Saints: The Standard of Truth Part 29: D&C 132

Point is, the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints viewpoint when Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect. And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism welcome to this edition of a viewpoint on Mormonism. I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM continuing in the book Saints. The standard of truth published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 2018. We now look at the coming forth of what is known as section 132 in the doctrine and covenants we are introduced to a man by the name of William Clayton, who was Joseph Smith's clerk and scribe on page 502 it says on the morning of July 12, William Clayton was in Joseph's office when the prophet and Hiram entered quote if you will write the revelation. Hiram told Joseph. I will take it and read it to Emma, and I believe I can convince her of his truth and you will hereafter have peace." Now remember, this is the same Hiram that we were talking about yesterday who was preaching that plural marriage was an abomination and he was using the book of Mormon to prove that point, Jacob.

Chapter 2 verse 27 but he was convinced by Brigham Young that it was actually a commandment from God. So in one sitting with Brigham Young Hiram completely changes his mind and now he's all on board with the doctrine of plural marriage.

So at this point, Smith is going to be writing down the revelation and as I mentioned earlier that's going to become section 132 in the doctrine and covenants.

You do not know and as well as I do.

Joseph said that spring and summer had been sealed to additional women, including a few whom Emma had personally selected yet helping Joseph choose wives had not made obeying the principal easy for Emma. We need to restate this seems to be going back and forth. I would say she was probably more against it than she was in favor of it and when it says that he had been sealed to additional women, including a few whom Emma had personally selected will just in reading. That certainly what that implies is there was probably several that she didn't select we know that Joseph Smith before he married the partridge sisters in the Lawrence sisters he already had 16 wives and she knew about. None of those. It continues on the doctrine is so plain.

Hiram said I can convince any reasonable manner woman of his truth, its purity and heavenly origin.

We will see. Joseph said he asked William to take out paper and write as he spoke the word of the Lord. Much of the revelation was already known to Joseph.

It described the new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage, along with associated blessings and promises. It also revealed the terms governing plural marriage, which Joseph had learned while translating the Bible in 1831. The remainder of the revelation was new counsel for him and Emma addressing their questions and current struggles with plural marriage, the Lord revealed that for a marriage to continue beyond the grave. The man and woman must marry by priesthood authority have their covenant sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise and remain faithful to their covenant.

Those who met these conditions would inherit glorious blessings of exultation quote then shall they be gods, because they have no and the Lord declared then shall they be above all, because all things are subject onto them."

The Lord went on to speak about plural marriage and his covenant to bless Abraham with an innumerable posterity for his faithfulness from the beginning, the Lord had ordained marriage between one man and one woman to fulfill his plan.

Sometimes, however, the Lord authorized plural marriages a way to raise up children and righteous families and bring about their exultation. No, that's obviously a reference to Jacob to the book of Mormon because that's what it says in Jacob 230 it says that really the only excuse were the only exception for plural marriage to be accepted, would be to raise up seed but when it says sometimes, however, the Lord authorized plural marriage is a way to raise up children and righteous families where, when did that ever happened when the Lord ever authorized plural marriage for that to take place.

You certainly don't find that in the Old Testament. I mean, when we have Abraham and Sarah and Hagar gets involved. There is no place anywhere that it talks about God saying that it was Abraham and Sarah decided amongst themselves and that is the example Mormons will often used to show that Abraham was commanded to practice this but yet it doesn't imply that at all in the passages that Mormons like to use as a proof text, the book continues on page 503.

Although the revelation was directed to the saints.

It ended with counsel for Emma about Jeff's plural wives quote let mine handmade Emma Smith receive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, the Lord instructed he commanded her to forgive Joseph stay with him and keep her covenants promising the bless and multiply her and give her reason to rejoice that she did. He also warned her of the dire consequences that befell those who broke their covenants and disobeyed the law of the Lord will stop you there because this is the area of section 132 where actually this warning that is given was pretty serious.

I mean, when we read in verse 54.

It actually says and I command mine handmade 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, saith the Lord, for I am the Lord thy God and will destroy her if she abide not in my law, do you think Emma knew about this years later when she later denies that polygamy ever took place because obviously even the book admits doctrine and covenants section 132 is not about a celestial marriage. Many Latter Day Saints may think of one man and one woman. It refers to plural marriage and it's interesting you bring that up because I have had Mormons argue that section 132 isn't about plural marriage I'm I'm glad to see that the book puts that argument to rest because it admits it is about that. Oh yeah, sure. It's also about marriage in eternity, but it is talking about plural marriage. You would think there would be no reason for Emma to fight against this. If it was merely the idea that she was going to be with her husband Joseph alone for eternity. Why would she be against it. Why would Joseph Smith feel necessary to put this kind of a curse against his wife.

In verse 54. If it was only talking about being married for eternity. I can't imagine Emma having a problem with that. If the one she's going to be with for eternity was only her husband Joseph. The fact that it included other women certainly is what was behind Emma's problem with this teaching, and I admit she's probably a very confused woman regarding this. I'm sure Smith is probably telling her also to things to try to get her on board and allow him to go on doing what he's doing, but as we can see in this book tends to bring out she waffles, back-and-forth, not knowing what to do with this teaching so much to the point that Joseph Smith has to put this threat in verse 54 section 132 in the doctrine and covenants. If you go on a page 503 and the standard of truth. You would think that, if she understands that Joseph has the ability to give a revelation directly from God that that would be something that she would receive and accept, but this is what it says in the book when Joseph finished dictating the revelation William had filled 10 pages. He put down the pen and read the revelation back to Joseph, the prophet said it was correct and Hiram took it to Emma to stop you very quickly there.

It's a 10 page revelation, but Joseph seems to dictate this from memory.

We get the impression the Lord's not speaking to him about it right there by revelation. He seems to have this in his mind only skeptical, but I have a hard time believing that page 504, it says hi return to Joseph's office later that day and told his brother that he had never been talked to more severely in his life when he read the revelation Emma. She had become angry and rejected it. Quote I told you you did not know Emma as well as I did. Joseph said quietly folded the revelation and put it in his pocket. Now this is only a few months after Emma allegedly goes along with polygamy and allows her husband to be married to not only the Partridge sisters but as we also know it was also the Lord sisters. Maria and Sarah. You can see how she's going back and forth on this. The book is trying to bring out that yes, she saw what her husband was telling her she seemed to agree that what he was saying was coming from God, but almost immediately she reverses her self on that which tends to show us that this is a very conflicted woman and I can't blame her. I can't blame her at all. Toward the end of Emma's life. Her son Joseph Smith.

The third went to her February 1879 to ask her about polygamy because he was the head of the reorganized church that's based in Independence, Missouri today known as a community of Christ, and he interviewed his mother about this because a lot of the Mormons from Utah were saying he did participate in polygamy and Joseph Smith. The third said now based on what he believed his mother had told him listen to the interview that's found in Mormon enigma that was written by Linda King Newell and valine Tibbets Avery, page 301 Joseph asked this question, what about the revelation on polygamy the Joseph Smith have anything like it. What of spiritual why free. There was no revelation on either polygamy or spiritual wives.

Emma said and then she went on and said there were some rumors of something of the sort which I asked my husband he assured me that all there was of it was that in a chat about plural wives. He had said, well, such a system might possibly be if everybody was agreed to it and would behave as they should but they would not. And besides, it was contrary to the will of heaven. Emma continued no such thing as polygamy or spiritual. Why free was taught publicly or privately before my husband's death that I have now or ever had knowledge of, and the Joseph Smith the third asked that he not have otherwise than yourself.

She replied he had no other wife but me, nor did he. To my knowledge ever have. Why is it that Emma Smith is lying to her own son. Years later, lots of time to think about it, something that would be easily shown to be true, could be verified and yet she denies it is. Is it because that she accepts polygamy, even at this day. Now, over all the years she never accepted it. It's interesting to Jan ships, who is a non-Mormon, but she is known for being a historian concerning Mormonism.

She I think she use the word that Emma was in the habit of forgetting that was the word that she used, but yet it sounds to me based on what you just read there that what Emma is doing in that interview is outright lying about this if what we've looked at from this book is true. Emma was very well aware of not only the quote unquote revelation. She was also aware of what her husband was participating in. She was upset by what she knew her husband was participating in another words, this doctrine affected her immensely. So for her to say what she says and that interview I don't know how you can conclude that she's not lying about it. We been saying this all week and I think it bears repeating. Joseph Smith was not a virtuous man. He should not be elevated by latter-day St. people as being a man that people should look up to.

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