Marriner W. Merrill

Marriner Wood Merrill was a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death in 1906. He was born on September 25, 1932, to Nathan Merrill and Sarah Ann Reynolds in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. Marriner was the fourth son among thirteen children. His father farmed and cut and hauled lumber on his Canada property.

Marriner's childhood was not remarkable. He helped with the work of the farm, but he had spiritual leanings and received a vision at the age of nine.

When I was a boy of nine years my mother sent me to the hayfield where my father and brothers were at work, to call them to dinner. On the way I became unconscious and was clothed with a vision which I distinctly remembered when I gained my usual feelings and thoughts. After I became conscious I found myself in a log cabin located on the way to the field. In this cabin I was on my knees in the attitude of prayer. In the vision I saw the Church and the Prophets Joseph and Brigham. I saw the travels of the latter and of the Saints from Nauvoo and Winter Quarters to Utah. In the vision the sight of covered buggies and wagons was peculiar to me, for at that time I had never seen such vehicles, nor had I ever seen the mules which I beheld in my vision. I saw two and sometimes six mules to a wagon, and in the company of pioneers I beheld two men who had been boy friends of my youth, and each of them had more than one wife. In my vision at that time the divinity of plural marriage was revealed to me. I comprehended the doctrines and principles as they had been revealed. The progress and development of the Church were shown and the persecutions of the Saints were made clear to my understanding, and I heard a voice which told me that all I beheld was true, but I was cautioned to keep to myself what I had seen until I should have the opportunity of leaving my native country.

Not too much later, Marriner asked his mother why the ancient prophets had multiple wives. His mother was taken aback and asked how that came to Marinner's mind. The boy dropped the subject, lest he betray the Lord's trust. Marriner was first exposed to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ by a local member of the LDS Church, but soon traveling elders also taught him. Marriner was baptized in 1852 at the age of 19. He soon learned that his mother had been secretly baptized around 1936. His father never joined the LDS Church. About a year after his baptism, Marriner set out to gather with the Saints, but was called back to Canada to settle the estate of his father who had passed away. Marriner finally arrived in Salt Lake City on September 11, 1853.