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Although he is known to have initially opposed polygamy, he finally gave in and married his first wife's sister, Mercy Fielding Thompson, on August 11, 1843, followed by Catharine Phillips and, evidently, Lydia Dibble Granger that same month, then Louisa Sanger on September 17 - a total of four plural wives in just over a month.

Hyrum had denounced the pervasive rumors regarding his brother's involvement with women as late as May 14, 1843, yet it appears that he may have performed some sealings before this date at which time Joseph had already married twenty-four supernumerary wives and convinced eleven other men to go and do likewise. But before indulging in the practice himself, Hyrum had proclaimed that "many wifes & concubines" was an "abomination in the Sight of God" and that "if an angel should come and preach such doctrine, someone would be sure to see his cloven foot and cloud of blackness over his head." A week later, Joseph's secretary, Willard Richards, warned that "a plot" was "being laid" by "bro H and others," with the intent to "entrap the brethren" with women. The previous year, Hyrum had publicly defended the prophet and his ever-reliable senior apostle, Brigham Young, against accusations of improper proposals to Martha Brotherton, Sarah Pratt and Nancy Rigdon.

Hyrum's May exhortation against the "abomination" he detected in the church came only two months before the revelation on plural marriage. Surprisingly, Hyrum experienced an abrupt change of heart by August and would be the one to announce his brother's revelation to the Nauvoo High Council. To persuade his skeptical older brother, Joseph had told Hyrum that if he embraced the doctrine, he could have his deceased wife, Jerusha Barden, sealed to him in the next world. In addition, he could have his current wife, Mary Fielding, sealed to him as an eternal companion. And furthermore, if he wished, he could have his wife's sister Mercy sealed to him, as well. Hyrum appeared to be tempted. To influence his deliberations, Brigham confided to Hyrum that his brother Joseph had "many wives."

"Nauvoo Polygamy: ...but We Called It Celestial Marriage", page 335

cinepro wrote:Now, here it is as told by Truman Madsen:

Madsen on Joseph Smith's Marriages

I thought the contrast was interesting.

Ray A wrote:Give Madsen the floor and he could make terrorism sound like a divinely inspired principle.

Ray A wrote:Give Madsen the floor and he could make terrorism sound like a divinely inspired principle.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as young men holding the priesthood of God, you have a tremendous obligation toward the girl you marry. Perhaps you are not thinking much of that now. But the time isn’t far away when you will think of it, and now is the time to prepare for that most important day of your lives when you take unto yourself a wife and companion equal with you before the Lord.

That obligation begins with absolute loyalty. As the old Church of England ceremony says, you will marry her “for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse.” She will be yours and yours alone, regardless of the circumstances of your lives. You will be hers and hers alone. There can be eyes for none other. There must be absolute loyalty, undeviating loyalty one to another. Hopefully you will marry her forever, in the house of the Lord, under the authority of the everlasting priesthood. Through all the days of your lives, you must be as true one to another as the polar star.

The girl you marry can expect you to come to the marriage altar absolutely clean. She can expect you to be a young man of virtue in thought and word and deed.

Dr. Shades wrote:

cinepro wrote:Now, here it is as told by Truman Madsen:

Madsen on Joseph Smith's Marriages

I thought the contrast was interesting.

Madsen is lying. He said that Eliza R. Snow had been sealed to Joseph with Emma's permission. That was not the case.

Ray A wrote:

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as young men holding the priesthood of God, you have a tremendous obligation toward the girl you marry. Perhaps you are not thinking much of that now. But the time isn’t far away when you will think of it, and now is the time to prepare for that most important day of your lives when you take unto yourself a wife and companion equal with you before the Lord.

That obligation begins with absolute loyalty. As the old Church of England ceremony says, you will marry her “for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse.” She will be yours and yours alone, regardless of the circumstances of your lives. You will be hers and hers alone. There can be eyes for none other. There must be absolute loyalty, undeviating loyalty one to another. Hopefully you will marry her forever, in the house of the Lord, under the authority of the everlasting priesthood. Through all the days of your lives, you must be as true one to another as the polar star.

The girl you marry can expect you to come to the marriage altar absolutely clean. She can expect you to be a young man of virtue in thought and word and deed.

Chap wrote:

... Hopefully you will marry her forever, in the house of the Lord, under the authority of the everlasting priesthood. ...

Gordon B. Hinckley, Living Worthy of the Girl You Will Someday Marry.
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So does not this prophetic teaching on a subject vital to the life and faith of ordinary LDS imply that if any LDS males are expecting to be polygamous in the after-life, they are just plain wrong?
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Or am I in some way confused here? Please explain, if you can.

President Ezra Taft Benson, Of the Quorum of the Twelve wrote: in Liahona » 1981 » June - First Presidency Message : Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet
(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University)
Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.