Saints Helen Mar Kimball

Unprepared to engage Mormon missionaries in the knock on your door.

Perhaps the book Mormonism 101 will help Mormonism 101. Published by Baker available at your favorite Christian bookstore .1 examines the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a perspective view .1 Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism who was Helen Mark Kimball and why is her story included in the book saints. No unhallowed hand. Welcome to this additional viewpoint on Mormonism. I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM sinks no unhallowed hand covers the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1846 to 1893 on page 511.

It talks about how Joseph Smith's son, Joseph Smith, the third and his brother Alexander came to Utah territory on another mission for the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Joseph Smith the third was the head of the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They did not believe in plural marriage. In fact Joseph Smith the third's mother, Smith denied that her husband even practiced it so Joseph Smith the third and his brother Alexander go to the Utah territory and they're going to interview people. I guess Eric to put to bed once and for all that the this either did or did not happen, but the book mentions that and I'm actually quite surprised Eric at they included this story in the book because I think if most people were unfamiliar with the story of Helen Mark Kimball reading that would probably shock some of them if they knew all the details. Well, what does the book have to say about her.

On page 511 among the saints who noted their arrival was Helen Whitney, the 56-year-old daughter of Heber and Violet Kimball.

Helen was familiar with the brothers message. In fact, she had once published a pamphlet called plural marriage as taught by the prophet Joseph in response to Joseph the third's claim about his father is a plural wife of Joseph Smith herself.

Helen knew for certain that the prophet had practice plural marriage. Helen was 14 when her father taught her the principal and asked her if she would be sealed to Joseph, her feelings had revolted at first, and she responded indignantly to his words, but over the course of the day as she thought about what to do. She knew that her father loved her too much to teach her anything that was contrary to God's will. She agreed to the ceiling believe in the union would help exalt her and her family and connect them to Joseph Smith in the eternities. Now let's go back and dissect that paragraph Eric it says Helen was 14 when her father taught her the principal the principle of course, if you're not familiar with that term is the doctrine of plural marriage. That's how it was understood, in fact, many polygamist groups today use that same word to describe plural marriage so her father, who is as it mentions Heber C. Kimball Kimball dies in 1868. He was a first counselor under Brigham Young. He had 43 wives himself when he was right up there with Brigham Young. It mentions how she was revolted at this doctrine when she first heard about it from her father. And it's interesting because I think a lot of women are probably repelled by this doctrine of plural marriage because it's not something that we normally expect, especially in the United States. During this time, we found that when the gospel topics essays came out and there were two different articles on polygamy, including just dismiss polygamy that that was one of the reasons why people were leaving the church 2015 on because when they found out that Joseph Smith was polygamist in such a way, including marrying other men's wives and marrying teenagers such as Helen Mark Kimball that that was really repulsive to them and that was a good reason for them to leave, some didn't have that kind of reaction that you just gave others as well. That's the way it happened and they kinda like nothing to see here move along move along. But in this paragraph on page 512 when speaking of Helen's reaction to this doctrine. It says that over the course of the day. She thought about what to do. She knew that her father loved her too much to teach her anything that was contrary to God's will. I read that my first thought was okay. Just because a parent may have love for a child that suddenly prevents them from teaching them something that's horribly wrong, of course not.

That's not what truth is based in just because your parent may love you and the tell you something does not necessarily mean that what they're telling you is accurate, but that's how she takes it and of course what he is teaching her is something that Mormons are supposed to believe at that time so you can understand why she reacts the way she does so she agreed to the ceiling, believing the union would help exalt her and her family and connect them to Joseph Smith in the eternities. Now that's an interesting line because that refers to something that Helen Mark Kimball herself wrote about and is recorded in the book of Mormon enigma Emma Hale Smith. What is it say in that book about this particular topic or this is from our 1881 autobiography.

This is found on page 146 of Mormon enigma. I will pass over the temptations which I had during the 24 hours after my father introduced me.

The principal and asked if I would be sealed to Joseph who came next morning, and with my parents. I heard him teach and explain the principle of celestial marriage, after which he said to me quote if you will take this step it will ensure your eternal salvation and exaltation and that of your father's household and all of your kindred," I willingly gave myself the purchase so glorious a reward none but God and angels could see my mother's bleeding heart. When Joseph asked her if she was willing though for emphasis and I think it's important what did Joseph Smith say to this 14-year-old impressionable girl. Remember, folks.

He is 38 years old at the time. What does he tell Helen. Specifically, she records if you will take this step it will ensure your eternal salvation and exultation and that of your father's household and all of your kindred, your 14-year-old listening to a 38-year-old man that you revere as the prophet of God and he's telling you, if you take this step. These are going to be the benefits of it.

Your 14 years old. Your thinking what if I don't take this step is this actually a veiled threat on the part of Joseph Smith to a 14-year-old.

I think it could be taken that way. It certainly sounds like it might've been because is not the first time that Joseph Smith is petitioning other women to become his wise and in some cases he does tend to use his position as a means of getting them to acquiesce to the desires that he has for them.

Here, a 38-year-old man is using that tactic on a 14-year-old. Today we would call that person a sexual predator. The book goes on to say, the arrangement had been unconventional in almost every way. Helen was young for marriage.

Although some women her age did marry in the United States at that time.

The reason I think they stick that sentence and there is because they want you to get the impression that this wasn't so uncommon it was uncommon folks.

Even Joseph Smith himself was that that young when he marries Emma was actually older than Joseph Smith when they got married and we done research on this and the average age was around 19 or so. 20 somewhere in that age range, but not 14.

That was a very rare occurrence goes on to say that like some of Joseph's otherwise she was sealed to the prophet for eternity. Only that is supposed to give us the impression that there was no sex involved. When you hear that phrase she and Joseph rarely interacted socially and she never indicated that she had an intimate physical relationship. She continued to live in her parents home and like other plural wives in the blue is in Nauvoo, Illinois kept her ceiling private will, of course, because no one was supposed to talk about plural marriage.

At that time Joseph Smith knew it was illegal. You don't go bragging about a crime you're committing. You keep it secret. Remember, polygamy does not become public till after the Latter Day Saints leave Illinois and move into the Salt Lake Valley band in 1852 it is finally announced publicly. Even though it was always being practiced secretly but she had been the age when some young women began courting making it hard for her to explain to her friends why she stopped attending some social gatherings. What is it say in the Eric, after the prophet's death. Helen had married Horace Whitney, a son of Newell and Elizabeth and Whitney. Helen was 17 and Horace was 22 at the time and they were deeply in love.

On the day of the marriage.

They promise to cling to one another for the rest of their lives, and if possible in the eternities. But at the altar of the now the temple. They were married for this life only since Helen had already been sealed to Joseph Smith for eternity. Notice the age that when she married Horace C-17 because Joseph Smith is killed right after she is sealed to Joseph Smith. He's killed in Carthage jail. Horace is 22, not a young teenager, which goes along with what you just said earlier that this wasn't a normal thing to marry young teenagers, even though I give them credit. They use the word. Some women, but of course what does that mean how many means some. It doesn't say but here is something else that needs to be talked about. She ends up marrying Horace Whitney. And it says very clearly, but at the altar of the Nauvoo Temple. They were married for this life only since Helen had already been sealed to Joseph Smith for eternity. But this brings up some complications, especially in the context of Mormonism. Later, after settling in Utah. Helen had consented to Horace's marriages to Lucy block some and Mary Craven. Lucy died a short time later, but Mary and Helen lived next door to each other and enjoyed a good relationship. Helen and Horace were happily married for 38 years, and she gave birth to 11 children.

Horace died on November 22, 1884 and Helen now spent some of her time writing for the desert retinues in women's exponent because Helen Moore Kimball Whitney was married to Horace Whitney for time only. That would mean because she was married to Joseph Smith for eternity that every one of their children that they would have together and it mentions here Helen and Horace were happily married for 38 years, and she gave birth to 11 children that all of them lived but still, the point is, every one of those children would become Joseph Smith's children in the hereafter. They would not be the children of Horace, even though he had those children with Helen Moore Kimball on page 514 it goes on and says, though Helen spent most of her life, married a horse, she knew she had been sealed to the prophet Joseph Smith how her relationships would work themselves out in the hereafter. Was not always clear to her, but she intended to claim all eternal blessings God had promised her family got it always brought her through the furnace of affliction and she continue to trust that he would make things right in the" I have long since learned to leave with him who know with better than ourselves, what will make us happy.

She wrote Bill why do you think they included the story of Helen Mark Kimball in this history book. Some might think that my answers bored out of my prejudices, you might say, and I will agree that I do have my prejudices when I read the story, but I really think the reason why this story is included in the book Saints is to just show loyalty even though that loyalty might bring some uncomfortable situations for you and it may be directly tied to a lot of the problems that many latter-day St. women have with the Mormon doctrine of celestial polygamy. In other words, a Morgan male who qualifies for exultation will have the ability according to Mormonism to take on more wives in the hereafter, and that certainly has caused a lot of Latter Day Saints females consternation. Thank you for listening you would like more information is research ministry.

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