This is a continuation of my last post. I come from the Brighamite tradition of Mormonism i.e. those who considered Brigham and the Twelve the rightful successors to Joseph Smith. However, Brigham was as Noah, son of Zeniff, who “...did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.
“And he laid a tax…. And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom. For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.
“Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity. Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.
“And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things…. And he also built him a spacious palace...” (See Mosiah 11)
If there is any doubt about this comparison, I’d refer people to the following four exceptional presentations (from an active, faithful LDS member) of historical documentation concerning efforts at temple building and other construction projects from Kirtland all the way through the completion of the Salt Lake temple in 1893 (note, these are long, but I was able to listen to them on 1.5x speed while doing chores around the house and it was pretty easy to get through):
Temples Part 1 – from Solomon to Nauvoo
Temples Part 2 – Salt Lake Temple and Brigham’s Priorities
Temples part 3 — Angels and Renovations
Temples Part 4 — The Endowment: Line Upon Line
Ground was broken for the Salt Lake temple in April 1853 and exactly 40 years later, on April 6, 1893, the Salt Lake temple was finally dedicated. This came three years after the 1890 manifesto that was supposed to have ended new polygamous marriages. Around that time, the endowment house – previously used for polygamous sealings – was torn down.
During these 40 years, the delay in completing the Salt Lake temple was not because of poverty or persecution of the saints. Three other temples were completed before the Salt Lake temple: St. George, Logan, and Manti. Spacious homes or mansions were built for Brigham Young and his wives (e.g. the Beehive and Lion houses, built in 1854 and 1856). Large buildings devoted to business or entertainment were constructed. At the time of Brigham’s death, his estate was valued at over $600,000 (over $18 million today, although I’ve also heard up to $46 million).
After Joseph’s death, Brigham excommunicated members (such as Sydney Rigdon) who did not consider the quorum of the twelve the rightful successors to Joseph Smith. Three years later, Brigham was able to secure for himself the position of president over the church and proceeded to restructure the church organization, placing the first presidency above the quorum of the twelve (i.e. the traveling high council), the twelve above the seventy, and the seventy above the standing high councils, contrary to the organization the Lord gave through Joseph Smith in section 107 (where none of these quorums were above the others). Thus, as King Noah, Brigham “…had changed the affairs of the kingdom.” (Mosiah 11:4)
The Salt Lake temple dedication on April 6, 1893 marked a symbolic moment, an opportunity to forsake old ways that were not in the mind and will of God (see Jacob 2:23-35 and section 101 in the 1835 D&C, as well as numerous public statements from Joseph and Hyrum Smith condemning plural marriage). The theme of many dedication speeches was one of repentance and the Lord’s forgiveness of his penitent people. Whatever that meant in the minds of the saints at the time, I believe the message God had for those who had ears to hear was that this was a moment to forsake practices of the past and begin anew as His people.
It took time to completely abandon the practice. I’m the great grandson of a man who was faithful to two wives (the first sealed to him in 1900 and the second sealed to him in 1903) and was reported to have been a loving and nurturing father to his 20 (or 21) children who survived infancy. His second marriage must have been one of the very last before the church, under scrutiny from the Smoot hearings, made one final and forceful denunciation of the practice of plural marriage, punishable by excommunication.
Since then, the LDS church has denounced three other false teachings from Brigham Young: Adam-God doctrine, blood atonement, and priesthood restriction based on race. These key years – 1890, 1893, 1904, and 1978, among others – mark symbolic moments and milestones in our institutional repentance. These have moved us in the right direction. Recent emphasis on home church, teaching within our families, the Book of Mormon, and guidance by the power of the holy ghost are likewise a sure foundation that will continue to move us gradually away from the philosophies of men and toward the Mind and Spirit of God.
But, we need to stop thinking of ourselves as separate factions of Mormonism – LDS, RLDS, Rigdonite, Strangite, and so forth – and start thinking of ourselves as belonging to one faith. We need to stop saying “I, I am the Lord’s” (2 Nephi 28:3) and recognize that “...all [have] gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.” (2 Nephi 28:14)
It’s my own belief that no institutional church of any faith, persuasion, or denomination teaches the complete truth and has sole authority to act in the name of God. Alma the elder had been one of the wicked priests of Noah. But, he repented and asked God to give him authority to baptize, which he did. And yet Mosiah, a contemporary, was called a seer and used this gift to translate the record of the Jaredites. What gifts were given and persisted in the various branches of Mormonism, most particularly the RLDS church and the restoration branches that broke away from it after the RLDS/CoC schism in the 1980s?
It’s time to collect the branches together, according to the allegory of the olive trees in Jacob chapter 5. It’s time for all of us to come together in this and labor with all our strength for the natural fruit that existed in the beginning – and is to come again upon the earth – and for us to finally become One in Christ.
See my next post for excerpts from Jacob 5.
...it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ...that ye must build your foundation... 