Chapter XXIII: Introduction: Of the New Marriage System

ANOTHER matter of very great importance, and one which has exercised a great influence upon the course of events in the history of The Church--and especially upon the events of this Nauvoo period--belongs to the spring and summer of 1841; and many things of our history will be all the plainer if the matter referred to be considered now. I refer to the introduction, in practice, of the marriage system which afterwards obtained in The Church. The chief and greatest feature of this marriage system--celestial marriage it is called by The Church, because it is the marriage system that obtains in celestial worlds--is the eternity of the marriage covenant. "Until death us do part" is usually the mutual covenant of man and woman in the orthodox "Christian" marriage ceremony. [1] That is, the marriage covenant is understood among "Christians" generally as being a matter that pertains to time only, the contract obligations ending with death. But this celestial marriage system of The Church regards the incident of death not at all, but makes the covenant of marriage for time and for all eternity; a covenant which is sealed and ratified by that power of the Priesthood in the administrator which binds on earth and it is bound in heaven. [2] That is, the covenant of marriage holds good through time and will be in effect and of binding force in and after the resurrection. In other words this marriage system regards man as enduring eternally, and formulates his marriage covenants in harmony with that view of him. Of course this contemplates the continuation of the marriage state in eternity. Not only the spiritual and intellectual companionship, but all the relations of the wedded state, with the joys of parentage--the power of endless lives being among the means of man's exaltation and glory. That this is a view of marriage quite distinct from the usual "Christian" view, goes without saying. It throws a new light upon man's future existence. It destroys the vagueness which through nearly all ages like a mystic pall has hidden the glory and exaltation destined for man in the future eternities of God. It should be said, in this connection, that the revelations of God to Joseph Smith even before this marriage system was made known, held out to man the hope of a tangible future existence in a resurrected, immortal body of flesh and bones quickened by the spirit, and clothed with the glory of immortal youth. The future life was to be a reality, not a land of shadows; his heavenly home was to be upon the earth, after it had become sanctified and made a celestial sphere. His relations with his kindred and friends were to be of a nature to satisfy the longings of the human heart for society, for fellowship; and needed only the revelation of this marriage system to complete the circle of his promised future felicity. For grant to man in his resurrected state a real, tangible existence; an immortal youth that knows no pain or sickness or disease; the power to "hive" knowledge and wisdom as the centuries, the millenniums and eternities roll by; grant him the power to build and inhabit; to love and be loved; and add to that the power of endless lives--the power and privilege to perpetuate his race under an eternal marriage covenant--grant this, and the future happiness, exaltation and glory of man stands revealed as being absolutely without limitations, and far greater and beyond in majesty anything within our power to conceive in our present state of semi-dullness.

I say that the primary principle of the marriage system of The Church is the eternity of the marriage covenant; but owing to the fact that the system also includes the doctrine of a plurality of wives, the importance and grandeur of the doctrine of the eternity of the marriage covenant to a very great extent has been lost sight of in the discussion of and the popular clamor concerning the plurality feature of this new marriage system. The revelation making known this marriage doctrine came about in this way: First it should be stated--and it is evident from the written revelation itself, which bears the date of July 12th, 1843, [3]--that the doctrine was revealed and the practice of it began before the partial [4] revelation now in the Doctrine and Covenants was written. As early as 1831 the rightfulness of a plurality of wives under certain conditions was made known to Joseph Smith. In the latter part of that year, especially from November 1831, and through the early months of 1832, the Prophet with Sidney Rigdon as his assistant was earnestly engaged at Hiram, a village in Portage County, near Kirtland, Ohio, in translating the Jewish scripture. [5] It must have been while engaged in that work that the evident approval of God to the plural marriage system of the ancient patriarchs attracted the Prophet's attention and led him to make those inquiries of the Lord to which the opening paragraphs of the written revelation refer, viz:--

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph, that
inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand, to know and understand
wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching
the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and
concubines: behold! and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer
thee as touching this matter.

The doctrine revealed at that time to the Prophet, however, was not to be made known to the world; but Joseph did make known what had been revealed to him to a few trusted friends, among whom were Oliver Cowdery and Lyman E. Johnson, the latter confiding what the Prophet had taught him to Orson Pratt, his missionary companion. With these and a few other exceptions, perhaps, the knowledge of the truth and righteousness of this principle of the future marriage system of The Church was locked up in the bosom of the Prophet of God.

About 1840, however, the Prophet began to be moved upon to make known the doctrine to others. He taught the principle to Joseph Bates Noble for one, as early as the fall of 1840. According to the affidavit of Noble, given before James Jack, a notary public, in and for the county of Salt Lake, Utah, in June, 1869, Joseph Smith declared to Noble that "he had received a revelation from God on the subject, and that an angel of the Lord had commanded him (Joseph Smith) to move forward in the said order of marriage; and further, that the said Joseph Smith requested him (Joseph B. Noble) to step forward and assist him in carrying out the said principle." This same man Noble gives the following affidavit with reference to the introduction of the practice of this principle by Joseph Smith, the Prophet:

Territory of Utah, County of Salt Lake, ss

Be it remembered that on this 26th day of June, A. D. 1869,
personally appeared before me, James Jack, a Notary Public in and
for said county, Joseph Bates Noble, who was by me sworn in due
form of law, and upon his oath saith, that on the fifth day of
April, A. D., 1841, at the City of Nauvoo, County of Hancock, State
of Illinois, he married or sealed Louisa Beaman, to Joseph Smith,
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
according to the order of celestial marriage revealed to the said
Joseph Smith.

(Signed) JOSEPH B. NOBLE.

Subscribed and sworn to by the said Joseph Bates Noble the day and
year first above written.

JAMES JACK, Notary Public.

The introduction of the practice of plural marriage by the Prophet then began even before the return of the Twelve from England. On their return Joseph soon began to teach the principle to them, and urged upon them the importance of putting it into practice. The dread with which the doctrine was regarded, the prejudices against it in the hearts of those faithful men who accepted it as a revelation from God through the Prophet, are all illustrated in the reflections and testimony of Elder John Taylor, one of the Twelve at that time, and subsequently the President of the Church. And here let me repeat what I said in his biography some years ago: "The world never made a greater mistake than when it supposed that plural marriage was hailed with delight by the Elders who were commanded of the Lord to introduce its practice in this generation. They saw clearly that it would bring additional reproach upon them from the world; that it would run counter to the traditions and prejudices of society, as, indeed, it was contrary to their own traditions; that their motives would be misunderstood or misconstrued. All this they saw, and naturally shrunk from the undertaking required of them by the revelation of God." And now Elder Taylor:--

Joseph Smith told the Twelve that if this law was not practiced, if
they would not enter into this covenant, then the Kingdom of God
could not go one step further. Now, we did not feel like preventing
the Kingdom of God from going forward. We professed to be the
Apostles of the Lord, and did not feel like putting ourselves
in a position to retard the progress of the Kingdom of God. The
revelation says that "All those who have this law revealed unto
them must obey the same." Now, that is not my word. I did not make
it. It was the Prophet of God who revealed that to us in Nauvoo,
and I bear witness of this solemn fact before God, that he did
reveal this sacred principle to me and others of the Twelve, and
in this revelation it is stated that it is the will and law of God
that "all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the
same."

I had always entertained strict ideas of virtue, and I felt as a
married man that this was to me, outside of this principle, an
appalling thing to do. The idea of going and asking a young lady
to be married to me when I had already a wife! It was a thing
calculated to stir up feelings from the innermost depths of the
human soul. I had always entertained the strictest regard of
chastity. I had never in my life seen the time when I have known of
a man deceiving a woman--and it is often done in the world, where,
notwithstanding the crime, the man is received into society and the
poor woman is looked upon as a pariah and an outcast--I have always
looked upon such a thing as infamous, and upon such a man as a
villain. * * * Hence, with the feelings I had entertained, nothing
but a knowledge of God, and the revelations of God, and the truth
of them, could have induced me to embrace such a principle as this.

We [the Twelve] seemed to put off, as far as we could, what might
be termed the evil day.

Some time after these things were made known unto us, I was riding
out of Nauvoo on horseback, and met Joseph Smith coming in, he,
too, being on horseback. * * * I bowed to Joseph, and having done
the same to me, he said: "Stop;" and he looked at me very intently.
"Look here," said he, "those things that have been spoken of must
be fulfilled, and if they are not entered into right away the keys
will be turned."

Well, what did I do? Did I feel to stand in the way of this great,
eternal principle, and treat lightly the things of God? No. I
replied: "Brother Joseph, I will try and carry these things out."

So indeed he did, for within two years, in Nauvoo, he married Elizabeth Haigham, Jane Ballantyne and Mary A. Oakley.

After this the testimony is abundant that plural marriage as well as marriage for eternity was abundantly practiced in Nauvoo, [6] though the revelation which made its rightfulness known was not written until July 12th, 1843.

I have remarked in the opening of this chapter that the consideration of this subject at this period of Nauvoo's history would aid the reader to understand more clearly many things in the subsequent events we have to relate. It is to be observed first of all that this principle of plural marriage had to be introduced secretly; first, because of the traditions and prejudices of the Saints themselves; and, secondly, because of the advantage that their enemies surrounding them would have when once the doctrine was publicly proclaimed. This enforced secrecy, then, which a reasonable prudence demanded, gave rise to apparent contradictions between the public utterances of leading brethren in The Church and their practice. Wicked men took advantage of the situation and brought sorrow to the hearts of the innocent and reproach upon The Church. Some, possessed of a zeal without wisdom, knowing of this doctrine, hastened without authority to make public proclamation of it and had to be silenced, as, for instance, a number of Elders who were reproved by Hyrum Smith for preaching this doctrine at a branch of The Church at China Creek, near Nauvoo; [7] and later one Hiram Brown who did the same thing in Lapeer County, Michigan; for which he was disfellowshiped from The Church and notified by Joseph and Hyrum to attend the conference in April of that year to give a further account of his proceedings. [8]

Then again there were others who falsely taught that the Prophet approved of promiscuous intercourse between the sexes, and that there was no sin in such relations so long as they were kept secret and brought no scandal upon the community. This afforded villains their opportunity, and such men as John C. Bennett; the Laws, Wilson and William; Dr. Foster; the young Higbees, Chancy L., and Francis M.; and others, to reap their harvest of wickedness. There was necessarily enough of mystery in the movements of the Prophet and his faithful brethren connected with the matter of plural marriage to give something of color to the false statements of these wretches, and hence many otherwise good people were deceived. The duty of the Prophet and his associates, however, to denounce this wickedness that had crept into The Church was not shirked by the leading Elders of The Church. The Prophet was bold in his denunciation of the evil and snatched the masks from the faces of corrupt men, and did all in his power to protect the innocent from the deceptions of the vicious, though it pluck down upon his own head the vengeful wrath of the ungodly. With this situation in mind I am sure the reader will better appreciate the many complications which follow.

In order that the reader who is a stranger to Mormonism may see how far the principle of the eternity of the marriage covenant and the plural marriage system of The Church is removed from the sensuality that is often attributed to it, I quote _in extenso_, in concluding this chapter, the revelation which justifies and authorized it:

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph, that
inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand, to know and understand
wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob; as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching
the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and
concubines:

Behold! and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as
touching this matter:

Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions
which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law
revealed unto them must obey the same;

For behold! I reveal unto you a new and everlasting covenant; and
if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can
reject this covenant, and be permitted to enter into my glory;

For all who will have a blessing at my hands, shall abide the law
which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof,
as were instituted from before the foundation of the world;

And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was
instituted for the fullness of my glory; and he that receiveth a
fullness thereof, must and shall abide the law, or he shall be
damned, saith the Lord God.

And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are
these:--All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows,
performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that
are not made, and entered into, and sealed, by the Holy Spirit of
promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all
eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment
through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the
earth to hold this power, (and I have appointed unto my servant
Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but
one on the earth at a time, on whom this power and the keys of this
Priesthood are conferred,) are of no efficacy, virtue or force, in
and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that
are not made unto this end, have an end when men are dead.

Behold! mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not
a house of confusion.

Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in
my name!

Or, will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed!

And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law,
even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was!

I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that
no man shall come unto the Father but by me, or by my word, which
is my law, saith the Lord;

And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of
men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name,
whatsoever they may be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith
the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are
dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your
God;

For whatsoever things remain, are by me; and whatsoever things are
not by me, shall be shaken and destroyed.

Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry
her not by me, nor by my word; and he covenant with her so long as
he is in the world, and she with him, their covenant and marriage
are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the
world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out
of the world;

Therefore, when they are out of the world, they neither marry nor
are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which
angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are
worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of
glory;

For these angels did not abide my law, therefore they cannot be
enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in
their saved condition, to all eternity, and from henceforth are not
Gods, but are angels of God, for ever and ever.

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a
covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant
is not by me, or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by
the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and
appointed unto this power--then it is not valid, neither of force
when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me,
saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world,
it cannot be received there, because the angels and the Gods are
appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore,
inherit my glory, for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord
God.

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my
word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant,
and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him
who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power, and the
keys of this Priesthood; and it shall be said unto them, ye shall
come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first
resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones,
kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and
depths--then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, that
he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if
ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed
innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever
my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity,
and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they
shall pass by the angels, and the Gods, which are set there, to
their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon
their heads, which glory shall be a fullness and a continuation of
the seeds for ever and ever.

Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall
they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue;
then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto
them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power, and the
angels are subject unto them.

Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye abide my law, ye cannot
attain to this glory;

For straight is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the
exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that
find it, because ye receive me not in the world, neither do ye know
me.

But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall
receive your exaltation, that where I am, ye shall be also.

This is eternal lives, to know the only wise and true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my
law.

Broad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the deaths, and
many there are that go in thereat; because they receive me not,
neither do they abide in my law.

Verily, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according
to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise,
according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin
or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and
all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder, wherein
they shed innocent blood--yet they shall come forth in the first
resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be
destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings
of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.

The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven
in the world, nor out of the world, is in that ye commit murder,
wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after
ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord
God; and he that abideth not this law, can in no wise enter into my
glory, but shall be damned, saith the Lord.

I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the law of my Holy
Priesthood, as was ordained by me, and my Father, before the world
was.

Abraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation
and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and hath entered into
his exaltation, and sitteth upon his throne.

Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit
of his loins,--from whose loins ye are, namely, my servant
Joseph,--which were to continue so long as they were in the world;
and as touching Abraham and his seed, out of the world they should
continue; both in the world and out of the world should they
continue as innumerable as the stars; or, if ye were to count the
sand upon the sea shore, ye could not number them.

This promise is yours, also, because ye are of Abraham, and the
promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law are the continuation
of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.

Go ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my
law, and ye shall be saved.

But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my
Father, which he made unto Abraham.

God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And
why did she do it? Because this was the law, and from Hagar sprang
many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling among other things,
the promises.

Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily, I say unto you,
Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.

Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was
written, thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and
it was accounted unto him for righteousness.

Abraham received concubines, and they bear him children, and it
was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given
unto him, and he abode in my law, as Isaac also, and Jacob did none
other things than that which they were commanded; and because they
did none other things than that which they were commanded, they
have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and
sit upon thrones, and are not angels, but are Gods.

David also received many wives and concubines, as also Solomon and
Moses my servants; as also many others of my servants, from the
beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin,
save in those things which they received not of me.

David's wives and concubines were given unto him, of me, by the
hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the
keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against
me, save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath
fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall
not inherit them out of the world; for I gave them unto another,
saith the Lord.

I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an
appointment, and restore all things; ask what ye will, and it shall
be given unto you according to my word:

And as ye have asked concerning adultery--verily, verily I say unto
you, if a man receiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant,
and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her
by the holy anointing, she hath committed adultery, and shall be
destroyed.

If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with
another man, she has committed adultery;

And if her husband be with another woman, and he was under a vow,
he hath broken his vow, and hath committed adultery,

And if she hath not committed adultery, but is innocent, and hath
not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you,
my servant Joseph, then shall you have power, by the power of my
Holy Priesthood, to take her, and give her unto him that hath not
committed adultery, but hath been faithful; for he shall be made
ruler over many;

For I have conferred upon you the keys and power of the Priesthood,
wherein I restore all things, and make known unto you all things in
due time.

And verily, verily I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on
earth, shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth,
in my name, and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally
bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you remit on earth shall
be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you
retain on earth, shall be retained in heaven.

And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless, I will bless, and
whomsoever you curse, I will curse, saith the Lord; for I, the
Lord, am thy God.

And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that
whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you give anyone on
earth, by my word, and according to my law, it shall be visited
with blessings, and not cursings, and with my power, saith the
Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth, and in heaven;

For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end
of the world, and through all eternity; for verily, I seal upon you
your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my
Father, with Abraham your father.

Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your
sins; I have seen your sacrifices, in obedience to that which I
have told you; go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as
I accepted the offering of Abraham, of his son Isaac.

Verily, I say unto you, a commandment I give unto mine handmaid,
Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay
herself, and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer
unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to prove you all, as I did
Abraham; and that I might require an offering at your hand, by
covenant and sacrifice;

And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been
given to my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before
me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall
be destroyed, saith the Lord God;

For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give
unto you my servant Joseph, that he shall be made ruler over many
things, for he hath been faithful over a few things, and from
henceforth I will strengthen him.

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

But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant
Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will
bless him and multiply him and give unto him an hundred-fold in
this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses
and lands, wives and children, and crowns of eternal lives in the
eternal worlds.

And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid forgive my servant
Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her
trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me: and I, the Lord
thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to
rejoice.

And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put his property out of
his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him; for Satan seeketh
to destroy; for I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant; and
behold! and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham, thy father,
even unto his exaltation and glory.

Now, as touching the law of the Priesthood, there are many things
pertaining thereunto.

Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was Aaron, by mine own
voice, and by the voice of him that sent me: and I have endowed him
with the keys of the power of this Priesthood, if he do anything
in my name, and according to my law, and by my word, he will not
commit sin, and I will justify him.

Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify
him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands,
for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.

And again, as pertaining to the law of the Priesthood: If any man
espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give
her consent; and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins,
and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified; he cannot
commit adultery, for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit
adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else;

And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot
commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto
him, therefore is he justified.

But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused,
shall be with another man; she has committed adultery, and shall be
destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish
the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfill the promise
which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world;
and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear
the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued,
that he may be glorified.

And again, verily, verily I say unto you, if any man have a wife,
who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law
of my Priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she
believe, and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith
the Lord your God, for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my
name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.

Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law,
for him to receive all things, whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will
give unto him, because she did not administer unto him according to
my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt
from the law of Sarah, who administered unto Abraham according to
the law, when I commanded Abraham to take Hagar to wife.

And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily I say unto you,
I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice
for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.

Footnotes

1. See The Book of Common Prayer, Church of England, article, Solemnization of Matrimony.

2. Jesus said unto Peter: I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.--Matt. xvi: 19.

3. See Doc. and Cov. Sec. 132: 52.

4. _Ibid_, verse 66.

5. See Millennial Star, Vol. XIV. (Supplement) pp 80, 83; also pp. 114 and 116 same volume. Doc. and Cov. Sec. 76: 11-16.

6. See a collection of affidavits on this subject in the Historical Record, Andrew Jenson, compiler; and also affidavits in Succession in Presidency, 2nd edition.

7. See Times and Seasons for March, 1844.

8. See Times and Seasons for February 1st, 1844.