I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do'''; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write... (D&amp;C, excerpts attached to Official Declaration 1).<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy since the Manifesto==<br /> From 1890 to 1904, some Mormons outside of the United States continued to contract new polygamous marriages in the belief that since neither Canada nor Mexico forbade polygamy, and the [[Manifesto]] only explicitly forbade illegal marriages, they could continue. President [[Joseph F. Smith]] issued a second manifesto in 1904. Since that time Mormons worldwide have abided by that ruling. Those who practice polygamy are excommunicated from the Church. <br /> <br /> The issue continued to affect the Mormon Church for some years. In the 1890s and early 1900s even monogamous Mormons had difficulty getting elected to public office. In [[1904]] Reed Smoot was elected to the U.S. Senate. Though he had never practiced polygamy, he was at first denied his seat and only joined the Senate after a two-year investigation of the Church by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Mormons have become very prominent in public office both in Utah and nationally. <br /> <br /> Groups today that practice polygamy, and call themselves [[Fundamentalist Mormons]], are not affiliated with [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Most of their members have never been members of the Mormon church and their actions are considered illegal. These groups often withdraw into isolated communities and seldom gain new converts. This leads to intermarrying of close relatives and has caused heightened birth defects among these groups. These groups often require all men to enter polygamy, which causes many problems and has led to an excess of single men unable to marry. These men are often expelled from the group and cut off from their families. Other abuses often occur in these isolated communities such as forced marriages, which did not occur among nineteenth-century Mormons. Polygamy as practiced by these groups is very different from the historical practice of polygamy by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which never required all men to practice polygamy and never withdrew into secretive communes cut off from the rest of the world. The Mormon church in the nineteenth century never forced young girls into marriage or expelled those who would not enter into polygamous marriages. These practices of contemporary polygamous sects should never be confused with nineteenth century Mormon practice.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Plural_Marriage&diff=10195 Plural Marriage 2007-02-15T18:25:09Z <p>Awyatt: /* Polygamy Discontinued */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Marriage and Families]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]<br /> == Introduction ==<br /> <br /> Polygamy, usually called [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html plural marriage], plurality of wives, or the Principle, by [[Latter-day Saints|Mormons]], is the most controversial practice of the [[Mormon Church]], properly called [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], even though Mormons have not practiced it since 1890. The term ''polygamy'' is actually a widely used misnomer, as Church members actually practiced ''polygyny,'' a type of marital relationship where one man marries multiple women. This practice led to severe persecution and repression of Mormons by the United States Government in the latter half of the nineteenth century and its abandonment became a condition for Utah statehood. Many misunderstandings, misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies have attended discussions of polygamy among the Mormons and are still fostered among anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons who attempt to attack the Church and its teachings. This article will address the history of polygamy among Mormons and the official teachings of the Mormon Church about polygamy.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy and the Book of Mormon===<br /> <br /> Though [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/forbid.htm anti-Mormons and critics of the Mormon Church] claim the [[Book of Mormon]] condemns polygamy, and hence contradicts later Mormon teachings, the Book of Mormon is in fact the earliest revelation by Joseph Smith that hints at God commanding polygamy. In the Book of Jacob, the third book of the Book of Mormon, an ancient American prophet teaches:<br /> <br /> :Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2:27-29) <br /> <br /> Critics cite this as contradicting Joseph Smith's and [[Brigham Young]]'s later teachings commanding polygamy, but they fail to quote the next verse:<br /> <br /> :For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (Jacob 2:30)<br /> <br /> Hence, the Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes God commands His people to practice polygamy, and sometimes He forbids it, but when He does command it, the purpose is to raise righteous children unto the Lord. This corresponds precisely to what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught:<br /> <br /> *: [...] I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, &lt;b&gt;unless the Lord directs otherwise&lt;/b&gt;. (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,'' page 324.)<br /> <br /> *:God never introduced the Patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for anything which they had done; but &lt;b&gt;He introduced it for the express purpose of raising up to His name a royal Priesthood&lt;/b&gt;, a peculiar people. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:264)<br /> <br /> *:This revelation, which God gave to Joseph, was &lt;b&gt;for the express purpose of providing a channel for the organization of tabernacles [i.e. bodies]&lt;/b&gt;, for those spirits to occupy who have been reserved to come forth in the kingdom of God, and that they might not be obliged to take tabernacles out of the kingdom of God. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:265)<br /> <br /> Critics of the Mormon Church who try to distort what the Book of Mormon says and what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said are either purposely lying and covering up the truth, or are ignorant about the subject.<br /> <br /> ===Joseph Smith and Polygamy===<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the [[Ohio Period|Mormon history]] article covering this time period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> Though never practiced openly or taught publicly during Joseph Smith's lifetime, it is nevertheless certain that he was the one who introduced polygamy into Mormon teachings. Rumors about it circulated in the 1830s and 1840s until Brigham Young had it announced publicly for the first time in [[1852]]. Joseph’s first inkling about it likely came as early as 1831, one year after the founding of the Church, as Joseph Smith was working on a translation of the Bible. According to [http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 the revelation] given to Joseph Smith, but not written down until July 12, [[1843]], Joseph Smith approached the Lord and asked Him why he permitted ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have multiple wives. The revelation states that only God can command men to practice polygamy and that he appoints a prophet to be in charge of it when he does. <br /> <br /> Joseph Smith was hesitant to teach this new principle and did not even share it with his closest associates for many years. According to later statements by [[Lorenzo Snow]], and [[Brigham Young]] Joseph was himself repelled by the idea and not until an angel of Lord appeared to him and ordered him to practice it and teach it did he begin. This apparently took place sometime after [[1839]] when the Mormons had been driven to [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo, Illinois]]. When Brigham Young learned about it he said:<br /> <br /> : Some of these my brethren know what my feelings were at the time Joseph revealed the doctrine; I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty, nor of failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral, I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin, knowing the toil and labor that my body would have to undergo; and I have had to examine myself, from that day to this, and watch my faith, and carefully meditate, lest I should be found desiring the grave more than I ought to do (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:266).<br /> <br /> It is not clear exactly how many women Joseph Smith married, but it is apparent that Joseph Smith did not ever live with any of these other wives. Mormon teachings on [[Celestial marriage|marriage]], which Joseph Smith had begun teaching in Nauvoo, taught that men and women could be married for all eternity, not just in this life. Marriage was for &quot;time and all eternity.&quot; &lt;i&gt;Time&lt;/i&gt; referred to this mortal life while &lt;i&gt;eternity&lt;/i&gt; referred to the next life. Hence, according to Joseph Smith marriages could be just for this life, for this life and the next, or just for the next life. <br /> <br /> This last category has caused much confusion and led to many attacks on the characters of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For persons whose spouses were not Mormons and thus could not be married for “time and all eternity” to that spouse, early Mormon practice allowed the person to be &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt;, a Mormon word referring to temple marriage for all eternity, to one person, but married for time to another. Thus, the person would continue to live with one spouse in this life, but have the blessings of eternal marriage, called celestial marriage, with another. Many of Joseph Smith’s and Brigham Young’s wives were of this sort. They never lived with the person or had sexual relations with them. Also confusing, was a later practice where women whose husbands could not enter a [[Mormon temple]] because of unworthiness, or else were not a Mormon, were &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt; to a deceased man like Brigham Young. Thus while Brigham Young only cohabited with about sixteen women, he was sealed to dozens more.<br /> <br /> Another aspect of Mormon polygamy that often gets attacked is reputed marriages to teenage girls. Today in the United States the average age for a first marriage is between 25 and 27 years old, but in the nineteenth century teenage marriages were not that unusual and in many cases the marriage was contracted, but the girl remained with her family until she reached adulthood.<br /> <br /> In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching polygamy to his closest and most trusted associates. Nearly 100 people were taught about it before [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith’s martyrdom]]. A few began this practice before the exodus of [[1846]], but it remained in hiatus until the Mormons were established in Utah.<br /> <br /> During the [[Nauvoo]] period, Joseph and the others [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/against_plural.htm walked a fine line]. As quoted above, Joseph Smith taught publicly that everyone should only have one wife unless God commanded otherwise, however they were wary of misunderstandings and persecution from the surrounding communities and so the practice continued in secret for a time. <br /> <br /> Some close associates took advantage of this situation. John C. Bennett, a friend of Joseph Smith and mayor of Nauvoo, perverted these teachings to gratify his own lust. He told single and married women that Joseph was teaching &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; as he called it, which he claimed gave them permission to sleep with whomever they desired. Bennett was eventually caught. He confessed that Joseph Smith had never taught &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; which amounted to adultery, and was soon excommunicated. He left Nauvoo and began publishing scathing attacks on Joseph Smith. Another close associate, William Law, pleaded with Joseph Smith to renounce polygamy. When he would not, Law and a few other disaffected Mormons published the &lt;i&gt;[[Nauvoo Expositor]]&lt;/i&gt; which claimed Joseph Smith was teaching adultery and fornication and called for him to be hung. The Nauvoo City Council decided this was a public nuisance and so destroyed the press. Riots followed and Joseph Smith was arrested, imprisoned in [[Carthage Jail]], and there murdered on June 27, [[1844]].<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy in Utah==<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the articles on [[Mormon history]] covering this period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Publicly Announced===<br /> The Mormons were driven out of Illinois in [[1846]]. Once established in Utah, [[Brigham Young]] directed Orson Pratt of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] to announce the practice publicly. He did so on [http://journalofdiscourses.org/Vol_01/refJDvol1-11.html August 29, 1852]. In this speech and others that followed, he set forth the Church’s explanation and defense of polygamy. He claimed first that God had commanded it. Secondly, the reason God commanded it was so that Mormons could raise righteous children. Lastly he noted that God only permitted His prophets to direct who will practice polygamy. As evidence he cited the story of the Prophet Nathan and King David, where Nathan tells he gave David his wives from a commandment of God (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_sam/12 2 Samuel 12:1-9]). <br /> <br /> The practice continued in Utah until [[1890]], when a revelation came from the Lord forbidding further polygamous marriages. At first, being isolated in Utah, the Mormon Church practiced it openly and without harassment. In the 1850s the newly formed Republican Party made part of its platform the abolishment of the ‘twin relics of barbarism’: slavery and polygamy. Distracted by the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, little happened at first, though the issue of polygamy was part of the justification for the [[Utah War]]. President Buchanan sent 5,000 troops to crush a non-existent rebellion in the territory in [[1857]]. <br /> <br /> ===Anti-Polygamy Legislation and Raids===<br /> Beginning in [[1862]], the U.S. Congress passed a series of increasingly stringent laws outlawing polygamy. The first, Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, passed on July 1, [[1862]], outlawed polygamy. This was difficult to prove as records were scanty and while some Mormon leaders including Brigham Young were arrested, they were generally released. George Reynolds, Young’s secretary and a British immigrant, was arrested and tried. He appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that polygamy was protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free exercise of religion. In ruling on &lt;i&gt;Reynolds v. United States&lt;/i&gt;, the Court said that this clause protected beliefs only and that Congress could pass laws preventing practices “which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order” (98 U.S. 164). Reynolds was sentenced to five years jail time.<br /> <br /> Despite this legal victory, polygamy remained difficult to prove and in [[1882]], the Congress passed the Edmunds Act which outlawed mere cohabitation. This led to what Mormons called “the raids” in the 1880s when thousands of Mormons were arrested and jailed. The Edmunds Act also forbade all persons living in polygamous families from holding public office, serving on juries, or voting. This disenfranchised many more Mormons. In [[1885]], Idaho required voters to swear an oath stating they opposed polygamy and any organization that condoned it, thus disenfranchising all Mormons.<br /> <br /> The national and even international debate surrounding polygamy produced many scathing diatribes against the Mormons, but also some unlikely defenders. John Stuart Mill, the famous British philosopher and co-founder of the Utilitarian movement, had this to say about Mormonism in his work, &lt;i&gt;On Liberty&lt;/i&gt;:<br /> <br /> :I cannot refrain from adding to these examples of the little account commonly made of human liberty, the language of downright persecution which breaks out from the press of this country, whenever it feels called on to notice the remarkable phenomenon of Mormonism... What here concerns us is, that this religion, like other and better religions, has its martyrs; that its prophet and founder was, for his teaching, put to death by a mob; that others of its adherents lost their lives by the same lawless violence; that they were forcibly expelled, in a body, from the country in which they first grew up; while, now that they have been chased into a solitary recess in the midst of a desert, many in this country openly declare that it would be right (only that it is not convenient) to send an expedition against them, and compel them by force to conform to the opinions of other people. The article of the Mormonite doctrine which is the chief provocative to the antipathy which thus breaks through the ordinary restraints of religious tolerance, is its sanction of polygamy; which, though permitted to Mahomedans, and Hindoos, and Chinese, seems to excite unquenchable animosity when practised by persons who speak English, and profess to be a kind of Christians. ... Still, it must be remembered that this relation is as much voluntary on the part of the women concerned in it, and who may be deemed the sufferers by it, as is the case with any other form of the marriage institution;<br /> <br /> He goes on several sentences later to discuss the forcible attempt to end polygamy:<br /> <br /> :A recent writer, in some respects of considerable merit, proposes (to use his own words,) not a crusade, but a civilizade, against this polygamous community, to put an end to what seems to him a retrograde step in civilization. It also appears so to me, but I am not aware that any community has a right to force another to be civilized. ... Let them send missionaries, if they please, to preach against it; and let them, by any fair means, (of which silencing the teachers is not one,) oppose the progress of similar doctrines among their own people.[http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html]<br /> <br /> Mill, while clearly opposed himself to polygamy, even to the extent that he found it barbaric, nevertheless felt that the persecutions of Mormons for this practice were actually more egregious. Many other leaders in the United States, including President Grover Cleveland, attempted to defend the Mormons. Most of these individuals personally opposed polygamy, but believed the Mormons had the right to practice as they chose. Sir Richard Burton, the famous explorer and orientalist, actually defended both the Mormons and their practice of polygamy in his book, &lt;i&gt;The City of the Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California&lt;/i&gt;. He said:<br /> <br /> :Those individuals who have the strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a plurality of wives under the light of reason and revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of divine origin; that it was embraced and practiced under the divine sanction by the most righteous men who ever lived on the earth: holy prophets and patriarchs, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost (p 382).<br /> <br /> Burton also defended the Mormons against their legal persecutors. He argued that the Constitution of the United States should protect this practice:<br /> <br /> :The Constitution and laws of the United States, being founded upon the principles of freedom, do not interfere with marriage relations, but leave the nation free to believe in and practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or to confine themselves to the one-wife system, just as the choose. This is as it should be (p 379).<br /> <br /> ===The True Nature of Polygamy in Utah===<br /> The raids and attacks of the 1880s make it appear that all Mormons were living in polygamy. Though records are not always clear, done deliberately to prevent government officers from easily finding polygamists, it is clear that only a minority ever practiced polygamy. Estimates are that at maximum 20 to 25 percent of the Church at any given time was practicing it; some estimates place it as low as 5 percent. Approximately one third of women in the 1880s lived in polygamous families. The 1,300 men arrested is certainly a small percentage of the nearly 150,000 Mormons at the time and that number approached 200,000 by [[1890]]. Some people, anti-Mormons and even some Mormons have tried to claim that Mormon prophets of the nineteenth century said that every man must practice polygamy to get into heaven, but this is a distortion of the truth. In [[1866]], [[John Taylor]], who succeeded Brigham Young as [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] said:<br /> <br /> : When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, &quot;that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.&quot; When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church, that it was told them &lt;b&gt;if they were not prepared to enter into it&lt;/b&gt;, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostasy, and I do to-day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom (John Taylor, ''Journal of Discourses'' 11:221).<br /> <br /> Here he clearly says that it is the principle that must be accepted, just as men are expected to accept every principle and revelation from God. He says men must be ‘prepared’ to enter into it and defend it, even though they may not be required to do so. If one considers that when he said that the majority of those listening were not practicing polygamy and were never asked to do so, it becomes clear that they understood this to mean that they must accept the principle as a revelation from God in order to enter heaven, since Jesus taught that man must live on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). <br /> <br /> For Mormons who practiced polygamy, it brought both blessings and trials to be overcome. Mormon women were generally in favor of polygamy feeling not only that it came from God, but also that is liberated them to do much more. Many Mormon women, with other wives to share the work, went to school and became very accomplished. Anti-Mormon leaders in Utah gave women the right to vote in 1870 hoping that these supposedly oppressed women would vote for anti-Mormon candidates, but the measure backfired. Mormon women under polygamy had much more freedom to pursue vocations and education. Three of Brigham Young’s wives studied medicine and helped found a hospital. <br /> <br /> There were also challenges and petty jealousies and fights did occur. Most complaints by polygamous wives were that their husband spent too much time with one wife or the other. Brigham Young, who discouraged divorce, allowed polygamous wives to divorce their husbands if they were being neglected or abused, but he refused to condone men divorcing one of their wives if they felt it a burden. He merely told them to work harder. Just like other families, polygamous families had problems to work out, but there is no evidence that polygamous marriages adversely affected children. In fact, many children of polygamous families succeeded very well in life. Rumors that polygamous marriages produced deformed children are also untrue. In nineteenth century Utah, there was such a large influx of new immigrants and converts that there was no need for marriages among close relatives and such marriages were likely rare, or at least no more common than in any other rural area.<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Fielding Smith]], who was a Mormon Apostle and later [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] grew up in a polygamous family. Of this situation he said: &quot;[My father [[Joseph F. Smith]]] had five wives and 43 children. No father ever at any age of the world, we feel confident in saying, had a greater love for wife or wives and children, and was more earnestly concerned for their welfare than was [my father]&quot; (Joseph Fielding Smith, ''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449). He says further of the wives and children in this family:<br /> <br /> :[T]here was and is no monogamist family which could be more united. To the astonishment of the unbelieving world, the wives loved each other dearly. In times of sickness they tenderly waited upon and nursed each other. When death invaded one of the homes and a child was taken, all wept and mourned together with sincere grief which was wonderful to see. Two of the wives were skilled and licensed practitioners in obstetrics, and brought many babies into the world. They waited upon each other and upon the other wives, and when babies came all rejoiced equally with the mother. <br /> <br /> :The children recognized each other as brothers and sisters, full-fledged, not as half, as they would be considered in the world. They defended each and stood by each other no matter which branch of the family was theirs (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> Smith concludes that the reasons the outside world viewed polygamy with such horror and disgust was that they &quot;judged the 'Mormon' people by their own corrupt standards that they failed to understand the true condition which prevailed in 'Mormon' homes&quot; (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Discontinued===<br /> In [[1887]], the Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act which disincorporated the Church and seized virtually all of its property, except the temples and some church buildings. The Church appealed this ruling, again citing the freedom of religion, but in [[1890]] in &lt;i&gt;The Late Corporation of the Mormon Church v. United States&lt;/i&gt; the Supreme Court again upheld the ban on polygamy. <br /> <br /> Facing the utter destruction of the Church, [[Wilford Woodruff]], the forth president of the Church met and prayed with the other apostles. After much prayer, President Woodruff saw a vision of what would happen if the Church continued to practice polygamy. He saw the destruction of the Church, the scattering of the Mormons, and the cessation of all their work. The Lord had previously shown that sometimes he commands men to practice polygamy and sometimes he forbids it, depending upon the circumstance. Wilford Woodruff then realized that the time had come to stop practicing polygamy. He issued what has become known as the [[Manifesto]]. It said that the Mormon Church would no longer contract marriages forbidden by law. President Grover Cleveland would later pardon all those who entered polygamous marriages before [[1890]]. Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona were required to ban polygamy in their constitutions. Idaho's originally kept all polygamists from holding office and for a time Idaho banned all persons married in Mormon temples from voting or holding office. <br /> <br /> This act has brought much [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/plural_revelation.htm criticism]. Some claimed President Woodruff was a fallen prophet and some groups split away from the Church and continue to practice polygamy today. Often these breakaway groups become so focused on one issue like polygamy that they withdraw into communes and neglect many other important teachings by Joseph Smith. Most of these groups, for instance, do not build temples or send out missionaries, which according to Joseph Smith were two of the most important principles of the Gospel. Anti-Mormons try to claim that Wilford Woodruff caved under pressure, but according to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], current President of the Mormon Church, the role of the [[Mormon president|Prophet]] is to find answers to the problems of God’s people by asking God in prayer. President Woodruff sought help from God and God gave it. Wilford Woodruff himself in speaking about this revelation said:<br /> <br /> :I have had some revelations of late, and very important ones to me, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me. Let me bring your minds to what is termed the manifesto...<br /> <br /> :The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter.<br /> <br /> :The question is this: Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice); or, after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the Prophets, Apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the Church, and also leave the Temples in the hands of the Saints, so that they can attend to the ordinances of the Gospel, both for the living and the dead?<br /> <br /> :&lt;b&gt;The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice&lt;/b&gt;. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for...any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed. A large number has already been delivered from the prison house in the spirit world by this people, and shall the work go on or stop? This is the question I lay before the Latter-day Saints. You have to judge for yourselves. I want you to answer it for yourselves. I shall not answer it; but I say to you that that is exactly the condition we as a people would have been in had we not taken the course we have.<br /> <br /> :...I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; '''I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do'''; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write... (D&amp;C, excerpts attached to Official Declaration 1).<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy since the Manifesto==<br /> From 1890 to 1904, some Mormons outside of the United States continued to contract new polygamous marriages in the belief that since neither Canada nor Mexico forbade polygamy, and the Manifesto only explicitly forbade illegal marriages, they could continue. President [[Joseph F. Smith]] issued a second manifesto in 1904. Since that time Mormons worldwide have abided by that ruling. Those who practice polygamy are excommunicated from the Church. <br /> <br /> The issue continued to affect the Mormon Church for some years. In the 1890s and early 1900s even monogamous Mormons had difficulty getting elected to public office. In [[1904]] Reed Smoot was elected to the U.S. Senate. Though he had never practiced polygamy, he was at first denied his seat and only joined the Senate after a two-year investigation of the Church by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Mormons have become very prominent in public office both in Utah and nationally. <br /> <br /> Groups today that practice polygamy, and call themselves [[Fundamentalist Mormons]], are not affiliated with [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Most of their members have never been members of the Mormon church and their actions are considered illegal. These groups often withdraw into isolated communities and seldom gain new converts. This leads to intermarrying of close relatives and has caused heightened birth defects among these groups. These groups often require all men to enter polygamy, which causes many problems and has led to an excess of single men unable to marry. These men are often expelled from the group and cut off from their families. Other abuses often occur in these isolated communities such as forced marriages, which did not occur among nineteenth-century Mormons. Polygamy as practiced by these groups is very different from the historical practice of polygamy by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which never required all men to practice polygamy and never withdrew into secretive communes cut off from the rest of the world. The Mormon church in the nineteenth century never forced young girls into marriage or expelled those who would not enter into polygamous marriages. These practices of contemporary polygamous sects should never be confused with nineteenth century Mormon practice.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints&diff=10194 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2007-02-15T18:23:59Z <p>Awyatt: /* Polygamy */</p> <hr /> <div>'''The Church of [[Jesus Christ]] of Latter-day Saints''' is often referred to as the LDS Church or [[Mormon Church]]. (A more appropriate shortened version is “the Church of Jesus Christ,” as the Latter-day Saints are but the members of what they believe to be Christ’s Church). [[Mormonism]] refers to the doctrines taught by [[Joseph Smith]] and the succeeding prophets and leaders of the Church, but those doctrines are believed to be eternal and part of the original gospel preached by Jesus Christ.<br /> <br /> Mormonism is a branch of Christianity, often called Restorationism, encompassing numerous religious denominations, but Mormonism is generally associated with the theology and subculture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<br /> <br /> Most people who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ prefer to be called [[Latter-day Saints]]. Other generally acceptable terms are [[LDS]] or [[Mormons]]. Even though they are widely used terms, some people in the Church view the terms Mormon and Mormonism as offensive. They prefer to be known as Christians and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<br /> <br /> The term &quot;Mormon&quot; derives from the [[Book of Mormon]], first published in 1830 and more recently subtitled &quot;Another Testament of Jesus Christ&quot; to highlight the importance of the information about the [[Savior]] contained in the book. The Book of Mormon is accepted by the Church as divine scripture, along with the Bible.<br /> <br /> The Church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Church reports a worldwide membership of 12,560,869 as of December 31, 2005, with over 6.8 million residing outside the United States. It is the fourth largest religion in the United States. According to statistics released by the Church, 47% of its members live in the United States and Canada, 36% in Latin America, and 17% in other parts of the world. (See [http://www.lds.org/newsroom/page/0,15606,4036-1---12-168,00.html Membership Distribution].)<br /> <br /> <br /> ==Basic Beliefs and Activities==<br /> ''Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.''<br /> <br /> The most common statement of basic beliefs is contained with the [[Articles of Faith]], as given by Joseph Smith to a questioning reporter of his day. This brief recitation by Joseph Smith establishes on the basic beliefs of Mormonism, and is not intended to be exhaustive.<br /> <br /> [[Latter-day Saints]] are widely known for:<br /> * Active proselyting by full-time volunteer [[Mormon missionaries|missionaries]].<br /> * Belief in modern day revelation through [[Mormon prophet|prophet]]s, beginning with [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., and continuing today with [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> * Acceptance of the [[Bible]], [[Book of Mormon]], [[Doctrine and Covenants]], and [[Pearl of Great Price]] as works of scripture.<br /> * A dietary code called the [[Word of Wisdom]], which requires abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs.<br /> * Belief in God the Father, the Son ([[Jesus Christ]]), and the [[Holy Ghost]] existing as three separate individual beings or personages.<br /> * Belief in a ''[[Plan of Salvation|plan of salvation]]'' or ''eternal progression''.<br /> * [[Tithing]] (donating 10 percent of one's income to the church)<br /> * [[Mormon law of chastity| Chastity]], including abstinance from sexual relations outside of marriage, fidelity within marriage, [[modesty]] in dress and behavior, avoidance of [[homosexual]] activity (homosexual marriages are neither performed nor supported by the Church), and avoidance of pornography in any form. The Church also recommends that members avoid “inappropriate” films—which most members take to include all those rated R or NC-17—or any form of media which glorifies violence, contains excessive vulgar language, or is pornographic in any way.<br /> * Lay (non-paid) leadership<br /> * [[Family Home Evening]]s (families are encouraged to meet weekly for prayer and other activities - typically on Monday)<br /> * [[Home Teaching]] and [[Visiting Teaching]] (members regularly visit one another in their homes for prayer and study). <br /> * Tattoos and body piercings (beyond one pair of earrings for women) are strongly discouraged.<br /> * Church members are encouraged to marry and have children, and as a result, Mormon families tend to be larger than average, even though Mormons<br /> * Morality. The Church emphasises the moral standards taught by Jesus Christ, including personal honesty, integrity, and obedience to law.<br /> * [[Family]]. The Church puts notable emphasis on the family, and distinctively, the concept of a united family which lives and progresses forever. (See ''[[celestial marriage]].'') <br /> * The church opposes [http://www.lds.org/newsroom/issues/answer/0,19491,6056-1-201-10-201,00.html abortion], except in cases of rape, incest, where the health of the mother is at risk, or when the fetus is judged by competent medical authority unlikely to survive past birth. In such cases, the decision should only be made following sincere prayer—often with the help of a Priesthood leader—such that the Lord’s will be made known. <br /> * The Church opposes gambling.<br /> <br /> ==Christian Church==<br /> As the name of the Church implies, Latter-day Saints regard [[Jesus Christ]] as the head of their Church and count themselves as Christians, but do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions. Rather, they believe the Church to be the [[Restoration|restoration]] of the original church established by Jesus Christ on Earth.<br /> <br /> ''See [[Mormonism vs. Christianity]] or [[Mormonism and Christianity]]''<br /> <br /> ==History==<br /> :''See [[Mormon History]] for a full history of the Church.''<br /> Church members believe that in the spring of 1820, [[Heavenly Father|God the Father]] and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to a 14-year-old boy named [[Joseph Smith]] in response to his prayer regarding which church was true. Although this event is technically considered a visitation (as the Beings in question were actually present), it has come to be known as the [[First Vision]].<br /> <br /> While conversing with the Father and the Son, Joseph was commanded to join none of the existing churches, and through other angelic visits was eventually called as the first [[Mormon prophet|prophet]] of the restored church. This event set in motion the events that led to the earthly restoration of the ancient church of Jesus Christ with its truths and priesthood authority. Ten years later, after a series of other revelations and visitations to Joseph and others, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized by [[Joseph Smith]] and five associates on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy===<br /> At one time in its early history, the Church endorsed a form of [[polygamy]] called &quot;plural marriage,&quot; but this is no longer the case. [[Joseph Smith]], [[Brigham Young]], and a small percentage of other early members and leaders of the Church were married to more than one wife. The practice was officially withdrawn as stated in an Official Declaration called &quot;The [[Manifesto]],&quot; which was given by President [[Wilford Woodruff]] in [[1890]] (see [http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1 Official Declaration 1]) and advised Church members to obey the marriage laws of their land. Latter-day Saints who engage in multiple marriage relationships are excommunicated from the Church.<br /> <br /> ===Prayers===<br /> Formal public and personal [[Prayer|prayers]] are addressed to &quot;[[Heavenly Father]]&quot; and offered in the name of Jesus Christ, followed by &quot;amen.&quot; When a prayer is given in public, it is customary for all attending to say &quot;amen&quot; at the prayer's conclusion. English-speaking members generally use &quot;thee,&quot; &quot;thou,&quot; &quot;thy&quot; and &quot;thine&quot; when addressing God, as a form of both familiarity and respect. Members who speak other languages use similar formal syntax in prayer. Most prayers are extemporaneous and may be said while kneeling, standing, sitting, or in any other position.<br /> <br /> Certain prayers associated with ordinances are defined and must be delivered verbatim, while others must follow a certain pattern. For example, the prayer to bless the sacrament (Eucharist) is a set prayer which is delivered the same way each time. The priesthood holder kneels to say the prayer; if he accidentally deviates from the form, he is instructed to repeat the prayer until it is correct. Likewise, the words of the baptismal ordinance must be given verbatim. Other ordinations and blessings have a pattern, for example, in a confirmation prayer, the priesthood holder is to address the individual being confirmed by his or her full name, state the priesthood authority by which the ordinance is given, confirm that person as a member of the Church, and bestow the Holy Ghost with such words as &quot;receive the Holy Ghost.&quot; This is usually followed by an extemporaneous personal blessing as directed by the Spirit.<br /> <br /> ===Education===<br /> Latter-day Saints believe that one of the most important aspects of life on earth is the opportunity for individuals to learn and grow. Accordingly, the Church strongly emphasizes [[Church Educational System|education]] and subsidizes [[Brigham Young University]], [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]] (formerly Ricks College), [[Brigham Young University-Hawaii]], and [[LDS Business College]]. The Church also has a [[seminary]] program for high school students and an Institute of Religion program for college-age Church members. All members twelve and above attend [[Sunday School]] classes, which emphasize personal scripture studies and other forms of education and self-improvement. <br /> <br /> In addition, the Church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the [[Perpetual Education Fund]]. This fund is designed to benefit young men and women from all parts of the world who have served a mission, returned to their home, and need further education to become productive citizens in their respective countries. As they finish their education and enter the work force, they then are able to pay back the funds provided so that other individuals can attend both vocational technical schools and university.<br /> <br /> Education levels among Latter-day Saints are higher than average. A high percentage of LDS women have degrees.<br /> <br /> ===Titles===<br /> Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address each other as &quot;brother&quot; or &quot;sister&quot; and then usually append the last name (such as Brother Smith, or Sister Young). Additionally, those that hold specific leadership positions may be addressed by their title and then their last name (such as President Hinckley). Some frequently used titles are as follows.<br /> * '''Bishop''' - The [[bishop]] of a ward, but not his counselors, is addressed by the title of &quot;bishop&quot;. Generally, only the title is used—because bishops are confined to a small geographical location—the last name being used only to disambiguate. <br /> * '''Elder''' - While most adult male Church members hold the office of Elder in the Melchizedek [[Priesthood]], in general only elders serving as full-time missionaries, members of the [[Quorums of the Seventy]], or members of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] are addressed with this title.<br /> * '''Patriarch''' - A [[Patriarch]] is generally an older priesthood holder charged with providing blessings for individual members of the stake.<br /> * '''President''' - In a ward, the [[Relief Society]] President and the Elder's Quorum President are referred to as &quot;President So-and-So.&quot; Occasionally, other presidents within the ward, such as the Deacons Quorum President, may be referred to with this title. In addition to the above presidencies, in a branch, the branch president and his counselors are referred to as &quot;President So-and-So.&quot; All members of a stake presidency, a temple presidency, a mission presidency, the Presidency of the Seventy, and the [[First Presidency]] are referred to as &quot;president.&quot;<br /> <br /> With the exception of &quot;[[Elder]]&quot;, those who formerly held the callings listed above retain their titles, especially bishops. Former stake presidents and branch presidents are almost always referred to by their old title, especially by those people for whom they were responsible.<br /> <br /> ===Official websites of the Church===<br /> * [http://lds.org LDS.org] - the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints &amp;mdash; with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more<br /> * [http://mormon.org Mormon.org] - information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locator, and a place to email questions<br /> * [http://www.josephsmith.net JosephSmith.net] - the official Web site on Joseph Smith by the Church<br /> * [http://www.ldsgenesisgroup.org/ LDS Genesis Group] - website for black members of the Church<br /> * [http://providentliving.org ProvidentLiving.org] - spiritual and temporal welfare provided by the Church<br /> * [http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/welcome/0,6892,407-1-0,00.html LDS Philanthropies] - information about donating cash and property to humanitarian and educational efforts of the Church and links to donate online<br /> * [http://www.providentliving.org/familyservices/strength/0,12264,2120-1,00.html LDS Family Services] - information about adoption, professional counseling, and addiction recovery programs<br /> * [http://www.familysearch.org FamilySearch.org] - search for ancestors<br /> <br /> ===Church-friendly Web sites, unaffiliated with the Church===<br /> * [http://www.aboutlds.org/ About LDS] - teachings, doctrines, and controversial topics of Mormonism<br /> * [http://www.aboutmormonism.com/ About Mormonism] - information about Mormon doctrine, missionaries, and Church organization<br /> * [http://blacklds.org/ BlackLDS.org] - information specifically for black Latter-day Saints<br /> * [http://www.fairlds.org FAIR] - Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research; faithful answers to critical questions<br /> * [http://www.familiesforever.com/index.html Families Forever] - information about Mormonism's teachings about families and other topics<br /> * [http://www.farmsresearch.com/ FARMS] - Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (BYU)<br /> * [http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/ LDSFAQ at byu.edu] - a comprehensive index answering many common questions. Uses large portions of ''The Encyclopedia of Mormonism''<br /> * [http://ldssundayschool.org LDS Sunday School.org] - website dedicated to helping any LDS teacher with their lessons<br /> * [http://www.ldstoday.com/ LDS Today] - news related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<br /> * [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/index.htm Lightplanet: Mormons] - over 3,000 pages covering Mormon beliefs, practices, culture, and history<br /> * [http://www.meetmormonmissionaries.org/index.html Meet Mormon Missionaries] - information about Mormon missionaries and basic teachings of Mormonism<br /> * [http://www.meridianmagazine.com Meridian Magazine] - webzine for Latter-day Saints; updated every weekday<br /> * [http://www.mormoncentral.com/ Mormon Central] - lists a number of LDS websites by topic<br /> * [http://www.mormon-underwear.com/ Mormon Underwear] - information about the special undergarments Mormons wear<br /> * [http://www.nauvoo.com Nauvoo.com] - a gathering place for Latter-day Saints, including discussion forums, owned by Mormon author Orson Scott Card<br /> * [http://www.understandingmormonism.org/ Understanding Mormonism] - basic information about Mormonism<br /> * [http://www.whatmormonsbelieve.org/ What Mormons Believe] - accurate information about the beliefs and doctrines of Mormonism<br /> * [http://www.whymormonism.org/ Why Mormonism] - basic information about Mormonism<br /> * [http://www.mormonhaven.com/ Mormonhaven.com] - Information, news, and answers to questions about the LDS Church.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=1807&diff=10193 1807 2007-02-15T18:23:20Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>{{Decade1800}}<br /> ==January==<br /> <br /> ==February==<br /> <br /> ==March==<br /> <br /> ==April==<br /> <br /> ==May==<br /> <br /> ==June==<br /> <br /> ==July==<br /> <br /> ==August==<br /> <br /> ==September==<br /> <br /> ==October==<br /> <br /> ==November==<br /> <br /> ==December==<br /> <br /> ==Unknown Dates==<br /> <br /> ==Births==<br /> * March 1 - [[Wilford Woodruff]] was born in Connecticut.<br /> <br /> ==Deaths==</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wilford_Woodruff&diff=10192 Wilford Woodruff 2007-02-15T18:22:33Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Category: Church Presidents]][[Category: Church Leaders: Past]]<br /> Wilford Woodruff was the fourth [[Mormon president|president]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], or Mormon Church. He was known for his missionary work, the formation of the Genealogical Society, and for writing the [[manifesto]] that officially prohibited [[Plural Marriage|plural marriage]] within the Church. [[Image:Woodruff.jpg|frame|Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898]]<br /> <br /> Wilford Woodruff was born on March 1, [[1807]], in Connecticut. His mother died when he was only fifteen months old, but his father remarried three years later and his stepmother raised him. He grew up on a farm, went to school and helped his father run his sawmill. <br /> <br /> Wilford Woodruff pondered religious things and became convinced that the Church of Christ was no longer on the earth in its pure form. He said,<br /> <br /> :I could not find any denomination whose doctrines, faith or practice, agreed with the [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/gospel/index.htm Gospel of Jesus Christ], or the ordinances and gifts which the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles|Apostles]] taught. Although the ministers of the day taught that the faith, gifts, graces, miracles and ordinances, which the ancient Saints enjoyed, were done away and no longer needed, I did not believe it to be true, only as they were done away through the unbelief of the children of men. I believed the same gifts, graces, miracles and power would be manifest in one age of the world as in another, when God had a Church upon the earth, and that the Church of God would be re-established upon the earth, and that I should live to see it. These principles were riveted upon my mind from the perusal of the Old and New Testament, with fervent prayer that the Lord would show me what was right and wrong, and lead me in the path of salvation, without any regard to the opinions of man; and the whisperings of the Spirit of the Lord for the space of three years taught me that he was about to set up his Church and kingdom upon the earth in the last days (&quot;History of Wilford Woodruff,&quot; [from his own pen], ''Millennial Star'', XXVII, 182).<br /> <br /> :My soul was drawn out upon these things. In my early manhood I prayed day and night that I might live to see a [[Mormon prophet|prophet]][http://jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_prophets.shtml]. I would have gone a thousand miles to have seen a prophet, or a man that could teach me the things that I read of in the Bible. I could not join any church, because I could not find any church at that time that advocated these principles. I spent many a midnight hour, by the river side, in the mountains, and in my mill ... calling upon God that I might live to see a prophet or some man that would teach me of the things of the kingdom of God as I read them (''Collected Discourses'', ed. Brian H. Stuy, 5 vols., 4).<br /> <br /> When he was 26 years old Wilford Woodruff heard a sermon given by a [[Mormon missionaries|Mormon missionary]]. President Woodruff knew he had found what he was looking for. He was baptized as a member of the Mormon Church just two days after hearing the sermon, on December 31, [[1833]].<br /> <br /> In [[1834]], Wilford Woodruff was sent on the first of six missions that he would eventually serve. His call was to the Southeastern U.S. He returned home from his mission in 1836 and recorded that he had traveled over 9,800 miles, held over 300 meetings, organized 4 branches of the Church, baptized 70 people and confirmed 62, performed 11 priesthood ordinations, and healed 4 people by the laying on of hands, and that he had been delivered from the hands of 6 different mobs.<br /> <br /> President Woodruff was ordained as an elder [[1835]] and then as a [[Seventy]] in May [[1836]]. Just a year after his return he served another full-time mission to the Fox Islands off the coast of Maine. During this mission he found a people searching for the truth and baptized over a hundred people. Also while on this mission President Woodruff received a letter from Thomas B. Marsh. The letter informed him that he had been called to be an apostle and that he would be asked to serve a mission in Great Britain. <br /> <br /> President Woodruff was ordained an apostle on April 26, [[1839]], and just a short time later left for Great Britain. When he returned home, he helped Mormons travel to the Salt Lake Valley. He was with [[Brigham Young]] and the first company of saints. Once the Mormons were finally settled in Utah, President Woodruff was not sent on any more missions. Instead he was sent to check on different settlements across the West including Arizona and Idaho.<br /> <br /> The entire time President Woodruff served as an Apostle (1856-1883) he filled the role of Church Historian. He loyally kept a [[journal]] and keeping a record of the Church’s history came naturally. On July 25, [[1887]], President [[John Taylor]] passed away, President Woodruff was then the presiding officer and felt the burden of leading the Church. He recorded in his journal<br /> :This places me in a very peculiar situation. It is a position I have never looked for during my life. But in the providence of God it is laid upon me, and I pray God my Heavenly Father to give me grace equal to my day. It is a high and responsible position for any man to occupy and a position that needs great wisdom. I never expected to outlive President Taylor. . . . But God has ordained otherwise. . . . I can only say, marvelous are Thy ways, O Lord Almighty, for Thou hast truly chosen weak instruments to perform in Thy hand Thy work on earth. May Thy servant Wilford be prepared for whatever is required at his hands by the God of Heaven (Preston Nibley, The Presidents of the Church, 13th ed., p.129).<br /> On April 7, [[1889]], Wilford Woodruff was ordained as the President and Prophet of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<br /> <br /> When [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/woodruff_wilford_eom.htm Wilford Woodruff] was ordained as the prophet the Church was being penalized by the government for practicing [[polygamy]]. The situation made President Woodruff ponder the issue constantly, he finally went to the Lord for help in the matter and was told that the Church should stop the practice. He issued a statement to the members of the Church as well as the world explaining that the practice would be stopped within the Church on September 24, 1890. [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=4&amp;topic=facts President Woodruff] continued to guide and lead the Church until he passed away on September 2, [[1898]].<br /> <br /> :''Back to [[John Taylor|Previous Church Prophet]]''<br /> :''On to [[Lorenzo Snow|Next Church Prophet]]''<br /> <br /> ==Quotes from President Wilford Woodruff==<br /> * &quot;I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty.&quot;<br /> ::''The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff'', sel. G. Homer Durham, 1946<br /> <br /> * &quot;You may have the administration of angels, you may see many miracles; . . . but I claim that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man.&quot;<br /> ::''The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff''<br /> <br /> * “I well remember the first sermon I heard; my conviction was that I had learned more about God and the things of his kingdom than I had learned in all my previous life. I believed the gospel then, and I not only believe it now, but I know it to be true. Since then I have received much valuable instruction through the revelations of God that have been made manifest; and I have never yet heard a principle set forth, but I have been able to see beauty and glory connected with it.”<br /> ::''Deseret News Weekly'', Sept. 26, 1860<br /> <br /> ''See also [[Quotes from the Prophets]]''<br /> <br /> {{Template:Prophets}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wilford_Woodruff&diff=10191 Wilford Woodruff 2007-02-15T18:22:11Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Category: Church Presidents]][[Category: Church Leaders: Past]]<br /> Wilford Woodruff was the fourth [[Mormon president|president]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], or Mormon Church. He was known for his missionary work, the formation of the Genealogical Society, and for writing the [[manifesto]] that officially prohibited [[Plural Marraige|plural marriage]] within the Church. [[Image:Woodruff.jpg|frame|Wilford Woodruff, 1807-1898]]<br /> <br /> Wilford Woodruff was born on March 1, [[1807]], in Connecticut. His mother died when he was only fifteen months old, but his father remarried three years later and his stepmother raised him. He grew up on a farm, went to school and helped his father run his sawmill. <br /> <br /> Wilford Woodruff pondered religious things and became convinced that the Church of Christ was no longer on the earth in its pure form. He said,<br /> <br /> :I could not find any denomination whose doctrines, faith or practice, agreed with the [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/gospel/index.htm Gospel of Jesus Christ], or the ordinances and gifts which the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles|Apostles]] taught. Although the ministers of the day taught that the faith, gifts, graces, miracles and ordinances, which the ancient Saints enjoyed, were done away and no longer needed, I did not believe it to be true, only as they were done away through the unbelief of the children of men. I believed the same gifts, graces, miracles and power would be manifest in one age of the world as in another, when God had a Church upon the earth, and that the Church of God would be re-established upon the earth, and that I should live to see it. These principles were riveted upon my mind from the perusal of the Old and New Testament, with fervent prayer that the Lord would show me what was right and wrong, and lead me in the path of salvation, without any regard to the opinions of man; and the whisperings of the Spirit of the Lord for the space of three years taught me that he was about to set up his Church and kingdom upon the earth in the last days (&quot;History of Wilford Woodruff,&quot; [from his own pen], ''Millennial Star'', XXVII, 182).<br /> <br /> :My soul was drawn out upon these things. In my early manhood I prayed day and night that I might live to see a [[Mormon prophet|prophet]][http://jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_prophets.shtml]. I would have gone a thousand miles to have seen a prophet, or a man that could teach me the things that I read of in the Bible. I could not join any church, because I could not find any church at that time that advocated these principles. I spent many a midnight hour, by the river side, in the mountains, and in my mill ... calling upon God that I might live to see a prophet or some man that would teach me of the things of the kingdom of God as I read them (''Collected Discourses'', ed. Brian H. Stuy, 5 vols., 4).<br /> <br /> When he was 26 years old Wilford Woodruff heard a sermon given by a [[Mormon missionaries|Mormon missionary]]. President Woodruff knew he had found what he was looking for. He was baptized as a member of the Mormon Church just two days after hearing the sermon, on December 31, [[1833]].<br /> <br /> In [[1834]], Wilford Woodruff was sent on the first of six missions that he would eventually serve. His call was to the Southeastern U.S. He returned home from his mission in 1836 and recorded that he had traveled over 9,800 miles, held over 300 meetings, organized 4 branches of the Church, baptized 70 people and confirmed 62, performed 11 priesthood ordinations, and healed 4 people by the laying on of hands, and that he had been delivered from the hands of 6 different mobs.<br /> <br /> President Woodruff was ordained as an elder [[1835]] and then as a [[Seventy]] in May [[1836]]. Just a year after his return he served another full-time mission to the Fox Islands off the coast of Maine. During this mission he found a people searching for the truth and baptized over a hundred people. Also while on this mission President Woodruff received a letter from Thomas B. Marsh. The letter informed him that he had been called to be an apostle and that he would be asked to serve a mission in Great Britain. <br /> <br /> President Woodruff was ordained an apostle on April 26, [[1839]], and just a short time later left for Great Britain. When he returned home, he helped Mormons travel to the Salt Lake Valley. He was with [[Brigham Young]] and the first company of saints. Once the Mormons were finally settled in Utah, President Woodruff was not sent on any more missions. Instead he was sent to check on different settlements across the West including Arizona and Idaho.<br /> <br /> The entire time President Woodruff served as an Apostle (1856-1883) he filled the role of Church Historian. He loyally kept a [[journal]] and keeping a record of the Church’s history came naturally. On July 25, [[1887]], President [[John Taylor]] passed away, President Woodruff was then the presiding officer and felt the burden of leading the Church. He recorded in his journal<br /> :This places me in a very peculiar situation. It is a position I have never looked for during my life. But in the providence of God it is laid upon me, and I pray God my Heavenly Father to give me grace equal to my day. It is a high and responsible position for any man to occupy and a position that needs great wisdom. I never expected to outlive President Taylor. . . . But God has ordained otherwise. . . . I can only say, marvelous are Thy ways, O Lord Almighty, for Thou hast truly chosen weak instruments to perform in Thy hand Thy work on earth. May Thy servant Wilford be prepared for whatever is required at his hands by the God of Heaven (Preston Nibley, The Presidents of the Church, 13th ed., p.129).<br /> On April 7, [[1889]], Wilford Woodruff was ordained as the President and Prophet of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<br /> <br /> When [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/woodruff_wilford_eom.htm Wilford Woodruff] was ordained as the prophet the Church was being penalized by the government for practicing [[polygamy]]. The situation made President Woodruff ponder the issue constantly, he finally went to the Lord for help in the matter and was told that the Church should stop the practice. He issued a statement to the members of the Church as well as the world explaining that the practice would be stopped within the Church on September 24, 1890. [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=4&amp;topic=facts President Woodruff] continued to guide and lead the Church until he passed away on September 2, [[1898]].<br /> <br /> :''Back to [[John Taylor|Previous Church Prophet]]''<br /> :''On to [[Lorenzo Snow|Next Church Prophet]]''<br /> <br /> ==Quotes from President Wilford Woodruff==<br /> * &quot;I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty.&quot;<br /> ::''The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff'', sel. G. Homer Durham, 1946<br /> <br /> * &quot;You may have the administration of angels, you may see many miracles; . . . but I claim that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man.&quot;<br /> ::''The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff''<br /> <br /> * “I well remember the first sermon I heard; my conviction was that I had learned more about God and the things of his kingdom than I had learned in all my previous life. I believed the gospel then, and I not only believe it now, but I know it to be true. Since then I have received much valuable instruction through the revelations of God that have been made manifest; and I have never yet heard a principle set forth, but I have been able to see beauty and glory connected with it.”<br /> ::''Deseret News Weekly'', Sept. 26, 1860<br /> <br /> ''See also [[Quotes from the Prophets]]''<br /> <br /> {{Template:Prophets}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Manifesto&diff=10190 Manifesto 2007-02-15T18:19:43Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The '''Manifesto''' was a proclamation by President [[Wilford Woodruff]] that the Church had discontinued [[Plural Marriage|plural marriage]]. While the Manifesto is often referred to as a [[revelation]], it was actually a press release that followed President Woodruff's revelatory experiences. A edited version of the Manifesto appears, today, in the [[Doctrine and Covenants]] as Official Declaration--1.<br /> <br /> :To Whom It May Concern:<br /> <br /> :Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year, also that in public discourses the leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of polygamy--<br /> <br /> :I, therefore, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our Temples or in any other place in the Territory.<br /> <br /> :One case has been reported, in which the parties allege that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the Spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of this alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.<br /> <br /> :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.<br /> <br /> :There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy; and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.<br /> <br /> :Wilford Woodruff<br /> :President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<br /> <br /> :President Lorenzo Snow offered the following:<br /> <br /> :&quot;I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the Manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24th, 1890, and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding.&quot;<br /> <br /> :The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.<br /> <br /> :Salt Lake City, Utah, October 6, 1890.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Manifesto&diff=10189 Manifesto 2007-02-15T18:19:14Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The '''Manifesto''' was a proclamation by President [[Wilford Woodruff]] that the Church had discontinued [[Plural Marriage|plural marriage]]. While the Manifesto is often referred to as a [[revelation]], it was actually a press release that followed President Woodruff's revelatory experiences. A edited version of the Manifesto appears, today, in the [[Doctrine and Covenants]] as Official Declaration--1.<br /> <br /> :To Whom It May Concern:<br /> <br /> :Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that plural marriages are still being solemnized and that forty or more such marriages have been contracted in Utah since last June or during the past year, also that in public discourses the leaders of the Church have taught, encouraged and urged the continuance of the practice of polygamy--<br /> <br /> :I, therefore, as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, do hereby, in the most solemn manner, declare that these charges are false. We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice, and I deny that either forty or any other number of plural marriages have during that period been solemnized in our Temples or in any other place in the Territory.<br /> <br /> :One case has been reported, in which the parties allege that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House, in Salt Lake City, in the Spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of this alleged occurrence the Endowment House was, by my instructions, taken down without delay.<br /> <br /> :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.<br /> <br /> :There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculcate or encourage polygamy; and when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved. And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.<br /> <br /> :Wilford Woodruff&lt;br&gt;<br /> President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.<br /> <br /> :President Lorenzo Snow offered the following:<br /> <br /> :&quot;I move that, recognizing Wilford Woodruff as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the only man on the earth at the present time who holds the keys of the sealing ordinances, we consider him fully authorized by virtue of his position to issue the Manifesto which has been read in our hearing, and which is dated September 24th, 1890, and that as a Church in General Conference assembled, we accept his declaration concerning plural marriages as authoritative and binding.&quot;<br /> <br /> :The vote to sustain the foregoing motion was unanimous.<br /> <br /> :Salt Lake City, Utah, October 6, 1890.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Nauvoo_and_the_Martyrdom&diff=10188 Nauvoo and the Martyrdom 2007-02-15T18:13:40Z <p>Awyatt: /* The Martyrdom */</p> <hr /> <div>:''Return to general [[Mormon history]] article.''<br /> :''Return to [[Missouri Period|previous time period]].''<br /> ===Nauvoo the Beautiful, the City of Joseph===<br /> After being expelled from [[Missouri]] by the [[Extermination Order]], the [[Mormon Church]] found refuge in the city of Quincy, Illinois in January of [[1839]]. The kind people there helped the Mormons until they could find a place of their own. [[Brigham Young]] and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] led the Church while Joseph remained in prison on false charges of treason. Finally, on April 16, a friendly guard, realizing that Joseph and the others were being confined illegally, allowed them to escape. <br /> <br /> On April 25, Joseph and the other leaders selected a town named Commerce in Hancock County, Illinois to be their new city. It was a beautiful, though swampy location overlooking a large bend in the Mississippi river. They bought the land and began settling there. The Twelve Apostles soon left again to preach the Gospel. [[Joseph Smith]] remained behind to help build up the new city. Joseph changed the name to ''[[Nauvoo]]'', which comes from the Hebrew word meaning ''beautiful'' . <br /> <br /> The Mormons were still anxious either to return to their lands in Missouri or get just compensation. Joseph directed them to write down everything that had happened and to try to account for all that they had lost. In October, [[1839]], Joseph Smith took these affadavits to Washington, D.C. where he spoke with members of the U.S. Congress and met with President Martin Van Buren. They told them that since Missouri was a sovereign state, only Missouri could redress their wrongs. Though Joseph told them that Governor Boggs refused, President Van Buren still said he could not help the Mormons.<br /> <br /> Joseph returned to Nauvoo. He and the other leaders determined that they would not let themselves be driven and harassed by illegal mobs again. They petitioned for and obtained a charter for their own city which gave them the legal right to defend themselves against attacks both from the law and from mobs. The charter for Nauvoo created a city militia, which was very common at the time, and also established a university. It also stated that no resident of Nauvoo could be arrested without a writ of ''habeas corpus'' before a city judge. This meant that no person living in Nauvoo could be dragged off by mobs or sheriffs without getting a fair chance to hear the charges against them.<br /> <br /> [[Nauvoo]] prospered and soon immigrants began arriving from England and Canada. In 1840, the Church was ten years old and had grown from a mere 6 members in April, [[1830]], to over 16,000 by the end of [[1840]]. There were now enough Mormons in England that the Church began publishing its own newspaper in that county, ''The Millennial Star''.<br /> <br /> In the fall of that year, the Mormons began building the Nauvoo [[Mormon temple|Temple]] and Joseph Smith announced a revelation teaching [http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_BaptDead.shtml baptism for the dead]. This meant that all those who had ever lived without having had a chance to hear the [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/gospel/gospel_eom.htm Gospel of Jesus Christ], could still accept it through a vicarious ordinance. <br /> <br /> By [[1841]], the number of Mormons had grown so that they spilled over into Hancock County and across the Mississippi into Iowa. Persecution followed them and the Missouri state government tried multiple times to extradite Joseph Smith and the other leaders back to Missouri. Someone had attempted to assassinate Governor Boggs, and though there was no evidence, Boggs was convinced Joseph Smith was behind it. Fortunately, the Missourians could never extradite anyone because they had no evidence and the Nauvoo charter required some proof before the person could be extradited. <br /> <br /> Also in 1841, the Twelve Apostles continued their missions in Europe. Elder Orson Hyde, one of the Apostles, traveled throughout Europe and even visited Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. In November of 1841, Joseph Smith dedicated part of the new Nauvoo Temple so it could be used for [[Baptism for the Dead|baptisms for the dead]].<br /> <br /> The early part of 1842 was relatively peaceful. In the spring, a newspaper man in Chicago named John Wentworth requested from Joseph Smith a brief summary of the history of the Church and what it believed. Joseph complied. The letter, known as the [[Wentworth letter]], is an important source of Mormon history; it also contains the [[Articles of Faith]]. On March 17, 1842, Joseph Smith organized the Women’s [[Relief Society]]. [[Emma Hale Smith|Emma Smith]], Joseph’s wife, became the first president. The Relief Society organized the women. They thereafter appointed teachers, taught one another the gospel and organized relief and service programs. One of their early missions was to provide relief for the poor in Nauvoo and assist in building the Nauvoo Temple; hence the organization was called the Relief Society. Today the Relief Society is among the largest and oldest women’s organizations in the world.<br /> <br /> The remainder of [[1842]] and most of [[1843]] were not so peaceful. While construction of the new town and especially the temple continued, Joseph and other leaders were often forced into hiding. In May, [[Polygamy#Joseph_Smith_and_Polygamy|John C. Bennett]], who had become a close associate and friend of Joseph Smith, was excommunicated from the Church because of adultery. He tried to claim that Joseph had given him permission to do this, but ultimately he confessed. After he left the Church, he became very bitter and began writing attacks on Joseph Smith and the Church. This forced Joseph to spend much of the fall in hiding. From his hiding places, Joseph continued writing letters to the Church.<br /> <br /> In 1843, Joseph continued to alternate periods of hiding from his persecutors and publicly teaching the Gospel, often in groves of trees. Joseph taught about the importance of gathering all Mormons together and building temples. In July, he recorded a revelation about [[polygamy]], or ''plural marriage'' as Mormons usually called it. Joseph had been troubled by Old Testament accounts about prophets like Abraham who had multiple wives. He asked the Lord about this. The Lord responded that sometimes he commands men to take extra wives, but that they can only do this when God commands them and they must be very careful. Joseph was still troubled by this, but he began teaching it to some of his most loyal associates. After much prayer, most of them accepted it as a revelation from God.<br /> <br /> Some, however, were not pleased. Since John C. Bennett, who had been mayor of Nauvoo, left after being excommunicated, Joseph Smith became mayor. Some felt that he had too much power being president of the Church and mayor. Joseph replied that he was not autocratic, but that he taught the people principles and left them to govern themselves. In early 1844, Joseph Smith appointed seven men to oversee the Seventy. This corresponds to the seven men the Apostles in Jesus’ time appointed (see Acts 7:3).<br /> <br /> Early [[1844]] was a trying time. Some people dissented from the Church because they either opposed polygamy or felt that Joseph Smith had fallen from being a prophet. Anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons like Bennett continued to stir up trouble by publishing scandalous and libelous reports about the Mormons and Joseph Smith, whom they mockingly called ''Joe Smith'' or ''Peepstone Joe''. Joseph decided that to respond to these critics he needed a national forum. He therefore decided to run for President of the United States. It is unlikely he expected to win, but he and the Church used this as a platform to express their views. Joseph Smith promised that if elected he would use the government to protect minorities. He also planned to end slavery by establishing a fund to buy slaves from slave owners, and then free them. The slave owners could use the money to transform their estates so that they would no longer need slaves.<br /> <br /> ===[[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|The Martyrdom]]===<br /> <br /> On June 7, [[1844]], [[William Law]], a disaffected Mormon, published the first and only edition of the ''[[Nauvoo Expositor]]''. It was a scandalous paper that called for Joseph Smith to be hung. It described in lurid prose all the evil things they suspected Joseph and other leaders of doing. On June 10, Joseph Smith as mayor and the city council met to decide what to do. They determined that based on their interpretation of their charter, they had the power to remove the press since it posed an imminent threat by calling for violence. The press and most copies of the paper were destroyed. A riot ensued and the next day Joseph Smith was sought by the county sheriff on charges of inciting riot. Fearful that a mob would attack him when in jail or that the trial would be unfair, Joseph hid for a few days. He sought a change of venue, but was denied. Governor [[Thomas Ford]] came from Springfield to oversee the affair. He promised Joseph Smith protection and a fair trial if he turned himself in. On June 22, Joseph surrendered himself to the governor. Joseph was taken to [[Carthage Jail|Carthage]], Illinois, the county seat of Hancock County. Many of his friends refused to leave him, but Joseph ordered them to leave, trusting in the governor’s promise of protection. The governor left Carthage on June 26, and left the Carthage militia, called the [[Carthage Greys]], in charge. <br /> <br /> On June 27, [[1844]], Joseph arose early. He ordered his remaining friends to leave. All but four did. These four, Joseph's brother [[Hyrum Smith]], [[John Taylor]], and [[Willard Richards]] remained with Joseph all day. They wrote letters and John Taylor, a gifted musician, sang hymns. Around 5:00 p.m. that evening a mob of men with faces painted black surrounded the jail. Whether complicit or not, the jailor fired a warning shot then departed. The mob, comprised of the Carthage Greys who were supposed to have protected Joseph until a fair trial could be held, stormed the jail. Joseph and the others had been transferred from the cell to a more comfortable bedroom on the second floor. As the mob rushed the jail, Joseph and Hyrum tried to hold the door. Joseph picked up a gun a friend had left for him. Joseph had said he did not want to use it, but promised that he would defend his friends. He fired three shots, wounding, but not killing three men. The gun then jammed. As Hyrum tried to hold the door, he was shot in the face and fell to the floor. His last words were: &quot;I am a dead man!&quot; Joseph dropped to the floor and cradled his dead brother for a moment. While the other men, Willard Richards and John Taylor, ( the latter would eventually be shot four times, but survive) held the door, Joseph walked to the window. No one knows why. Most likely he wanted to draw fire from his remaining friends. At the window he was shot. He collapsed. He exlaimed &quot;Oh Lord, my God as he fell out the window and landed near a well. He was shot three more times as he lay on the ground either dead or dying. Before the mob could mutilate his body more, someone shouted that the Nauvoo militia was coming and the mob dispersed. Joseph Smith was dead. His friend, John Taylor, who was wounded with him, wrote an account of Joseph's Martyrdom which was later included in the [[Doctrine and Covenants]] as [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/135 section 135]<br /> <br /> ===Nauvoo after the Martyrdom===<br /> <br /> Enemies of the Church, like Thomas Sharp, a newspaper editor in nearby Warsaw who had called for Joseph’s death, believed that the Church would dwindle without Joseph. They believed that Mormonism was just a personality [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai042.html cult] around Joseph, but they were wrong. In the year after Joseph’s death, nearly 4,000 people joined themselves to Mormonism. They did not come to join a cult, but to follow the will of God through a living Prophet. <br /> <br /> Still, many Mormons were at a loss. Some had believed that God would not let Joseph die, but Joseph Smith’s work was done. The [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] and other leaders rushed back to Nauvoo from their missionary work. In August, a conference was held to determine who would lead the Church. Sidney Rigdon, whom Joseph had repeatedly criticized for his violent speeches and pride, attempted to set himself up as ''Guardian'' of the Church. However, [[Brigham Young]], speaking for the Quroum of the Twelve, addressed the assembly on August 8, [[1844]]. He said that the power of the [[Priesthood| priesthood]] and right, or ''keys'', to perform all the [[Ordinances| ordinances]] were still with the Church, because Joseph Smith had given them to the Twelve Apostles. Therefore, just as the Apostles led the Church in Peter and Paul’s time, they should lead it today. As he spoke, many said that Brigham Young was transfigured before them and it seemed as though Joseph Smith himself were talking. A vote was taken and nearly everyone, including Sidney, voted to accept the leadership of the Apostles.<br /> <br /> Joseph’s murder gave the Mormons a short respite, as their enemies waited for the Mormons to disintegrate. However, they did not. In fact, the Church continued to grow and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] continued sending [[Mormon missionaries]] all over the globe. They also worked to finish the temple. Once their enemies realized the Mormons were not going to leave, they began to attack them once again. In January of 1845, the Nauvoo charter was rescinded. To add insult to injury, in May, the leaders of the mob who murdered Joseph and Hyrum were acquitted in a sham trial where no Mormon was allowed to testify or even attend. By that fall, Brigham Young and the Twelve Apostles made two decisions: finish the temple, and prepare to move to the Rocky Mountains where years before Joseph had prophesied they would eventually live. In September, the citizens of Hancock County demanded that the Mormons leave. By December, the [http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/aa071802a.htm Nauvoo Temple] was complete enough to permit the Mormons to begin receiving their temple [[Temple endowment| endowments]] and to begin entering into celestial, or [[Celestial marriage| eternal marriage]].<br /> <br /> In February [[1846]], the first company of [http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/mopi/hrs2.htm Mormons pioneers] left Nauvoo, walking across the frozen Mississippi into Iowa. On February 8, the temple was officially dedicated, though the public dedication was not until May 1. The Mormons left in waves and founded temporary settlements along the Platte River in Iowa: Garden Gove, Mount Pisgah, Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), and finally [http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/mopi/hrs4.htm Winter Quarters], Nebraska. The road was slow and soggy. On September 10, the last Mormons were attacked by mobs in the Battle of Nauvoo. By September 16, 1846, the last Mormons were driven from the city. Their [http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/previousyears/aa092201a.htm beautiful temple] was burned by an arsonist. Nauvoo, a city that in 1844 had rivaled even Chicago for size and beauty, was all but destroyed. In [[1850]], a tornado hit Nauvoo and finished what the arsonists had begun.<br /> :''Proceed to [[Westward Migration|next time period]].''<br /> <br /> {{MormonHistoryBox}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Nauvoo_Expositor&diff=10187 Nauvoo Expositor 2007-02-15T18:10:46Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The ''Nauvoo Expositor'' was a short-lived newspaper published in [[Nauvoo]] during [[1844]]. The newspaper was published by apostates determined to destroy [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and [[Joseph Smith]]. During the spring of [[1844]], apostates and a few disgrunted members banded together to form a dissenting church. They claimed belief in the [[Book of Mormon]] and the restoration of the gospel, but rejected what they saw as &quot;Nauvoo innovations,&quot; including [[Plural Marriage|plural marriage]]. They claimed that Joseph was a fallen prophet, and planned to use the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' as a vehicle to inform others of his supposed false teachings and abominations. They held secret meetings, made plans, and took oaths to topple the Church and kill Joseph Smith.<br /> <br /> When the press for the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' arrived in [[Nauvoo]] on May 7, [[1844]], it stirred great excitement among the citizens of Nauvoo, Mormons and non-Mormons alike. Within three days the owners, all leaders of the opposition movement, issued a broadside prospectus for the paper. On June 7, [[1844]], the first and only issue of the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' appeared and caused an immediate furor in the community. Nauvoo residents were incensed at what they saw as its sensational, yellow-journalistic claims about [[Nauvoo]] religion, politics, and morality. The newspaper's polemics against the Church and Joseph Smith were threatening and polarizing. The anti-Mormons were exultant about the ''Nauvoo Expositor,'' but Church members demanded that something be done.<br /> <br /> As mayor of Nauvoo, [[Joseph Smith]] summoned the city council. After fourteen hours of deliberation in three different sessions, the council resolved on the evening of June 10, [[1844]], that the newspaper and its printing office were &quot;a public nuisance&quot; and instructed the mayor &quot;to remove it...without delay.&quot; Joseph Smith promptly ordered the city marshal to destroy the press and burn all copies of the paper. That night the marshal carried out the mayor's orders, an action that played into the hands of the opposition. It riled anti-Mormon sentiment throughout Hancock County and provided substance for the charges used by the opposition to hold Joseph Smith in [[Carthage Jail]], where he was [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|murdered]] on June 27, [[1844]].</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Nauvoo_Expositor&diff=10186 Nauvoo Expositor 2007-02-15T18:10:14Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The ''Nauvoo Expositor'' was a short-lived newspaper published in [[Nauvoo]] during [[1844]]. The newspaper was published by apostates determined to destroy [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and [[Joseph Smith]]. During the spring of [[1844]], apostates and a few disgrunted members banded together to form a dissenting church. They claimed belief in the [[Book of Mormon]] and the restoration of the gospel, but rejected what they saw as &quot;Nauvoo innovations,&quot; including [[plural marriage]]. They claimed that Joseph was a fallen prophet, and planned to use the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' as a vehicle to inform others of his supposed false teachings and abominations. They held secret meetings, made plans, and took oaths to topple the Church and kill Joseph Smith.<br /> <br /> When the press for the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' arrived in [[Nauvoo]] on May 7, [[1844]], it stirred great excitement among the citizens of Nauvoo, Mormons and non-Mormons alike. Within three days the owners, all leaders of the opposition movement, issued a broadside prospectus for the paper. On June 7, [[1844]], the first and only issue of the ''Nauvoo Expositor'' appeared and caused an immediate furor in the community. Nauvoo residents were incensed at what they saw as its sensational, yellow-journalistic claims about [[Nauvoo]] religion, politics, and morality. The newspaper's polemics against the Church and Joseph Smith were threatening and polarizing. The anti-Mormons were exultant about the ''Nauvoo Expositor,'' but Church members demanded that something be done.<br /> <br /> As mayor of Nauvoo, [[Joseph Smith]] summoned the city council. After fourteen hours of deliberation in three different sessions, the council resolved on the evening of June 10, [[1844]], that the newspaper and its printing office were &quot;a public nuisance&quot; and instructed the mayor &quot;to remove it...without delay.&quot; Joseph Smith promptly ordered the city marshal to destroy the press and burn all copies of the paper. That night the marshal carried out the mayor's orders, an action that played into the hands of the opposition. It riled anti-Mormon sentiment throughout Hancock County and provided substance for the charges used by the opposition to hold Joseph Smith in [[Carthage Jail]], where he was [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|murdered]] on June 27, [[1844]].</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Sr.&diff=10185 Joseph Smith, Sr. 2007-02-15T17:57:35Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Joseph Smith, Sr.''', was the father of [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., the founder of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Sr. was a hard-working individual who was supportive of his son from the time he had his [[First Vision|first vision]]. He served in many Church leadership positions, including Church Patriarch. Joseph Sr. died following the Mormons' expulsion from Missouri and was considered a martyr for the cause.<br /> <br /> Joseph Smith, Sr., was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, July 12, 1771, the third of eleven children born to Asael and Mary Duty Smith. As a young man, he moved with his parents to Tunbridge, Vermont, where he met [[Lucy Mack Smith|Lucy Mack]]. They were married January 24, 1796, in Tunbridge. In the years after their marriage, Joseph Sr. and Lucy tried their hands at several different ventures which did not work out. They suffered financially, moving from place to place in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Smiths finally moved to [[Palmyra]], New York, in 1816. The Smiths purchased a 100-acre farm in Manchester, New York, soon after their arrival, but lost it in 1825 when they were unable to make the final yearly payment of $100. After they lost their farm, the Smiths again became tenant farmers.<br /> <br /> In 1829 a revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr., called his father to participate in the &quot;marvelous work&quot; about to be accomplished, and soon thereafter, Joseph Sr. became one of the [[Eight Witnesses]] to the [[Book of Mormon]] and saw and held the [[Golden Plates|gold plates]]. He was present when the Church was organized on April 6, [[1830]], and was baptized on the same day. He was ordained the first patriarch to the Church in [[1833]] and in that office gave blessings of comfort and inspiration throughout the remainder of his life.<br /> <br /> Joseph, Sr., and Lucy moved with the Church from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. They operated a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, and a boardinghouse in Far West, Missouri. In 1839, they assisted hundreds of Saints fleeing from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois.<br /> <br /> During the Missouri persecutions in the fall of [[1838]], Joseph Sr. became ill. It was under these conditions that he made the forced exodus from Missouri to Illinois in [[1839]]. Due to conditions in [[Nauvoo]], he fared no better and finally died on September 14, [[1840]]. Before his death, he called his children to his bedside to give them final blessings. He assured his son Joseph that he would live to finish his work. In his final moments before his death, Joseph Sr. said he saw Alvin, a son who had died nearly seventeen years earlier.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Sr.&diff=10184 Joseph Smith, Sr. 2007-02-15T17:56:40Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Joseph Smith, Sr.''', was the father of [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., the founder of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Sr. was a hard-working individual who was supportive of his son from the time he had his [[First Vision|first vision]]. He served in many Church leadership positions, including Church Patriarch. Joseph Sr. died following the Mormons' expulsion from Missouri and was considered a martyr for the cause.<br /> <br /> Joseph Smith, Sr., was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, July 12, 1771, the third of eleven children born to Asael and Mary Duty Smith. As a young man, he moved with his parents to Tunbridge, Vermont, where he met Lucy Mack. They were married January 24, 1796, in Tunbridge. In the years after their marriage, Joseph Sr. and Lucy tried their hands at several different ventures which did not work out. They suffered financially, moving from place to place in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Smiths finally moved to [[Palmyra]], New York, in 1816. The Smiths purchased a 100-acre farm in Manchester, New York, soon after their arrival, but lost it in 1825 when they were unable to make the final yearly payment of $100. After they lost their farm, the Smiths again became tenant farmers.<br /> <br /> In 1829 a revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr., called his father to participate in the &quot;marvelous work&quot; about to be accomplished, and soon thereafter, Joseph Sr. became one of the [[Eight Witnesses]] to the [[Book of Mormon]] and saw and held the [[Golden Plates|gold plates]]. He was present when the Church was organized on April 6, [[1830]], and was baptized on the same day. He was ordained the first patriarch to the Church in [[1833]] and in that office gave blessings of comfort and inspiration throughout the remainder of his life.<br /> <br /> Joseph, Sr., and Lucy moved with the Church from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. They operated a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, and a boardinghouse in Far West, Missouri. In 1839, they assisted hundreds of Saints fleeing from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois.<br /> <br /> During the Missouri persecutions in the fall of [[1838]], Joseph Sr. became ill. It was under these conditions that he made the forced exodus from Missouri to Illinois in [[1839]]. Due to conditions in [[Nauvoo]], he fared no better and finally died on September 14, [[1840]]. Before his death, he called his children to his bedside to give them final blessings. He assured his son Joseph that he would live to finish his work. In his final moments before his death, Joseph Sr. said he saw Alvin, a son who had died nearly seventeen years earlier.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Sr.&diff=10183 Joseph Smith, Sr. 2007-02-15T17:56:20Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Joseph Smith, Sr.''', was the father of [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., the founder of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Sr. was a hard-working individual who was supportive of his son from the time he had his [[First Vision|first vision]]. He served in many Church leadership positions, including Church Patriarch. Joseph Sr. died following the Mormons' expulsion from Missouri and was considered a martyr for the cause.<br /> <br /> Joseph Smith, Sr., was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, July 12, 1771, the third of eleven children born to Asael and Mary Duty Smith. As a young man, he moved with his parents to Tunbridge, Vermont, where he met Lucy Mack. They were married January 24, 1796, in Tunbridge. In the years after their marriage, Joseph Sr. and Lucy tried their hands at several different ventures which did not work out. They suffered financially, moving from place to place in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Smiths finally moved to [[Palmyra]], New York, in 1816. The Smiths purchased a 100-acre farm in Manchester, New York, soon after their arrival, but lost it in 1825 when they were unable to make the final yearly payment of $100. After they lost their farm, the Smiths again became tenant farmers.<br /> <br /> In 1829 a revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr., called his father to participate in the &quot;marvelous work&quot; about to be accomplished, and soon thereafter, Joseph Sr. became one of the [[Eight Witnesses]] to the [[Book of Mormon]] and saw and held the [[golden plates|gold plates]]. He was present when the Church was organized on April 6, [[1830]], and was baptized on the same day. He was ordained the first patriarch to the Church in [[1833]] and in that office gave blessings of comfort and inspiration throughout the remainder of his life.<br /> <br /> Joseph, Sr., and Lucy moved with the Church from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. They operated a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, and a boardinghouse in Far West, Missouri. In 1839, they assisted hundreds of Saints fleeing from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois.<br /> <br /> During the Missouri persecutions in the fall of [[1838]], Joseph Sr. became ill. It was under these conditions that he made the forced exodus from Missouri to Illinois in [[1839]]. Due to conditions in [[Nauvoo]], he fared no better and finally died on September 14, [[1840]]. Before his death, he called his children to his bedside to give them final blessings. He assured his son Joseph that he would live to finish his work. In his final moments before his death, Joseph Sr. said he saw Alvin, a son who had died nearly seventeen years earlier.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Sr.&diff=10182 Joseph Smith, Sr. 2007-02-15T17:56:00Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Joseph Smith, Sr.''', was the father of [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., the founder of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Sr. was a hard-working individual who was supportive of his son from the time he had his [[First Vision|first vision]]. He served in many Church leadership positions, including Church Patriarch. Joseph Sr. died following the Mormons' expulsion from Missouri and was considered a martyr for the cause.<br /> <br /> Joseph Smith, Sr., was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, July 12, 1771, the third of eleven children born to Asael and Mary Duty Smith. As a young man, he moved with his parents to Tunbridge, Vermont, where he met Lucy Mack. They were married January 24, 1796, in Tunbridge. In the years after their marriage, Joseph Sr. and Lucy tried their hands at several different ventures which did not work out. They suffered financially, moving from place to place in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Smiths finally moved to [[Palmyra]], New York, in 1816. The Smiths purchased a 100-acre farm in Manchester, New York, soon after their arrival, but lost it in 1825 when they were unable to make the final yearly payment of $100. After they lost their farm, the Smiths again became tenant farmers.<br /> <br /> In 1829 a revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr., called his father to participate in the &quot;marvelous work&quot; about to be accomplished, and soon thereafter, Joseph Sr. became one of the [[Eight Witnesses]] to the [[Book of Mormon]] and saw and held the [[gold plates]]. He was present when the Church was organized on April 6, [[1830]], and was baptized on the same day. He was ordained the first patriarch to the Church in [[1833]] and in that office gave blessings of comfort and inspiration throughout the remainder of his life.<br /> <br /> Joseph, Sr., and Lucy moved with the Church from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. They operated a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, and a boardinghouse in Far West, Missouri. In 1839, they assisted hundreds of Saints fleeing from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois.<br /> <br /> During the Missouri persecutions in the fall of [[1838]], Joseph Sr. became ill. It was under these conditions that he made the forced exodus from Missouri to Illinois in [[1839]]. Due to conditions in [[Nauvoo]], he fared no better and finally died on September 14, [[1840]]. Before his death, he called his children to his bedside to give them final blessings. He assured his son Joseph that he would live to finish his work. In his final moments before his death, Joseph Sr. said he saw Alvin, a son who had died nearly seventeen years earlier.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith,_Sr.&diff=10181 Joseph Smith, Sr. 2007-02-15T17:54:09Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Joseph Smith, Sr.''', was the father of [[Joseph Smith]], Jr., the founder of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Sr. was a hard-working individual who was supportive of his son from the time he had his [[First Vision|first vision]]. He served in many Church leadership positions, including Church Patriarch. Joseph Sr. died following the Mormons' expulsion from Missouri and was considered a martyr for the cause.<br /> <br /> Joseph Smith, Sr., was born in Topsfield, Massachusetts, July 12, 1771, the third of eleven children born to Asael and Mary Duty Smith. As a young man, he moved with his parents to Tunbridge, Vermont, where he met [[Lucy Mack Smith|Lucy Mack]]. They were married January 24, 1796, in Tunbridge. In the years after their marriage, Joseph Sr. and Lucy tried their hands at several different ventures which did not work out. They suffered financially, moving from place to place in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Smiths finally moved to [[Palmyra]], New York, in 1816. The Smiths purchased a 100-acre farm in [[Manchester, New York]], soon after their arrival, but lost it in 1825 when they were unable to make the final yearly payment of $100. After they lost their farm, the Smiths again became tenant farmers.<br /> <br /> In 1829 a revelation to Joseph Smith, Jr., called his father to participate in the &quot;marvelous work&quot; about to be accomplished, and soon thereafter, Joseph Sr. became one of the [[Eight Witnesses]] to the [[Book of Mormon]] and saw and held the [[gold plates]]. He was present when the Church was organized on April 6, [[1830]], and was baptized on the same day. He was ordained the first patriarch to the Church in [[1833]] and in that office gave blessings of comfort and inspiration throughout the remainder of his life.<br /> <br /> Joseph, Sr., and Lucy moved with the Church from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois. They operated a farm in Kirtland, Ohio, and a boardinghouse in Far West, Missouri. In 1839, they assisted hundreds of Saints fleeing from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois.<br /> <br /> During the Missouri persecutions in the fall of [[1838]], Joseph Sr. became ill. It was under these conditions that he made the forced exodus from Missouri to Illinois in [[1839]]. Due to conditions in [[Nauvoo]], he fared no better and finally died on September 14, [[1840]]. Before his death, he called his children to his bedside to give them final blessings. He assured his son Joseph that he would live to finish his work. In his final moments before his death, Joseph Sr. said he saw Alvin, a son who had died nearly seventeen years earlier.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Christian&diff=10171 Christian 2007-02-12T21:16:17Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>Mormons believe that the term ''Christians'' refers to individuals who base their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus and who profess a personal relationship with Him. Within that broad definition there is room for a wide divergence of opinion on exactly what those teachings mean and how they should be applied within the life of a professing Christian. Mormons recognize (among others) Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and LDS Christians, with the explicit understanding that LDS Christianity is the [[restoration|restored fulness]] of Christ's gospel. The lives of believing, practicing Mormons represent their affirmation of their Christian faith.<br /> <br /> Some traditional Christian sects associate the term ''Christian'' with the acceptance of certain beliefs, creeds, or dogmas. Because Mormons do not accept certain non-biblical beliefs--especially those originating in post-[[New Testament]] philosphical teachings--some in other churches feel that Mormons cannot be Christian. In this regard, they feel that Mormons are not &quot;orthodox.&quot; For Mormons, however, orthodoxy (correct beliefs) and orthopraxy (correct behaviors) are always consistent with the revealed mind and will of the Lord. Mormons believe in the concept of continuing [[revelation]], which means that the heavens are not closed and God can still speak to mankind.<br /> <br /> A good definition of what Mormons believe relative to Christianity is found in the [[Book of Mormon]]:<br /> <br /> :And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)<br /> <br /> Christ and his [[Atonement of Jesus Christ|atoning sacrifice]] have been the central message of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] from its beginning. Christ has been the central message of all the latter-day [[prophets]] and [[apostle|apostles]]. Indeed, Mormons believe that the cental message of prophets throughout history has been to lead people to Christ. [[Jesus Christ]] is the living Lord of the Church; apart from Him there is no [[salvation]].<br /> <br /> While there are many that are recognized as Christians by Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ does not see itself as one Christian denomination among many, but rather as God's latter-day restoration of the fulness of Christian faith and practice. Thus, from its earliest days LDS Christians sought to distinguish themselves from Christians of other traditions. Other forms of Christianity, while bearing much truth and doing much good under the guidance of the [[Holy Spirit]], are viewed as incomplete, lacking the authority of the [[priesthood]] of God, the [[Mormon temple|temple ordinances]], the comprehensive understanding of the [[Plan of Salvation]], and a true understanding of the [[Godhead]].</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Christian&diff=10170 Christian 2007-02-12T21:16:06Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>Mormons believe that the term ''Christians'' refers to individuals who base their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus and who profess a personal relationship with Him. Within that broad definition there is room for a wide divergence of opinion on exactly what those teachings mean and how they should be applied within the life of a professing Christian. Mormons recognize (among others) Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and LDS Christians, with the explicit understanding that LDS Christianity is the [[restoration|restored fulness]] of Christ's gospel. The lives of believing, practicing Mormons represent their affirmation of their Christian faith.<br /> <br /> Some traditional Christian sects associate the term ''Christian'' with the acceptance of certain beliefs, creeds, or dogmas. Because Mormons do not accept certain non-biblical beliefs--especially those originating in post-[[New Testament]] philosphical teachings--some in other churches feel that Mormons cannot be Christian. In this regard, they feel that Mormons are not &quot;orthodox.&quot; For Mormons, however, orthodoxy (correct beliefs) and orthopraxy (correct behaviors) are always consistent with the revealed mind and will of the Lord. Mormons believe in the concept of continuing [[revelation]], which means that the heavens are not closed and God can still speak to mankind.<br /> <br /> A good definition of what Mormons believe relative to Christianity is found in the [[Book of Mormon]]:<br /> <br /> And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)<br /> <br /> Christ and his [[Atonement of Jesus Christ|atoning sacrifice]] have been the central message of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] from its beginning. Christ has been the central message of all the latter-day [[prophets]] and [[apostle|apostles]]. Indeed, Mormons believe that the cental message of prophets throughout history has been to lead people to Christ. [[Jesus Christ]] is the living Lord of the Church; apart from Him there is no [[salvation]].<br /> <br /> While there are many that are recognized as Christians by Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ does not see itself as one Christian denomination among many, but rather as God's latter-day restoration of the fulness of Christian faith and practice. Thus, from its earliest days LDS Christians sought to distinguish themselves from Christians of other traditions. Other forms of Christianity, while bearing much truth and doing much good under the guidance of the [[Holy Spirit]], are viewed as incomplete, lacking the authority of the [[priesthood]] of God, the [[Mormon temple|temple ordinances]], the comprehensive understanding of the [[Plan of Salvation]], and a true understanding of the [[Godhead]].</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Christian&diff=10169 Christian 2007-02-12T21:15:17Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>Mormons believe that the term ''Christians'' refers to individuals who base their beliefs on the teachings of Jesus and who profess a personal relationship with Him. Within that broad definition there is room for a wide divergence of opinion on exactly what those teachings mean and how they should be applied within the life of a professing Christian. Mormons recognize (among others) Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and LDS Christians, with the explicit understanding that LDS Christianity is the [[restoration|restored fulness]] of Christ's gospel. The lives of believing, practicing Mormons represent their affirmation of their Christian faith.<br /> <br /> Some traditional Christian sects associate the term ''Christian'' with the acceptance of certain beliefs, creeds, or dogmas. Because Mormons do not accept certain non-biblical beliefs--especially those originating in post-[[New Testament]] philosphical teachings--some in other churches feel that Mormons cannot be Christian. In this regard, they feel that Mormons are not &quot;orthodox.&quot; For Mormons, however, orthodoxy (correct beliefs) and orthopraxy (correct behaviors) are always consistent with the revealed mind and will of the Lord. Mormons believe in the concept of continuing [[revelation]], which means that the heavens are not closed and God can still speak to mankind.<br /> <br /> A good definition of what Mormons believe relative to Christianity is found in the [[Book of Mormon]]:<br /> <br /> And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)<br /> <br /> Christ and his [[atonement|atoning sacrifice]] have been the central message of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] from its beginning. Christ has been the central message of all the latter-day [[prophet|prophets]] and [[apostle|apostles]]. Indeed, Mormons believe that the cental message of prophets throughout history has been to lead people to Christ. [[Jesus Christ]] is the living Lord of the Church; apart from Him there is no [[salvation]].<br /> <br /> While there are many that are recognized as Christians by Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ does not see itself as one Christian denomination among many, but rather as God's latter-day restoration of the fulness of Christian faith and practice. Thus, from its earliest days LDS Christians sought to distinguish themselves from Christians of other traditions. Other forms of Christianity, while bearing much truth and doing much good under the guidance of the [[Holy Spirit]], are viewed as incomplete, lacking the authority of the [[priesthood]] of God, the [[Mormon temple|temple ordinances]], the comprehensive understanding of the [[Plan of Salvation]], and a true understanding of the [[Godhead]].</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mormon_garments&diff=10143 Mormon garments 2007-02-08T22:40:42Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>People routinely talk about the ''garment industry,'' and retailers have entire departments and stores that sell garments. To most people, the term ''garment'' is synonymous with ''clothing.''<br /> <br /> If you mention the word ''garment'' to your Mormon friend or neighbor, however, you'll often get an entirely different reaction. To millions of Mormons around the world, garments are a special piece of clothing worn as a symbolic gesture of the promises that they have made to God. The garment is always worn under other clothing, next to the skin. For most people who wear it, the garment takes the place of regular underwear. (For this reason, some people refer to the garment as ''Mormon undergarments'' or as ''Mormon underwear.'' Most LDS shy away from such terms, preferring the simpler ''garment'' term, instead.)<br /> <br /> [[Image:garments2.jpg|frame|Temple garments are sacred, and have special meaning to Mormons]]<br /> The garment is directly related to Mormon temples. It is here that faithful members first receive the garment after individual instruction on how it should be worn and cared for. The garment is worn as part of a special ceremony called the ''[[temple endowment]].'' During the ceremony additional special clothing is worn for ceremonial purposes, but this ceremonial clothing is worn only inside a temple. The garment, on the other hand, is worn at all times (day and night) by members as a constant reminder of the promises they have made to God.<br /> <br /> ==Religious Clothing==<br /> Mormons are not unique in the wearing of special clothing for religious purposes. Perhaps the most well-known example is the yarmulke, which is worn at special times by many Jewish men or at all times by devout orthodox Jews. Similarly, in some religions a minister or priest will wear a special collar that has religious significance, or nuns may wear special clothing that signifies the religious order to which they belong. In all cases the special clothing reflects the religious conviction of the wearer.<br /> <br /> There is also a historical precedent for wearing religious clothing. In fact, [[Adam and Eve]] wore clothing that was made for them by God before they left the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:21 states that &quot;unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.&quot; Mormons believe that such clothing was provided as part of the religious instruction provided to Adam and Eve by God. This is the same context in which Mormons receive the garment--as part of the religious instruction contained within the temple endowment.<br /> <br /> Other religious figures throughout history have also worn special clothing as they performed their religious duties. For instance, Moses was commanded by the Lord (as recorded in Exodus 28:1-3) to place holy garments and priestly vestments upon Aaron and others in preparation for officiating in the tabernacle.<br /> <br /> ==Meaning and Purpose==<br /> For temple-going Mormons, the garment serves much the same purpose as religious clothing throughout history--it privately sets them apart from the world and signifies a covenant between the wearer and God. There is no professional clergy in the LDS Church, so in some ways the garment serves as a symbol of the lay clergy, where both men and women share in the responsibilities and blessings of the priesthood, particularly in the temple.<br /> <br /> If you look at a pair of garments, there is nothing physically special about them. They are made from a variety of light-weight fabrics, and most garments are white. (There are some special colored garments that can be worn by members of the armed services, but for the vast majority of Mormons, garments are always white.) The white color symbolizes purity and the length and cut of the garment helps assure [[modesty]] in dress and appearance.<br /> <br /> The meaning attached to the garment by devout Mormons transcends the fabric and design used to create the garment. It is sacred to the wearer not for what it is, but for what it represents. It reminds the wearer of the continuing need for [[repentance]] and obedience to God, the need to honor binding covenants voluntarily made in the temple, and the need to cherish and share truth and virtue in our daily living. By so doing, the garment helps the wearer to focus his or her life on Jesus Christ and to thereby lay claim on the blessings promised to those who do so.<br /> <br /> ''See also [[Mormon undergarments]]''<br /> <br /> ==External Links==<br /> * [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/temples/ Mormon Temples] - Lightplanet<br /> * [http://mormanity.blogspot.com/2005/01/mormon-temples-and-secrecy.html Mormon Temples and Secrecy]<br /> * [http://home.uchicago.edu/~spackman/temple Resources about the History and Symbolism of Mormon Temples]<br /> * [http://beta.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=6b4daf3d29baf010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&amp;vgnextchannel=3e0511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD LDS Newsroom on Temple Garments]<br /> [[Category:Temples]][[Category:Mormon Life and Culture]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=File:Garments2.jpg&diff=10142 File:Garments2.jpg 2007-02-08T22:39:10Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div></div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Eni_Faleomavaega&diff=10141 Eni Faleomavaega 2007-02-08T22:25:47Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega, Jr.''' was born August 15, [[1943]] in Vailoatai Village, American Samoa and is the Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. He is married to Hinanui Bambridge Cave of Papeete, Tahiti and they have five children and two grandchildren. <br /> <br /> Faleomavaega earned from [[Brigham Young University]] a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science/History in 1966. He received his Juris Doctor (JD) in 1972 from the University of Houston Law School, Texas and in 1973 a Master of Law (LLM) from the University of California - Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. <br /> <br /> He served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1969, and as an officer in the United States Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989. <br /> <br /> Faleomavaega served as the administrative assistant to the American Samoa Delegate (1973-1975), as staff counsel for the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (1975-1981), as Deputy Attorney General for the territory of American Samoa (1981-1984), and as Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa (1985-1989). He was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives, serving from January 3, 1989 to the present.<br /> <br /> He has published ''Navigating the Future: A Samoan Perspective in U.S.-Pacific Relations'' (KIN Publications, 1995). <br /> <br /> ==External Links==<br /> * [http://www.house.gov/faleomavaega/bio.shtml Official House website]<br /> * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eni_Faleomavaega Wikipedia article]<br /> {{stub}}<br /> [[Category:Famous Mormons]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Articles_that_need_to_be_written&diff=10078 Articles that need to be written 2007-02-01T23:36:56Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>See also [[:Category:Stubs]] and [[Special:Wantedpages|The list of most linked-to pages]]<br /> <br /> The world needs to hear more from us on the following topics. Please feel free to contribute to these articles, and please use this non-esoteric language (Mormon instead of LDS) when writing.<br /> Also, since the purpose of MormonWiki is to create a large number of articles on many subjects, <br /> we should write more than one article on each topic. If you want to write more about the Book of Mormon, for example, but there is already an article about it, you don't have to simply edit the existing article. You can write a completely new article; just create a new page like in our example (Mormon temple 2) and start writing.<br /> <br /> Before beginning, please take a look at our brief '''[[Writing Guide]]'''<br /> <br /> * [[Beliefs and rituals of Mormonism]]<br /> * [[Beliefs of Mormonism 2]]<br /> * [[Book of Mormon archaeology]]<br /> * [[Book of Mormon Characters]] needs additional bios of characters<br /> * [[Book of Mormon research]]<br /> * [[Book of Mormon study]]<br /> * [[Brigham Young University--Hawaii]]<br /> * [[Depression and Anxiety]]<br /> * [[Every member a missionary]]<br /> * [[Fastest growing church]]<br /> * [[Jackson County]]<br /> * [[Mormon doctrine]]<br /> * [[Mormon humor]]<br /> * [[Mormon myths 2]]<br /> * [[Mormon pioneers]], need more biographies.<br /> * [[Mormon practice]]<br /> * [[Mormon religion]]<br /> * [[Outer Darkness]]<br /> * [[Presiding Bishop]]<br /> * [[Reorganized (RLDS) Church]]<br /> * [[Sheri L. Dew]]<br /> * [[Young Mens Program]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Creationism_in_Mormonism&diff=10076 Creationism in Mormonism 2007-02-01T23:34:28Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>Like other Christians, Mormons believe that &quot;God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.&quot;(Genesis 2)[http://scriptures.lds.org/gen/2] Mormons believe that God created the world, everything on it, and everything in space beyond the earth. <br /> <br /> There are differences, however, in the specifics of the process of the creation as believed by Mormons and as believed by most Christians and other Creationists. <br /> <br /> ==Ex Nihilo Creation and Mormonism==<br /> <br /> '''Ex Nihilo''' comes from Latin and means &quot;out of nothing.&quot; It is used by most creationists to mean that the world was created by God out of nothingness. Mormons, on the other hand, usually believe that '''create''' is simply a synonym for '''organize''' (Bruce R. McConkie, ''Mormon Doctrine''). Essentially, Mormons are process theologians. Joseph Smith said, &quot;Now the word create came from the word ''baurau'', which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials out of a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaoes--chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end&quot; (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'', pp.350-352).<br /> <br /> ==Mormons and Evolution==<br /> <br /> In general, many Mormons do not fully accept evolutionary theory. In 1909, an official pronouncement was made by then prophet Joseph F. Smith titled &quot;The Origin of Man&quot; which stated that Adam was the first man on the earth and was not the result of development from lower orders of life and that God created every form of life (Joseph F. Smith, ''Man: His Origin and Destiny''). No prophet of the church has ever contradicted Joseph F. Smith and most speak of evolution in negative tones, but there are no recent official statements of church doctrine on this topic.<br /> <br /> Many practicing Mormons and leaders, like other Christians, attempt to reconcile part or all of evolutionary theory with official religious doctrine and scripture. In particular, many Mormons believe in micro-evolution and in the process of natural selection. Mormons are generally science-friendly when scientific theory does not directly conflict with scripture.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=2002&diff=10075 2002 2007-02-01T23:33:42Z <p>Awyatt: /* June */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Decade2000}}<br /> ==January==<br /> <br /> ==February==<br /> <br /> ==March==<br /> * March 3 - Dedication of [[Snowflake Arizona Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==April==<br /> * April 21 - Dedication of [[Lubbock Texas Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> * April 28 - Dedication of [[Monterrey Mexico Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==May==<br /> * May 17 - Dedication of [[Campinas Brazil Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> * May 19 - Dedication of [[Asuncion Paraguay Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==June==<br /> * June 27 - Dedication of [[Nauvoo Temple|Nauvoo Illinois Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==July==<br /> <br /> ==August==<br /> <br /> ==September==<br /> * September 8 - Dedication of [[The Hague Netherlands Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==October==<br /> <br /> ==November==<br /> <br /> ==December==<br /> <br /> ==Unknown Dates==<br /> <br /> ==Births==<br /> <br /> ==Deaths==</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Lyman_Wight&diff=10074 Lyman Wight 2007-02-01T23:32:48Z <p>Awyatt: /* Service in the church */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Image:LymanWight.jpg|thumb|Lyman Wight]]<br /> '''Lyman Wight''' (1796&amp;ndash;1858) was an early apostle of the church. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained as a member of the [[Quorum of the Twelve]] Apostles. After the death of [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] Wight led his own group of Latter Day Saints to Texas, where they created a settlement. While in Texas, Wight broke with other factions of Latter Day Saints. He was later ordained President of his own church, After his death, most of the &quot;'''Wightites'''&quot; (as members of this church were called) joined with the [[Community of Christ|Reorganization]].<br /> <br /> ==Early life==<br /> Lyman Wight was born May 9, 1796 in Fairfield, New York. He fought in the War of 1812. He united with Isaac Morley and others in forming a common stock utopian society in [[Kirtland, Ohio]].<br /> <br /> ==Service in the church==<br /> He was baptized by [[Oliver Cowdery]] in [[1830]]. In [[1831]] he was ordained a high priest in June of [[1831]]. He claimed to have seen Jesus Christ. Shortly afterwards, he went to Missouri, and later Cincinnati, Ohio to preach. There he baptized over 100 people.<br /> <br /> ===Jackson County Conflict and Zion's Camp===<br /> With many of his converted people, he went to settle in [[Independence, Missouri]], to build the &quot;City of Zion&quot;. The Mormons in Jackson County were at odds with their non-Mormon neighbors, who resorted to vigilantism to drive the church from the county. In one scuffle with a vigilante group, Wight outran them on bare horseback by jumping over a ditch that they could not jump.<br /> <br /> On July 23, [[1833]], Wight signed an agreement with the vigilantes which specified that the Latter Day Saints would leave Jackson County by [[1834]]. The saints were driven out anyway into neighboring Clay County. The church membership called on several elders to go up to Kirtland to tell Joseph Smith about the events. When the elders refused, Lyman stepped forward to make the journey, despite his wife being ill with a three-day old child and only three days of food. [[Parley P. Pratt]] also volunteered to go with Wight.<br /> <br /> He arrived in [[Kirtland, Ohio]] on February 22, [[1834]]. Two days later he and Pratt testified about the conflict in Missouri to the newly formed high council. This led to the organization of [[Zion's Camp]]. Joseph sent out men two-by-two to recruit volunteers. Lyman left on April 21 with [[Hyrum Smith]] to recruit from the northwest. Recruitment was difficult, as many people did not want to leave their homes to defend someone else's. Hyrum and Lyman recruited about twenty individuals, including Hosea Stout, who was not a member but was impressed with their preaching. They met with the main company on June 8 at the Salt River in Missouri, bringing the total to 207 men, 11 women, 11 children, and 25 wagons.<br /> <br /> Lyman tolerated the conditions of the rest of the company including the eating of moldy and rancid food, under the promises from Joseph Smith that they would not be afflicted by it. After a 900 mile march, the members of the camp reached Missouri where they were smitten with cholera. They were then discharged without having accomplished their goal of returning the Latter Day Saints to Jackson County. At the end of Zion's Camp, Lyman Wight wrote up the discharge orders, and remained in Missouri according to Joseph's command.<br /> <br /> ===Itinerant Preaching===<br /> For the remainder of [[1834]], he worked making bricks in Missouri, and built a large brick house for Colonel Arthur of Clay County, employing several others, including [[Wilford Woodruff]].<br /> <br /> In [[1835]], he was encouraged to travel to the temple at Kirtland. While on the journey, he preached. He stopped by Richmond, Indiana. He knew that people in the area were antagonistic towards the church, yet he made an appointment to preach at the courthouse. At the appointed time, he went to the courthouse. People with tar and feathers filled the room, ready to lynch him. The event is described thus:<br /> :He preached about two hours, reproving them most severely for their meanness, wickedness and mobocratic spirit. At the close of the meeting he said, &quot;If there is a gentleman in this congregation, I wish he would invite me to stay with him overnight.&quot; Whereupon, a gentleman stepped forward and tendered him an invitation, which he willingly accepted. His host said, &quot;Mr Wight, it is astonishing how you have become so well acquainted with the people here, for you have described them very correctly.&quot; He was kindly entertained and furnished with money in the morning to aid him on his journey.<br /> <br /> ===Mormon Leader in Daviess County===<br /> Staying the winter in Kirtland, Lyman set out to return to Missouri in [[1836]]. In [[1837]], [[David W. Patten]] accused him of teaching false doctrine, for which he was tried before the high council in [[Far West]]. Being found guilty, he made the necessary acknowledgments.<br /> <br /> Settling near the Grand River in Daviess County, Missouri on about February 1, [[1838]], Lyman Wight built a house and later a ferry which became known as &quot;Wight's Ferry&quot;. On May 19, [[1838]], [[Joseph Smith, Jr.]] paid a visit to Lyman's home and ferry, and used his home as the headquarters during his visit. It was from his house that Smith received revelation about [[Adam-ondi-Ahman]] and foretold the future gathering there.<br /> <br /> On June 28, [[1838]], at a conference of local church members, Joseph Smith organized a stake at [[Adam-ondi-Ahman]] with John Smith, Joseph's uncle as president, and Reynolds Calhoon and Lyman Wight as counselors. With the organization, members began settling in the area, including new members and refugees from [[Kirtland, Ohio]].<br /> <br /> Wight had also become a Colonel in the 50th regiment of the Missouri Regiment, in the state militia, under the command of General H. G. Parks. By end of June, he was also head of the [[Danite]] organization in Daviess County. Between his several roles, Wight became the preeminent leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess.<br /> <br /> ===The Mormon War===<br /> In the summer of [[1838]], the troubles of the [[Mormon War]] began with events on the Gallatin Election Day Battle. In response, Wight armed over 150 men at this time to defend the Latter Day Saints in Daviess. Lyman Wight was accused, along with Joseph Smith, of organizing an army and threatening and harassing various old settlers of Daviess County. Joseph and Lyman agreed to hold trial to ease the tensions in the area. On September 7, [[1838]], they were tried before Judge Austin A. King. The judge ordered them to stand trial before the circuit court on bail of $500.<br /> <br /> After the trial, emotions did not abate on either side. The Mormons and non-Mormons in Daviess engaged in non-fatal conflicts. Non-Mormon vigilantes from other counties came to Daviess and began to harass the Latter Day Saints in outlying areas, burning their homes and looting their property. Refugees began pouring into Adam-ondi-Ahman, seeking protection. The Mormon response was to call up armed volunteers from Caldwell County. Combining with the Daviess men, the Mormons split into three groups and raided the chief non-Mormon settlements. Wight led the raid on Millport. The old settlers and their families fled and Wight and his men looted their property and burned their homes to the ground (Baugh, pp. 86-87).<br /> <br /> Following these actions, the [[Battle of Crooked River]] took place. Joseph Smith advised every church member to go to Adam-ondi-Ahman or Far West for protection and strength. When Far West fell under siege after the infamous [[Extermination Order]], Lyman Wight organized members in Adam-ondi-Ahman to assist them. No battle took place, however, as Wight and the other Mormon leaders were arrested by the state militia and the Mormon militia subsequently surrendered.<br /> <br /> While in custody of the state troops, Lyman endured the mockery and vulgarity of the troops, lying in the ground in the rain. A court martial which might have led to Wight's execution was averted by General [[Alexander William Doniphan]] of Clay County who challenged the legality of any such court. Instead, Wight and the other leaders were tried in the civil courts. Wight and other leaders were able to escape from jail during their transfer to Boone County on April 16, [[1839]].<br /> <br /> ===Later Church Service===<br /> Lyman Wight was ordained an apostle on April 8, [[1841]] by [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]] to replace [[David W. Patten]], who died in the Battle of Crooked River in 1838.<br /> <br /> After the death of Joseph Smith, Wight felt compelled to follow the orders Joseph Smith had given him to found a safe haven for the Latter-day Saints in the Republic of Texas. Wight moved a group of Latter Day Saints there and eventually founded the colony of Zodiac, Texas. Brigham Young tried to get Wight to join the main body of of the church in Utah many times, but Wight refused each time. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints disfellowshipped Wight in [[1848]] and later excommunicated him.<br /> <br /> Wight recognized would go on to recognize various sects of the church later in his life. Ultimately, he fell in line with the Reorganized church before passing away suddenly of epileptic fits.<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> *Baugh, Alexander L., ''A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri,'' BYU Studies, 2000.<br /> <br /> ==External resources==<br /> *[http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/wightl1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages]<br /> <br /> [[Category:Mormon History]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=William_W._Phelps&diff=10073 William W. Phelps 2007-02-01T23:30:53Z <p>Awyatt: /* Life */</p> <hr /> <div>'''William Wines Phelps''' (''also'' '''W.W. Phelps''', and '''William W. Phelps''') (February 17, 1792&amp;ndash;March 7, [[1872]]) was an important early leader of the of the church. He was an assistant president of the church in Missouri, scribe to [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]], member of the Literary Firm, church printer, editor, and song-writer.<br /> <br /> ==Life==<br /> Born February 17, 1792 in Hanover, New Jersey, Phelps has been referred to by Dean Jessee as &quot;one of [the] founders&quot; of the Masonic]] movement in [[New York]]. He was the editor of the anti-Masonic newspaper ''Ontario Phoenix'' in Canandaigua (1827-28). Phelps was also the editor of the ''Western Courier'' and the ''Lake Light'' papers.<br /> <br /> Well educated, Phelps was an aspirant for the office of lieutenant governor of New York at the time when he purchased a copy of the [[Book of Mormon]] from [[Parley P. Pratt]] on April 9, [[1830]]&amp;mdash;just three days after the early [[Church of Jesus Christ|church]] was organized. He visited Kirtland in 1831, was baptized, and established a print house in [[Independence, Missouri]], where he published the ''[[Evening and Morning Star]]''. While working to publish the church's ''[[Book of Commandments]]'', a mob of vigilantes destroyed Phelps' home and the press. In [[Kirtland, Ohio]], he helped print the [[Collection of Sacred Hymns (Kirtland, Ohio)|first Latter Day Saint hymnal]] and the 1835 edition of the ''[[Doctrine and Covenants]]''.<br /> <br /> A scribe to the Prophet [[Joseph Smith Jr.]], Phelps was the author of a number of popular Latter Day Saint hymns including [[The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning]], which he wrote for the dedication of the [[Kirtland Temple]]. From 1834-1838, he was a counselor to [[David Whitmer]] in the presidency of the church in Missouri and in that capacity he helped found the town of [[Far West, Missouri]]. Phelps was excommunicated from the church on March 10, [[1838]] when he was accused of profiting from [[Far West]] land deals and reneging on a $2,000 subscription to &quot;the house of the Lord&quot; that was not paid. In June, 1838, Phelps, [[Oliver Cowdery]], [[David Whitmer]], [[John Whitmer]], and [[Lyman E. Johnson]] were warned out of Far West ''or a more fatal calamity shall befall you.'' <br /> <br /> On July 8, [[1838]], it was decided that Phelps, along with [[Frederick G. Williams]], could be ordained as elders and serve [[Mormon missionaries|missions]] abroad, even though they had lost their standing. Phelps served a brief mission in the East in [[1841]]. Phelps moved to [[Nauvoo, Illinois]] where on August 27, [[1841]], he replaced Robert B. Thompson (who had died) as [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]]'s clerk. Phelps was endowed on December 9, [[1843]] and was also was made a member of the [[Council of Fifty]]. In Nauvoo, Phelps spoke out for the destruction of an opposition newspaper, the [[Nauvoo Expositor]]. He believed that the city charter gave the church leaders power to declare the newspaper a nuisance. Shortly afterwards, the press and type were carried into the street and destroyed. Phelps was summoned to be tried for treason with Joseph Smith at Carthage.<br /> <br /> During the Mormon Succession Crisis in 1844, Phelps sided with [[Brigham Young]] and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. He was again excommunicated on December 9, [[1848]], but was rebaptized two days later. He took part in the Mormon Exodus across the Great Plains and settled in [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] in 1849. He served a mission in southern Utah (as counselor to [[Parley P. Pratt]]) from November, [[1849]] to February, [[1850]]. There he served in the Utah territorial legislature and on the board of regents for the [[University of Deseret]] (now the University of Utah). Phelps died on March 7, [[1872]] in [[Salt Lake City]], Utah.<br /> <br /> ==Hymns==<br /> Today, '''William W. Phelps''' is probably best-known for his legacy of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns|LDS hymns]], many of which appear in the current edition of the [[Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)|LDS Hymnal]].<br /> * [[Adam-ondi-Ahman (hymn)|Adam-ondi-Ahman]]<br /> <br /> * Gently Raise the Sacred Strain<br /> * [[If you could hie to Kolob]]<br /> * Now Let Us Rejoice<br /> * Praise to the Man<br /> * [[The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning]]<br /> * Come, All Ye Saints of Zion<br /> * Come, All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth<br /> * Come, Let Us Sing an Evening Hymn<br /> * Glorious Things Are Sung of Zion<br /> * Now We'll Sing with One Accord<br /> * O God, the Eternal Father<br /> * The Spirit of God<br /> * We're Not Ashamed to Own Our Lord<br /> * Hosanna Anthem<br /> * Vade Mecum<br /> <br /> Phelps often reworded popular hymns turning them into uniquely Latter Day Saint hymns.<br /> <br /> * Joy to the World! * Redeemer of Israel<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> *Lavina Fielding Anderson, ''Lucy's Book'', Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2001, p. 851.<br /> *Stephen C. LeSueur, ''The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri,'' University of Missouri Press, 1990, pp. 20, 40, 51, 175-77, 259.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> *[[LDS fiction]]<br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://www.sacred-texts.com/mor/dc/dc55.htm Revelation through Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brigham_Young&diff=10071 Brigham Young 2007-02-01T23:30:12Z <p>Awyatt: /* The Mormons in Utah */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category: Church Presidents]][[Category: Church Leaders: Past]]<br /> <br /> [[Image:Brigham Young.jpg|thumb|c2002 Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.]]<br /> ==Brigham Young--American Moses==<br /> <br /> [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/young_brigham_eom.htm Brigham Young], second [[Mormon president|President]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], better known as the [[Mormon Church]], ranks among the most influential and important historical figures not just in Mormon, but also in American history. <br /> <br /> ==Biography of Brigham Young==<br /> ===Early Life===<br /> <br /> Brigham Young was born on June 1, [[1801]] in Whitingham, Vermont to John and Abigail Young. His father was a revolutionary war veteran. After marrying Abigail, John Young settled in Massachusetts and then moved to Vermont shortly before Brigham Young was born. The ninth of twelve children, Brigham was born into a life full of work. He later commented that his early life was filled with toil and work which left him no opportunities for education. While he had only eleven days of formal schooling, his parents taught him to read and Young maintained that love all his life. <br /> <br /> His family moved to central New York when he was a boy and in [[1815]] his mother, Abigail, who had long suffered from tuberculosis, died. John Young remarried some time later a widow named Hannah Brown. Brigham, however, decided that he needed to work for his own livelihood now and moved out at age 15. He moved to Auburn, New York where he became an apprentice, and later master, carpenter, painter, and glazier. <br /> <br /> In [[1823]], Young moved to Port Byron, New York where he worked as a painter and carpenter and where on October 5, [[1824]], he married Miriam Work. The couple then joined a local Methodist congregation. After four years, Young moved his new family to Oswego, New York on Lake Ontario where he joined a group of religious seekers, a movement in nineteenth-century America of men and women searching the Bible themselves in study groups trying to discover the truth. Later that year they moved again to Mendon, New York. Miriam gave birth soon after the move and contracted tuberculosis. She became a virtual invalid and Young was required to take total control of the household, not only working as a carpenter and painter, but also caring for his wife and children. He made a rocking chair for his wife and every morning he carried her to it where she could look outside. Later he would carry her back to bed.<br /> <br /> ===Conversion to Mormonism===<br /> <br /> During his time in Mendon, Brigham Young worked hard at his trade and even today, many items built by Brigham Young, including houses, remain in Mendon. In [[1830]], a young man named Samuel Smith, brother to [[Joseph Smith]], came to Mendon to preach about the newly founded Church, the [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Christ]], or [[Mormon Church]]. Smith left a copy of the [[Book of Mormon]] with Brigham’s brother, Phineas, who read it, passed it to his father, John Young, who gave it to his daughter, who finally gave it to Brigham. Brigham was intrigued, but cautious. He had grown disillusioned with the denominations of his day and continued to read the Bible on his own. For two years he carefully studied the Book of Mormon and put it to ever test he could find. He studied the Bible as well. Finally, in early 1832, a young [[Mormon missionaries|Mormon missionary]] gave a humble testimony of the Book of Mormon in Brigham’s presence. Brigham later said that this humble testimony entered like fire into his bones and he knew the truth. He and his family, including his brothers, were baptized in spring of [[1832]]. Abigail was baptized, too, but died several months thereafter from tuberculosis. <br /> <br /> Brigham immediately began preaching the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in the regions around Mendon. He left his children in the care of [[Heber C. Kimball]], a fellow convert in Mendon, during these missionary excursions. <br /> <br /> After Abigail’s death in September [[1832]], Brigham went to Kirtland, Ohio, to meet [[Joseph Smith]], the [http://jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_prophets.shtml Prophet]. In that first encounter, he prayed with gathered Mormons in [[Ohio Period|Kirtland]] and was the first person in the Mormon Church to speak in tongues. Brigham was assigned to go on a mission to Canada early in [[1833]] and upon his return he learned that Joseph Smith was asking the Mormons to gather together. Brigham was asked to lead the Mormons living in and around Mendon to Kirtland. He did so and was reunited with his family. During this gathering, he met Mary Ann Angell, a convert from New York who had joined the Church in Rhode Island. On February 14, [[1834]], the pair were married in Kirtland.<br /> <br /> ===Rise to Leadership===<br /> <br /> In the summer of [[1834]], Brigham Young and Joseph Young, one of his brothers, participated in [[Zion's Camp]], the march to help the driven and oppressed Mormons living in Missouri. Though the expedition was unable to do anything more than comfort them, Brigham later said that this experience was among the greatest learning experiences of his life. Shortly after the return of Zion’s Camp, Brigham Young was called to be a member of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. Over the next few summers, Brigham Young alternated his time between summers going on missions throughout the United States and Canada, and the rest of year where he helped with constructing the [[Kirtland Temple]]. As a glazier and carpenter, he was particularly responsible for the windows of the temple.<br /> <br /> His rise in prominence among the leaders of the Church caused him some problems when in [[1836]] and [[1837]], some in the Church rebelled against Joseph Smith and denounced him as a fallen prophet. Brigham’s loyalty to Joseph Smith caused some to threaten his life, too, and he was forced to flee from Kirtland. When the Church moved to [[Missouri Period|Missouri]], Young went too, and helped lead the Mormons to Caldwell County, Missouri where the Mormons were settling. This new home did not last long as conflict erupted between the Mormons and their neighbors who viewed them as a threat, a belief which many Mormons unfortunately stoked by banding together for protection and forming militias. <br /> <br /> The governor issued the infamous [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Extermination_Order_(Mormonism) “Extermination Order”] in October [[1838]], and the Mormons were forced out on pain of death. Joseph and other leaders were imprisoned leaving Brigham Young temporarily in charge. He organized the several thousand Mormons and drafted the “Missouri Covenant” which pledged everyone to assist each other until the last Mormon was safely out. They succeeded and by early [[1839]], the Mormons were getting established in their new home, [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo]], Illinois. Joseph was released from prison in April of [[1839]] and helped select the new city.<br /> <br /> In [[1839]], Brigham Young began his new house in Nauvoo, but soon left on another mission, this time to England. He left, even though many, including himself and members of his family, were sick. This mission of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] was the first foreign mission of the Mormon Church. Traveling was difficult because of illness, but they at last reached England in April of [[1840]]. Before his return, nearly 8,000 people would be baptized in England while Brigham Young presided. He oversaw the printing of the [[Book of Mormon]] in England, as well as hymnals, thousands of tracts, and a newspaper, ''The Millennial Star''. He also established an organization that would help Mormons emigrate to America. <br /> <br /> Upon his return, a revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning Brigham. It said: <br /> <br /> :Dear and well-beloved brother, Brigham Young, verily thus saith the Lord unto you: My servant Brigham, it is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your offering is acceptable to me. I have seen your labor and toil in journeyings for my name. I therefore command you to send my word abroad, and take especial care of your family from this time, henceforth and forever. Amen.<br /> :D&amp;C 126:1-3<br /> <br /> Except for one small trip in [[1844]], Brigham Young did not go on long missions as he had done nearly every year since learning about Mormonism, but rather remained with his family and became one of the great leaders of the Church. In Nauvoo, he oversaw outgoing missionaries and still spent parts of his summers preaching in areas near Nauvoo. He was part of the many important revelations and teachings that came during this period and was tested greatly in his faith. In early [[1842]], he was one of the first to participate in the Mormon temple ceremony and later he was among the first to be introduced to [[polygamy]], or plural marriage as the Mormons called it. Brigham later recalled that he was horrified when he first learned about polygamy and even wished to die for a time, but later he came to realize that it was a commandment from God. Brigham would ultimately marry many women and father 56 children.<br /> <br /> ===Mormon Exodus===<br /> <br /> Peace did not last long in Nauvoo. While Brigham Young and other leaders left for missions in early [[1844]], Joseph Smith remained behind. On June 27, [[1844]], Smith was [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith| murdered]] in [[Carthage Jail]]. Brigham Young and the other Apostles could not get back until early August. On August 8, 1844, a meeting was held to decide who should [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1996.htm/ensign%20august%201996.htm/the%20kingdom%20of%20god%20will%20roll%20on%20%20succession%20in%20the%20presidency.htm?fn=document-frame.htm&amp;f=templates&amp;2.0 succeed Joseph Smith]. Some tried to claim the leadership, but Brigham Young spoke reminding the Mormons that the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] had been charged by Joseph before his death with leading the Church. The assembly agreed and the work went on. <br /> <br /> The [[Mormon temple|temple]] was completed by December, [[1845]]. Mob violence, however, forced the Mormons to prepare to leave. The first group left in February of [[1846]], crossing the frozen Mississippi river. Before going, most Mormons took part in the [[Mormon endowment|Mormon temple ceremonies]]. They also signed the “Nauvoo Covenant” which committed the Mormons to assist one another in the [[Westward Migration|exodus].<br /> <br /> Spring was muddy and the Mormons trudged with difficulty over the soggy Iowa trails reaching what they called [http://lds.org/gospellibrary/pioneer/13_Winter_Quarters.html Winter Quarters] in Nebraska by fall. Approximately 16,000 Mormons were scattered throughout Iowa and Nebraska. At this time the U.S. army requested 500 men to help fight the Mexican War. The Mormons would receive much needed money in exchange for this loss of men. These men, the [http://www.wesclark.com/jw/mormon_battalion.html Mormon Battalion] would have their own, fascinating trek west. <br /> <br /> During the winter they organized into companies and in early April, [[1847]], Brigham Young and the first 148 [http://heritage.uen.org/ Mormon Pioneers] began the [http://lds.org/library/pio_sto/Pioneer_Trail/41_Brigham_Young.html trek] west for Utah. This company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, [[1847]]. The small colony began planting crops and preparing homes for the next wave. Young and others returned to help guide the next companies. The December after returning, Brigham Young was sustained as second [[Mormon president|President]] of the Mormon Church. By [[1850]], most of the 16,000 Saints were settled in the Rocky Mountains.<br /> <br /> ===The Utah War and the Mountain Meadows Massacre=== <br /> <br /> The Missouri Compromise created the Utah Territory in [[1850]], and Brigham Young was appointed as governor. The early [[1850s]] were devoted to settling the territory and building homes. In [[1853]], Mormons began building the Salt Lake Temple. Young established the Perpetual Emigration Fund which provided funds to immigrating Mormons who then repaid what they could once established. The money was then loaned to the next pioneer. The Mormons established colonies for harvesting everything from cotton to ore to fruit. <br /> <br /> In [[1856]], Mormon leaders grew concerned about laxity in religious matters among the Mormons and started the Mormon Reformation that stressed re-baptism and hence recommitment to the Gospel, and created the system of [[Home Teaching]] where members look out for one another. At the same time, federally appointed judges and officials, who often insulted and harassed the Mormons, were ejected from the state. They returned to Washington to report that the territory was in rebellion against the United States. As no railroad or telegraph existed, the only news came by other travelers or couriers. President Buchanan, believing the reports, cut off all mail supply to Utah, removed Young from the governorship (but did not inform him) and sent an army of 5,000 men to quell the supposed rebellion. <br /> <br /> The [[Utah War]], as it came to be known, was not much of war. No battles were fought. In July [[1857]], Mormons returning from the east reported an army was coming. Brigham Young, fearing that this was another attempt to oust the Mormons as had been done in Missouri and Illinois, refused to leave this time. The Mormons evacuated Salt Lake City and posted militias in the canyons leading to Utah. Determined to avoid bloodshed, the militias were only permitted to harass and delay the army. This they did by burning grass and scattering horses. The tactics worked. The army could not enter until early [[1858]] by which time cooler heads on both sides prevailed. Brigham Young stepped down as governor, to be replaced by Alfred Cummings, and the army settled west of Salt Lake at Camp Floyd, where they remained until the Civil War.<br /> <br /> The only tragic incident in the Utah War was the so-called [[Mountain Meadows massacre]][http://www.angelfire.com/sk2/ldsdefense/mmm.html] in September of 1857. In the midst of the renewed zeal of the Reformation and the heightened tensions caused by invading army, Mormon settlers and Piute Indians in southern Utah attacked and massacred a traveling company of settlers from Arkansas and Missouri. Letters sent by Brigham Young warning the Mormons to leave these settlers alone came too late (See [http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/conf/2003SesG.html “Shining New Light on the Mountain Meadows Massacre”] for more information about Brigham Young and the massacre). After the massacre, Mormons, fearful that others would attack them, stayed silent for many years. Ultimately, one of the leaders, John D. Lee was executed for his involvement.<br /> <br /> ===The Mormons in Utah===<br /> <br /> Brigham Young did not let the tragic events of [[1857]] keep him from moving forward with the work of establishing Utah and building up the Mormon Church. In [[1861]], Young helped establish the transcontinental telegraph. He contracted with the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads to have Mormons help finish the transcontinental railroad and later he oversaw the construction of spur lines throughout Utah and Idaho. In the 1860’s the Mormons, under Young’s direction, established cooperatives to help produce sugar, cotton, wool, iron, and so on. They also established cooperative stores to facilitate exchanging the goods. <br /> <br /> Young loved education. The Mormon Church under his direction established schools for every grade level including three colleges. In [[1850]], the University of Deseret, later the University of Utah, was established as a co-education school In [[1875]] the Brigham Young Academy, later [[Brigham Young University]] was established in Provo. In [[1877]], the [[Brigham Young College]] was built in Logan, Utah. It was shut down in [[1926]] and all students, staff, and equipment were combined with Utah State University.<br /> <br /> President Young also built temples. Though he never lived to see the [[Salt Lake Temple]] finished, he did oversee the dedication of the [[St. George Utah Temple|St. George Temple]] in [[1877]]. Other temples in Manti and Logan, both in Utah, were begun. <br /> <br /> Overall, the [[1860s]] and most of the [[1870s]] were much more peaceful. Colonization and immigration continued. By the time of his death in [[1877]], there were more than 115,000 Mormons, 70,000 of whom immigrated to Utah under Young’s leadership.<br /> <br /> ===Brigham Young’s Family===<br /> [[Image:Beehive.jpg|thumb|The &quot;Beehive House,&quot; one of Young's homes in Salt Lake City. c2002 Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.]]<br /> <br /> Brigham Young notoriously refused to discuss the private details of his family life. He had in his lifetime 26 wives and 56 children by 16 of those wives. He took good care of his family and was not considered dictatorial or autocratic by them. He even granted a couple of divorces to his wives. Beyond those 26, Brigham Young married other women, with whom he did not cohabitate (See [[Polygamy#The_True_Nature_of_Polygamy_in_Utah|Polygamy]] for a more detailed account of the various types of polygamous marriages). Young married these women to support them and their children financially. <br /> <br /> Brigham Young and his brothers built several homes in Utah, including the famous [http://www.utah.com/mormon/lion_house.htm Lion House]. He also had homes in Logan and St. George where he stayed while visiting the Mormon congregations throughout the territory.<br /> <br /> ===Brigham Young’s Death===<br /> <br /> In April of [[1877]], Brigham Young oversaw the dedication of the St. George Temple. He reintroduced the fullness of the [[Mormon endowment|Mormon temple ceremonies]] there. He returned to Salt Lake in poor health. From his office he continued to guide the Church with written statements. That summer he worked to refine the organization of the Church and harmonize its many disparate organizations. On August 29, [[1877]], the “Lion of the Lord,” so called because of his fearlessness in proclaiming the truth, died at age 76. He was interred on his property in Salt Lake City.<br /> <br /> ==Brigham Young’s Legacy==<br /> [[Image:young.jpg|thumb|Brigham Young represents Utah in Statuary Hall.]]<br /> <br /> [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=2&amp;topic=facts Brigham Young] is one of the most important figures in Mormon and American history. Under his leadership the Mormon Church grew from 26,000 to over 115,000. Nearly 100,000 of those lived in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and Wyoming in one of the over 400 settlements founded under his guidance. He assisted in completing both the transcontinental telegraph and railroad and established a railroad system throughout Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. He directed the immigration of 70,000 people to the Rocky Mountains, and even parts of Colorado and California. By trade he was a carpenter, painter, and glazier, and practiced these crafts all his life, building many of his own homes and most of his furniture, which exhibit his high craftsmanship. He oversaw large-scale irrigation projects that rendered farmable large tracts of Idaho, Arizona, and Utah. He established cooperatives that produced everything from cotton to iron, and directed the creation of the first incorporated department store in the world, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZCMI ZCMI]. An organizational genius with a gift for leadership, he served two terms as governor of Utah, and spent nearly 30 years as President of the Mormon Church. <br /> <br /> His proudest accomplishment, no doubt, was his family, about which he was reluctant to speak, considering it a personal matter between himself, his family, and his God. [[Polygamy]] is often associated with him and he is the most famous polygamist in American history, even though his predecessor, [[Joseph Smith]], introduced the doctrine. Young, while he defended the doctrine as divine, would not discuss the private details of his life with others, but his 56 children considered him a devoted, caring father. He was also an advocate for women’s right to vote (Utah gave women the right to vote in [[1870]]), and to obtain education. He ensured that the women of his own family had opportunities to go to college. While he himself had only eleven days of formal schooling, he read widely and established three co-educational colleges before his death. He advocated freedom to practice one’s religion, peaceful relations with one’s neighbors, and the importance of serving others. He also cared deeply about nature and would not stand by and see it be abused by thoughtless men.<br /> <br /> Brigham Young is often considered controversial by those who misunderstand him. He has had many nicknames, “American Moses,” “Lion of the Lord,” and even “the most married man in America.” To Mormons, he is one of the greatest [[Mormon prophet|prophets]] ever to have lived. While remembered most often for his practical deeds, he was also a great teacher and delivered hundreds of orations in his life on everything from the best way to reprimand children, to the nature of God. Among Mormons he is considered one of the greatest [[Mormon prophet|Prophets]] of the Most High.<br /> <br /> {{Template:Prophets}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Brigham_Young&diff=10070 Brigham Young 2007-02-01T23:29:33Z <p>Awyatt: /* Conversion to Mormonism */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category: Church Presidents]][[Category: Church Leaders: Past]]<br /> <br /> [[Image:Brigham Young.jpg|thumb|c2002 Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.]]<br /> ==Brigham Young--American Moses==<br /> <br /> [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/people/young_brigham_eom.htm Brigham Young], second [[Mormon president|President]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], better known as the [[Mormon Church]], ranks among the most influential and important historical figures not just in Mormon, but also in American history. <br /> <br /> ==Biography of Brigham Young==<br /> ===Early Life===<br /> <br /> Brigham Young was born on June 1, [[1801]] in Whitingham, Vermont to John and Abigail Young. His father was a revolutionary war veteran. After marrying Abigail, John Young settled in Massachusetts and then moved to Vermont shortly before Brigham Young was born. The ninth of twelve children, Brigham was born into a life full of work. He later commented that his early life was filled with toil and work which left him no opportunities for education. While he had only eleven days of formal schooling, his parents taught him to read and Young maintained that love all his life. <br /> <br /> His family moved to central New York when he was a boy and in [[1815]] his mother, Abigail, who had long suffered from tuberculosis, died. John Young remarried some time later a widow named Hannah Brown. Brigham, however, decided that he needed to work for his own livelihood now and moved out at age 15. He moved to Auburn, New York where he became an apprentice, and later master, carpenter, painter, and glazier. <br /> <br /> In [[1823]], Young moved to Port Byron, New York where he worked as a painter and carpenter and where on October 5, [[1824]], he married Miriam Work. The couple then joined a local Methodist congregation. After four years, Young moved his new family to Oswego, New York on Lake Ontario where he joined a group of religious seekers, a movement in nineteenth-century America of men and women searching the Bible themselves in study groups trying to discover the truth. Later that year they moved again to Mendon, New York. Miriam gave birth soon after the move and contracted tuberculosis. She became a virtual invalid and Young was required to take total control of the household, not only working as a carpenter and painter, but also caring for his wife and children. He made a rocking chair for his wife and every morning he carried her to it where she could look outside. Later he would carry her back to bed.<br /> <br /> ===Conversion to Mormonism===<br /> <br /> During his time in Mendon, Brigham Young worked hard at his trade and even today, many items built by Brigham Young, including houses, remain in Mendon. In [[1830]], a young man named Samuel Smith, brother to [[Joseph Smith]], came to Mendon to preach about the newly founded Church, the [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Christ]], or [[Mormon Church]]. Smith left a copy of the [[Book of Mormon]] with Brigham’s brother, Phineas, who read it, passed it to his father, John Young, who gave it to his daughter, who finally gave it to Brigham. Brigham was intrigued, but cautious. He had grown disillusioned with the denominations of his day and continued to read the Bible on his own. For two years he carefully studied the Book of Mormon and put it to ever test he could find. He studied the Bible as well. Finally, in early 1832, a young [[Mormon missionaries|Mormon missionary]] gave a humble testimony of the Book of Mormon in Brigham’s presence. Brigham later said that this humble testimony entered like fire into his bones and he knew the truth. He and his family, including his brothers, were baptized in spring of [[1832]]. Abigail was baptized, too, but died several months thereafter from tuberculosis. <br /> <br /> Brigham immediately began preaching the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in the regions around Mendon. He left his children in the care of [[Heber C. Kimball]], a fellow convert in Mendon, during these missionary excursions. <br /> <br /> After Abigail’s death in September [[1832]], Brigham went to Kirtland, Ohio, to meet [[Joseph Smith]], the [http://jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_prophets.shtml Prophet]. In that first encounter, he prayed with gathered Mormons in [[Ohio Period|Kirtland]] and was the first person in the Mormon Church to speak in tongues. Brigham was assigned to go on a mission to Canada early in [[1833]] and upon his return he learned that Joseph Smith was asking the Mormons to gather together. Brigham was asked to lead the Mormons living in and around Mendon to Kirtland. He did so and was reunited with his family. During this gathering, he met Mary Ann Angell, a convert from New York who had joined the Church in Rhode Island. On February 14, [[1834]], the pair were married in Kirtland.<br /> <br /> ===Rise to Leadership===<br /> <br /> In the summer of [[1834]], Brigham Young and Joseph Young, one of his brothers, participated in [[Zion's Camp]], the march to help the driven and oppressed Mormons living in Missouri. Though the expedition was unable to do anything more than comfort them, Brigham later said that this experience was among the greatest learning experiences of his life. Shortly after the return of Zion’s Camp, Brigham Young was called to be a member of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. Over the next few summers, Brigham Young alternated his time between summers going on missions throughout the United States and Canada, and the rest of year where he helped with constructing the [[Kirtland Temple]]. As a glazier and carpenter, he was particularly responsible for the windows of the temple.<br /> <br /> His rise in prominence among the leaders of the Church caused him some problems when in [[1836]] and [[1837]], some in the Church rebelled against Joseph Smith and denounced him as a fallen prophet. Brigham’s loyalty to Joseph Smith caused some to threaten his life, too, and he was forced to flee from Kirtland. When the Church moved to [[Missouri Period|Missouri]], Young went too, and helped lead the Mormons to Caldwell County, Missouri where the Mormons were settling. This new home did not last long as conflict erupted between the Mormons and their neighbors who viewed them as a threat, a belief which many Mormons unfortunately stoked by banding together for protection and forming militias. <br /> <br /> The governor issued the infamous [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Extermination_Order_(Mormonism) “Extermination Order”] in October [[1838]], and the Mormons were forced out on pain of death. Joseph and other leaders were imprisoned leaving Brigham Young temporarily in charge. He organized the several thousand Mormons and drafted the “Missouri Covenant” which pledged everyone to assist each other until the last Mormon was safely out. They succeeded and by early [[1839]], the Mormons were getting established in their new home, [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo]], Illinois. Joseph was released from prison in April of [[1839]] and helped select the new city.<br /> <br /> In [[1839]], Brigham Young began his new house in Nauvoo, but soon left on another mission, this time to England. He left, even though many, including himself and members of his family, were sick. This mission of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] was the first foreign mission of the Mormon Church. Traveling was difficult because of illness, but they at last reached England in April of [[1840]]. Before his return, nearly 8,000 people would be baptized in England while Brigham Young presided. He oversaw the printing of the [[Book of Mormon]] in England, as well as hymnals, thousands of tracts, and a newspaper, ''The Millennial Star''. He also established an organization that would help Mormons emigrate to America. <br /> <br /> Upon his return, a revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning Brigham. It said: <br /> <br /> :Dear and well-beloved brother, Brigham Young, verily thus saith the Lord unto you: My servant Brigham, it is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your offering is acceptable to me. I have seen your labor and toil in journeyings for my name. I therefore command you to send my word abroad, and take especial care of your family from this time, henceforth and forever. Amen.<br /> :D&amp;C 126:1-3<br /> <br /> Except for one small trip in [[1844]], Brigham Young did not go on long missions as he had done nearly every year since learning about Mormonism, but rather remained with his family and became one of the great leaders of the Church. In Nauvoo, he oversaw outgoing missionaries and still spent parts of his summers preaching in areas near Nauvoo. He was part of the many important revelations and teachings that came during this period and was tested greatly in his faith. In early [[1842]], he was one of the first to participate in the Mormon temple ceremony and later he was among the first to be introduced to [[polygamy]], or plural marriage as the Mormons called it. Brigham later recalled that he was horrified when he first learned about polygamy and even wished to die for a time, but later he came to realize that it was a commandment from God. Brigham would ultimately marry many women and father 56 children.<br /> <br /> ===Mormon Exodus===<br /> <br /> Peace did not last long in Nauvoo. While Brigham Young and other leaders left for missions in early [[1844]], Joseph Smith remained behind. On June 27, [[1844]], Smith was [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith| murdered]] in [[Carthage Jail]]. Brigham Young and the other Apostles could not get back until early August. On August 8, 1844, a meeting was held to decide who should [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1996.htm/ensign%20august%201996.htm/the%20kingdom%20of%20god%20will%20roll%20on%20%20succession%20in%20the%20presidency.htm?fn=document-frame.htm&amp;f=templates&amp;2.0 succeed Joseph Smith]. Some tried to claim the leadership, but Brigham Young spoke reminding the Mormons that the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] had been charged by Joseph before his death with leading the Church. The assembly agreed and the work went on. <br /> <br /> The [[Mormon temple|temple]] was completed by December, [[1845]]. Mob violence, however, forced the Mormons to prepare to leave. The first group left in February of [[1846]], crossing the frozen Mississippi river. Before going, most Mormons took part in the [[Mormon endowment|Mormon temple ceremonies]]. They also signed the “Nauvoo Covenant” which committed the Mormons to assist one another in the [[Westward Migration|exodus].<br /> <br /> Spring was muddy and the Mormons trudged with difficulty over the soggy Iowa trails reaching what they called [http://lds.org/gospellibrary/pioneer/13_Winter_Quarters.html Winter Quarters] in Nebraska by fall. Approximately 16,000 Mormons were scattered throughout Iowa and Nebraska. At this time the U.S. army requested 500 men to help fight the Mexican War. The Mormons would receive much needed money in exchange for this loss of men. These men, the [http://www.wesclark.com/jw/mormon_battalion.html Mormon Battalion] would have their own, fascinating trek west. <br /> <br /> During the winter they organized into companies and in early April, [[1847]], Brigham Young and the first 148 [http://heritage.uen.org/ Mormon Pioneers] began the [http://lds.org/library/pio_sto/Pioneer_Trail/41_Brigham_Young.html trek] west for Utah. This company arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, [[1847]]. The small colony began planting crops and preparing homes for the next wave. Young and others returned to help guide the next companies. The December after returning, Brigham Young was sustained as second [[Mormon president|President]] of the Mormon Church. By [[1850]], most of the 16,000 Saints were settled in the Rocky Mountains.<br /> <br /> ===The Utah War and the Mountain Meadows Massacre=== <br /> <br /> The Missouri Compromise created the Utah Territory in [[1850]], and Brigham Young was appointed as governor. The early [[1850s]] were devoted to settling the territory and building homes. In [[1853]], Mormons began building the Salt Lake Temple. Young established the Perpetual Emigration Fund which provided funds to immigrating Mormons who then repaid what they could once established. The money was then loaned to the next pioneer. The Mormons established colonies for harvesting everything from cotton to ore to fruit. <br /> <br /> In [[1856]], Mormon leaders grew concerned about laxity in religious matters among the Mormons and started the Mormon Reformation that stressed re-baptism and hence recommitment to the Gospel, and created the system of [[Home Teaching]] where members look out for one another. At the same time, federally appointed judges and officials, who often insulted and harassed the Mormons, were ejected from the state. They returned to Washington to report that the territory was in rebellion against the United States. As no railroad or telegraph existed, the only news came by other travelers or couriers. President Buchanan, believing the reports, cut off all mail supply to Utah, removed Young from the governorship (but did not inform him) and sent an army of 5,000 men to quell the supposed rebellion. <br /> <br /> The [[Utah War]], as it came to be known, was not much of war. No battles were fought. In July [[1857]], Mormons returning from the east reported an army was coming. Brigham Young, fearing that this was another attempt to oust the Mormons as had been done in Missouri and Illinois, refused to leave this time. The Mormons evacuated Salt Lake City and posted militias in the canyons leading to Utah. Determined to avoid bloodshed, the militias were only permitted to harass and delay the army. This they did by burning grass and scattering horses. The tactics worked. The army could not enter until early [[1858]] by which time cooler heads on both sides prevailed. Brigham Young stepped down as governor, to be replaced by Alfred Cummings, and the army settled west of Salt Lake at Camp Floyd, where they remained until the Civil War.<br /> <br /> The only tragic incident in the Utah War was the so-called [[Mountain Meadows massacre]][http://www.angelfire.com/sk2/ldsdefense/mmm.html] in September of 1857. In the midst of the renewed zeal of the Reformation and the heightened tensions caused by invading army, Mormon settlers and Piute Indians in southern Utah attacked and massacred a traveling company of settlers from Arkansas and Missouri. Letters sent by Brigham Young warning the Mormons to leave these settlers alone came too late (See [http://www.fairlds.org/pubs/conf/2003SesG.html “Shining New Light on the Mountain Meadows Massacre”] for more information about Brigham Young and the massacre). After the massacre, Mormons, fearful that others would attack them, stayed silent for many years. Ultimately, one of the leaders, John D. Lee was executed for his involvement.<br /> <br /> ===The Mormons in Utah===<br /> <br /> Brigham Young did not let the tragic events of [[1857]] keep him from moving forward with the work of establishing Utah and building up the Mormon Church. In [[1861]], Young helped establish the transcontinental telegraph. He contracted with the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads to have Mormons help finish the transcontinental railroad and later he oversaw the construction of spur lines throughout Utah and Idaho. In the 1860’s the Mormons, under Young’s direction, established cooperatives to help produce sugar, cotton, wool, iron, and so on. They also established cooperative stores to facilitate exchanging the goods. <br /> <br /> Young loved education. The Mormon Church under his direction established schools for every grade level including three colleges. In [[1850]], the University of Deseret, later the University of Utah, was established as a co-education school In [[1875]] the Brigham Young Academy, later [[Brigham Young University]] was established in Provo. In [[1877]], the Brigham Young College was built in Logan, Utah. It was shut down in [[1926]] and all students, staff, and equipment were combined with Utah State University.<br /> <br /> President Young also built temples. Though he never lived to see the [[Salt Lake Temple]] finished, he did oversee the dedication of the [[St. George Temple]] in [[1877]]. Other temples in Manti and Logan, both in Utah, were begun. <br /> <br /> Overall, the [[1860s]] and most of the [[1870s]] were much more peaceful. Colonization and immigration continued. By the time of his death in [[1877]], there were more than 115,000 Mormons, 70,000 of whom immigrated to Utah under Young’s leadership.<br /> <br /> ===Brigham Young’s Family===<br /> [[Image:Beehive.jpg|thumb|The &quot;Beehive House,&quot; one of Young's homes in Salt Lake City. c2002 Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.]]<br /> <br /> Brigham Young notoriously refused to discuss the private details of his family life. He had in his lifetime 26 wives and 56 children by 16 of those wives. He took good care of his family and was not considered dictatorial or autocratic by them. He even granted a couple of divorces to his wives. Beyond those 26, Brigham Young married other women, with whom he did not cohabitate (See [[Polygamy#The_True_Nature_of_Polygamy_in_Utah|Polygamy]] for a more detailed account of the various types of polygamous marriages). Young married these women to support them and their children financially. <br /> <br /> Brigham Young and his brothers built several homes in Utah, including the famous [http://www.utah.com/mormon/lion_house.htm Lion House]. He also had homes in Logan and St. George where he stayed while visiting the Mormon congregations throughout the territory.<br /> <br /> ===Brigham Young’s Death===<br /> <br /> In April of [[1877]], Brigham Young oversaw the dedication of the St. George Temple. He reintroduced the fullness of the [[Mormon endowment|Mormon temple ceremonies]] there. He returned to Salt Lake in poor health. From his office he continued to guide the Church with written statements. That summer he worked to refine the organization of the Church and harmonize its many disparate organizations. On August 29, [[1877]], the “Lion of the Lord,” so called because of his fearlessness in proclaiming the truth, died at age 76. He was interred on his property in Salt Lake City.<br /> <br /> ==Brigham Young’s Legacy==<br /> [[Image:young.jpg|thumb|Brigham Young represents Utah in Statuary Hall.]]<br /> <br /> [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=2&amp;topic=facts Brigham Young] is one of the most important figures in Mormon and American history. Under his leadership the Mormon Church grew from 26,000 to over 115,000. Nearly 100,000 of those lived in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and Wyoming in one of the over 400 settlements founded under his guidance. He assisted in completing both the transcontinental telegraph and railroad and established a railroad system throughout Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. He directed the immigration of 70,000 people to the Rocky Mountains, and even parts of Colorado and California. By trade he was a carpenter, painter, and glazier, and practiced these crafts all his life, building many of his own homes and most of his furniture, which exhibit his high craftsmanship. He oversaw large-scale irrigation projects that rendered farmable large tracts of Idaho, Arizona, and Utah. He established cooperatives that produced everything from cotton to iron, and directed the creation of the first incorporated department store in the world, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZCMI ZCMI]. An organizational genius with a gift for leadership, he served two terms as governor of Utah, and spent nearly 30 years as President of the Mormon Church. <br /> <br /> His proudest accomplishment, no doubt, was his family, about which he was reluctant to speak, considering it a personal matter between himself, his family, and his God. [[Polygamy]] is often associated with him and he is the most famous polygamist in American history, even though his predecessor, [[Joseph Smith]], introduced the doctrine. Young, while he defended the doctrine as divine, would not discuss the private details of his life with others, but his 56 children considered him a devoted, caring father. He was also an advocate for women’s right to vote (Utah gave women the right to vote in [[1870]]), and to obtain education. He ensured that the women of his own family had opportunities to go to college. While he himself had only eleven days of formal schooling, he read widely and established three co-educational colleges before his death. He advocated freedom to practice one’s religion, peaceful relations with one’s neighbors, and the importance of serving others. He also cared deeply about nature and would not stand by and see it be abused by thoughtless men.<br /> <br /> Brigham Young is often considered controversial by those who misunderstand him. He has had many nicknames, “American Moses,” “Lion of the Lord,” and even “the most married man in America.” To Mormons, he is one of the greatest [[Mormon prophet|prophets]] ever to have lived. While remembered most often for his practical deeds, he was also a great teacher and delivered hundreds of orations in his life on everything from the best way to reprimand children, to the nature of God. Among Mormons he is considered one of the greatest [[Mormon prophet|Prophets]] of the Most High.<br /> <br /> {{Template:Prophets}}</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Thomas_Stewart_Udall&diff=10069 Thomas Stewart Udall 2007-02-01T23:28:21Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Thomas Stewart Udall''' usually called '''Tom Udall''' (born May 18, 1948) is a [[LDS]] politician who has represented New Mexico's third Congressional district ([http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/nm03_109.gif map]) as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. <br /> <br /> Tom Udall was born in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Prescott College, graduating with a pre-law degree in 1970. In 1975, he graduated from Cambridge University in England with a Bachelor of Law degree. That fall, he enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1977. After graduating, Tom Udall was Law Clerk to Chief Justice Oliver Seth of the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Tom's legal career then included appointments as Assistant US Attorney in the criminal division and Chief Counsel to the Department of Health and Environment. A partnership followed in the Miller Law Firm.<br /> <br /> From 1991 to 1999 he served New Mexico as Attorney Genera. He is the son of Stewart Udall, who was Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, nephew of Congressman Morris Udall, and cousin of Colorado Congressman Mark Udall and Oregon Senator Gordon Smith. In the 2006 midterm elections he was reelected with 75% of the vote, defeating Republican Ron Dolin.<br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://www.tomudall.house.gov/ Udall's Congressional Web site]<br /> *[http://www.udallforusall.org/ Udall's Campaign Web site]<br /> *[http://www.globalpublicmedia.com/interviews/613 Rep. Tom Udall on resource depletion and climate change]<br /> *[http://politicalgraveyard.com/families/2111.html Biography at the ''Political Graveyard'']<br /> *[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/u000039/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]<br /> <br /> [[Category:Famous Mormons]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Church_Educational_System&diff=10068 Church Educational System 2007-02-01T23:27:31Z <p>Awyatt: /* References */</p> <hr /> <div>The [http://www.ldsces.org/indexnew.asp Church Educational System], also known as CES, is a key part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ emphasis on the importance of education. President and Prophet of the Church, [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] stated,<br /> :Get all of the education that you can. The Lord has said very plainly that His people are to gain knowledge of countries and kingdoms and of things of the world through the process of education, even by study and by faith. Education is the key which will unlock the door of opportunity for you. It is worth sacrificing for. It is worth working at, and if you educate your mind and your hands, you will be able to make a great contribution to the society of which you are a part.... Take advantage of every educational opportunity that you can possibly afford (&quot;Inspirational Thoughts,&quot; ''Liahona'', June 1999, 3).<br /> <br /> The scriptures also teach of the importance of education:<br /> * &quot;Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; '''seek learning, even by study and also by faith''' (D&amp;C 88:118).<br /> * Teach ye diligently (D&amp;C 88:78).<br /> * O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth (Alma 37:35).<br /> The Church Educational System has far reaching effects. In 2004 over 1.2 million people, both members and non-members, were taught by CES. The Church Educational System provides four programs; religious education, which includes seminary and institute classes; higher education, which includes Church colleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools; and continuing education. <br /> <br /> ===Religious Education===<br /> The [[Seminary|seminary]] program is offered to students in the high school grade levels. It is a four year program where students spend time reading and learning about the [[Mormon books|scriptures]]. Usually, seminaries meet early in the morning, before normal schools begin. In areas with many Mormons, some high schools offer released-time seminary. Students are allowed one period during the school day to go to seminary. They do not receive any sort of school credit for seminary. After four years, students can graduate from seminary. Institutes are similar to seminaries but are for young adults in college or who want to continue learning about the scriptures. This part of CES is run by the Church Board of Education.<br /> <br /> Seminaries and institues are encouraged so that students can continue to grow spiritually as they grow in their secular knowledge. [[Dallin H. Oaks]], former president of BYU and current apostle put it this way,<br /> <br /> :Cherish and nourish your spiritual life. Seek spiritual growth at the same time that you are seeking to enlarge your learning in other areas. Nourish your spirit just as regularly as you nourish your body or mind. Don’t neglect study of the gospel and activity in the Church during the period of your schooling. It is needed then as much as or more than at any time during your life.... Make the institute or seminary or home study part of your program (Dallin H. Oaks, “Strive for Excellence,” Ensign, Dec. 1971, 109).<br /> <br /> Another Church leader, Elder [[L. Tom Perry]] bore his testimony of the importance of seminary and institute:<br /> :I know the power that comes from associations in the seminary and institute programs. It has enriched my life, and I know it will do the same for you. It will put a shield of protection around you to keep you free from the temptations and trials of the world. There is a great blessing in having a knowledge of the gospel. And I know of no better place for the young people of the Church to gain a special knowledge of sacred things than in the institute and seminary programs of the Church.... I promise you that the foundation you receive in these two great programs will bless you throughout your lives (L. Tom Perry, “What a Way to Grow,” ''New Era'', Aug. 1998, 4).<br /> <br /> ===Higher Education===<br /> The Church currently has four [http://www.besmart.com/default.html higher education] facilities: [[LDS Business College]], which provides career focused education specifically in Business, Medical transcription and Interior Design; [[Brigham Young University]], which provides numerous undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate programs; Brigham Young University-Hawaii, which provides undergraduate programs, a wonderful cultural environment (this university has the highest number of international students in the U.S.), and has very close ties with the Church's [[Polynesian Cultural Center]]; and [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], where the main focus is on teaching. These institutions are run by Boards of trustees that include the [[First Presidency]], three members of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]], the President of the [[Seventy]], the [[Relief Society]] President and Young Women President. More than 45,000 students are able to attend these campuses and another 472,000 are able to attend through continuing education courses. <br /> <br /> About the Church’s higher education institutions, Church leaders have said the following:<br /> * We shall keep these as flagships testifying to the great and earnest commitment of this Church to education, both ecclesiastical and secular, and while doing so prove to the world that excellent secular learning can be gained in an environment of religious faith (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Why We Do Some of the Things We Do,” ''Liahona'', Jan. 2000, 62).<br /> <br /> * For those privileged to attend a Church school, there is a tuition other than money which we must require of you—a tuition of conduct and performance. Students who enroll in Church schools do so after an interview with their bishop and, beginning this year, with their stake president. They must commit to a standard of conduct consistent with faithful Church membership (Boyd K. Packer, “To Be Learned Is Good If … ,” ''Ensign'', Nov. 1992, 71).<br /> <br /> * Our purpose is to produce students who have that rare and precious combination of a superb secular education, complemented by faith in the Lord, a knowledge of the doctrines He has revealed, and a testimony that they are true (Ibid.).<br /> <br /> == Secular Education ==<br /> CES institutions that provide secular education, in addition to religious education, include [[primary education|elementary]] and secondary schools in [[Mexico]] and in the [[Pacific Islands]], [[BYU Adult Continuing Education]], [[Brigham Young University]], [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], [[Brigham Young University-Hawaii]], and [[LDS Business College]].<br /> <br /> === Elementary and Secondary Schools ===<br /> *Mexico<br /> **[[Academia Juárez]]<br /> **Preparatoria Benemérito de las Américas<br /> *Pacific Islands<br /> **Moroni High School ([[Kiribati]])<br /> **Church College of New Zealand ([[New Zealand]])SOON TO BE CLOSED <br /> **LDS Primary School ([[Fiji]])<br /> **LDS Church College ([[Fiji]])<br /> **Church College of Western Samoa ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Sanuniatu Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Pesega Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Vaiola (Fusi) Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Church College of Savaii ([[Samoa]])<br /> **[http://www.tongatapu.net.to/tonga/convictions/schools/tbu/lhs/lhs.htm Liahona High School] ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Saineha High School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Liahona Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **E'Ua Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Havelu Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Saineha Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Pangai Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Pakilau Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> <br /> === Higher Education ===<br /> *[http://ce.byu.edu/home/ BYU Adult Continuing Education], [[Provo, Utah]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University]], [[Provo, Utah]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], [[Rexburg, Idaho]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University-Hawaii]], [[Laie, Hawaii]]<br /> *[[LDS Business College]], [[Salt Lake City, Utah]]<br /> == General Histories ==<br /> *[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/education/ces_eom.htm William E. Berrett]<br /> == Regional Histories ==<br /> *[http://www.lds.org.hk/english/local_church_history/local_church_html/local_history_11.htm Hong Kong and Taiwan]<br /> *[http://www.byuh.edu/about/history.php Laie, Hawaii]<br /> *[http://www.byui.edu/PR/General/BYUIHistory.htm Rexburg, Idaho]<br /> *[http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cgi-bin/docviewer.exe?CISOROOT=/MormonThesesT&amp;CISOPTR=2398&amp;CISOSHOW=2416 Emery Stake Academy]<br /> ===History===<br /> There were a series of Academies under the Education System for the Church. These included:<br /> *[[Bannock Stake Academy]]<br /> *[[Cassia Stake Academy]]<br /> *[[Oneida Stake Academy]]<br /> There were other colleges and schools that fell under the Education System later. These included:<br /> *[[Brigham Young College]] in [[Logan, Utah]]<br /> == References ==<br /> *Arrington, L. J. (1967). &quot;The founding of the L.D.S. Institutes of Religion,&quot; ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', 2:137-47.<br /> *Berrett, W. E. (1988). ''A miracle in weekday religious education: A history of the Church Educational System''. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Printing Center.<br /> *Berrett, W. E. (1992). &quot;Church Educational System (CES),&quot; in D. H. Ludlow (Ed.), ''Encyclopedia of Mormonism''. New York: Macmillan.<br /> *Church Educational System (2005). ''Church Educational System annual information update''. Salt Lake City, UT: Intellectual Reserve Inc.<br /> <br /> '''For More Information''' visit:<br /> * [http://ldsces.org/ Church Educational System]<br /> * [http://www.besmart.com/ BeSmart.com]<br /> * [http://www.byu.edu/ Brigham Young University]<br /> * [http://www.byui.edu/ Brigham Young University-Idaho]<br /> * [http://www.byuh.edu/ Brigham Young University-Hawaii]<br /> [[Category: Education]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Church_Educational_System&diff=10067 Church Educational System 2007-02-01T23:26:39Z <p>Awyatt: /* References */</p> <hr /> <div>The [http://www.ldsces.org/indexnew.asp Church Educational System], also known as CES, is a key part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ emphasis on the importance of education. President and Prophet of the Church, [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] stated,<br /> :Get all of the education that you can. The Lord has said very plainly that His people are to gain knowledge of countries and kingdoms and of things of the world through the process of education, even by study and by faith. Education is the key which will unlock the door of opportunity for you. It is worth sacrificing for. It is worth working at, and if you educate your mind and your hands, you will be able to make a great contribution to the society of which you are a part.... Take advantage of every educational opportunity that you can possibly afford (&quot;Inspirational Thoughts,&quot; ''Liahona'', June 1999, 3).<br /> <br /> The scriptures also teach of the importance of education:<br /> * &quot;Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; '''seek learning, even by study and also by faith''' (D&amp;C 88:118).<br /> * Teach ye diligently (D&amp;C 88:78).<br /> * O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth (Alma 37:35).<br /> The Church Educational System has far reaching effects. In 2004 over 1.2 million people, both members and non-members, were taught by CES. The Church Educational System provides four programs; religious education, which includes seminary and institute classes; higher education, which includes Church colleges and universities; elementary and secondary schools; and continuing education. <br /> <br /> ===Religious Education===<br /> The [[Seminary|seminary]] program is offered to students in the high school grade levels. It is a four year program where students spend time reading and learning about the [[Mormon books|scriptures]]. Usually, seminaries meet early in the morning, before normal schools begin. In areas with many Mormons, some high schools offer released-time seminary. Students are allowed one period during the school day to go to seminary. They do not receive any sort of school credit for seminary. After four years, students can graduate from seminary. Institutes are similar to seminaries but are for young adults in college or who want to continue learning about the scriptures. This part of CES is run by the Church Board of Education.<br /> <br /> Seminaries and institues are encouraged so that students can continue to grow spiritually as they grow in their secular knowledge. [[Dallin H. Oaks]], former president of BYU and current apostle put it this way,<br /> <br /> :Cherish and nourish your spiritual life. Seek spiritual growth at the same time that you are seeking to enlarge your learning in other areas. Nourish your spirit just as regularly as you nourish your body or mind. Don’t neglect study of the gospel and activity in the Church during the period of your schooling. It is needed then as much as or more than at any time during your life.... Make the institute or seminary or home study part of your program (Dallin H. Oaks, “Strive for Excellence,” Ensign, Dec. 1971, 109).<br /> <br /> Another Church leader, Elder [[L. Tom Perry]] bore his testimony of the importance of seminary and institute:<br /> :I know the power that comes from associations in the seminary and institute programs. It has enriched my life, and I know it will do the same for you. It will put a shield of protection around you to keep you free from the temptations and trials of the world. There is a great blessing in having a knowledge of the gospel. And I know of no better place for the young people of the Church to gain a special knowledge of sacred things than in the institute and seminary programs of the Church.... I promise you that the foundation you receive in these two great programs will bless you throughout your lives (L. Tom Perry, “What a Way to Grow,” ''New Era'', Aug. 1998, 4).<br /> <br /> ===Higher Education===<br /> The Church currently has four [http://www.besmart.com/default.html higher education] facilities: [[LDS Business College]], which provides career focused education specifically in Business, Medical transcription and Interior Design; [[Brigham Young University]], which provides numerous undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate programs; Brigham Young University-Hawaii, which provides undergraduate programs, a wonderful cultural environment (this university has the highest number of international students in the U.S.), and has very close ties with the Church's [[Polynesian Cultural Center]]; and [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], where the main focus is on teaching. These institutions are run by Boards of trustees that include the [[First Presidency]], three members of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]], the President of the [[Seventy]], the [[Relief Society]] President and Young Women President. More than 45,000 students are able to attend these campuses and another 472,000 are able to attend through continuing education courses. <br /> <br /> About the Church’s higher education institutions, Church leaders have said the following:<br /> * We shall keep these as flagships testifying to the great and earnest commitment of this Church to education, both ecclesiastical and secular, and while doing so prove to the world that excellent secular learning can be gained in an environment of religious faith (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Why We Do Some of the Things We Do,” ''Liahona'', Jan. 2000, 62).<br /> <br /> * For those privileged to attend a Church school, there is a tuition other than money which we must require of you—a tuition of conduct and performance. Students who enroll in Church schools do so after an interview with their bishop and, beginning this year, with their stake president. They must commit to a standard of conduct consistent with faithful Church membership (Boyd K. Packer, “To Be Learned Is Good If … ,” ''Ensign'', Nov. 1992, 71).<br /> <br /> * Our purpose is to produce students who have that rare and precious combination of a superb secular education, complemented by faith in the Lord, a knowledge of the doctrines He has revealed, and a testimony that they are true (Ibid.).<br /> <br /> == Secular Education ==<br /> CES institutions that provide secular education, in addition to religious education, include [[primary education|elementary]] and secondary schools in [[Mexico]] and in the [[Pacific Islands]], [[BYU Adult Continuing Education]], [[Brigham Young University]], [[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], [[Brigham Young University-Hawaii]], and [[LDS Business College]].<br /> <br /> === Elementary and Secondary Schools ===<br /> *Mexico<br /> **[[Academia Juárez]]<br /> **Preparatoria Benemérito de las Américas<br /> *Pacific Islands<br /> **Moroni High School ([[Kiribati]])<br /> **Church College of New Zealand ([[New Zealand]])SOON TO BE CLOSED <br /> **LDS Primary School ([[Fiji]])<br /> **LDS Church College ([[Fiji]])<br /> **Church College of Western Samoa ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Sanuniatu Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Pesega Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Vaiola (Fusi) Primary School ([[Samoa]])<br /> **Church College of Savaii ([[Samoa]])<br /> **[http://www.tongatapu.net.to/tonga/convictions/schools/tbu/lhs/lhs.htm Liahona High School] ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Saineha High School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Liahona Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **E'Ua Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Havelu Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Saineha Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Pangai Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> **Pakilau Middle School ([[Tonga]])<br /> <br /> === Higher Education ===<br /> *[http://ce.byu.edu/home/ BYU Adult Continuing Education], [[Provo, Utah]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University]], [[Provo, Utah]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University-Idaho]], [[Rexburg, Idaho]]<br /> *[[Brigham Young University-Hawaii]], [[Laie, Hawaii]]<br /> *[[LDS Business College]], [[Salt Lake City, Utah]]<br /> == General Histories ==<br /> *[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/education/ces_eom.htm William E. Berrett]<br /> == Regional Histories ==<br /> *[http://www.lds.org.hk/english/local_church_history/local_church_html/local_history_11.htm Hong Kong and Taiwan]<br /> *[http://www.byuh.edu/about/history.php Laie, Hawaii]<br /> *[http://www.byui.edu/PR/General/BYUIHistory.htm Rexburg, Idaho]<br /> *[http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/cgi-bin/docviewer.exe?CISOROOT=/MormonThesesT&amp;CISOPTR=2398&amp;CISOSHOW=2416 Emery Stake Academy]<br /> ===History===<br /> There were a series of Academies under the Education System for the Church. These included:<br /> *[[Bannock Stake Academy]]<br /> *[[Cassia Stake Academy]]<br /> *[[Oneida Stake Academy]]<br /> There were other colleges and schools that fell under the Education System later. These included:<br /> *[[Brigham Young College]] in [[Logan, Utah]]<br /> == References ==<br /> *Arrington, L. J. (1967). The founding of the L.D.S. Institutes of Religion. ''[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought]], 2'', 137-47.<br /> *Berrett, W. E. (1988). ''A miracle in weekday religious education: A history of the Church Educational System''. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Printing Center.<br /> *Berrett, W. E. (1992). &quot;Church Educational System (CES),&quot; in D. H. Ludlow (Ed.), ''Encyclopedia of Mormonism''. New York: Macmillan.<br /> *Church Educational System (2005). ''Church Educational System annual information update''. Salt Lake City, UT: Intellectual Reserve Inc.<br /> <br /> '''For More Information''' visit:<br /> * [http://ldsces.org/ Church Educational System]<br /> * [http://www.besmart.com/ BeSmart.com]<br /> * [http://www.byu.edu/ Brigham Young University]<br /> * [http://www.byui.edu/ Brigham Young University-Idaho]<br /> * [http://www.byuh.edu/ Brigham Young University-Hawaii]<br /> [[Category: Education]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=William_W._Phelps&diff=10066 William W. Phelps 2007-02-01T23:24:35Z <p>Awyatt: /* Life */</p> <hr /> <div>'''William Wines Phelps''' (''also'' '''W.W. Phelps''', and '''William W. Phelps''') (February 17, 1792&amp;ndash;March 7, [[1872]]) was an important early leader of the of the church. He was an assistant president of the church in Missouri, scribe to [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]], member of the Literary Firm, church printer, editor, and song-writer.<br /> <br /> ==Life==<br /> Born February 17, 1792 in Hanover, New Jersey, Phelps has been referred to by Dean Jessee as &quot;one of [the] founders&quot; of the Masonic]] movement in [[New York]]. He was the editor of the anti-Masonic newspaper ''Ontario Phoenix'' in Canandaigua (1827-28). Phelps was also the editor of the ''Western Courier'' and the ''Lake Light'' papers.<br /> <br /> Well educated, Phelps was an aspirant for the office of lieutenant governor of New York at the time when he purchased a copy of the [[Book of Mormon]] from [[Parley P. Pratt]] on April 9, [[1830]]&amp;mdash;just three days after the early [[Church of Jesus Christ|church]] was organized. He visited Kirtland in 1831, was baptized, and established a print house in [[Independence, Missouri]], where he published the ''[[Evening and Morning Star]]''. While working to publish the church's ''[[Book of Commandments]]'', a mob of vigilantes destroyed Phelps' home and the press. In [[Kirtland, Ohio]], he helped print the [[Collection of Sacred Hymns (Kirtland, Ohio)|first Latter Day Saint hymnal]] and the 1835 edition of the ''[[Doctrine and Covenants]]''.<br /> <br /> A scribe to the Prophet [[Joseph Smith Jr.]], Phelps was the author of a number of popular Latter Day Saint hymns including [[The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning]], which he wrote for the dedication of the [[Kirtland Temple]]. From 1834-1838, he was a counselor to [[David Whitmer]] in the presidency of the church in Missouri and in that capacity he helped found the town of [[Far West, Missouri]]. Phelps was excommunicated from the church on March 10, [[1838]] when he was accused of profiting from [[Far West]] land deals and reneging on a $2,000 subscription to &quot;the house of the Lord&quot; that was not paid. In June, 1838, Phelps, [[Oliver Cowdery]], [[David Whitmer]], [[John Whitmer]], and [[Lyman E. Johnson]] were warned out of Far West ''or a more fatal calamity shall befall you.'' <br /> <br /> On July 8, [[1838]], it was decided that Phelps, along with [[Frederick G. Williams]], could be ordained as elders and serve [[Mormon missionaries|missions]] abroad, even though they had lost their standing. Phelps served a brief mission in the East in [[1841]]. Phelps moved to [[Nauvoo, Illinois]] where on August 27, [[1841]], he replaced Robert B. Thompson (who had died) as [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]]'s clerk. Phelps was endowed on December 9, [[1843]] and was also was made a member of the [[Council of Fifty]]. In Nauvoo, Phelps spoke out for the destruction of an opposition newspaper, the [[Nauvoo Expositor]]. He believed that the city charter gave the church leaders power to declare the newspaper a nuisance. Shortly afterwards, the press and type were carried into the street and destroyed. Phelps was summoned to be tried for treason with Joseph Smith at Carthage.<br /> <br /> During the Mormon Succession Crisis in 1844, Phelps sided with [[Brigham Young]] and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. He was again excommunicated on December 9, [[1848]], but was rebaptized two days later. He took part in the Mormon Exodus across the Great Plains and settled in [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] in 1849. He served a mission in southern Utah (as counselor to [[Parley P. Pratt]]) from November, [[1849]] to February, [[1850]]. There he served in the Utah territorial legislature and on the board of regents for the [[University of Deseret]] (now the [[University of Utah]]). Phelps died on March 7, [[1872]] in [[Salt Lake City]], Utah.<br /> <br /> ==Hymns==<br /> Today, '''William W. Phelps''' is probably best-known for his legacy of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns|LDS hymns]], many of which appear in the current edition of the [[Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1985 book)|LDS Hymnal]].<br /> * [[Adam-ondi-Ahman (hymn)|Adam-ondi-Ahman]]<br /> <br /> * Gently Raise the Sacred Strain<br /> * [[If you could hie to Kolob]]<br /> * Now Let Us Rejoice<br /> * Praise to the Man<br /> * [[The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning]]<br /> * Come, All Ye Saints of Zion<br /> * Come, All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth<br /> * Come, Let Us Sing an Evening Hymn<br /> * Glorious Things Are Sung of Zion<br /> * Now We'll Sing with One Accord<br /> * O God, the Eternal Father<br /> * The Spirit of God<br /> * We're Not Ashamed to Own Our Lord<br /> * Hosanna Anthem<br /> * Vade Mecum<br /> <br /> Phelps often reworded popular hymns turning them into uniquely Latter Day Saint hymns.<br /> <br /> * Joy to the World! * Redeemer of Israel<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> *Lavina Fielding Anderson, ''Lucy's Book'', Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 2001, p. 851.<br /> *Stephen C. LeSueur, ''The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri,'' University of Missouri Press, 1990, pp. 20, 40, 51, 175-77, 259.<br /> <br /> ==See also==<br /> *[[LDS fiction]]<br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://www.sacred-texts.com/mor/dc/dc55.htm Revelation through Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=LDS_Radio&diff=10065 LDS Radio 2007-02-01T23:23:03Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>On August 1, 2002 Bonneville International LDS Radio Network became BYU Radio. It is a radio station that provides [[Mormon Music|music]], [[LDS Sermons|talks]] and devotionals for members of Mormon Church, and is an ever-growing station. It is now carried on Dish Network, the Internet, and cable systems throughout the U.S. <br /> <br /> ==History of BYU Radio==<br /> <br /> In 1992, Bonneville International, the media company owned by the Church, started this radio station, first known as Bonneville International LDS Radio Network, that was first broadcast over FM subcarriers in several major cities where Bonneville owned radio stations. In Salt Lake, it was carried over the subcarrier of KISN-FM 97.1. The subcarriers were discontinued in 2000.<br /> <br /> In 1995, Dish Network began carriage of the network and it has remained a part of the service ever since. Internet streaming began around 1996. For a brief time, it was also available on KEEF-LP, Channel 17, in Las Vegas, Nevada by way of it's Second Audio Program, or 'SAP' signal. <br /> <br /> In 2002, the network was turned over to BYU Broadcasting, and renamed BYU Radio, and was programmed to complement BYU Television. Major technical, programming, and other improvements were made soon after. In 2006, KBYU-FM 89.1 Provo began a high definition radio stream as its second broadcast channel over the air. This channel is popularly called an 'HD2' channel, as high definition digital radio is commonly called 'HD Radio' and this second channel airs the same music heard on BYU Radio. <br /> <br /> ==Programming on BYU Radio==<br /> <br /> BYU Radio content includes [[Brigham Young University|BYU]] devotionals and forums, BYU sporting events, [[Church Educational System]] (CES) and Church firesides, [[General Conference]] broadcasts, Education Week and women conference addresses, BYU musical performances, [[Music and the Spoken Word]], BYU and CES symposiums and discussions, LDS themed music, and other related performances. There is also a separate Internet stream known as BYU Radio Instrumental that features LDS hymns and other instrumental songs. All of this programming is generally the same as what was broadcast on the Bonneville International LDS Radio Network. <br /> <br /> ==Listening to BYU Radio on your computer==<br /> <br /> To play BYU Radio from your computer, visit [http://www.byuradio.org/ BYURadio.org] and click on Get BYU Radio then scroll down to On the Internet. Click on the hyperlink and you will be brought to BYU Radio streaming you can choose to listen to BYU Radio or BYU Radio Instrumental. It will be live streamed through Windows Media Player. If you do not have Windows Media Player, you will have to download it. This can be done from the Streaming page as well. <br /> <br /> ==Other ways to hear BYU Radio==<br /> <br /> KWBR-LP 105.7 St. George, Utah. A low power FM radio station, carries BYU Radio full-time.<br /> <br /> A few cable systems offer BYU Radio as part of their service, either as a second audio program or on an unusued channel. See byuradio.org for more details.<br /> <br /> ==Official LDS Streaming==<br /> <br /> If you are interested in hearing official broadcasts of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], you can visit: [http://www.lds.org/broadcast/1,,18,FF.html LDS.org/broadcast].<br /> [[Category:Mormon Life and Culture]][[Category:Music and the Arts]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=1983&diff=10064 1983 2007-02-01T23:21:10Z <p>Awyatt: /* December */</p> <hr /> <div>{{Decade1980}}<br /> ==January==<br /> <br /> ==February==<br /> <br /> ==March==<br /> <br /> ==April==<br /> <br /> ==May==<br /> <br /> ==June==<br /> * June 1 - Dedication of [[Atlanta Georgia Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==July==<br /> <br /> ==August==<br /> * August 5 - Dedication of [[Apia Samoa Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> * August 9 - Dedication of [[Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==September==<br /> * September 15 - Dedication of [[Santiago Chile Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==October==<br /> * October 27 - Dedication of [[Papeete Tahiti Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==November==<br /> <br /> ==December==<br /> * December 2 - Dedication of [[Mexico City Mexico Temple]] by [[Gordon B. Hinckley]].<br /> <br /> ==Unknown Dates==<br /> <br /> ==Births==<br /> <br /> ==Deaths==</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Orson_Hyde&diff=10063 Orson Hyde 2007-02-01T23:15:06Z <p>Awyatt: /* Church membership and service */</p> <hr /> <div>'''Orson Hyde''' (January 8, 1805 &amp;ndash; November 28, 1878) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. He was born in Oxford, Connecticut. He was raised in nearby Derby, Connecticut, under the care of Nathan Wheeler. In 1819, when he was just 14 years of age, he walked from Connecticut to Kirtland, Ohio to care for a piece of property Wheeler had purchased. While employed as a retail clerk in Kirtland, Hyde became involved with the Reformed Baptist Society, also called Campbellites, through the preaching of [[Sidney Rigdon]].<br /> <br /> ==Church membership and service==<br /> When [[Oliver Cowdery]] and other Latter Day Saint [[missionaries]] preached in Kirtland in late [[1830]], Hyde spoke publicly against the &quot;Mormon Bible.&quot; However, when his former minister, Sidney Rigdon joined the church, Hyde investigated the claims of the missionaries, and was baptized by Rigdon on October 30, [[1831]]. He was called on a succession of missions for the church, serving with [[Hyrum Smith]], [[Samuel Smith]], and John Gould. He marched with [[Zion's Camp]] in [[1834]]. Hyde was ordained an apostle on February 15, [[1835]] as one of the original twelve. He was fifth in seniority. An apostolic mission with [[Heber C. Kimball]] to Great Britain in [[1837]] to [[1838]] was successful in bringing thousands of converts to the faith.<br /> <br /> Upon returning from Britain, during a period of persecution and internal dissension, Hyde wrote that he felt God was no longer with the church. He left the church in October 19, [[1838]] with [[Thomas B. Marsh]]. Marsh explained the reasons for their dissent in an affidavit which he and Hyde signed on October 24, [[1838]] in Richmond, Missouri. These included their contention that the Mormons had organized into a company known as the [[Danite]]s, &quot;who have taken an oath to support the heads of the church in all things that they say or do, whether right or wrong&quot; and that Mormon and Danite vigilantes had burned and looted non-Mormon settlements in Daviess County, Missouri (''Document'', p. 57). Marsh and Hyde also claimed that Joseph Smith planned to &quot;to take the State, &amp; he professes to his people to intend taking the U.S. &amp; ultimately the whole world.&quot;<br /> <br /> The testimony of Marsh and Hyde added to the panic in northwestern Missouri and contributed to subsequent events in the [[Mormon War]]. Because a Mormon attack was believed imminent, a unit of the state militia from Ray County, Missouri was dispatched to patrol the border between Ray and Mormon Caldwell County, Missouri to the north. On October 25, [[1838]], reports reached Mormons in [[Far West, Missouri|Far West]] that this state militia unit was a &quot;mob&quot; and had kidnapped several Mormons. The Mormons formed an armed rescue party and attacked the militia in what became known as the [[Battle of Crooked River]]. Although only one non-Mormon was killed on the Missourian side, initial reports held that half the unit had been wiped out. The Mormons suffered more casualties: Gideon Carter died in the battle and [[David W. Patten]] and Patrick Obanion died from wounds they received in the battle (Baugh, p. 106). This attack on the state militia, coupled with the earlier expulsion of non-Mormons from Daviess County led Missouri's governor to respond with force. On 27 October he called out 2,500 state militia to put down what he perceived as a Mormon rebellion and signed what became known as the &quot;[[Extermination Order]]&quot; (Baugh, pp. 108–09).<br /> <br /> Because he had signed the Richmond affidavit with Marsh, Hyde was disfellowshipped (disciplined, but not removed from membership) in 1838. On May 4, [[1839]], a Church conference in [[Quincy, Illinois]] voted to remove Orson Hyde and [[William Smith | William Smith]] from the work of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The leadership of the church invited the two to explain their actions. On June 27, Hyde returned to the church and publicly explained himself, asking to be restored. The fall conference, October 6 to 8, 1839, voted to restore both Hyde and William Smith as apostles.<br /> <br /> Orson Hyde left church activity, and thus the quorum, on October 19, [[1838]]. When dealing with seniority in the council in [[1875]], long after the Death of Joseph Smith, Jr., Brigham Young ruled that, if a council member had been disciplined and removed from the council, his seniority was based on the date of readmission. By this ruling, in June [[1875]], both Hyde and Apostle Orson Pratt were moved down in council seniority. So, when Hyde repented in [[1839]], he effectively joined the quorum as a new member. As a result of this ruling, [[John Taylor]] rather than Orson Hyde succeeded Brigham Young as President of the Church.<br /> <br /> One of Hyde's most significant missions was a call to preach in Jerusalem. From April [[1841]] to December [[1842]], he proselyted in Palestine. On October 24, [[1841]] on the Mount of Olives, Orson Hyde dedicated Palestine for the gathering of the Jews. He traveled home through Europe, stopping in Germany to produce the first LDS pamphlets in that language.<br /> <br /> After the death of Joseph Smith, when the majority of the LDS people left Nauvoo for the Iowa Territory, Hyde was asked to stay behind and oversee the completion and dedication of the [[Nauvoo Temple]] in [[1846]]. Hyde returned to England to preside over the British mission from [[1846]] to [[1847]]. Orson Hyde was then placed in charge of the ''Camps of Israel'' in the Midwest in [[1848]]. He remained in Council Bluffs, Iowa until [[1852]]. During the settlement of Utah, Brigham Young called Hyde to lead settlement groups to Carson Valley, Nevada and the Sanpete-Sevier District in Utah.<br /> <br /> Orson Hyde married Nancy Mirinda Johnson, in Kirtland, Ohio, on September 4, [[1834]]. He practiced plural marriage and had eight additional wives. He fathered 32 children. He died on November 28, [[1878]], and was succeeded in the apostleship by [[Moses Thatcher]]. He is buried at Spring City, Utah, Sanpete County, Utah.<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> *Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M. ''The Story of the Latter-day Saints.'' Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1976. ISBN 0-87747-594-6.<br /> *Baugh, Alexander L. , ''A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri,'' BYU Studies, 2000.<br /> *''Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders &amp;c. in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; And the Evidence Given Before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes Against the State.'' Fayette, Missouri, 1841, [http://www.farwesthistory.com/docc01.htm complete text.]<br /> *Ludlow, Daniel H., ''A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants'', Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1978. ISBN 1-57345-224-6.<br /> *Ludlow, Daniel H., Editor. ''Church History, Selections From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. '' Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1992. ISBN 0-87579-924-8.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde/hydeprayer.htm Prayer of Orson Hyde on the Mount of Olives, Sunday morning, October 24, 1841]<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde/hydeletter.htm Of the travels and ministry of Elder Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde.htm Traveling to Jerusalem--Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/h/HYDE,ORSON.html Utah History Encyclopedia - Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/hydeo1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages]<br /> <br /> [[Category:Mormon pioneers|Hyde, Orson]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Orson_Hyde&diff=10062 Orson Hyde 2007-02-01T23:12:02Z <p>Awyatt: /* Church membership and service */</p> <hr /> <div>'''Orson Hyde''' (January 8, 1805 &amp;ndash; November 28, 1878) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]]. He was born in Oxford, Connecticut. He was raised in nearby Derby, Connecticut, under the care of Nathan Wheeler. In 1819, when he was just 14 years of age, he walked from Connecticut to Kirtland, Ohio to care for a piece of property Wheeler had purchased. While employed as a retail clerk in Kirtland, Hyde became involved with the Reformed Baptist Society, also called Campbellites, through the preaching of [[Sidney Rigdon]].<br /> <br /> ==Church membership and service==<br /> When [[Oliver Cowdery]] and other Latter Day Saint [[missionaries]] preached in Kirtland in late 1830, Hyde spoke publicly against the &quot;Mormon Bible.&quot; However, when his former minister, Sidney Rigdon joined the church, Hyde investigated the claims of the missionaries, and was baptized by Rigdon on October 30,1831. He was called on a succession of missions for the church, serving with [[Hyrum Smith]], [[Samuel Smith]], and John Gould. He marched with [[Zion's Camp]] in 1834. Hyde was ordained an apostle on February 15, 1835 as one of the original twelve. He was fifth in seniority. An apostolic mission with [[Heber C. Kimball]] to Great Britain in 1837 to 1838 was successful in bringing thousands of converts to the faith.<br /> <br /> Upon returning from Britain, during a period of persecution and internal dissension, Hyde wrote that he felt God was no longer with the church. He left the church in October 19, 1838 with [[Thomas B. Marsh]]. Marsh explained the reasons for their dissent in an affidavit which he and Hyde signed on October 24, 1838 in Richmond, Missouri. These included their contention that the Mormons had organized into a company known as the [[Danite]]s, &quot;who have taken an oath to support the heads of the church in all things that they say or do, whether right or wrong&quot; and that Mormon and Danite vigilantes had burned and looted non-Mormon settlements in Daviess County, Missouri (''Document'', p. 57). Marsh and Hyde also claimed that Joseph Smith planned to &quot;to take the State, &amp; he professes to his people to intend taking the U.S. &amp; ultimately the whole world.&quot;<br /> <br /> The testimony of Marsh and Hyde added to the panic in northwestern Missouri and contributed to subsequent events in the [[Mormon War]]. Because a Mormon attack was believed imminent, a unit of the state militia from Ray County, Missouri was dispatched to patrol the border between Ray and Mormon Caldwell County, Missouri to the north. On October 25, 1838, reports reached Mormons in [[Far West, Missouri|Far West]] that this state militia unit was a &quot;mob&quot; and had kidnapped several Mormons. The Mormons formed an armed rescue party and attacked the militia in what became known as the [[Battle of Crooked River]]. Although only one non-Mormon was killed on the Missourian side, initial reports held that half the unit had been wiped out. The Mormons suffered more casualties: Gideon Carter died in the battle and [[David W. Patten]] and Patrick Obanion died from wounds they received in the battle (Baugh, p. 106). This attack on the state militia, coupled with the earlier expulsion of non-Mormons from Daviess County led Missouri's governor to respond with force. On 27 October he called out 2,500 state militia to put down what he perceived as a Mormon rebellion and signed what became known as the &quot;[[Extermination Order]]&quot; (Baugh, pp. 108–09).<br /> <br /> Because he had signed the Richmond affidavit with Marsh, Hyde was disfellowshipped (disciplined, but not removed from membership) in 1838. On May 4, 1839, a Church conference in [[Quincy, Illinois]] voted to remove Orson Hyde and [[William Smith | William Smith]] from the work of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The leadership of the church invited the two to explain their actions. On June 27, Hyde returned to the church and publicly explained himself, asking to be restored. The fall conference, October 6 to 8, 1839, voted to restore both Hyde and William Smith as apostles.<br /> <br /> Orson Hyde left church activity, and thus the quorum, on October 19, 1838. When dealing with seniority in the council in 1875, long after the Death of Joseph Smith, Jr., Brigham Young ruled that, if a council member had been disciplined and removed from the council, his seniority was based on the date of readmission. By this ruling, in June of 1875, both Hyde and Apostle Orson Pratt were moved down in council seniority. So, when Hyde repented in 1839, he effectively joined the quorum as a new member. As a result of this ruling, [[John Taylor|John Taylor]] rather than Orson Hyde succeeded Brigham Young as President of the Church.<br /> <br /> One of Hyde's most significant missions was a call to preach in Jerusalem. From April 1841 to December 1842, he proselyted in Palestine. On October 24, 1841 on the Mount of Olives, Orson Hyde dedicated Palestine for the gathering of the Jews. He traveled home through Europe, stopping in Germany to produce the first LDS pamphlets in that language.<br /> <br /> After the death of Joseph Smith, when the majority of the LDS people left Nauvoo for the Iowa Territory, Hyde was asked to stay behind and oversee the completion and dedication of the [[Nauvoo Temple]] in 1846. Hyde returned to England to preside over the British mission from 1846 to 1847. Orson Hyde was then placed in charge of the ''Camps of Israel'' in the Midwest in 1848. He remained in Council Bluffs, Iowa until 1852. During the settlement of Utah, Brigham Young called Hyde to lead settlement groups to Carson Valley, Nevada and the Sanpete-Sevier District in Utah.<br /> <br /> Orson Hyde married Nancy Mirinda Johnson, in Kirtland, Ohio, on September 4, 1834. He practiced plural marriage and had eight additional wives. He fathered 32 children. He died on November 28, 1878, and was succeeded in the apostleship by [[Moses Thatcher]]. He is buried at Spring City, Utah, Sanpete County, Utah.<br /> <br /> ==References==<br /> *Allen, James B. and Leonard, Glen M. ''The Story of the Latter-day Saints.'' Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1976. ISBN 0-87747-594-6.<br /> *Baugh, Alexander L. , ''A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri,'' BYU Studies, 2000.<br /> *''Document Containing the Correspondence, Orders &amp;c. in Relation to the Disturbances with the Mormons; And the Evidence Given Before the Hon. Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Missouri, at the Court-House in Richmond, in a Criminal Court of Inquiry, Begun November 12 1838, on the Trial of Joseph Smith, Jr., and Others, for High Treason and Other Crimes Against the State.'' Fayette, Missouri, 1841, [http://www.farwesthistory.com/docc01.htm complete text.]<br /> *Ludlow, Daniel H., ''A Companion to Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants'', Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1978. ISBN 1-57345-224-6.<br /> *Ludlow, Daniel H., Editor. ''Church History, Selections From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism. '' Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, UT, 1992. ISBN 0-87579-924-8.<br /> <br /> <br /> ==External links==<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde/hydeprayer.htm Prayer of Orson Hyde on the Mount of Olives, Sunday morning, October 24, 1841]<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde/hydeletter.htm Of the travels and ministry of Elder Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/history/seminar/hyde.htm Traveling to Jerusalem--Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/h/HYDE,ORSON.html Utah History Encyclopedia - Orson Hyde]<br /> *[http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/w/o/wol3/hydeo1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages]<br /> <br /> [[Category:Mormon pioneers|Hyde, Orson]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mormon_Church&diff=10061 Mormon Church 2007-02-01T19:05:32Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>The Mormon Church is an unofficial name used to refer to [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. The term ''Mormon'' derives from the [[Book of Mormon]], translated by Joseph Smith in [[1829]]. The Church was formed by Smith a year later, in [[1830]]. The nickname has been commonly used, especially by those outside the Church, to refer to the Church since that time.<br /> <br /> What is the Mormon Church? [[Joseph Smith]] received visions and revelations from God from [[1820]] until the end of his life. The Church is built upon these revelations, the word of the Bible, and also the word of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is an ancient record, translated by the power of God, which the Church proclaims is another testament of Jesus Christ. <br /> <br /> Persecution followed Joseph Smith, and those who believed him, even before he organized the Church in any kind of formal way. In the early years of the Church, its members were driven out of one place and then another. It wasn't until they settled in Utah that they were able to actually settle for any length of time. Despite persecution and Joseph Smith’s murder, the Church managed to flourish and has approximately 12.5 millions members today. Most of them live outside the United States. There are Church members in 160 countries. <br /> <br /> Although many misconceptions about the Church still exist and people still spend a lot of time trying to prove it wrong, unchristian, or evil, Mormons (also called Latter-day Saints) as a people are fairly well-respected and well-represented in the United States and in many other countries. <br /> <br /> The core of Mormon belief is a belief in Christ. [[Christ]] is the center of their church, which is a Christian one. In fact, Mormons believe that their church is the restored church of Christ. They believe that after the apostles of Christ died, Christ’s church fell slowly into apostasy. The authority to act in the name of God (the priesthood) was lost. The keys of this [[priesthood]] were restored to Joseph Smith and he handed them down to others. These keys have been handed down in an unbroken line since. The Church also holds as one of its core tenets that God speaks to man today. He spoke to Joseph Smith, and to prophets living today. The Church, since its founding, has always had prophets. Modern revelation and modern scripture go hand-in-hand. The [[Doctrine and Covenants]] is a compilation of revelations. <br /> <br /> The Mormon Church is well known for its [[missionaries|missionary work]] as well. Since the members of the Church claim that it is the one true church, it should be no surprise that they would wish to share this truth with others. They believe that we are all children of God and that God would have us all hear His message and His plan for our eternal salvation. Over 50,000 [[Mormon missionaries]] are sent out a year to preach the gospel. <br /> <br /> Another unique belief of the Mormon Church is that temples are essential. Indeed, in their beliefs, certain truths and certain ordinances can only be found, or be performed, in [[Mormon temples]]. These truths and ordinances are considered essential for salvation. All worthy adult members of the Church can attend any of the 122 temples the Church has built. There, they can have these ordinances performed, or perform them on the behalf of others. Since Mormons believe that the gospel of God is for all, they also believe that those who have died should and do also have the opportunity to receive these sacred and essential ordinances. This is an opportunity; they do not have to accept these ordinances, any more than they would have to in life. <br /> <br /> Families are very important in the Mormon Church. The Church asserts that, through temple work, marriages and families can last forever. Children are seen as a sacred blessing and marriage, likewise, is sacred and should not be treated lightly. <br /> <br /> The Church is also well known for its health code, the [[Word of Wisdom]]. Members of the Church do not drink alcohol or coffee, smoke, or use illegal drugs. The Word of Wisdom also encourages them to eat nutritiously, with a strong emphasis on grains and fruits, and to live healthy, both in body and mind. [[Perpetual Education Fund|Education]] is also a virtue in the Church and a strong priority. <br /> <br /> Because the Church emphasizes the importance of healthy living, families, service, and education, among other virtues, its members tend to be happy people, good citizens, and good neighbors, and have a reputation for honesty and selflessness. <br /> <br /> See [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] for more complete information about the Church.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Plural_Marriage&diff=10060 Plural Marriage 2007-02-01T18:59:35Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Marriage and Families]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]<br /> == Introduction ==<br /> <br /> Polygamy, usually called [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html plural marriage], plurality of wives, or the Principle, by [[Latter-day Saints|Mormons]], is the most controversial practice of the [[Mormon Church]], properly called [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], even though Mormons have not practiced it since 1890. The term ''polygamy'' is actually a widely used misnomer, as Church members actually practiced ''polygyny,'' a type of marital relationship where one man marries multiple women. This practice led to severe persecution and repression of Mormons by the United States Government in the latter half of the nineteenth century and its abandonment became a condition for Utah statehood. Many misunderstandings, misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies have attended discussions of polygamy among the Mormons and are still fostered among anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons who attempt to attack the Church and its teachings. This article will address the history of polygamy among Mormons and the official teachings of the Mormon Church about polygamy.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy and the Book of Mormon===<br /> <br /> Though [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/forbid.htm anti-Mormons and critics of the Mormon Church] claim the [[Book of Mormon]] condemns polygamy, and hence contradicts later Mormon teachings, the Book of Mormon is in fact the earliest revelation by Joseph Smith that hints at God commanding polygamy. In the Book of Jacob, the third book of the Book of Mormon, an ancient American prophet teaches:<br /> <br /> :Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2:27-29) <br /> <br /> Critics cite this as contradicting Joseph Smith's and [[Brigham Young]]'s later teachings commanding polygamy, but they fail to quote the next verse:<br /> <br /> :For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (Jacob 2:30)<br /> <br /> Hence, the Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes God commands His people to practice polygamy, and sometimes He forbids it, but when He does command it, the purpose is to raise righteous children unto the Lord. This corresponds precisely to what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught:<br /> <br /> *: [...] I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, &lt;b&gt;unless the Lord directs otherwise&lt;/b&gt;. (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,'' page 324.)<br /> <br /> *:God never introduced the Patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for anything which they had done; but &lt;b&gt;He introduced it for the express purpose of raising up to His name a royal Priesthood&lt;/b&gt;, a peculiar people. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:264)<br /> <br /> *:This revelation, which God gave to Joseph, was &lt;b&gt;for the express purpose of providing a channel for the organization of tabernacles [i.e. bodies]&lt;/b&gt;, for those spirits to occupy who have been reserved to come forth in the kingdom of God, and that they might not be obliged to take tabernacles out of the kingdom of God. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:265)<br /> <br /> Critics of the Mormon Church who try to distort what the Book of Mormon says and what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said are either purposely lying and covering up the truth, or are ignorant about the subject.<br /> <br /> ===Joseph Smith and Polygamy===<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the [[Ohio Period|Mormon history]] article covering this time period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> Though never practiced openly or taught publicly during Joseph Smith's lifetime, it is nevertheless certain that he was the one who introduced polygamy into Mormon teachings. Rumors about it circulated in the 1830s and 1840s until Brigham Young had it announced publicly for the first time in [[1852]]. Joseph’s first inkling about it likely came as early as 1831, one year after the founding of the Church, as Joseph Smith was working on a translation of the Bible. According to [http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 the revelation] given to Joseph Smith, but not written down until July 12, [[1843]], Joseph Smith approached the Lord and asked Him why he permitted ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have multiple wives. The revelation states that only God can command men to practice polygamy and that he appoints a prophet to be in charge of it when he does. <br /> <br /> Joseph Smith was hesitant to teach this new principle and did not even share it with his closest associates for many years. According to later statements by [[Lorenzo Snow]], and [[Brigham Young]] Joseph was himself repelled by the idea and not until an angel of Lord appeared to him and ordered him to practice it and teach it did he begin. This apparently took place sometime after [[1839]] when the Mormons had been driven to [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo, Illinois]]. When Brigham Young learned about it he said:<br /> <br /> : Some of these my brethren know what my feelings were at the time Joseph revealed the doctrine; I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty, nor of failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral, I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin, knowing the toil and labor that my body would have to undergo; and I have had to examine myself, from that day to this, and watch my faith, and carefully meditate, lest I should be found desiring the grave more than I ought to do (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:266).<br /> <br /> It is not clear exactly how many women Joseph Smith married, but it is apparent that Joseph Smith did not ever live with any of these other wives. Mormon teachings on [[Celestial marriage|marriage]], which Joseph Smith had begun teaching in Nauvoo, taught that men and women could be married for all eternity, not just in this life. Marriage was for &quot;time and all eternity.&quot; &lt;i&gt;Time&lt;/i&gt; referred to this mortal life while &lt;i&gt;eternity&lt;/i&gt; referred to the next life. Hence, according to Joseph Smith marriages could be just for this life, for this life and the next, or just for the next life. <br /> <br /> This last category has caused much confusion and led to many attacks on the characters of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For persons whose spouses were not Mormons and thus could not be married for “time and all eternity” to that spouse, early Mormon practice allowed the person to be &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt;, a Mormon word referring to temple marriage for all eternity, to one person, but married for time to another. Thus, the person would continue to live with one spouse in this life, but have the blessings of eternal marriage, called celestial marriage, with another. Many of Joseph Smith’s and Brigham Young’s wives were of this sort. They never lived with the person or had sexual relations with them. Also confusing, was a later practice where women whose husbands could not enter a [[Mormon temple]] because of unworthiness, or else were not a Mormon, were &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt; to a deceased man like Brigham Young. Thus while Brigham Young only cohabited with about sixteen women, he was sealed to dozens more.<br /> <br /> Another aspect of Mormon polygamy that often gets attacked is reputed marriages to teenage girls. Today in the United States the average age for a first marriage is between 25 and 27 years old, but in the nineteenth century teenage marriages were not that unusual and in many cases the marriage was contracted, but the girl remained with her family until she reached adulthood.<br /> <br /> In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching polygamy to his closest and most trusted associates. Nearly 100 people were taught about it before [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith’s martyrdom]]. A few began this practice before the exodus of [[1846]], but it remained in hiatus until the Mormons were established in Utah.<br /> <br /> During the [[Nauvoo]] period, Joseph and the others [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/against_plural.htm walked a fine line]. As quoted above, Joseph Smith taught publicly that everyone should only have one wife unless God commanded otherwise, however they were wary of misunderstandings and persecution from the surrounding communities and so the practice continued in secret for a time. <br /> <br /> Some close associates took advantage of this situation. John C. Bennett, a friend of Joseph Smith and mayor of Nauvoo, perverted these teachings to gratify his own lust. He told single and married women that Joseph was teaching &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; as he called it, which he claimed gave them permission to sleep with whomever they desired. Bennett was eventually caught. He confessed that Joseph Smith had never taught &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; which amounted to adultery, and was soon excommunicated. He left Nauvoo and began publishing scathing attacks on Joseph Smith. Another close associate, William Law, pleaded with Joseph Smith to renounce polygamy. When he would not, Law and a few other disaffected Mormons published the &lt;i&gt;[[Nauvoo Expositor]]&lt;/i&gt; which claimed Joseph Smith was teaching adultery and fornication and called for him to be hung. The Nauvoo City Council decided this was a public nuisance and so destroyed the press. Riots followed and Joseph Smith was arrested, imprisoned in [[Carthage Jail]], and there murdered on June 27, [[1844]].<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy in Utah==<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the articles on [[Mormon history]] covering this period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Publicly Announced===<br /> The Mormons were driven out of Illinois in [[1846]]. Once established in Utah, [[Brigham Young]] directed Orson Pratt of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] to announce the practice publicly. He did so on [http://journalofdiscourses.org/Vol_01/refJDvol1-11.html August 29, 1852]. In this speech and others that followed, he set forth the Church’s explanation and defense of polygamy. He claimed first that God had commanded it. Secondly, the reason God commanded it was so that Mormons could raise righteous children. Lastly he noted that God only permitted His prophets to direct who will practice polygamy. As evidence he cited the story of the Prophet Nathan and King David, where Nathan tells he gave David his wives from a commandment of God (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_sam/12 2 Samuel 12:1-9]). <br /> <br /> The practice continued in Utah until [[1890]], when a revelation came from the Lord forbidding further polygamous marriages. At first, being isolated in Utah, the Mormon Church practiced it openly and without harassment. In the 1850s the newly formed Republican Party made part of its platform the abolishment of the ‘twin relics of barbarism’: slavery and polygamy. Distracted by the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, little happened at first, though the issue of polygamy was part of the justification for the [[Utah War]]. President Buchanan sent 5,000 troops to crush a non-existent rebellion in the territory in [[1857]]. <br /> <br /> ===Anti-Polygamy Legislation and Raids===<br /> Beginning in [[1862]], the U.S. Congress passed a series of increasingly stringent laws outlawing polygamy. The first, Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, passed on July 1, [[1862]], outlawed polygamy. This was difficult to prove as records were scanty and while some Mormon leaders including Brigham Young were arrested, they were generally released. George Reynolds, Young’s secretary and a British immigrant, was arrested and tried. He appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that polygamy was protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free exercise of religion. In ruling on &lt;i&gt;Reynolds v. United States&lt;/i&gt;, the Court said that this clause protected beliefs only and that Congress could pass laws preventing practices “which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order” (98 U.S. 164). Reynolds was sentenced to five years jail time.<br /> <br /> Despite this legal victory, polygamy remained difficult to prove and in [[1882]], the Congress passed the Edmunds Act which outlawed mere cohabitation. This led to what Mormons called “the raids” in the 1880s when thousands of Mormons were arrested and jailed. The Edmunds Act also forbade all persons living in polygamous families from holding public office, serving on juries, or voting. This disenfranchised many more Mormons. In [[1885]], Idaho required voters to swear an oath stating they opposed polygamy and any organization that condoned it, thus disenfranchising all Mormons.<br /> <br /> The national and even international debate surrounding polygamy produced many scathing diatribes against the Mormons, but also some unlikely defenders. John Stuart Mill, the famous British philosopher and co-founder of the Utilitarian movement, had this to say about Mormonism in his work, &lt;i&gt;On Liberty&lt;/i&gt;:<br /> <br /> :I cannot refrain from adding to these examples of the little account commonly made of human liberty, the language of downright persecution which breaks out from the press of this country, whenever it feels called on to notice the remarkable phenomenon of Mormonism... What here concerns us is, that this religion, like other and better religions, has its martyrs; that its prophet and founder was, for his teaching, put to death by a mob; that others of its adherents lost their lives by the same lawless violence; that they were forcibly expelled, in a body, from the country in which they first grew up; while, now that they have been chased into a solitary recess in the midst of a desert, many in this country openly declare that it would be right (only that it is not convenient) to send an expedition against them, and compel them by force to conform to the opinions of other people. The article of the Mormonite doctrine which is the chief provocative to the antipathy which thus breaks through the ordinary restraints of religious tolerance, is its sanction of polygamy; which, though permitted to Mahomedans, and Hindoos, and Chinese, seems to excite unquenchable animosity when practised by persons who speak English, and profess to be a kind of Christians. ... Still, it must be remembered that this relation is as much voluntary on the part of the women concerned in it, and who may be deemed the sufferers by it, as is the case with any other form of the marriage institution;<br /> <br /> He goes on several sentences later to discuss the forcible attempt to end polygamy:<br /> <br /> :A recent writer, in some respects of considerable merit, proposes (to use his own words,) not a crusade, but a civilizade, against this polygamous community, to put an end to what seems to him a retrograde step in civilization. It also appears so to me, but I am not aware that any community has a right to force another to be civilized. ... Let them send missionaries, if they please, to preach against it; and let them, by any fair means, (of which silencing the teachers is not one,) oppose the progress of similar doctrines among their own people.[http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html]<br /> <br /> Mill, while clearly opposed himself to polygamy, even to the extent that he found it barbaric, nevertheless felt that the persecutions of Mormons for this practice were actually more egregious. Many other leaders in the United States, including President Grover Cleveland, attempted to defend the Mormons. Most of these individuals personally opposed polygamy, but believed the Mormons had the right to practice as they chose. Sir Richard Burton, the famous explorer and orientalist, actually defended both the Mormons and their practice of polygamy in his book, &lt;i&gt;The City of the Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California&lt;/i&gt;. He said:<br /> <br /> :Those individuals who have the strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a plurality of wives under the light of reason and revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of divine origin; that it was embraced and practiced under the divine sanction by the most righteous men who ever lived on the earth: holy prophets and patriarchs, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost (p 382).<br /> <br /> Burton also defended the Mormons against their legal persecutors. He argued that the Constitution of the United States should protect this practice:<br /> <br /> :The Constitution and laws of the United States, being founded upon the principles of freedom, do not interfere with marriage relations, but leave the nation free to believe in and practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or to confine themselves to the one-wife system, just as the choose. This is as it should be (p 379).<br /> <br /> ===The True Nature of Polygamy in Utah===<br /> The raids and attacks of the 1880s make it appear that all Mormons were living in polygamy. Though records are not always clear, done deliberately to prevent government officers from easily finding polygamists, it is clear that only a minority ever practiced polygamy. Estimates are that at maximum 20 to 25 percent of the Church at any given time was practicing it; some estimates place it as low as 5 percent. Approximately one third of women in the 1880s lived in polygamous families. The 1,300 men arrested is certainly a small percentage of the nearly 150,000 Mormons at the time and that number approached 200,000 by [[1890]]. Some people, anti-Mormons and even some Mormons have tried to claim that Mormon prophets of the nineteenth century said that every man must practice polygamy to get into heaven, but this is a distortion of the truth. In [[1866]], [[John Taylor]], who succeeded Brigham Young as [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] said:<br /> <br /> : When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, &quot;that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.&quot; When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church, that it was told them &lt;b&gt;if they were not prepared to enter into it&lt;/b&gt;, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostasy, and I do to-day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom (John Taylor, ''Journal of Discourses'' 11:221).<br /> <br /> Here he clearly says that it is the principle that must be accepted, just as men are expected to accept every principle and revelation from God. He says men must be ‘prepared’ to enter into it and defend it, even though they may not be required to do so. If one considers that when he said that the majority of those listening were not practicing polygamy and were never asked to do so, it becomes clear that they understood this to mean that they must accept the principle as a revelation from God in order to enter heaven, since Jesus taught that man must live on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). <br /> <br /> For Mormons who practiced polygamy, it brought both blessings and trials to be overcome. Mormon women were generally in favor of polygamy feeling not only that it came from God, but also that is liberated them to do much more. Many Mormon women, with other wives to share the work, went to school and became very accomplished. Anti-Mormon leaders in Utah gave women the right to vote in 1870 hoping that these supposedly oppressed women would vote for anti-Mormon candidates, but the measure backfired. Mormon women under polygamy had much more freedom to pursue vocations and education. Three of Brigham Young’s wives studied medicine and helped found a hospital. <br /> <br /> There were also challenges and petty jealousies and fights did occur. Most complaints by polygamous wives were that their husband spent too much time with one wife or the other. Brigham Young, who discouraged divorce, allowed polygamous wives to divorce their husbands if they were being neglected or abused, but he refused to condone men divorcing one of their wives if they felt it a burden. He merely told them to work harder. Just like other families, polygamous families had problems to work out, but there is no evidence that polygamous marriages adversely affected children. In fact, many children of polygamous families succeeded very well in life. Rumors that polygamous marriages produced deformed children are also untrue. In nineteenth century Utah, there was such a large influx of new immigrants and converts that there was no need for marriages among close relatives and such marriages were likely rare, or at least no more common than in any other rural area.<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Fielding Smith]], who was a Mormon Apostle and later [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] grew up in a polygamous family. Of this situation he said: &quot;[My father [[Joseph F. Smith]]] had five wives and 43 children. No father ever at any age of the world, we feel confident in saying, had a greater love for wife or wives and children, and was more earnestly concerned for their welfare than was [my father]&quot; (Joseph Fielding Smith, ''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449). He says further of the wives and children in this family:<br /> <br /> :[T]here was and is no monogamist family which could be more united. To the astonishment of the unbelieving world, the wives loved each other dearly. In times of sickness they tenderly waited upon and nursed each other. When death invaded one of the homes and a child was taken, all wept and mourned together with sincere grief which was wonderful to see. Two of the wives were skilled and licensed practitioners in obstetrics, and brought many babies into the world. They waited upon each other and upon the other wives, and when babies came all rejoiced equally with the mother. <br /> <br /> :The children recognized each other as brothers and sisters, full-fledged, not as half, as they would be considered in the world. They defended each and stood by each other no matter which branch of the family was theirs (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> Smith concludes that the reasons the outside world viewed polygamy with such horror and disgust was that they &quot;judged the 'Mormon' people by their own corrupt standards that they failed to understand the true condition which prevailed in 'Mormon' homes&quot; (''Life of Joseph F. Smith,'' p. 449).<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Discontinued===<br /> In [[1887]], the Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act which disincorporated the Church and seized virtually all of its property, except the temples and some church buildings. The Church appealed this ruling, again citing the freedom of religion, but in [[1890]] in &lt;i&gt;The Late Corporation of the Mormon Church v. United States&lt;/i&gt; the Supreme Court again upheld the ban on polygamy. <br /> <br /> Facing the utter destruction of the Church, [[Wilford Woodruff]], the forth president of the Church met and prayed with the other apostles. After much prayer, President Woodruff saw a vision of what would happen if the Church continued to practice polygamy. He saw the destruction of the Church, the scattering of the Mormons, and the cessation of all their work. The Lord had previously shown that sometimes he commands men to practice polygamy and sometimes he forbids it, depending upon the circumstance. Wilford Woodruff then realized that the time had come to stop practicing polygamy. He issued what has become known as the [http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1 Manifesto]. It said that the Mormon Church would no longer contract marriages forbidden by law. President Grover Cleveland would later pardon all those who entered polygamous marriages before [[1890]]. Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona were required to ban polygamy in their constitutions. Idaho's originally kept all polygamists from holding office and for a time Idaho banned all persons married in Mormon temples from voting or holding office. <br /> <br /> This act has brought much [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/plural_revelation.htm criticism]. Some claimed President Woodruff was a fallen prophet and some groups split away from the Church and continue to practice polygamy today. Often these breakaway groups become so focused on one issue like polygamy that they withdraw into communes and neglect many other important teachings by Joseph Smith. Most of these groups, for instance, do not build temples or send out missionaries, which according to Joseph Smith were two of the most important principles of the Gospel. Anti-Mormons try to claim that Wilford Woodruff caved under pressure, but according to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], current President of the Mormon Church, the role of the [[Mormon president|Prophet]] is to find answers to the problems of God’s people by asking God in prayer. President Woodruff sought help from God and God gave it. Wilford Woodruff himself in speaking about this revelation said:<br /> <br /> :I have had some revelations of late, and very important ones to me, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me. Let me bring your minds to what is termed the manifesto...<br /> <br /> :The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter.<br /> <br /> :The question is this: Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice); or, after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the Prophets, Apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the Church, and also leave the Temples in the hands of the Saints, so that they can attend to the ordinances of the Gospel, both for the living and the dead?<br /> <br /> :&lt;b&gt;The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice&lt;/b&gt;. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for...any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed. A large number has already been delivered from the prison house in the spirit world by this people, and shall the work go on or stop? This is the question I lay before the Latter-day Saints. You have to judge for yourselves. I want you to answer it for yourselves. I shall not answer it; but I say to you that that is exactly the condition we as a people would have been in had we not taken the course we have.<br /> <br /> :...I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; '''I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do'''; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write... (D&amp;C, excerpts attached to Official Declaration 1).<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy since the Manifesto==<br /> From 1890 to 1904, some Mormons outside of the United States continued to contract new polygamous marriages in the belief that since neither Canada nor Mexico forbade polygamy, and the Manifesto only explicitly forbade illegal marriages, they could continue. President [[Joseph F. Smith]] issued a second manifesto in 1904. Since that time Mormons worldwide have abided by that ruling. Those who practice polygamy are excommunicated from the Church. <br /> <br /> The issue continued to affect the Mormon Church for some years. In the 1890s and early 1900s even monogamous Mormons had difficulty getting elected to public office. In [[1904]] Reed Smoot was elected to the U.S. Senate. Though he had never practiced polygamy, he was at first denied his seat and only joined the Senate after a two-year investigation of the Church by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Mormons have become very prominent in public office both in Utah and nationally. <br /> <br /> Groups today that practice polygamy, and call themselves [[Fundamentalist Mormons]], are not affiliated with [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Most of their members have never been members of the Mormon church and their actions are considered illegal. These groups often withdraw into isolated communities and seldom gain new converts. This leads to intermarrying of close relatives and has caused heightened birth defects among these groups. These groups often require all men to enter polygamy, which causes many problems and has led to an excess of single men unable to marry. These men are often expelled from the group and cut off from their families. Other abuses often occur in these isolated communities such as forced marriages, which did not occur among nineteenth-century Mormons. Polygamy as practiced by these groups is very different from the historical practice of polygamy by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which never required all men to practice polygamy and never withdrew into secretive communes cut off from the rest of the world. The Mormon church in the nineteenth century never forced young girls into marriage or expelled those who would not enter into polygamous marriages. These practices of contemporary polygamous sects should never be confused with nineteenth century Mormon practice.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Plural_Marriage&diff=10059 Plural Marriage 2007-02-01T18:52:01Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Marriage and Families]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]<br /> == Introduction ==<br /> <br /> Polygamy, usually called [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html plural marriage], plurality of wives, or the Principle, by [[Latter-day Saints|Mormons]], is the most controversial practice of the [[Mormon Church]], properly called [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], even though Mormons have not practiced it since 1890. The term ''polygamy'' is actually a widely used misnomer, as Church members actually practiced ''polygyny,'' a type of marital relationship where one man marries multiple women. This practice led to severe persecution and repression of Mormons by the United States Government in the latter half of the nineteenth century and its abandonment became a condition for Utah statehood. Many misunderstandings, misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies have attended discussions of polygamy among the Mormons and are still fostered among anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons who attempt to attack the Church and its teachings. This article will address the history of polygamy among Mormons and the official teachings of the Mormon Church about polygamy.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy and the Book of Mormon===<br /> <br /> Though [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/forbid.htm anti-Mormons and critics of the Mormon Church] claim the [[Book of Mormon]] condemns polygamy, and hence contradicts later Mormon teachings, the Book of Mormon is in fact the earliest revelation by Joseph Smith that hints at God commanding polygamy. In the Book of Jacob, the third book of the Book of Mormon, an ancient American prophet teaches:<br /> <br /> :Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2:27-29) <br /> <br /> Critics cite this as contradicting Joseph Smith's and [[Brigham Young]]'s later teachings commanding polygamy, but they fail to quote the next verse:<br /> <br /> :For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (Jacob 2:30)<br /> <br /> Hence, the Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes God commands His people to practice polygamy, and sometimes He forbids it, but when He does command it, the purpose is to raise righteous children unto the Lord. This corresponds precisely to what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught:<br /> <br /> *: [...] I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, &lt;b&gt;unless the Lord directs otherwise&lt;/b&gt;. (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,'' page 324.)<br /> <br /> *:God never introduced the Patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for anything which they had done; but &lt;b&gt;He introduced it for the express purpose of raising up to His name a royal Priesthood&lt;/b&gt;, a peculiar people. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:264)<br /> <br /> *:This revelation, which God gave to Joseph, was &lt;b&gt;for the express purpose of providing a channel for the organization of tabernacles [i.e. bodies]&lt;/b&gt;, for those spirits to occupy who have been reserved to come forth in the kingdom of God, and that they might not be obliged to take tabernacles out of the kingdom of God. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:265)<br /> <br /> Critics of the Mormon Church who try to distort what the Book of Mormon says and what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said are either purposely lying and covering up the truth, or are ignorant about the subject.<br /> <br /> ===Joseph Smith and Polygamy===<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the [[Ohio Period|Mormon history]] article covering this time period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> Though never practiced openly or taught publicly during Joseph Smith's lifetime, it is nevertheless certain that he was the one who introduced polygamy into Mormon teachings. Rumors about it circulated in the 1830s and 1840s until Brigham Young had it announced publicly for the first time in [[1852]]. Joseph’s first inkling about it likely came as early as 1831, one year after the founding of the Church, as Joseph Smith was working on a translation of the Bible. According to [http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 the revelation] given to Joseph Smith, but not written down until July 12, [[1843]], Joseph Smith approached the Lord and asked Him why he permitted ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have multiple wives. The revelation states that only God can command men to practice polygamy and that he appoints a prophet to be in charge of it when he does. <br /> <br /> Joseph Smith was hesitant to teach this new principle and did not even share it with his closest associates for many years. According to later statements by [[Lorenzo Snow]], and [[Brigham Young]] Joseph was himself repelled by the idea and not until an angel of Lord appeared to him and ordered him to practice it and teach it did he begin. This apparently took place sometime after [[1839]] when the Mormons had been driven to [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo, Illinois]]. When Brigham Young learned about it he said:<br /> <br /> : Some of these my brethren know what my feelings were at the time Joseph revealed the doctrine; I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty, nor of failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral, I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin, knowing the toil and labor that my body would have to undergo; and I have had to examine myself, from that day to this, and watch my faith, and carefully meditate, lest I should be found desiring the grave more than I ought to do (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:266).<br /> <br /> It is not clear exactly how many women Joseph Smith married, but it is apparent that Joseph Smith did not ever live with any of these other wives. Mormon teachings on [[Celestial marriage|marriage]], which Joseph Smith had begun teaching in Nauvoo, taught that men and women could be married for all eternity, not just in this life. Marriage was for &quot;time and all eternity.&quot; &lt;i&gt;Time&lt;/i&gt; referred to this mortal life while &lt;i&gt;eternity&lt;/i&gt; referred to the next life. Hence, according to Joseph Smith marriages could be just for this life, for this life and the next, or just for the next life. <br /> <br /> This last category has caused much confusion and led to many attacks on the characters of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For persons whose spouses were not Mormons and thus could not be married for “time and all eternity” to that spouse, early Mormon practice allowed the person to be &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt;, a Mormon word referring to temple marriage for all eternity, to one person, but married for time to another. Thus, the person would continue to live with one spouse in this life, but have the blessings of eternal marriage, called celestial marriage, with another. Many of Joseph Smith’s and Brigham Young’s wives were of this sort. They never lived with the person or had sexual relations with them. Also confusing, was a later practice where women whose husbands could not enter a [[Mormon temple]] because of unworthiness, or else were not a Mormon, were &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt; to a deceased man like Brigham Young. Thus while Brigham Young only cohabited with about sixteen women, he was sealed to dozens more.<br /> <br /> Another aspect of Mormon polygamy that often gets attacked is reputed marriages to teenage girls. Today in the United States the average age for a first marriage is between 25 and 27 years old, but in the nineteenth century teenage marriages were not that unusual and in many cases the marriage was contracted, but the girl remained with her family until she reached adulthood.<br /> <br /> In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching polygamy to his closest and most trusted associates. Nearly 100 people were taught about it before [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith’s martyrdom]]. A few began this practice before the exodus of [[1846]], but it remained in hiatus until the Mormons were established in Utah.<br /> <br /> During the [[Nauvoo]] period, Joseph and the others [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/against_plural.htm walked a fine line]. As quoted above, Joseph Smith taught publicly that everyone should only have one wife unless God commanded otherwise, however they were wary of misunderstandings and persecution from the surrounding communities and so the practice continued in secret for a time. <br /> <br /> Some close associates took advantage of this situation. John C. Bennett, a friend of Joseph Smith and mayor of Nauvoo, perverted these teachings to gratify his own lust. He told single and married women that Joseph was teaching &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; as he called it, which he claimed gave them permission to sleep with whomever they desired. Bennett was eventually caught. He confessed that Joseph Smith had never taught &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; which amounted to adultery, and was soon excommunicated. He left Nauvoo and began publishing scathing attacks on Joseph Smith. Another close associate, William Law, pleaded with Joseph Smith to renounce polygamy. When he would not, Law and a few other disaffected Mormons published the &lt;i&gt;[[Nauvoo Expositor]]&lt;/i&gt; which claimed Joseph Smith was teaching adultery and fornication and called for him to be hung. The Nauvoo City Council decided this was a public nuisance and so destroyed the press. Riots followed and Joseph Smith was arrested, imprisoned in [[Carthage Jail]], and there murdered on June 27, [[1844]].<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy in Utah==<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the articles on [[Mormon history]] covering this period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Publicly Announced===<br /> The Mormons were driven out of Illinois in [[1846]]. Once established in Utah, [[Brigham Young]] directed Orson Pratt of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] to announce the practice publicly. He did so on [http://journalofdiscourses.org/Vol_01/refJDvol1-11.html August 29, 1852]. In this speech and others that followed, he set forth the Church’s explanation and defense of polygamy. He claimed first that God had commanded it. Secondly, the reason God commanded it was so that Mormons could raise righteous children. Lastly he noted that God only permitted His prophets to direct who will practice polygamy. As evidence he cited the story of the Prophet Nathan and King David, where Nathan tells he gave David his wives from a commandment of God (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_sam/12 2 Samuel 12:1-9]). <br /> <br /> The practice continued in Utah until [[1890]], when a revelation came from the Lord forbidding further polygamous marriages. At first, being isolated in Utah, the Mormon Church practiced it openly and without harassment. In the 1850s the newly formed Republican Party made part of its platform the abolishment of the ‘twin relics of barbarism’: slavery and polygamy. Distracted by the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, little happened at first, though the issue of polygamy was part of the justification for the [[Utah War]]. President Buchanan sent 5,000 troops to crush a non-existent rebellion in the territory in [[1857]]. <br /> <br /> ===Anti-Polygamy Legislation and Raids===<br /> Beginning in [[1862]], the U.S. Congress passed a series of increasingly stringent laws outlawing polygamy. The first, Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, passed on July 1, [[1862]], outlawed polygamy. This was difficult to prove as records were scanty and while some Mormon leaders including Brigham Young were arrested, they were generally released. George Reynolds, Young’s secretary and a British immigrant, was arrested and tried. He appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that polygamy was protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free exercise of religion. In ruling on &lt;i&gt;Reynolds v. United States&lt;/i&gt;, the Court said that this clause protected beliefs only and that Congress could pass laws preventing practices “which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order” (98 U.S. 164). Reynolds was sentenced to five years jail time.<br /> <br /> Despite this legal victory, polygamy remained difficult to prove and in [[1882]], the Congress passed the Edmunds Act which outlawed mere cohabitation. This led to what Mormons called “the raids” in the 1880s when thousands of Mormons were arrested and jailed. The Edmunds Act also forbade all persons living in polygamous families from holding public office, serving on juries, or voting. This disenfranchised many more Mormons. In [[1885]], Idaho required voters to swear an oath stating they opposed polygamy and any organization that condoned it, thus disenfranchising all Mormons.<br /> <br /> The national and even international debate surrounding polygamy produced many scathing diatribes against the Mormons, but also some unlikely defenders. John Stuart Mill, the famous British philosopher and co-founder of the Utilitarian movement, had this to say about Mormonism in his work, &lt;i&gt;On Liberty&lt;/i&gt;:<br /> <br /> :I cannot refrain from adding to these examples of the little account commonly made of human liberty, the language of downright persecution which breaks out from the press of this country, whenever it feels called on to notice the remarkable phenomenon of Mormonism [...]What here concerns us is, that this religion, like other and better religions, has its martyrs; that its prophet and founder was, for his teaching, put to death by a mob; that others of its adherents lost their lives by the same lawless violence; that they were forcibly expelled, in a body, from the country in which they first grew up; while, now that they have been chased into a solitary recess in the midst of a desert, many in this country openly declare that it would be right (only that it is not convenient) to send an expedition against them, and compel them by force to conform to the opinions of other people. The article of the Mormonite doctrine which is the chief provocative to the antipathy which thus breaks through the ordinary restraints of religious tolerance, is its sanction of polygamy; which, though permitted to Mahomedans, and Hindoos, and Chinese, seems to excite unquenchable animosity when practised by persons who speak English, and profess to be a kind of Christians. [...]Still, it must be remembered that this relation is as much voluntary on the part of the women concerned in it, and who may be deemed the sufferers by it, as is the case with any other form of the marriage institution;<br /> <br /> He goes on several sentances later to discuss the forcible attempt to end polygamy:<br /> <br /> :A recent writer, in some respects of considerable merit, proposes (to use his own words,) not a crusade, but a civilizade, against this polygamous community, to put an end to what seems to him a retrograde step in civilization. It also appears so to me, but I am not aware that any community has a right to force another to be civilized. [...]Let them send missionaries, if they please, to preach against it; and let them, by any fair means, (of which silencing the teachers is not one,) oppose the progress of similar doctrines among their own people.[http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html]<br /> <br /> Mill, while clearly opposed himself to polygamy, even to the extent that he found it barbaric, nevertheless felt that the persecutions of Mormons for this practice were actually more egregious. Many other leaders in the United States, including President Grover Cleveland, attempted to defend the Mormons. Most of these individuals personally opposed polygamy, but believed the Mormons had the right to practice as they chose. Sir Richard Burton, the famous explorer and orientalist, actually defended both the Mormons and their practice of polygamy in his book, &lt;i&gt;The City of the Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California&lt;/i&gt;. He said:<br /> <br /> :Those individuals who have the strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a plurality of wives under the light of reason and revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of divine origin; that it was embraced and practiced under the divine sanction by the most righteous men who ever lived on the earth: holy prophets and patriarchs, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost (p 382).<br /> <br /> Burton also defended the Mormons against their legal persecutors. He argued that the Constitution of the United States should protect this practice:<br /> <br /> :The Constitution and laws of the United States, being founded upon the principles of freedom, do not interfere with marriage relations, but leave the nation free to believe in and practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or to confine themselves to the one-wife system, just as the choose. This is as it should be (p 379).<br /> <br /> ===The True Nature of Polygamy in Utah===<br /> The raids and attacks of the 1880s make it appear that all Mormons were living in polygamy. Though records are not always clear, done deliberately to prevent government officers from easily finding polygamists, it is clear that only a minority ever practiced polygamy. Estimates are that at maximum 20 to 25 percent of the Church at any given time was practicing it; some estimates place it as low as 5 percent. Approximately one third of women in the 1880s lived in polygamous families. The 1,300 men arrested is certainly a small percentage of the nearly 150,000 Mormons at the time and that number approached 200,000 by 1890. Some people, anti-Mormons and even some Mormons have tried to claim that Mormon prophets of the nineteenth century said that every man must practice polygamy to get into heaven, but this is a distortion of the truth. In 1866, [[John Taylor]], who succeeded Brigham Young as [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] said:<br /> <br /> : When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, &quot;that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.&quot; When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church, that it was told them &lt;b&gt;if they were not prepared to enter into it&lt;/b&gt;, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostasy, and I do to-day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom (John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 11:221).<br /> <br /> Here he clearly says that it is the principle that must be accepted, just as men are expected to accept every principle and revelation from God. He says men must be ‘prepared’ to enter into it and defend it, even though they may not be required to do so. If one considers that when he said that the majority of those listening were not practicing polygamy and were never asked to do so, it becomes clear that they understood this to mean that they must accept the principle as a revelation from God in order to enter heaven, since Jesus taught that man must live on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). <br /> <br /> For Mormons who practiced polygamy, it brought both blessings and trials to be overcome. Mormon women were generally in favor of polygamy feeling not only that it came from God, but also that is liberated them to do much more. Many Mormon women, with other wives to share the work, went to school and became very accomplished. Anti-Mormon leaders in Utah gave women the right to vote in 1870 hoping that these supposedly oppressed women would vote for anti-Mormon candidates, but the measure backfired. Mormon women under polygamy had much more freedom to pursue vocations and education. Three of Brigham Young’s wives studied medicine and helped found a hospital. <br /> <br /> There were also challenges and petty jealousies and fights did occur. Most complaints by polygamous wives were that their husband spent too much time with one wife or the other. Brigham Young, who discouraged divorce, allowed polygamous wives to divorce their husbands if they were being neglected or abused, but he refused to condone men divorcing one of their wives if they felt it a burden. He merely told them to work harder. Just like other families, polygamous families had problems to work out, but there is no evidence that polygamous marriages adversely affected children. In fact, many children of polygamous families succeeded very well in life. Rumors that polygamous marriages produced deformed children are also untrue. In nineteenth century Utah, there was such a large influx of new immigrants and converts that there was no need for marriages among close relatives and such marriages were likely rare, or at least no more common than in any other rural area.<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Fielding Smith]], who was a Mormon Apostle and later [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] grew up in a polygamous family. Of this situation he said: &quot;[My father [[Joseph F. Smith]]] had five wives and 43 children. No father ever at any age of the world, we feel confident in saying, had a greater love for wife or wives and children, and was more earnestly concerned for their welfare than was [my father]&quot; (Joseph Fielding Smith, Life of Joseph F. Smith, p.449). He says further of the wives and children in this family:<br /> <br /> :[T]here was and is no monogamist family which could be more united. To the astonishment of the unbelieving world, the wives loved each other dearly. In times of sickness they tenderly waited upon and nursed each other. When death invaded one of the homes and a child was taken, all wept and mourned together with sincere grief which was wonderful to see. Two of the wives were skilled and licensed practitioners in obstetrics, and brought many babies into the world. They waited upon each other and upon the other wives, and when babies came all rejoiced equally with the mother. <br /> <br /> :The children recognized each other as brothers and sisters, full-fledged, not as half, as they would be considered in the world. They defended each and stood by each other no matter which branch of the family was theirs (Life of Joseph F. Smith, p.449).<br /> <br /> Smith concludes that the reasons the outside world viewed polygamy with such horror and disgust was that they &quot;judged the 'Mormon' people by their own corrupt standards that they failed to understand the true condition which prevailed in 'Mormon' homes&quot; (Life of Joseph F. Smith, p. 449).<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Renounced===<br /> In 1887, the Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act which disincorporated the Church and seized virtually all of its property, except the temples and some church buildings. The Church appealed this ruling, again citing the freedom of religion, but in 1890 in &lt;i&gt;The Late Corporation of the Mormon Church v. United States&lt;/i&gt; the Supreme Court again upheld the ban on polygamy. <br /> <br /> Facing the utter destruction of the Church, [[Wilford Woodruff]], the forth president of the Church met and prayed with the other apostles. After much prayer, President Woodruff saw a vision of what would happen if the Church continued to practice polygamy. He saw the destruction of the Church, the scattering of the Mormons, and the cessation of all their work. The Lord had previously shown that sometimes he commands men to practice polygamy and sometimes he forbids it, depending upon the circumstance. Wilford Woodruff then realized that the time had come to stop practicing polygamy. He issued what has become known as the [http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1 Manifesto]. It said that the Mormon Church would no longer contract marriages forbidden by law. President Grover Cleveland would later pardon all those who entered polygamous marriages before 1890. Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona were required to ban polygamy in their constitutions. Idaho’s originally kept all polygamists from holding office and for a time Idaho banned all persons married in Mormon temples from voting or holding office. <br /> <br /> This act has brought much [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/plural_revelation.htm criticism]. Some claimed President Woodruff was a fallen prophet and some groups split away from the Church and continue to practice polygamy today. Often these breakaway groups become so focused on one issue like polygamy that they withdraw into communes and neglect many other important teachings by Joseph Smith. Most of these groups, for instance, do not build temples or send out missionaries, which according to Joseph Smith were two of the most important principles of the Gospel. Anti-Mormons try to claim that Wilford Woodruff caved under pressure, but according to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], current President of the Mormon Church, the role of the [[Mormon president|Prophet]] is to find answers to the problems of God’s people by asking God in prayer. President Woodruff sought help from God and God gave it. Wilford Woodruff himself in speaking about this revelation said:<br /> <br /> :I have had some revelations of late, and very important ones to me, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me. Let me bring your minds to what is termed the manifesto. . . .<br /> <br /> :The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter.<br /> <br /> :The question is this: Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice); or, after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the Prophets, Apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the Church, and also leave the Temples in the hands of the Saints, so that they can attend to the ordinances of the Gospel, both for the living and the dead?<br /> <br /> :&lt;b&gt;The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice&lt;/b&gt;. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for . . . any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed. A large number has already been delivered from the prison house in the spirit world by this people, and shall the work go on or stop? This is the question I lay before the Latter-day Saints. You have to judge for yourselves. I want you to answer it for yourselves. I shall not answer it; but I say to you that that is exactly the condition we as a people would have been in had we not taken the course we have.<br /> <br /> :. . . I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; '''I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do'''; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write. . . . (D&amp;C, excerpts attached to Official Declaration 1).<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy since the Manifesto==<br /> <br /> From 1890 to 1904, some Mormons outside of the United States continued to contract new polygamous marriages in the belief that since neither Canada nor Mexico forbade polygamy, and the Manifesto only explicitly forbade illegal marriages, they could continue. President [[Joseph F. Smith]] issued a second manifesto in 1904. Since that time Mormons worldwide have abided by that ruling. Those who practice polygamy are excommunicated from the Church. <br /> <br /> The issue continued to affect the Mormon Church for some years. In the 1890s and early 1900s even monogamous Mormons had difficulty getting elected into office. In 1904, Reed Smoot was elected to the U.S. Senate. Though he had never practiced polygamy, he was at first denied his seat and only joined the Senate after a two year investigation of the Church by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Mormons have become very prominent in public office both in Utah and nationally. <br /> <br /> Groups today that practice polygamy, and call themselves [[Fundamentalist Mormons]], are not affiliated with [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Most of their members have never been members of the Mormon Church and their actions are considered illegal. These groups often withdraw into isolated communities and seldom gain new converts. This leads to intermarrying of close relatives and has caused heightened birth defects among these groups. These groups often require all men to enter polygamy which causes many problems and has led to an excess of single men unable to marry. These men are often expelled from the group and cut off from their families. Other abuses often occur in these isolated communities such as forced marriages, which did not occur among nineteenth century Mormons. Polygamy as practiced by these groups is very different from the historical practice of polygamy by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which never required all men to practice polygamy and never withdrew into secretive communes cut off from the rest of the world. The Mormon Church in the nineteenth century never forced young girls into marriage or expelled those who would not enter into polygamous marriages. These practices of contemporary polygamous sects should never be confused with nineteenth century Mormon practice.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Plural_Marriage&diff=10058 Plural Marriage 2007-02-01T18:49:07Z <p>Awyatt: /* Introduction */</p> <hr /> <div>[[Category:Marriage and Families]][[Category:Controversial Topics]]<br /> == Introduction ==<br /> <br /> Polygamy, usually called [http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html plural marriage], plurality of wives, or the Principle, by [[Latter-day Saints|Mormons]], is the most controversial practice of the [[Mormon Church]], properly called [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], even though Mormons have not practiced it since 1890. The term ''polygamy'' is actually a widely used misnomer, as Church members actually practiced ''polygyny,'' a type of marital relationship where one man marries multiple women. This practice led to severe persecution and repression of Mormons by the United States Government in the latter half of the nineteenth century and its abandonment became a condition for Utah statehood. Many misunderstandings, misconceptions, half-truths, and outright lies have attended discussions of polygamy among the Mormons and are still fostered among anti-Mormons and ex-Mormons who attempt to attack the Church and its teachings. This article will address the history of polygamy among Mormons and the official teachings of the Mormon Church about polygamy.<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy and the Book of Mormon===<br /> <br /> Though [http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/forbid.htm anti-Mormons and critics of the Mormon Church] claim the [[Book of Mormon]] condemns polygamy, and hence contradicts later Mormon teachings, the Book of Mormon is in fact the earliest revelation by Joseph Smith that hints at God commanding polygamy. In the Book of Jacob, the third book of the Book of Mormon, an ancient American prophet teaches:<br /> <br /> :Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes. (Jacob 2:27-29) <br /> <br /> Critics cite this as contradicting Joseph Smith's and [[Brigham Young]]'s later teachings commanding polygamy, but they fail to quote the next verse:<br /> <br /> :For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (Jacob 2:30)<br /> <br /> Hence, the Book of Mormon teaches that sometimes God commands His people to practice polygamy, and sometimes He forbids it, but when He does command it, the purpose is to raise righteous children unto the Lord. This corresponds precisely to what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught:<br /> <br /> *: [...] I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, &lt;b&gt;unless the Lord directs otherwise&lt;/b&gt;. (''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith,'' page 324.)<br /> <br /> *:God never introduced the Patriarchal order of marriage with a view to please man in his carnal desires, nor to punish females for anything which they had done; but &lt;b&gt;He introduced it for the express purpose of raising up to His name a royal Priesthood&lt;/b&gt;, a peculiar people. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:264)<br /> <br /> *:This revelation, which God gave to Joseph, was &lt;b&gt;for the express purpose of providing a channel for the organization of tabernacles [i.e. bodies]&lt;/b&gt;, for those spirits to occupy who have been reserved to come forth in the kingdom of God, and that they might not be obliged to take tabernacles out of the kingdom of God. (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:265)<br /> <br /> Critics of the Mormon Church who try to distort what the Book of Mormon says and what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said are either purposely lying and covering up the truth, or are ignorant about the subject.<br /> <br /> ===Joseph Smith and Polygamy===<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the [[Ohio Period|Mormon history]] article covering this time period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> Though never practiced openly or taught publicly during Joseph Smith's lifetime, it is nevertheless certain that he was the one who introduced polygamy into Mormon teachings. Rumors about it circulated in the 1830s and 1840s until Brigham Young had it announced publicly for the first time in [[1852]]. Joseph’s first inkling about it likely came as early as 1831, one year after the founding of the Church, as Joseph Smith was working on a translation of the Bible. According to [http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/132 the revelation] given to Joseph Smith, but not written down until July 12, [[1843]], Joseph Smith approached the Lord and asked Him why he permitted ancient prophets like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have multiple wives. The revelation states that only God can command men to practice polygamy and that he appoints a prophet to be in charge of it when he does. <br /> <br /> Joseph Smith was hesitant to teach this new principle and did not even share it with his closest associates for many years. According to later statements by [[Lorenzo Snow]], and [[Brigham Young]] Joseph was himself repelled by the idea and not until an angel of Lord appeared to him and ordered him to practice it and teach it did he begin. This apparently took place sometime after [[1839]] when the Mormons had been driven to [[Nauvoo and the Martyrdom|Nauvoo, Illinois]]. When Brigham Young learned about it he said:<br /> <br /> : Some of these my brethren know what my feelings were at the time Joseph revealed the doctrine; I was not desirous of shrinking from any duty, nor of failing in the least to do as I was commanded, but it was the first time in my life that I had desired the grave, and I could hardly get over it for a long time. And when I saw a funeral, I felt to envy the corpse its situation, and to regret that I was not in the coffin, knowing the toil and labor that my body would have to undergo; and I have had to examine myself, from that day to this, and watch my faith, and carefully meditate, lest I should be found desiring the grave more than I ought to do (Brigham Young, ''Journal of Discourses'' 3:266).<br /> <br /> It is not clear exactly how many women Joseph Smith married, but it is apparent that Joseph Smith did not ever live with any of these other wives. Mormon teachings on [[Celestial marriage|marriage]], which Joseph Smith had begun teaching in Nauvoo, taught that men and women could be married for all eternity, not just in this life. Marriage was for &quot;time and all eternity.&quot; &lt;i&gt;Time&lt;/i&gt; referred to this mortal life while &lt;i&gt;eternity&lt;/i&gt; referred to the next life. Hence, according to Joseph Smith marriages could be just for this life, for this life and the next, or just for the next life. <br /> <br /> This last category has caused much confusion and led to many attacks on the characters of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. For persons whose spouses were not Mormons and thus could not be married for “time and all eternity” to that spouse, early Mormon practice allowed the person to be &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt;, a Mormon word referring to temple marriage for all eternity, to one person, but married for time to another. Thus, the person would continue to live with one spouse in this life, but have the blessings of eternal marriage, called celestial marriage, with another. Many of Joseph Smith’s and Brigham Young’s wives were of this sort. They never lived with the person or had sexual relations with them. Also confusing, was a later practice where women whose husbands could not enter a [[Mormon temple]] because of unworthiness, or else were not a Mormon, were &lt;i&gt;sealed&lt;/i&gt; to a deceased man like Brigham Young. Thus while Brigham Young only cohabited with about sixteen women, he was sealed to dozens more.<br /> <br /> Another aspect of Mormon polygamy that often gets attacked is reputed marriages to teenage girls. Today in the United States the average age for a first marriage is between 25 and 27 years old, but in the nineteenth century teenage marriages were not that unusual and in many cases the marriage was contracted, but the girl remained with her family until she reached adulthood.<br /> <br /> In Nauvoo, Joseph Smith began teaching polygamy to his closest and most trusted associates. Nearly 100 people were taught about it before [[Martyrdom of Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith’s martyrdom]]. A few began this practice before the exodus of [[1846]], but it remained in hiatus until the Mormons were established in Utah.<br /> <br /> During the [[Nauvoo]] period, Joseph and the others [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/against_plural.htm walked a fine line]. As quoted above, Joseph Smith taught publicly that everyone should only have one wife unless God commanded otherwise, however they were wary of misunderstandings and persecution from the surrounding communities and so the practice continued in secret for a time. <br /> <br /> Some close associates took advantage of this situation. John C. Bennett, a friend of Joseph Smith and mayor of Nauvoo, perverted these teachings to gratify his own lust. He told single and married women that Joseph was teaching &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; as he called it, which he claimed gave them permission to sleep with whomever they desired. Bennett was eventually caught. He confessed that Joseph Smith had never taught &quot;spiritual wifery,&quot; which amounted to adultery, and was soon excommunicated. He left Nauvoo and began publishing scathing attacks on Joseph Smith. Another close associate, William Law, pleaded with Joseph Smith to renounce polygamy. When he would not, Law and a few other disaffected Mormons published the &lt;i&gt;[[Nauvoo Expositor]]&lt;/i&gt; which claimed Joseph Smith was teaching adultery and fornication and called for him to be hung. The Nauvoo City Council decided this was a public nuisance and so destroyed the press. Riots followed and Joseph Smith was arrested, imprisoned in [[Carthage Jail]], and there murdered on June 27, [[1844]].<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy in Utah==<br /> :&lt;i&gt;see also the articles on [[Mormon history]] covering this period.&lt;/i&gt;<br /> ===Polygamy Publicly Announced===<br /> The Mormons were driven out of Illinois in 1846. Once established in Utah, [[Brigham Young]] directed Orson Pratt of the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]] to announce the practice publicly. He did so on [http://journalofdiscourses.org/Vol_01/refJDvol1-11.html August 29, 1852]. In this speech and others that followed, he set forth the Church’s explanation and defense of polygamy. He claimed first that God had commanded it. Secondly, the reason God commanded it was so that Mormons could raise righteous children. Lastly he noted that God only permitted His prophets to direct who will practice polygamy. As evidence he cited the story of the Prophet Nathan and King David, where Nathan tells he gave David his wives from a commandment of God (See [http://scriptures.lds.org/2_sam/12 2 Samuel 12:1-9]). <br /> <br /> The practice continued in Utah until 1890, when a revelation came from the Lord forbidding further polygamous marriages. At first, being isolated in Utah, the Mormon Church practiced it openly and without harassment. In the 1850s the newly formed Republican Party made part of its platform the abolishment of the ‘twin relics of barbarism’: slavery and polygamy. Distracted by the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, little happened at first, though the issue of polygamy was part of the justification for the [[Utah War]]. President Buchanan sent 5,000 troops to crush a non-existent rebellion in the territory in 1857. <br /> <br /> ===Anti-Polygamy Legislation and Raids===<br /> Beginning in 1862, the U.S. Congress passed a series of increasingly stringent laws outlawing polygamy. The first, Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act, passed on July 1, 1862, outlawed polygamy. This was difficult to prove as records were scanty and while some Mormon leaders including Brigham Young were arrested, they were generally released. George Reynolds, Young’s secretary and a British immigrant, was arrested and tried. He appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court arguing that polygamy was protected by the U.S. Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free exercise of religion. In ruling on &lt;i&gt;Reynolds v. United States&lt;/i&gt;, the Court said that this clause protected beliefs only and that Congress could pass laws preventing practices “which were in violation of social duties or subversive of good order” (98 U.S. 164). Reynolds was sentenced to five years jail time.<br /> <br /> Despite this legal victory, polygamy remained difficult to prove and in 1882, the Congress passed the Edmunds Act which outlawed mere cohabitation. This led to what Mormons called “the raids” in the 1880s when thousands of Mormons were arrested and jailed. The Edmunds Act also forbade all persons living in polygamous families from holding public office, serving on juries, or voting. This disenfranchised many more Mormons. In 1885, Idaho required voters to swear an oath stating they opposed polygamy and any organization that condoned it, thus disenfranchising all Mormons.<br /> <br /> The national and even international debate surrounding polygamy produced many scathing diatribes against the Mormons, but also some unlikely defenders. John Stuart Mill, the famous British philosopher and co-founder of the Utilitarian movement, had this to say about Mormonism in his work, &lt;i&gt;On Liberty&lt;/i&gt;:<br /> <br /> :I cannot refrain from adding to these examples of the little account commonly made of human liberty, the language of downright persecution which breaks out from the press of this country, whenever it feels called on to notice the remarkable phenomenon of Mormonism [...]What here concerns us is, that this religion, like other and better religions, has its martyrs; that its prophet and founder was, for his teaching, put to death by a mob; that others of its adherents lost their lives by the same lawless violence; that they were forcibly expelled, in a body, from the country in which they first grew up; while, now that they have been chased into a solitary recess in the midst of a desert, many in this country openly declare that it would be right (only that it is not convenient) to send an expedition against them, and compel them by force to conform to the opinions of other people. The article of the Mormonite doctrine which is the chief provocative to the antipathy which thus breaks through the ordinary restraints of religious tolerance, is its sanction of polygamy; which, though permitted to Mahomedans, and Hindoos, and Chinese, seems to excite unquenchable animosity when practised by persons who speak English, and profess to be a kind of Christians. [...]Still, it must be remembered that this relation is as much voluntary on the part of the women concerned in it, and who may be deemed the sufferers by it, as is the case with any other form of the marriage institution;<br /> <br /> He goes on several sentances later to discuss the forcible attempt to end polygamy:<br /> <br /> :A recent writer, in some respects of considerable merit, proposes (to use his own words,) not a crusade, but a civilizade, against this polygamous community, to put an end to what seems to him a retrograde step in civilization. It also appears so to me, but I am not aware that any community has a right to force another to be civilized. [...]Let them send missionaries, if they please, to preach against it; and let them, by any fair means, (of which silencing the teachers is not one,) oppose the progress of similar doctrines among their own people.[http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html]<br /> <br /> Mill, while clearly opposed himself to polygamy, even to the extent that he found it barbaric, nevertheless felt that the persecutions of Mormons for this practice were actually more egregious. Many other leaders in the United States, including President Grover Cleveland, attempted to defend the Mormons. Most of these individuals personally opposed polygamy, but believed the Mormons had the right to practice as they chose. Sir Richard Burton, the famous explorer and orientalist, actually defended both the Mormons and their practice of polygamy in his book, &lt;i&gt;The City of the Saints and across the Rocky Mountains to California&lt;/i&gt;. He said:<br /> <br /> :Those individuals who have the strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a plurality of wives under the light of reason and revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of divine origin; that it was embraced and practiced under the divine sanction by the most righteous men who ever lived on the earth: holy prophets and patriarchs, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost (p 382).<br /> <br /> Burton also defended the Mormons against their legal persecutors. He argued that the Constitution of the United States should protect this practice:<br /> <br /> :The Constitution and laws of the United States, being founded upon the principles of freedom, do not interfere with marriage relations, but leave the nation free to believe in and practice the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or to confine themselves to the one-wife system, just as the choose. This is as it should be (p 379).<br /> <br /> ===The True Nature of Polygamy in Utah===<br /> The raids and attacks of the 1880s make it appear that all Mormons were living in polygamy. Though records are not always clear, done deliberately to prevent government officers from easily finding polygamists, it is clear that only a minority ever practiced polygamy. Estimates are that at maximum 20 to 25 percent of the Church at any given time was practicing it; some estimates place it as low as 5 percent. Approximately one third of women in the 1880s lived in polygamous families. The 1,300 men arrested is certainly a small percentage of the nearly 150,000 Mormons at the time and that number approached 200,000 by 1890. Some people, anti-Mormons and even some Mormons have tried to claim that Mormon prophets of the nineteenth century said that every man must practice polygamy to get into heaven, but this is a distortion of the truth. In 1866, [[John Taylor]], who succeeded Brigham Young as [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] said:<br /> <br /> : When this system was first introduced among this people, it was one of the greatest crosses that ever was taken up by any set of men since the world stood. Joseph Smith told others; he told me, and I can bear witness of it, &quot;that if this principle was not introduced, this Church and kingdom could not proceed.&quot; When this commandment was given, it was so far religious, and so far binding upon the Elders of this Church, that it was told them &lt;b&gt;if they were not prepared to enter into it&lt;/b&gt;, and to stem the torrent of opposition that would come in consequence of it, the keys of the kingdom would be taken from them. When I see any of our people, men or women, opposing a principle of this kind, I have years ago set them down as on the high road to apostasy, and I do to-day; I consider them apostates, and not interested in this Church and kingdom (John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 11:221).<br /> <br /> Here he clearly says that it is the principle that must be accepted, just as men are expected to accept every principle and revelation from God. He says men must be ‘prepared’ to enter into it and defend it, even though they may not be required to do so. If one considers that when he said that the majority of those listening were not practicing polygamy and were never asked to do so, it becomes clear that they understood this to mean that they must accept the principle as a revelation from God in order to enter heaven, since Jesus taught that man must live on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). <br /> <br /> For Mormons who practiced polygamy, it brought both blessings and trials to be overcome. Mormon women were generally in favor of polygamy feeling not only that it came from God, but also that is liberated them to do much more. Many Mormon women, with other wives to share the work, went to school and became very accomplished. Anti-Mormon leaders in Utah gave women the right to vote in 1870 hoping that these supposedly oppressed women would vote for anti-Mormon candidates, but the measure backfired. Mormon women under polygamy had much more freedom to pursue vocations and education. Three of Brigham Young’s wives studied medicine and helped found a hospital. <br /> <br /> There were also challenges and petty jealousies and fights did occur. Most complaints by polygamous wives were that their husband spent too much time with one wife or the other. Brigham Young, who discouraged divorce, allowed polygamous wives to divorce their husbands if they were being neglected or abused, but he refused to condone men divorcing one of their wives if they felt it a burden. He merely told them to work harder. Just like other families, polygamous families had problems to work out, but there is no evidence that polygamous marriages adversely affected children. In fact, many children of polygamous families succeeded very well in life. Rumors that polygamous marriages produced deformed children are also untrue. In nineteenth century Utah, there was such a large influx of new immigrants and converts that there was no need for marriages among close relatives and such marriages were likely rare, or at least no more common than in any other rural area.<br /> <br /> [[Joseph Fielding Smith]], who was a Mormon Apostle and later [[Mormon president|President of the Church]] grew up in a polygamous family. Of this situation he said: &quot;[My father [[Joseph F. Smith]]] had five wives and 43 children. No father ever at any age of the world, we feel confident in saying, had a greater love for wife or wives and children, and was more earnestly concerned for their welfare than was [my father]&quot; (Joseph Fielding Smith, Life of Joseph F. Smith, p.449). He says further of the wives and children in this family:<br /> <br /> :[T]here was and is no monogamist family which could be more united. To the astonishment of the unbelieving world, the wives loved each other dearly. In times of sickness they tenderly waited upon and nursed each other. When death invaded one of the homes and a child was taken, all wept and mourned together with sincere grief which was wonderful to see. Two of the wives were skilled and licensed practitioners in obstetrics, and brought many babies into the world. They waited upon each other and upon the other wives, and when babies came all rejoiced equally with the mother. <br /> <br /> :The children recognized each other as brothers and sisters, full-fledged, not as half, as they would be considered in the world. They defended each and stood by each other no matter which branch of the family was theirs (Life of Joseph F. Smith, p.449).<br /> <br /> Smith concludes that the reasons the outside world viewed polygamy with such horror and disgust was that they &quot;judged the 'Mormon' people by their own corrupt standards that they failed to understand the true condition which prevailed in 'Mormon' homes&quot; (Life of Joseph F. Smith, p. 449).<br /> <br /> ===Polygamy Renounced===<br /> In 1887, the Congress passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act which disincorporated the Church and seized virtually all of its property, except the temples and some church buildings. The Church appealed this ruling, again citing the freedom of religion, but in 1890 in &lt;i&gt;The Late Corporation of the Mormon Church v. United States&lt;/i&gt; the Supreme Court again upheld the ban on polygamy. <br /> <br /> Facing the utter destruction of the Church, [[Wilford Woodruff]], the forth president of the Church met and prayed with the other apostles. After much prayer, President Woodruff saw a vision of what would happen if the Church continued to practice polygamy. He saw the destruction of the Church, the scattering of the Mormons, and the cessation of all their work. The Lord had previously shown that sometimes he commands men to practice polygamy and sometimes he forbids it, depending upon the circumstance. Wilford Woodruff then realized that the time had come to stop practicing polygamy. He issued what has become known as the [http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1 Manifesto]. It said that the Mormon Church would no longer contract marriages forbidden by law. President Grover Cleveland would later pardon all those who entered polygamous marriages before 1890. Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona were required to ban polygamy in their constitutions. Idaho’s originally kept all polygamists from holding office and for a time Idaho banned all persons married in Mormon temples from voting or holding office. <br /> <br /> This act has brought much [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/plural_revelation.htm criticism]. Some claimed President Woodruff was a fallen prophet and some groups split away from the Church and continue to practice polygamy today. Often these breakaway groups become so focused on one issue like polygamy that they withdraw into communes and neglect many other important teachings by Joseph Smith. Most of these groups, for instance, do not build temples or send out missionaries, which according to Joseph Smith were two of the most important principles of the Gospel. Anti-Mormons try to claim that Wilford Woodruff caved under pressure, but according to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]], current President of the Mormon Church, the role of the [[Mormon president|Prophet]] is to find answers to the problems of God’s people by asking God in prayer. President Woodruff sought help from God and God gave it. Wilford Woodruff himself in speaking about this revelation said:<br /> <br /> :I have had some revelations of late, and very important ones to me, and I will tell you what the Lord has said to me. Let me bring your minds to what is termed the manifesto. . . .<br /> <br /> :The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter.<br /> <br /> :The question is this: Which is the wisest course for the Latter-day Saints to pursue—to continue to attempt to practice plural marriage, with the laws of the nation against it and the opposition of sixty millions of people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the Temples, and the stopping of all the ordinances therein, both for the living and the dead, and the imprisonment of the First Presidency and Twelve and the heads of families in the Church, and the confiscation of personal property of the people (all of which of themselves would stop the practice); or, after doing and suffering what we have through our adherence to this principle to cease the practice and submit to the law, and through doing so leave the Prophets, Apostles and fathers at home, so that they can instruct the people and attend to the duties of the Church, and also leave the Temples in the hands of the Saints, so that they can attend to the ordinances of the Gospel, both for the living and the dead?<br /> <br /> :&lt;b&gt;The Lord showed me by vision and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice&lt;/b&gt;. If we had not stopped it, you would have had no use for . . . any of the men in this temple at Logan; for all ordinances would be stopped throughout the land of Zion. Confusion would reign throughout Israel, and many men would be made prisoners. This trouble would have come upon the whole Church, and we should have been compelled to stop the practice. Now, the question is, whether it should be stopped in this manner, or in the way the Lord has manifested to us, and leave our Prophets and Apostles and fathers free men, and the temples in the hands of the people, so that the dead may be redeemed. A large number has already been delivered from the prison house in the spirit world by this people, and shall the work go on or stop? This is the question I lay before the Latter-day Saints. You have to judge for yourselves. I want you to answer it for yourselves. I shall not answer it; but I say to you that that is exactly the condition we as a people would have been in had we not taken the course we have.<br /> <br /> :. . . I saw exactly what would come to pass if there was not something done. I have had this spirit upon me for a long time. But I want to say this: I should have let all the temples go out of our hands; '''I should have gone to prison myself, and let every other man go there, had not the God of heaven commanded me to do what I did do'''; and when the hour came that I was commanded to do that, it was all clear to me. I went before the Lord, and I wrote what the Lord told me to write. . . . (D&amp;C, excerpts attached to Official Declaration 1).<br /> <br /> ==Polygamy since the Manifesto==<br /> <br /> From 1890 to 1904, some Mormons outside of the United States continued to contract new polygamous marriages in the belief that since neither Canada nor Mexico forbade polygamy, and the Manifesto only explicitly forbade illegal marriages, they could continue. President [[Joseph F. Smith]] issued a second manifesto in 1904. Since that time Mormons worldwide have abided by that ruling. Those who practice polygamy are excommunicated from the Church. <br /> <br /> The issue continued to affect the Mormon Church for some years. In the 1890s and early 1900s even monogamous Mormons had difficulty getting elected into office. In 1904, Reed Smoot was elected to the U.S. Senate. Though he had never practiced polygamy, he was at first denied his seat and only joined the Senate after a two year investigation of the Church by the U.S. Congress. Since that time, Mormons have become very prominent in public office both in Utah and nationally. <br /> <br /> Groups today that practice polygamy, and call themselves [[Fundamentalist Mormons]], are not affiliated with [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Most of their members have never been members of the Mormon Church and their actions are considered illegal. These groups often withdraw into isolated communities and seldom gain new converts. This leads to intermarrying of close relatives and has caused heightened birth defects among these groups. These groups often require all men to enter polygamy which causes many problems and has led to an excess of single men unable to marry. These men are often expelled from the group and cut off from their families. Other abuses often occur in these isolated communities such as forced marriages, which did not occur among nineteenth century Mormons. Polygamy as practiced by these groups is very different from the historical practice of polygamy by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which never required all men to practice polygamy and never withdrew into secretive communes cut off from the rest of the world. The Mormon Church in the nineteenth century never forced young girls into marriage or expelled those who would not enter into polygamous marriages. These practices of contemporary polygamous sects should never be confused with nineteenth century Mormon practice.</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Rob_Bishop&diff=10057 Rob Bishop 2007-02-01T18:37:57Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Robert William Bishop''', a public school teacher turned public servant, was sworn in January 7, [[2003]] as the new Congressman from Utah's First Congressional District, replacing the retiring Representative [[James Hansen|James Hansen]]<br /> <br /> He was born and raised in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaysville%2C_UT Kaysville], Utah, where he graduated from Davis High School with high honors. He later graduated ''magna cum laude'' from the University of Utah with a degree in Political Science and has served a LDS [[mission]] in Germany.<br /> <br /> Rob is married to Jeralynn Hansen, a former Miss Brigham City. They have four sons, Shule, Jarom, Zenock, and Jashon, and a daughter, Maren. Rob is active in community theater, which is how he met his wife. <br /> <br /> Rob has dedicated his life to teaching. He started teaching at Box Elder High School in Brigham City in [[1974]]. From [[1980]] through [[1985]] he taught German and coached debate at Ben Lomond High School in Ogden, Utah, before returning to Boxe Elder High School. Before retiring in December [[2002]], he taught advanced placement courses in government and U.S. History, while serving as the Chair of the History Department.<br /> <br /> He has served his community in the State Legislature for sixteen years representing the Brigham City area. His last two years he was unanimously elected to serve as Speaker of the House. He also co-founded the Western States Coalition, a multi-state organization dedicated to protecting states' rights and promoting Western interests and values.<br /> <br /> ==External Links==<br /> * [http://www.house.gov/robbishop/meet/bio.html Official site]<br /> * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Bishop Wikipedia]<br /> {{stub}}<br /> [[Category:Famous Mormons]]</div> Awyatt https://www.mormonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Chris_Cannon&diff=10056 Chris Cannon 2007-02-01T18:35:07Z <p>Awyatt: </p> <hr /> <div>'''Christopher Black Cannon''' was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Lake_City Salt Lake City] on October 20, [[1950]]. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a law degree from [[Brigham Young University]], he worked in Provo as an attorney for four years.<br /> <br /> Congressman Cannon married Claudia Ann Fox in [[1978]]. Claudia is a graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education. She served a mission for [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] in Spain and Rep. Cannon served as a missionary in Guatemala and El Salvador. They have eight children: Rachel, Jane, Laura, Emily, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Matthew, and Katherine. The family reside in Mapleton, Utah.<br /> <br /> In [[1983]], the Congressman was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as the lawyer in charge of coal-mining reclamation, enforcement and writing the current regulatory scheme.<br /> <br /> In [[1986]], Cannon worked as a consultant to the Assistant Secretary for Productivity, Technology and Innovation at the Department of Commerce. In [[1987]], Chris with his brother, Joe, helped purchase and reopen Geneva Steel in Orem, Utah, restoring 2,500 steel-worker jobs. In [[1990]], Chris purchased Geneva's new venture division, now called Cannon Industries, Inc.<br /> <br /> Chris has served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in [[1992]] and [[1996]]. In the [[1996]] election, Chris was one of the five presidential electors.<br /> <br /> Chris Cannon was elected to Congress on November 5, [[1996]].<br /> <br /> In January [[2003]], Congressman Cannon was elected chairman of the influential Western Caucus, an organization of over 50 Congressmen leading the debate for rational, balanced and sound resource management.<br /> <br /> ==External Links==<br /> * [http://chriscannon.house.gov/bio.html Official House site]<br /> * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cannon Wikipedia]<br /> {{stub}}<br /> [[Category:Famous Mormons]]</div> Awyatt