Show CELESTIAL MARRIAGE NOW HOW AND WHEN THE revelation WAS OIVEN GIVEN may 1886 editor deseret news DEAR sm sin something over twelve years ago by my solicitation brother william clayton at that time and for many years territorial auditor wrote a brief history of facts which came under his observation relative to the writing of the revelation on celestial marriage as now found in section doctrine page and first published to the world I 1 in a 1852 at a generall general conference conference conie rence of the church of jesus christ of latter day dav saints held in salt lake city II 11 1 now forward this document to you for publication believing that the perusal of is if will prove interesting to your numerous readers just althis present juncture anc ture when the subject seems to be the all absorbing topic with respect to the latter day saints and mormonism in general it may prove rove a stumbling block to some but atwill it will throw light upon many points heretofore obscure and but little understood de der by many which I 1 trust will wi 11 prove rove not only interesting but instructive ilive and profitable it will at least leas t prove a guide to an all in connection with the abundant and able evidence already had bad on this point to the identity of its author under god for which all who love the truth truth cannot thankful it must be borne in mind that this great and glorious principle was first revealed to joseph smith in 1831 1881 or 1882 1832 2 1 I 1 have not the exact date with me but being forbidden to make it public or to teach it as a doctrine of the gos gospel el at that time he confided aids the facts ito to only a very few of his most intimate associates amon among 9 them were oliver cowdery and lyman E johnson Job the latter confiding the fact traveling companion elder orson pratt in the year 1832 see 0 pratts testimony and this great principle principle grin ciple remained remained concealed in ia the bosoms of the prophet joseph and the few to whom he revealed it ft until he be was commanded about 1842 to instruct the leading members of the priesthood and those who were most faithful and intelligent and best prepared ared to receive it in relation elation thereto at which 1 ime ape and subsequently su until his martyrdom the subject in connection with the great principles of ba baptism redemption and sea lings for ta the dead became the great themes of his life and andas as the late prest geo A smith repeatedly re t edly said to me and others I 1 I 1 the e prophet seemed ably moved mo ve d by the power of god to establish that principle not only in theory I 1 in n the hearts and minds of of his brethren 11 but in practice also I 1 I 1 lie be himself having baving led the wat war while this doctrine was thus being taught by the prophet to those whom he could trust those who had faith righteousness and integrity to believe ind and accept it with all its consequences consequence which are no trifling trl fling things it remained an unwritten law and c commandment of the almighty to the faithful only of his saints designed to be e enlarged as aa intelligence Welli gence and fidelity delity 11 to the laws of god increased until the day of july 1843 when a portion ot 0 f the revelation wits was written in t the he manner and at that time for the purpose set forth in this statement of elder clayton tons a now submitted 0 hip be world and as indicated IndiS tied in the revelation itself as follows v 66 1 and now as pertain jug to this this law verily verily I 1 say unto you I 1 will repeal more unto you hereafter therefore let this suffice for the present let all the latter day saluta know that joseph smith the martyred marty red prophet is responsible to god and the world for this doctrine and let lei every soul know that he and his bis brother hyrum did dd practice the doctrine in their lifetime and until their death not withstand notwithstanding lug otheir se seeming enting denials as published I 1 in a the times and seasons and which are so fervently relied upon as evidence against the fact by a certain class of auti anti pol poly ga mists those denials can be eap exp explained T and h have ave been and while they are true true in the sense and lor for the purpose for which they were designed they are not denials of plural or celestial marriage as taught by joseph smith and practised practiced at the time by both of them and many others in prominent prominent romi nent standing in tile the church these these seeming denials themselves are specific proofs of the existence of the true e oin eoin the counterfeit of which they denounced let every saint know by un impeach I 1 ible ble testimony as well as by the spirit of inspiration to which each aach saint is entitled that god almighty revealed this doctrine to joseph the martyr and that under god he was and is the founder by precept and example of the same in the church praying god to aless this testimony to the comforting of the saints and the confusion of their enemies I 1 have the heartfelt pleasure to remain eternally ours for the truth it it wake the dead JOSEPH F SMITH OTHER testimonies STATEMENT OF WILLIAM CLAYTON CLAYT copy inasmuch its as it may be interesting to future generations of the members 0 of f the church of jesus christ of latter day saints to learn something of the first teachings of the principle of plural marriage by president joseph smith the prophet seer revelator Bev elator and translator of said church I 1 will gevea give a short relation of facts which occurred within my pers personal oLal knowledge and also matters related to me by president joseph smith I 1 was employed as a clerk in president joseph smiths office under elder eider W wilard illard ard richards and commenced to labor in the office on the day february 1842 1 I continued to labor jabor with elder richards Eich ards until he went east to fecca his bis wife to nauvoo alter after elder richards started east I 1 was necessarily thrown constantly into the be company of president smith having ing to attend to his public and private bla business siness receiving and recording diug timings tit aings and donations attending to land and other matter matterson business during this period I 1 necessarily became wel acquainted with emma smith the wife of the prophet joseph and also also with the children julia hl an adopted daughter joseph fred erick and alexander very machof much of the business belig being transacted at the residence of the prophet Prop liet on the ath of october 1842 in the presence of bishop newel K whitney and his wife elizabeth ann president joseph smith appointed we me temple recorder and also his hift private clerk placing all records books papers etc in my care and requiring me to take charge of and preserve them his bis closing words being when I 1 have any revelations to write you are the one to write them during this period the prophet joseph frequez frequently y visited ray my house in edw in my compan yand became well acquainted with ith my mv wife ruth to whom I 1 had been married five years one day in ia the month of february 1848 1843 date not remembered the prophet invited me to walk with him during our walk he said he had learned that there was a sister back in Engla england tid to whom I 1 was very atta attached chod I 1 replied there was but nothing further farther than an attachment such as a brother and sister in the church church might rightfully entertain for einch other he then stid said why dont you send far her I 1 ire replied in the first place I 1 have no authority to send for her and if I 1 had I 1 have not the means to pay expenses 11 to this he answered T give you authority to send for her and I 1 will furnish you the means which he did this was the first time the prophet joseph talked with me on the subject oi of plural marriane marri aKe lie be me that the doctrine and principle was right in the sight of our heavenly father and that it was a doctrine which pertained to celestial order and glory after riving giving me lengthy instructions and concerning the doctrine of celestial or plural marriage he be concluded his remarks by the words it is your privilege to have haie all the wives you want after this intro our conversations on the subject of plural marriage were very frequent and he be appeared to take particular pains to inform and instruct me in respect to the principle he also informed we me that he be had other wives living besides his first wife emma and in particular gave me to understand that eliza A R snow louisa beman desdamona Des damons 0 bulliner Pu Ful llmer liner und and others were his lawful wives in the sight of of heaven on 04 the of april IM 1843 the prophet joseph joaeph smith smita married to me margaret moon for time and eternity at af the residence of elder heber deberc C and on the cf A july 1818 1848 he married to me according to tue order of the church my first wife ruth qu n the lat day of may 1843 1 I officiated in the office of an elder by marrying lucy walker to the joseph smith at his own residence D urine during this period the prophet joseph took several other wives amongst the number I 1 well remember eeza lizs partridge emily partridge Fart ridge sarah ann whitney helen kimball and flora woodworth these all he acknowledged to me were his lawful wedded wives according to the celestial order his wife emma was cognizant of the fact of some if not all of these being his bis wives and she generally all treated them very kindly aa on the morning of the of july joseph and hyrum smith came tutu oto the office in the upper stol story of the brick store on the bank 0 of 7 the mississippi river they were talking on the subject of plural marriage hyrum said to joseph if you will write the revelation on celestial marriage I 1 will take and read it to emma and I 1 believe I 1 can convince her of its truth and you will hereafter have peace joseph smiled and remarked you do not know emma as well as I 1 do hyrum repeated nis his opinion and further remarked the doctrine is so plain I 1 can convince any reasonable reo man or woman of its truth purity and heavenly origin or words to their effect joseph then chett said well I 1 will write the revelation and we will see he then requested me to get paper and prepare to write hyrum very urgently requested joseph to write the revel revelation by means of the arim and thum thum aulm butT but joseph oseph in reply said he be did not need to for he knew the ropy revelation e lation perfectly perfect perfectly lK from beginning to end and joseph josefo h and hyrum then sa sat down and joseph seph commenced to dictate the revelation on celestial marriage and I 1 wrote it sentence by sentence as he dictated after Aft erthe the whole was writ written tent joseph asked me to read it through slowly and carefully which I 1 did and he pronounced it correct he then remarked that there was much mach more that be could write on the same subject but what was written was sufficient for the present H rum then took the revelation to read to limma emma joseph remained with me in the office until hyrum returned V when he came back joseph asked him how now he had succeeded hyrum replied that he had bad never received a more severe talking to in his life that emma was very bitter and full fiill of re anger joseph quietly remarked 1 I told you you vou did not know emma as well as I 1 did joseph then put the revelation in his pocket and they both left the office the revelation was read to several ol of the authorities during the day towards evening bishop newel K whitney asked joseph it if he had any objections to his taking a copy of the revelation joseph replied that he had not and handed it to him it was carefully copied the following day by joseph C kingsbury two or three days aft after er the revelation was written joseph related to me and several others that emma had bad so teased and urgently lly entreated him for the privilege of oi destroying ying it that he be became so weary of her teasing and to get rid of her annoyance no yance he be told her she might destroy it and she bad done fo 0 o but he had bad consented to her wish in this matter to pacify her realizing that he knew the revelation perfectly perfect lr and could rewrite it at any time if necessary the copy made by joseph C akings kings bury is a true and correct co copy of the abe original in every respect the copy wag was carefully preserved by bishop whitney and but few knew of its existence until the temporary location of the camp of israel at winter quarters on the missouri river in 18 after the revelation on celestial marriage was briten joseph continued his bis instructions privat private elyon lyou the doctrine to myself and others and during the last year of his life we were scarcely ever together alone but he was talking on the subject and explaining that doctrine and principles connected with it he appeared to enjoy great crest liberty and freedom indis teachings and also to find great relief in having a few to whom he be could his feelings on that great and glorious subject from himi learned that the doctrine of plural and celestial marriage is the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on the earth and that without obedience to that principle no mo man can ever attain to the falness of exaltation in celestial elory alory signed WILLIAM WILIIAM CLAYTON salt lake city february 1874 TERRITORY OF UTAH 7 county salt like lake bl i on the sixteenth day of february A D 1874 before the undersigned undersigner under signed a notary public in and for said county and territory personally came wm clayton Ol ayton who being sworn in due form of law says that the foregoing statement to is true in every particular where the facts are stated as coming under his own personal observation and where the language langua e of others Is quoted the exact sentiments and as near as possible the exact words are given in every instance in testimony whereof I 1 have hereunto subscribed my name SEAL and affixed my notarial seal at my office in salt lake city utah territory the day and and year aforesaid signed JOHN T notary public STATEMENT OF JOSEPH C I 1 I 1 in reference to the affidavit of elder william clayton on the subject of the celestial order of patriarchal marriage published in th tha EVENING NEWS of may 1886 and particularly to the statement made therein concerning myself royabell roya ell as having havia 4 copied the original or igina revelation writt tui by brother clayton at the dictation ol oi the pro bet joseph I 1 will say that bia bishop bap i vewel newel K whitney whiitney handed me the revelation above referred to om oitt either the day it was written or the day following and stating what it was asked me to take a copy of it I 1 did so and then read my copy of it 16 to bishop whitney who compared it with the or original I 1 ina I 1 which he be held in his bis handt hand while while I 1 read to him when I 1 nad and no fia dished reading bishop whitney pro jounced the copy correct and hirami smith coming comuti into the room at toe the to tetch fetch the original bishop whitnea handed banded it to him I 1 will also state that this copy as also the original are identically the same at as that publish edl in the present edition of the book off doctrine and covenants I 1 will add that I 1 also knew that tb the prophet joseph smith had bad married other women besides his first wife emma I 1 was well aware of the taft fact oi of his having married sarah ana ADA what ney the eldest daughter od 04 dishop newel K whitney and elizabeth ann ABU whitney his wife and toe the prophet joseph t told old in me e personally that hat he had guarri married d other the women ia 12 accordance with the revealed will of god anu spoke concerning the principle as being a command of god lor for holy purposes JOSEPH C Q TERRITORY ov OF UTAH I 1 county of salt lake 1 88 I 1 hereby certify that the |