Mormons a Century Ago and Polygamist Today

Barlow

Mormons a Century Ago and Polygamist Today

Mary Barlow

Salt Lack Community College

History 2800

Ken Hansen

15 April 2013

Mormons a Century Ago and Polygamist Today

The Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, once said, “It mattereth not whether the principle is popular or unpopular. I will always maintain a true principle even if I stand alone in it.”[1] What do Mormons of past and present have in common? What is real? What is myth? Mormons in the 19th century tried to escape persecution. Presently there are two separate forms of Mormonism; 'mainstream' Mormons and 'fundamental' Mormons. But what is the difference between past and present?

First the history of Mormons. It would appear that Joseph Smith knew that the practice of polygamy would be unpopular. When the 'principle of plural marriage' was introduced there were many people unhappy about its implications. This is why Joseph Smith had to be the example, but he had to get Emma to agree first. Because the law of plural marriage stated that the first wife had to agree for the marriage to be considered correct.[2] Mormons were not popular to begin with. No Christian church wanted another Holy Book. They had the Bible and that was enough. They did not think the Book of Mormon or the Doctrine and Covenants were needed or correct. People fear what they do not understand. Because so many people did not understand what the Mormons were doing or how they believed there was a big fear of Mormonism. Mormons were chased from one place to another by people who had such fears.

When Joseph Smith first revealed the principle of plural marriage to the Mormons, every person who was not a Mormon (and even some who were) had thought Joseph Smith was wrong. Some people believed that it was just an excuse for Mormon men to have illicit sexual relationships and claim that it was correct. Yet when men did this, like John C. Bennett, were excommunicated. This plural marriage was to be a man, reverently, taking responsibility for another wife, another family.[3] This was not a law for everyone to follow. Some men would not have been able to successfully do so, women may not have been willing to share their husband. For these reasons, a man and his wife had to speak to each other and decide together whether or not to live this principle of plural marriage. It was reported that no more than 20% of Mormons were practicing plural marriage. The rest were monogamous marriages.[4]

Joseph Smith firmly believed in freedom of choice. He once said, “I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning, for truth will cut its own way.”[5] He did not want to force anyone to live their lives in a certain way or to believe the same as him. He was peaceful and tried to get along with everyone. Even while suffering persecution, Joseph wanted to make peace with his angry, non-Mormon neighbors.

The Mormons found that the angry, non-Mormon members would not tolerate them; so Mormons moved west to Utah. While living in the Utah Territory had its benefits and draw backs, Mormons were able to live in relative peace. However the United States government wanted to 'free the oppressed women of Mormonism.' President Abraham Lincoln saw the practice of polygamy no different than the practice of slavery and wanted both abolished.[6] President Lincoln is widely viewed as a historical hero; it is highly unlikely that Mormons saw him as a hero. He was trying to put a stop to their beliefs. Whether he was right or wrong was not as important as the unconstitutional law he signed into effect.

There were many laws signed into effect that were targeted towards Mormons and their belief in plural marriage. Laws making cohabitation illegal but only perused if those cohabiting were Mormons. Laws such as: The Morrill Act (1862), The Edmunds Act (1882), and the Edmunds-Tucker Act (1887) were all laws signed into effect to target Mormons; prosecuting Mormons living plural marriage with a fine, time in prison, or both.[7] People who do not know about polygamy but know about the constitution found these laws disturbing. But for the most part the animosity toward Mormons outweighed any misgivings people may have felt.

In 1890, Church President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto. This is titled, simply, Official Declaration. The Manifesto declared that polygamy was not being practiced, nor that it should be practiced, and he is encouraging all Mormons to live the law of the land.[8] By this time legislation had signed, not one but three laws banning polygamy. A few weeks later, President Lorenzo Snow made a statement supporting President Woodruff.[9] But many Mormons firmly believed that because the Manifesto was addressed “to whom it may concern” it was not a revelation from God. One such man was Louis Alma Kelsch, who made a statement at his excommunication trial, “The Manifesto says 'To Whom It May Concern,' and it doesn't concern me a damn bit.”[10] Louis Alma had six wives, 20 sons, and 16 daughters.[11]

Because of the belief that the Manifesto was false there was a separation in the Church. It separated into those who firmly trusted the Manifesto to be true and those who just as firmly believed it was false. There were raids on houses and communities, arrests of men practicing polygamy, and families torn apart and afraid to let their neighbors truly know who they were. Children could no longer bring friends home from school for fear that friend would turn them in. Because the Church no longer supported polygamy, those practicing plural marriage had to do so outside of the Church's authority and regulation. Which means that each person could say that they were following the true principle of plural marriage; and not all of them had to be telling the truth. This is where groups started to come into focus.

The different groups are: The Latter-Day Church of Christ (Kingstons), United Apostolic Brothers (Allreds), Church of the First Born (LeBarons), True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days (Harmston), and Fundamental Latter-Day Saints (Warren Jeffs).[12] Each group believes that they have the true prophet and the only true authority to preform plural marriages. There are also independent polygamists. They are families practicing plural marriages, believing that none of the groups have the true prophet, and are living their religion to the best of their ability with the goal of pleasing God as a central focus.[13] Most people practicing plural marriage believe that the Mormon Church has strayed from true Mormonism. Most groups view present-day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as misguided; or in the case of the FLDS group, apostates.[14]

The group with the most media attention is the Warren Jeffs group, or the FLDS. This is the group that dresses differently, women have long prairie dresses, waved and braided hair, and both men and women wear long sleeves and long pants. FLDS has the most reported cases of underage marriage. Because this group received the most attention for the longest amount of time, most non-polygamists believe that all polygamists look and behave the same. When in truth, most people practicing polygamy or are children from parents practicing polygamy could not be picked out of a crowd and wait until they are adults before entering into a plural marriage. However, the FLDS group is the easiest to find in a crowd, the easiest to locate in the state.

This may be why they have suffered not one raid on their freedoms but multiple. The most recent was the raid on the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Texas in 2008. The other most well-known raid on this group was the Short Creek raid in Arizona in 1953. Both of these raid confirmed in the minds of the FLDS that the government is not to be trusted.[15] Who could blame them? What was the point of raids? The YFZ raid put hundreds of children into the state foster system. Arresting fathers of plural families made those same families have to reach out to the state for financial help, because the main bread winner was behind bars. Each raid left the state in a financial crunch.

Groups were not the only ones to suffer from raids. In 1954, fifteen 'independent' men were arrested for living with multiple women. Louis Alma said that many guards in the prison said that these men were not criminals and they should not be there.[16] With these fifteen men in prison, their wives and children had to find a way to support the family without the help of the men; many of which owned and ran their own successful businesses. Many of the women turned to the state for help; some struggled on without help from the state. Many of the older children had to get jobs; even some of the younger children had to get paper routes or cleaning houses so their mothers could pay for food and housing. The state did not want these children working but by taking away the fathers of the houses many children had to quit school and start working instead.[17] The state was making the children do what they were trying to stop. Ironic.

So why do polygamist groups have such a horrible image? Most polygamist families are very secretive. They do this primarily out of fear of the government and accusing neighbors. Therefore, most information offered to the public is from the people who left/escaped/ran away, whatever you want to call it. Because they left they, of course, have nothing but horror stories to share; and the media eats it up. That is not saying that there is not abuse, but there is also kind, loving families who experience zero abuse at the hands of their fathers. The women who, rightfully, leave abusive situations are the only ones the media is really interested in.[18] Interviews and books of the 'freed women' are always in demand. This makes those who oppose polygamy feel justified.

In the past, plural marriage was supported by the church. In Brigham Young's time, Mormons openly practiced plural marriage. The percentage was around 20 and Mormons supported each other and the decisions of the church. Men who tried to have illicit sexual relationships were excommunicated and men who were abusive had wives leave them with the support of the president of the church. Presently, the church does not support plural marriage. This makes it become a secret practice. People practicing plural marriage still see themselves as Mormons, but they do not have the support of mainstream Mormons. Groups teach through fear of one kind or another and there is no president to step in and tell them they are wrong. Abused women stay for fear of their immortal soul or until they, literally, cannot take anymore abuse. Because there are so many different groups and independents, polygamy is not the same across the board. While most groups do not allow underage marriage, those that do get the most attention.

It is hard to understand something when the people asking questions will not believe what is being said no matter what. It could be related to any other religious stereotype. Like Catholic priests are all pedophiles, all Muslims are terrorists, or all Jews are penny pinchers. While it may be true about some, it is not true about all. There are some Mormons who believe in and follow the word of wisdom; there are some who do not. There are some polygamists who practice underage marriages, most do not.

Because the principle of plural marriage is not recognized by the church it leaves it open for corrupt men to lead those who believe that it should still be in effect. Each group believes that the other groups are wrong, and each independent believes that all the groups are wrong. The fact that Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, is focusing less on polygamy and more on underage marriage is infringing on few religious beliefs and focusing more on illegal activities. Underage marriage and statutory rape is illegal whether it is committed by a fundamental Mormons or anyone else. Abuse is abuse, it does not matter how many women the man is married to. It is unjust to judge many by the act of a few evil men. The evil men are the ones people hear about, because evil and horror is what sells.

If all the people practicing plural marriage were, once again welcomed by the church, there would still be only about 20% or less of the Mormon population practicing plural marriage. It just so happens that that 20% is concentrated and thereby seeming to be a large population. There are even family members of polygamist families who attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and no one knows the difference.

There are women, who are in abusive marriages, get the courage to leave, and still believe that plural marriage is a correct principle. Those women find another family to join and continuing to practice the principle of plural marriage.[19] Yet many families living plural marriage are labeled as 'brainwashed'. The definition of brainwashed is “to make someone adopt radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible pressure.”[20] This could be said about any religion, really. Or maybe it is another stereotype. Because who would willingly choose to live plural marriage?

When Joseph Smith introduced it, people did willingly choose to. Now it is believed that no one would choose to. That every woman is forced and every child is molested. All the women are uneducated and all the men are dominating, abusive, and shows extreme favoritism. It is believed that most do not follow the Law of Sarah. But if you ask a woman in a plural marriage her level of contentment and happiness and she responds in the positive. It becomes a matter of if you believe the answer to the question asked.

Where people are involved, there are flaws to be found. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. How you admit and own up to your mistakes will equate to what kind of person you are. In all reality, it would seem that the only difference between plural marriage in the 19th century and plural marriage today is the fact that the mainstream church does not support it. It still has a bad image. It is still persecuted by the government. It still has men manipulating women and men trying to live honestly. It still has marriages that fall apart, unhappy couples, and couples that are strong in their relationships and stay married for 30 plus years. What is believed? Who truly has an open mind?

Bibliography

Bachman, Daniel and Esplin, Ronald. “History of Polygamy (plural marriage).” Light Planet.

marriage/polygamy_history.html

Darger, Joe, Darger, Alina, Darger, Vicki, Darger, Valerie, and Adams, Brooke. Love Times Three: Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011.

Davis, Ray Jay “Anti-Polygamy Legislation.” Light Planet.

1

[1] Smith, Joseph F. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. 1993, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company), p. 332

[2] Bachman, Daniel and Esplin, Ronald. “History of Polygamy (plural marriage).” Light Planet.

[3]Ibid

[4]“Understanding Polygamy & Fundamentalism.” A Shield and Refuge Ministry.

[5]Parry, Edwin. Joseph Smith's Teaching. 1931, (Salt Lake City: The Deseret News), p. 100

[6]Stack, Peggy. “The Mormon Church and Polygamy.” Beliefnet.

[7]Davis, Ray Jay. “Anit-Polygamy Legislation.” Light Planet.

[8]Doctrine and Covenants: Official Declaration. 1921, (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) p. 256-257

[9]Ibid

[10]Kelsch, Barbara O. Louis Alma Kelsch. n.d. (Salt Lake City: Privately Printed) p. 29

[11]Ibid, p. 133

[12]Ross, Rick A. “Polygamist Groups.” Rick Ross.

[13]“Understanding Polygamy & Fundamentalism.” A Shield and Refuge Ministry.

[14]Ibid

[15]“Raid On a Polygamist Town: Arizona, 1953.” Time.

[16]Kelsch, Barbara O. Louis Alma Kelsch, n.d. (Salt Lake City: Privately Printed) p. 51

[17]Ibid, p. 68

[18]Sachs, Andrea. “Polygamy Survivor Carolyn Jessop.” Time: Entertainment.

[19]Darger, Joe, Darger, Alina, Darger Vicki, Darger, Valerie, and Adams Brooke. 2011, (New York, HarperCollins Publishers), p. 108-109

[20]Farlex. “Brainwash” The Free Dictionary.