THE MORMONS, Plural Marriage, Part 2 of Chapter 15 of Holy Priesthood Volume 4

THE MORMONS, Plural Marriage , Part 2 of Chapter 15 of Holy Priesthood Volume 4

Pages 200 to 21

When the law of celestial marriage was first whispered to him, he opposed it, exclaiming, “It is of the devil,” but God knew his heart and in open day a messenger from heaven with three women clothed in white raiment stood before him several feet from the ground and addressed him thus, “You never can receive a full and complete salvation in my kingdom unless your garments are pure and white and you have three counselors like me.” Thus he was convinced that the principle was right and he subsequently married five wives and he became the father of fifty children. (Jenson’s Biographical Encyclopedia 3:415)

Opposition to the law of plural marriage Joseph Smith:

They accuse me of polygamy, and of being a false Prophet, and many other things which I do not now remember; but I am no false Prophet; I am no impostor; I have had no dark revelations; I have had no revelations from the devil; I made no revelations; I have got nothing up of myself. The same God that has thus far dictated me and directed me and strengthened me in this work, gave me this revelation and commandment on celestial and plural marriage, and the same God commanded me to obey it. He said to me that unless I accepted it and introduced it, and practiced it, I, together with my people, would be damned and cut off from this time henceforth. And they say if I do so, they will kill me! Oh, what shall I do? If I do not practice it, I shall be damned with my people. If I do teach it, and practice it, and urge it, they say they will kill me, and I know they will. but,” said he, “we have got to observe it. It is an eternal principle and was given by way of commandment and not by way of instruction.” (Contributor 5:259)

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