The Lord made provision though that his sacred law (of plural marriage) would continue amongst those worthy to live it, that their children would be born in that holy covenant of Celestial (plural) Marriage, and that the authority would remain upon the earth until the return of Christ. He, Himself, said “I have not revoked this law, nor will I!”(1), and that the principle was to continue, is a truth all of the prophets from Brigham Young to Joseph F. Smith prophesied of:
“For so God help us, we will never give up that holy law that noble prophets laid down their lives to maintain.” Brigham Young(2)
“It is an eternal part of our religion, and we will never relinquish it – We cannot withdraw or renounce it – He has promised to maintain it.” John Taylor(3)
“We wont quit practicing Plural Marriage until Christ shall come.” Wilford Woodruff(4)
“Though I go to prison, God will not change His law of Celestial Marriage.” Lorenzo Snow(5)
“There are, however, enough witnesses to these principles to establish them upon the earth in such a manner that they never can be forgotten or stamped out. For they will live;…they are bound to prevail, because they are true principles.” Joseph F. Smith(6)
John Taylor began both the means through which those prophecies would be fulfilled, and also made a further prophesy at that momentous time, as Lorin Woolley, a witness relates, “He then set apart and placed us under covenant that while we lived we would see to it that no year passed by without children being born in the principle of Plural Marriage. We were given authority to ordain others if necessary to carry this work on, they in turn to be given authority to ordain others when necessary, under the direction of the worthy senior (by ordination), so that there should be no cessation in the work.”(7)
Apostle Marriner W. Merrill, who would have surely come to know of the covenant those faithful brethren made, repeated President Taylor’s words to a group of Saints just before the the new century. Said he, “…the time would never come when children of Polygamous parents would cease to be born in the Church.”(8) A year later, another Apostle, the son of Wilford Woodruff in fact, made a similar statement, and ensured his listeners knew it was a prophesy, “…no year will ever pass, whether it be in this country [Mexico], in India, or wherever, from now until the coming of the Saviour, when children will not be born in Plural Marriage. And I make this prophecy in the name of Jesus Christ.”(9)
It is also related that Presidents B.H. Roberts and Joseph F. Smith(10) made similar remarks, and we know from those men who in this century have received the same commission and authority John Taylor originally imparted have also made a the same covenant(11), and that to the present day no year has gone by without a child being born into families living plural marriage.
Additional Quotes
Heber C. Kimball – Plural marriage “would end” he said “when the Church had gone to the devil or the Priesthood taken from this people – then God would give it to another people.” (11 February 1849, Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power. See Journal of Discourses 3:125, 6 October 1855.)
George Q. Cannon – “To renounce the doctrine and promise not to obey the revelation – such an action – is impossible.” (Juvenile Instructor 20:136, 1 May 1885.)
Abraham H. Cannon – “As God lives, the principle will not be driven from the earth.” (Salt Lake Conference, 8 May 1887.)
John W. Taylor & Owen Woodruff – “They both prophesied ‘that it would never die out.’” (Letter from Bishop Heber Bennion to Orson F. Whitney, March 1931.)
Charles W. Penrose – “How can God withdraw an everlasting principle from the earth? He has not, and cannot.” (Elder T.J. Rosser letter, 25 May 1908.)
Part four of this series will be posted tomorrow
1. Revelation to John Taylor, 26 September 1886, Unpublished Revelations 88:9.
2. Brigham Young, Life of Mosiah Hancock p. 48.
3. John Taylor, Millennial Star 47:708, 9 November 1855.
4. Wilford Woodruff, John Henry Smith Journal, see Heber J. Grant Journal, 17 May 1888.
5. Lorenzo Snow, History of Utah, Orson F. Whitney, 1879.
6. Joseph F. Smith, Journal of Discourses 21:10, 7 December 1879.
7. Woolley affidavit.
8. Rudger Clawson Diary, 11 July 1899.
9. Abraham O. Woodruff, Quarterly Conference in Colonia Juarez, 18-19 November 1900, recorded by Joseph Charles Bentley (clerk), Journal and Notes p. 61.
10. Interview with Douglas M. Todd, Sr., 28 November 1969.
11. “I was instructed to see that never a year passed that children were not born in the covenant of plural marriage.” Joseph W. Musser (autobiography), 14 May 1929.
The Last Prophecies of John Taylor – 3
Filed under: Thoughts & Commentary |
Prophecy Three
The Lord made provision though that his sacred law (of plural marriage) would continue amongst those worthy to live it, that their children would be born in that holy covenant of Celestial (plural) Marriage, and that the authority would remain upon the earth until the return of Christ. He, Himself, said “I have not revoked this law, nor will I!”(1), and that the principle was to continue, is a truth all of the prophets from Brigham Young to Joseph F. Smith prophesied of:
John Taylor began both the means through which those prophecies would be fulfilled, and also made a further prophesy at that momentous time, as Lorin Woolley, a witness relates, “He then set apart and placed us under covenant that while we lived we would see to it that no year passed by without children being born in the principle of Plural Marriage. We were given authority to ordain others if necessary to carry this work on, they in turn to be given authority to ordain others when necessary, under the direction of the worthy senior (by ordination), so that there should be no cessation in the work.”(7)
Apostle Marriner W. Merrill, who would have surely come to know of the covenant those faithful brethren made, repeated President Taylor’s words to a group of Saints just before the the new century. Said he, “…the time would never come when children of Polygamous parents would cease to be born in the Church.”(8) A year later, another Apostle, the son of Wilford Woodruff in fact, made a similar statement, and ensured his listeners knew it was a prophesy, “…no year will ever pass, whether it be in this country [Mexico], in India, or wherever, from now until the coming of the Saviour, when children will not be born in Plural Marriage. And I make this prophecy in the name of Jesus Christ.”(9)
It is also related that Presidents B.H. Roberts and Joseph F. Smith(10) made similar remarks, and we know from those men who in this century have received the same commission and authority John Taylor originally imparted have also made a the same covenant(11), and that to the present day no year has gone by without a child being born into families living plural marriage.
Additional Quotes
Part four of this series will be posted tomorrow
1. Revelation to John Taylor, 26 September 1886, Unpublished Revelations 88:9.
2. Brigham Young, Life of Mosiah Hancock p. 48.
3. John Taylor, Millennial Star 47:708, 9 November 1855.
4. Wilford Woodruff, John Henry Smith Journal, see Heber J. Grant Journal, 17 May 1888.
5. Lorenzo Snow, History of Utah, Orson F. Whitney, 1879.
6. Joseph F. Smith, Journal of Discourses 21:10, 7 December 1879.
7. Woolley affidavit.
8. Rudger Clawson Diary, 11 July 1899.
9. Abraham O. Woodruff, Quarterly Conference in Colonia Juarez, 18-19 November 1900, recorded by Joseph Charles Bentley (clerk), Journal and Notes p. 61.
10. Interview with Douglas M. Todd, Sr., 28 November 1969.
11. “I was instructed to see that never a year passed that children were not born in the covenant of plural marriage.” Joseph W. Musser (autobiography), 14 May 1929.