Brigham Young

2007-6-4 11:35:00

Concerning Joseph Smith and polygamy -- I do not believe I ever definitely said he practiced it. I might have eluded to the fact that there is evidence in that direction. I have said he established plural relationships with both genders, but this was inspired by a partial vision of the Molecular Relationship.

I personally believe he fell in love with Eliza R. Snow when she lived with them and had an affair with her and she became pregnant with his child. (She later lost the child.) This was his one true extra physical relationship. He tried to justify this in his mind with the plural marriage doctrine that was in circulation, but concluded he made a mistake and before his death planned on making sure plural marriage was not practiced in the church.

Larry will probably find these quotes from Joseph on Brigham Young to be of interest.

"One other point I wish to notice in the conversation that took place while I was eating at your father's table, and that was, as the conversation turned upon Brigham Young, your father remarked that with regard to the charge brought against those brethren, that he expected that he would have trouble with Brigham Young, especially, and added that 'should the time ever come that this man B. Young should lead the Church that he would lead it to hell.' And these words I remember as plainly as though they were spoken but yesterday; as at this time I had not known that there could have been a charge of fault brought against the man."

Wm. B. Smith. Kingston, Caldwell Co., Mo., March 25th, 1879. (The Saints' Herald 26 [April 15, 1879]: 117)
Also Warsaw Signal, Oct. 29, 1845.

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"Before the murder of Joseph, Brigham was scheming for the presidency of the Church. There are men in San Francisco who were present, and I was present -- when Joseph laid his hand on Brigham's head and said: 'If any one were needed to run this Church to hell, Brother Brigham would be the best man.'"

(Salt Lake Tribune April 10, 1877)

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"Joseph Thorn, a resident of San Bernardino, California, being duly sworn, deposes and says: I was personally acquainted with Brigham Young, late President of the Utah Mormon Church, and knew him when both he and I were living in Nauvoo, Illinois; and I heard Joseph Smith, Jr., at a public meeting in a grove east of the Temple in Nauvoo, when he had been reproving said Brigham Young for taking and using for his own private purposes church moneys without authority, say of him, "If Brigham Young ever leads this church he will lead it to hell." This he said with great emphasis.

"Sworn and subscribed to before me at San Bernardino County, California, this fourth day of February, 1884."

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"To Whom it may Concern: Know ye that I, David Dickson, now residing at Riverside, San Bernardino county, California, was personally present at a public meeting in Nauvoo, Illinois, before the building of the Temple; and there and then saw and heard the Prophet Joseph Smith, while preaching, raise his hand (pointing to Brigham Young who was in the stand with him), saying; 'Talk about leading this church; here is Bro. Brigham, if he ever leads this church, he will lead it to hell.' There were more than a thousand people present at the time; several of whom I, David Dickson, know are now living and heard him say it.

"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my official seal, at my office in the county of San Bernardino, California, on this 29th day of December, 1883."

This is an interesting quote on the Temple Ceremony:

"In answer to questions touching the Nauvoo and Utah Endowment, Sister Eaton of Independence, Missouri, the wife of Apostle John E. Page in the days of Joseph the Seer, and after, says: 'Any other secret order, (than Masonry), grips, oaths, signs, robes, or tableaux, I never heard of in Joseph's days; but after his death I lived in Nauvoo in 1845 and 1846, and was taught them under the rule of the Twelve. I can prove, by some of the covenants we were required to make, that Joseph never originated them. Mr. Page was with me, and went through the same ceremonies. The words of our covenants were spoken to us by Brigham. After we had received the endowment in the temple, as soon as we were alone in our house, Mr. Page said to me, 'Mary, I tell you that endowment is all of the devil. He could not have heard it or polygamy from Joseph.'"  (The Saints' Advocate 5 [March 1883]: 295)

Here is an interesting reference for those who accuse Joseph of starting the church for personal gain:

"When Br. Joseph stated to the general conference the amount and situation of the property of the church, of which he is trustee in trust by the united voice of the church, he also stated the amount of his own possessions on earth; and what do you think it was? we will tell you; his old Charley horse, given him in Kirtland; two pet deer; two old turkeys, and four young ones; the old cow given him by a brother in Missouri, his old Major, dog; his wife [singular], children, and a little household furniture, and this is the amount of the great possessions of that man whom God has called to lead his people in these last days; this the sum total..."

(Times and Seasons 2 [October 15, 1841]: 569)

  

Global Warming Enlightenment:

The Antarctic ice sheet is growing thicker, the Greenland ice sheet is growing thicker, all 50 glaciers in New Zealand are growing. The Franz Josef Glacier is advancing at the rate of three feet per day. The New Zealand Park service has signs there warning people to watch out. Here's the big one though. Glaciers are growing right here in the United States and I'll lay you odds that most of your listeners have never heard that. All seven glaciers are growing on Mount Shasta. One of them has doubled in size since 1950 and we are not hearing about it. In Washington State on Mount Ranier there is the Nisqually Glacier. That glacier is growing thicker at the rate of 18 feet per year... There's a sign right in front of it says it's growing thicker.

Robert Felix, author of "Not by Fire, but by Ice" -- spoken on Coast to Coast May 10, 2007