History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

POLYGAMY DENIED. 167
ever after they must live under the ban of the chris-
tian world; though, with unshaken faith in their
prophet and his doctrine of spiritual wedlock, they
might scorn the world's opinion, and in all sincerity
and singleness of heart thank God that they were
accounted worthy to have all manner of evil spoken
of them falsely.
During this period of probation the church deemed
it advisable to deny the charge, notably by Elder
Pratt in a public sermon, and also by Joseph Smith.
''Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached
with the crime of fornication and polygamy,
we declare that we believe that one man should have
one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in
case of death, when either is at liberty to marry
again." 21 In the Times and Seasons of February 1,
1844, we have a notice signed by Joseph and Hyruni
Smith: "As we have lately been credibly informed
that an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints, by the name of Hiram Brown, has been
preaching polygamy and other false and corrupt doc-
trines in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan, this
is to notify him and the church in general that he
has been cut of from the church for his iniquity."
Notwithstanding these solemn denials and denunciations
in high places, the revelation and the practices
which it sanctioned were not easily concealed. 23
As yet, however, the calumny of the gentiles and
the bickering of the saints vexed not the soul of Joseph.
He was now in the zenith of his fame and
power; his followers in Europe and America numbered
21 Doctrine and Covenants, app. 331.
22 'It is believed,' writes Governor Ford not long afterward to the Illinois
legislature, 'that Joseph Smith had announced a revelation from heaven
sanctioning polygamy, by some kind of spiritual-wife system, which I never
could well understand; but at any rate, whereby a man was allowed one
wife in pursuance of the laws of the country, and an indefinite number of
others, to be enjoyed in some mystical and spiritual mode; and that he himself,
and many of his followers, had practised upon the precepts of this
revelation, by seducing a large number of women.' Message to III. Sen., 14th
Ass. 1st Sess., 6. A copy of Ford's message will be found in Utah Tracts,
no. 11.