Posted by:
steve benson
(
)
Date: December 31, 2010 01:05AM
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its origination (Van Wagoner's book is a well-worn, dog-earred, invaluable part of my personal library--a superb historical reference which I highly recommend):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.