Class 25 – Sections 131-2 & Official
Declaration 1
The Restored Order of Marriage
Section 131
•From instructions given in May 1843.
Section 131
•In the celestial glory there are three heavens or
degrees…
Section 131
• “a man must enter this order of the priesthood”
• Is marriage an order of the priesthood into which
women enter, too?
What are the essential ingredients of a Covenant?
What are the essential ingredients of a Covenant?
A person -- a promise
The Lord -- a blessing
The Lord’s representative
The Holy Spirit of Promise
Witnesses
Promise
The Lord makes the terms, we agree to do certain
things and the Lord guarantees to give us certain
blessings.
Physical Manifestation
An ordinance administered by proper authority
is the physical manifestation of the covenant.
This is like signing a contract.
The Holy Spirit of Promise
D&C 132:7
The Holy Ghost who accepts the contract for
the Lord.
Contract
The contract is made by ordinance.
The covenant lasts until the terms of the
contract are realized.
Section 132
• Recorded July 1843 when Emma refused to accept
plural marriage. Hyrum thought she would come around
if she could read the revelation.
•Joseph dictated it from memory to William Clayton.
Section 132
• The revelation may have been given as early as 1831.
• It was first published in 1852 when polygamy was
made public.
Polygamy and Joseph Smith
• Joseph Smith probably married no one between 1836
and 1841.
•Joseph married about 30 women.
•10 of these women were already married to other men.
Polygamy and Joseph Smith
• These 10 continued to live with their husbands.
• Six of the husbands were active LDS members.
• It is likely but not certain that sexual relations were
part of at least some of the marriages.
Polygamy and Joseph Smith
• There is no clear evidence that Joseph fathered any
children except by Emma.
Polygamy and Joseph Smith
• Joseph would usually ask a relative of the woman to
arrange the marriage. There was seldom any indication
of romance.
• He recognized that if word spread about plural
marriage, his life would be in danger.
Polygamy in Nauvoo
• By the time of Joseph Smith’s death, about 30 men in
Nauvoo had plural wives.
• Ceremonies were held publicly, but sometimes in
disguise. In one case, Joseph’s bride was dressed as a
man and the group acted as if they were engaged in
conversation.
Polygamy in Nauvoo
• Some of Joseph’s wives lived in the Mansion House
for periods of time. Most lived with their own family.
• Most plural wives did not live with their husbands.
Joseph Smith’s View of Polygamy
• Joseph would indicate that if a woman would enter into
a plural marriage with him, it would bring eternal
blessings upon them and their family.
Joseph Smith’s View of Polygamy
• Joseph received the revelation, but wanted to ignore it.
• Joseph said that an angel with a drawn sword came to
him three times and that if Joseph did not obey the
principle, the angel would slay him.
How Others Viewed Polygamy
• Many were shocked and outraged at first.
• Joseph asked them to seek the Lord’s witness.
• Many report receiving great spiritual manifestations of
the truth of the principle.
Calling and Election Made Sure
Those who press forward in righteousness, living by
every word of revealed truth, have power to make their
calling and election sure. They receive the more sure
word of prophecy and know by revelation and the
authority of the priesthood that they are sealed up unto
eternal life. They are sealed up against all manner of sin
and blasphemy except the blasphemy against the Holy
Calling and Election Made Sure
Ghost and the shedding of innocent blood. But the mere
fact of being married for time and eternity in the temple,
standing alone, does not give them this guarantee.
Blessings pronounced upon couples in connection with
celestial marriage are conditioned upon the subsequent
faithfulness of the participating parties.
- Joseph Fielding Smith
Innocent Blood
• 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.
Innocent Blood
• Whose blood is innocent?
Innocent Blood
• Whose blood is innocent?
•How do we figuratively shed Christ’s blood?
Polygamy in the Old Testament
• Approved by the Lord
• Wives given by the prophet
Emma Smith
• 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.
Emma Smith
• And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have
been given unto my servant Joseph.
• 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.
Law of Sarah
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 is he
justified…
Law of Sarah
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…
Law of Sarah
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.
Plural Marriage in Utah
• About 10% of Mormon men had plural wives.
• Many felt that exaltation required plural marriage.
• Many men were sealed to other women posthumously.
• Many women were sealed to noteworthy men.
Plural Marriage in Utah
• In 1856, the Republican party called for the dissolution
of the “twin relics of barbarism –slavery and polygamy”
in the territories.
•Political pressure increased after the Civil War.
Plural Marriage in Utah
• Laws were enacted against polygamy.
• Many church leaders were imprisoned. Pres. John
Taylor died in Kaysville, hiding from federal marshals.
• Church property was confiscated.
Plural Marriage in Utah
• Appeals were made to the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Public opinion was that religious freedom could not be
allowed when important institutions such as marriage
and family were at stake.
• The Church appealed the court decisions, but lost.
The Manifesto and Beyond
• The Manifesto ended polygamy in October 1890.
• Later interpretations by Pres. Joseph F. Smith applied
the Manifesto to plural marriage outside the United
States.
The Manifesto and Beyond
• Elders Marriner W. Merrill, Matthias Cowley, and John
W. Taylor opposed broader interpretations of the
Manifesto.
•Elder Merrill died and Elders Cowley and Taylor
resigned.
The Manifesto and Beyond
• Matthias Cowley was later disfellowshipped and John
W. Taylor was excommunicated.
• Matthias Cowley returned to fellowship in the Church.
•John W. Taylor was posthumously restored to
membership in 1965.
Why Polygamy?
Historians (some sympathetic and some antagonistic)
have suggested many things…
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
• as a social experiment
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
• as a social experiment
• to build up the Kingdom
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
• as a social experiment
• to build up the Kingdom
• to expand marriage opportunities
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
• as a social experiment
• to build up the Kingdom
• to expand marriage opportunities
• as part of the restoration of all things
Why Polygamy?
• to have mistresses honorably
• as a social experiment
• to build up the Kingdom
• to expand marriage opportunities
• as part of the restoration of all things
• to establish connections between families
Why Polygamy
In Section 132, the Lord said:
•All those who have this law revealed unto them must
obey the same
• It was instituted “for the fulness of my glory.”
Joseph Smith’s Explanation
• In a letter proposing marriage to Nancy Rigdon, who
rejected Joseph’s proposal, he said, “ Whatever God
requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may
not see the reason thereof till long after the events
transpire.”
Celestial Marriage
The more important message for us is that we can receive
celestial marriage.
Celestial Marriage
Celestial marriage is three-way covenant between God, a
woman, and a man…
Celestial Marriage
Celestial marriage is three-way covenant between God, a
woman, and a man…
• to bless our marriage and family life in this world
Celestial Marriage
Celestial marriage is three-way covenant between God, a
woman, and a man…
• to bless our marriage and family life in this world
• to seal our spouse and children to us eternally
Celestial Marriage
Celestial marriage is three-way covenant between God, a
woman, and a man…
• to bless our marriage and family life in this world
• to seal our spouse and children to us eternally
• to qualify us for exaltation, so that we can receive all the
Father has.