William Law VS Joseph Smith

[_grindael]

I think Emma really did see some kind of greatness in Joseph, but that she had to constantly watch over him because she more than anyone else knew his flaws and accepted them. She would take him to the very edge, but stop just short of breaking with him permanently. She got him away from the moneydigging by bringing him to Harmony and making a deal with her father, and Joseph did turn to that, and tried to reform, but his family ties were very strong as were their expectations about the Gold Bible. Joseph kind of made a compromise, but then abandoned farm life for his new religion. Emma stayed with him as Joseph floundered personally but soared as a Church leader and "prophet". It took great courage for her to do so. She truly was a complicated soul, far more than I think Joseph was.

[_Goldenbrass]

I think Emma really did see some kind of greatness in Joseph, but that she had to constantly watch over him because she more than anyone else knew his flaws and accepted them. She would take him to the very edge, but stop just short of breaking with him permanently. She got him away from the moneydigging by bringing him to Harmony and making a deal with her father, and Joseph did turn to that, and tried to reform, but his family ties were very strong as were their expectations about the Gold Bible. Joseph kind of made a compromise, but then abandoned farm life for his new religion. Emma stayed with him as Joseph floundered personally but soared as a Church leader and "prophet". It took great courage for her to do so. She truly was a complicated soul, far more than I think Joseph was.

Thanks for providing more context Grindael, provide so much more information that really fleshes out the main figures in this period of Mormonism which actually helps to understand even in part what their motivations were, what their characters were and why history turned out the way that it did.

Could William Law have downplayed Joseph Smith's advances on his wife because he didn't want her virtue being questioned? It's obvious that Joseph Smith had a habit of engaging in character assassination on anyone who testified against him and maybe Law decided he didn't want his wife's name being besmirched in the same way that Sarah Pratt's name was? I know it was crossed out of his diary, but people kept diaries for a reason and maybe he thought it wasn't worth going there. From everything I've learned about Law I agree it doesn't seem like he was interested in polygamy, and despite some temptation quickly came to his senses and saw it for what it was.

I do think Emma loved Joseph and she didn't make it easy for him to get away with what he was doing, but she did stay with him. It's a complicated relationship and one that is far more interesting than the sanitized Sunday School version that members are presented in Church. Emma forcing Joseph to give up his plural wives combined with the pressure coming from Law and then Joseph's decision to run for President seems to have put his plural marriages on hold before he died. Maybe that's why Emma felt so comfortable denying Joseph's polygamy after his death or maybe she was just following his lead of preaching the same denial that Joseph always publicly preached from the stand.

[_moksha]

How low could they go? It seems there was no limit. And...

This podcast is a must hear, all about Walmart. Law and how he was vilified...

https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/histor ... etractors/ (Tom Kimball & D. Michael Quinn)

Just because some of the Saints got strung out on apologetics does not make them all addicts!

[_grindael]

How low could they go? It seems there was no limit. And...

This podcast is a must hear, all about Walmart. Law and how he was vilified...

https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/histor ... etractors/ (Tom Kimball & D. Michael Quinn)

Just because some of the Saints got strung out on apologetics does not make them all addicts!

My comment was directed at those who did such things.

[_grindael]