This is directly out of Compton's "In Sacred Lonliness" pg. 3- I hope it is true. For those who have studied him, do you believe William Marks really said this, or know anything more about it, for if he did say these words to JS is just such a great quote to have in our possession:

Compton begins, "Nauvoo Stake Pres., William Marks, suggested in 1953 that Smith came to have doubts about polygamy before his death."

Quoting Marks: "When the doctrine of polygamy was introduced into the church as a principle of exaltation, I took a declared stand against it; which stand rendered me quite unpopular with many of the leading ones of the church... Joseph, however, became convinced before his death that he had done wrong; for about three weeks before his death, I met him one morning in the street, and he said to me,"Brother Marks...we are a ruined people." I asked how so? he said: "This doctrine of polygamy or Spiritual-wife system, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived", said he, "in reference to its practice; it is wrong; it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down and it's practice stopped in the church."

I cannot find where Compton's gives a reference for this quote, so I am not even sure where he got it. I sure hope it is true, anyone know anymore about it?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2010 12:07AM by think4u.

Author Richard S. Van Wagoner, in his "Mormon Polygamy: A History," quotes from the Marks statement to which you refer and provides its origination (Van Wagoner's book is a well-worn, dog-earred, invaluable part of my personal library--a superb historical reference which I highly recommend):

"Some have admitted that Joseph Smith became involved in polygamy but later tred to disentangle himself from the prractice. . . . Former Nauvoo stake president William Marks, a close friend of Emma, wrote in a July 1853 letter to the 'Zion's Harbinger and Baneemy's Organ' that he met with the prophet a short time beforfe his death. 'We are a ruined peope,' Marks quoted Smith; 'this doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife System, that has been taught and practiced among us, will prove our destruction and overthrow. I have been deceived . . . it is wrong; it is a curse to mankind, and we shall have to leave the United States soon, unless it can be put down, and its practice stopped in the Church.' Marks said that Smith ordered him 'to go into the high council, and I will have charges preferred against all who practice this doctrine; and I want you to try them by the laws of the Church, and cut them off, if they will not repent, and cease the practice of this doctrine . . . I will go into the stand and preach against it with all my might, and in this way, we may rid the Church of the damnable heresy.' But the prophet was killed shortly after this conversation, and when Marks related what Smith had said, his testimony 'was pronounced false by the Twelve and disbelieved.'"

(Source: "Zion's Harbinger and Baneemy's Organ," 7 July 1853, pp. 50-55, in Richard S. Van Wagoner, "Mormon Polygamy: A History," Chapter Seven, [Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books, 1986], p. 77; see also, Bibliography, p. 294; Wagoner's book is available for review and/or purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/Mormon-Polygamy-Richard-Van-Wagoner/dp/0941214796 )



Edited 11 time(s). Last edit at 12/31/2010 01:32AM by steve benson.

Thanks, Steve, for the source. That quote has always fascinated me, and it most likely is in Comptons' book ,he does not footnote in the usual way, but I could not find it, so thanks!

After a particularly embarassing escapade that even his tiny conscience couldn't blot from his memory.

I don't have any reason to doubt that Marks was telling the truth that Smith said that, but so what?

The fact is he ordered the destruction of the Expositor at this time after it exposed his excesses...

Those aren't the actions of a penitent man, IMO... They're the actions of a narcissist who lacks the depth of character to accept responsibility and ownership of his own actions; the "I have been deceived" is consistent with that theme...

Sounds about right to me.

it's interesting. That's what.

Hi there Holy T. - I found it very interesting as well. Happy new year to you. think4u, formerly moronomore.

I think that Joe only would have pulled the plug on polygamy if he was sure that it was about to go public. The Marks revelation may have been a move to prepare, as a last resort.

He would have braved it out, and blamed others for polygamy. But only if all hope was lost to keep it secret.

Who knows what would have happened had he lived, but I doubt he could have stopped it even if he wanted to.A lot of polygamous men would have revolted and a lot of women would have been ruined. Even if he had miraculously managed to end the practice, the cat was already out of the bag to some extent. I doubt it would have remained a secret.Too many people knew.

Joseph Smith might have abstained for a little while, but chances are he would have gone right back to polygamy again.

loveismyreligion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Joseph Smith might have abstained for a little
> while, but chances are he would have gone right
> back to polygamy again.

That is a distinct possiblity. He seems to have been a sex addict. Of course, you don't have to marry a woman to have sex. JS could have decided that route was safer.A lot of women would have probably believed him if he said God had given him permission to fool around.I just don't think stopping polygamy, let alone hushing it up would have worked at that point.

if only they would have gotten to announcing it -- and every other damnable doctine.

He only repented of it because he couldn't sell it to anyone but women/girls who were already invested in Mormonism (and he even had to threaten them) and licentious/dutiful deciples.

He failed to "keep this church together" and was not "better than Jesus" (sob). He failed to sell the idea to a skeptical American public who weren't buying his after-the-fact libido-serving revelations.

He thought nothing of duplicity, but try as he may, he just couldn't come up with an "avenging angel will kill you" threat that would work with non-Mormons. He was not repenting, just regretting the consequences to his empire of the cat being out of the bag.

He blew it and he knew it after the Expositor. He had gone too far at last and boo-hoo, he walked slowly back to face his accusers like the Prince that he was, no doubt having had his martyrdom revealed to him as God's will, pausing only to whack off in the woods.


Anagrammy

Being the narcissist that he was....he was only projecting his own guilt.
What he was really saying is this..,
I am a ruined man'
'this so called doctrine of polygamy, or Spiritual-wife System, that I have master minded and practiced among us, will prove to be my destruction and overthrow. I have deceived many. . . my lusts are wrong; they are a curse to my soul, and I shall have to leave the United States soon, unless I can be stopped, and my authority stopped in the Church.'
'go into the high council, and bring charges against me for creating this doctrine; and I want you to try me by the laws of the Church, and cut me off, for I will not repent, and cease the practice of this doctrine . . . I should go into the stand and preach against it with all my might, but I can't, and in this way, you may rid the Church of the damnable heresy.'

A narcissist easily projects onto others revealing his own weaknesses that he cannot otherwise admit to. This quote by William Marks is very telling.