Plural Marriage and you can Eternal Matrimony
A comparable disclosure one to educated regarding plural relationships try element of a bigger disclosure made available to Joseph Smith-one wedding you porque nГЈo experimentar estes certainly will last past dying which endless relationships try important to inheriting new fulness one Goodness wants for His people. Pratt that the “beautiful purchase” welcome Pratt and his wife-to-be to one another “for time and most of the eternity.” 11 Joseph including educated one to guys such as Pratt-who had remarried after the death of 1st wife-was partnered (or closed) to their spouses for eternity, in right conditions. twelve
The fresh new securing out of husband and wife to own eternity was developed you are able to by the repairs of priesthood secrets and you may ordinances. Toward ent prophet Elijah seemed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery regarding Kirtland Temple and you may recovered new priesthood keys must carry out ordinances with the way of living therefore the inactive, along with sealing family members to one another. 13 Marriages did because of the priesthood power you are going to hook relatives to help you each other to have eternity, into position away from righteousness; marriage ceremonies performed as opposed to that it authority manage stop within death. fourteen
Relationships did from the priesthood expert created that the procreation out-of youngsters and you will perpetuation from family manage continue towards the eternities. Joseph Smith’s disclosure to the wedding declared your “extension of seed products permanently and you will actually” helped to fulfill God’s uses for Their children. 15 It pledge obtained to any or all people who were hitched by priesthood expert and you can had been faithful on their covenants.
Plural Matrimony in Nauvoo
To have a lot of West history, family members “interest”-financial, political, and you will public factors-controlled the choice of partner. Mothers met with the power to plan marriages otherwise prevent unions regarding that they disapproved. By late 1700s, romance and personal solutions started to competition this type of traditional motives and you can practices. sixteen Of the Joseph Smith’s date, of a lot people insisted for the marrying for like, when he and you will Emma did when they eloped facing her parents’ desires.
Latter-day Saints’ intentions to own plural marriage was will more spiritual than financial otherwise close. Aside from the wish to be acquiescent, a strong bonus is the newest pledge out-of residing God’s presence having nearest and dearest. Regarding revelation on matrimony, the father promised members “crowns regarding endless life” and “exaltation about eternal planets.” 17 Men, mothers and you can college students, forefathers and progeny would be to become “sealed” together-its commitment long-term into eternities, consistent with Jesus’s pledge one to priesthood ordinances performed on the planet could end up being “likely for the eden.” 18
The initial plural an and Joseph Smith was indeed shut in April 1841. 19 Joseph partnered of a lot most wives and you may authorized other Latter-time New orleans saints to train plural relationships. The new practice spread slowly initially. From the Summer 1844, whenever Joseph passed away, up to 29 guys and you can fifty women had joined on plural marriage, and additionally Joseph along with his wives. If New orleans saints joined the latest Sodium River Area in 1847, about 196 guys and 521 women had registered towards the plural marriages. 20 Players within these early plural marriage ceremonies bound to maintain their engagement private, even though they forecast a time when the practice was in public areas accepted.
Nevertheless, rumors spread. Several dudes unscrupulously put these rumors to seduce female to subscribe all of them into the an enthusiastic not authorized practice sometimes called “spiritual wifery.” If this was located, new men was indeed take off on Chapel. 21 Brand new gossip encouraged users and you will management to help you material carefully worded denials one to denounced religious wifery and you can polygamy however, have been silent from the just what Joseph Smith and others saw as divinely mandated “celestial” plural marriage. 22 The fresh new statements emphasized the Chapel experienced no y if you’re implicitly making open the possibility that people, under assistance of God’s way of life prophet, you’ll do so. 23