Items of special interest relative to the 1886 REVELATION. The following excerpts taken from the trial minutes of special meetings of the Twelve Apostles held in the Salt Lake Temple, February 22nd, and March 1st, 1911.
Those in Attendance were: Apostle John W. Taylor, President Francis M. Lyman and Apostles Heber J. Grant, Hyrum M. Smith, Charles W. Penrose, George F. Richards, Orson F. Whitney, David O. McKay, Anthony W. Ivins and Joseph F. Smith Jr.
President Francis M. Lyman presided and specifically informed Apostle John W. Taylor that he had been summoned to the trial, “TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.”
Apostle John W. Taylor: My father received a REVELATION which however was never presented to the Church, and I refer to this not because it was a REVELATION to my father; I don’t think a REVELATION because it came through him was any greater than one received through any other president of the Church, but because it seems to pertain to this question.
The REVELATION follows:
The REVELATION was read by Brother Penrose.
Apostle John W. Taylor: There are two things I am drawing your attention to. I am not in politics and very little in the Church, but I do this as a matter of privilege. This REVELATION is either true or it is false. Assuming that it is true, it seems to me that it would be better to offer leniency on the side of the Lord if you are going to offer any leniency, than on the side of politics....Brother Lyman what do you think of the REVELATION to my father?
President Francis M. Lyman: If you ask me if I believe in the plurality of wives, I would say that I believe it is true and will always be so, but the Lord may suspend the practice of it, and how much of the responsibility remains with the people and with the government, I don’t know. I am living with my wives now all the time, but I don’t hold the Church responsible for it but shoulder the responsibility myself....I have no fault to find with the REVELATION.
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: Do you understand the free agency referred to in the REVELATION gives any one the privilege of taking a plural wife?
Apostle John W. Taylor: I take it that it refers to the individual and relieved the Church of the responsibility and placed the responsibility upon the individual.
President Francis M. Lyman: When did you find this REVELATION?
Apostle John W. Taylor: I found it on his desk immediately after his death, when I was appointed administrator of his estate....
President Francis M. Lyman: Do you think anyone can solemnize plural marriages with authority now?
Apostle John W. Taylor: I feel under certain circumstances they could, but it would depend on the circumstances.
President Francis M. Lyman: What conditions?
Apostle John W. Taylor: I fully explained that last time.
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: What are your views with regard to that REVELATION?
Apostle John W. Taylor: I am not the one to pass upon that REVELATION. I think you are the ones to do that.
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: What I desire to get at is as to how you view the matter, whether you have been guided by that in your case. You brought the REVELATION to us and it has never been accepted by the Church or presented to it.
Apostle John W. Taylor: I think the only thing to do is to go to the presiding priesthood of the Lord and get his idea on it and get him to inquire of the Lord what His mind is regarding it.
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: I don’t think Brother Taylor should come here and tell us what we need to do. But what I wanted to know is what he thought the President meant by the REVELATION, whether the man was placed upon his own responsibility by that REVELATION and the President and Church relieved of all responsibility or not.
Apostle Anthony W. Ivins: Do you know how extensively this REVELATION has been circulated in times past and has guided people in their actions in this regard?
Apostle John W. Taylor: Brother Joseph Robinson came to me and asked for a copy of it upon the suggestion of Brother Cowley and he got it from Brother Badger. Brother Joseph F. Smith Jr. also got a copy but I don’t know how many have got copies from these.
Apostle Anthony W. Ivins: You don’t know what inference was placed upon it in early times?
Apostle John W. Taylor: No, I don’t know.
Apostle Anthony W. Ivins: I ask this question because I have heard some of the brethren interpret this REVELATION in this way, and I would like to find out to what extent they had the endorsement of the Church in view of this REVELATION, and what was the reason these brethren went to Canada and Mexico. Do you know what they based their belief upon; as they seemed to be sincere. Whether it was from this REVELATION or from the President of the Church or from what grounds were taken that they could come in contact with the law of the land and still win out. I would like to know from Brother Taylor what he knows about this and if they were justified in it.
Apostle John W. Taylor: President Smith has come out on numerous occasions with the statement that there have been no marriages of a polygamous nature solemnized with the approval of the Church, since 1890. He stands at the head of this dispensation at this moment and has adopted that policy, and as far as I am concerned I don’t want to come in conflict with President Smith on this proposition. I don’t know what others have taken from this REVELATION. If the REVELATION is true, it would certainly impress me that the Church was relieved of responsibility in this matter and the responsibility placed upon the individual.
Apostle Orson F. Whitney: Was it not the policy during your father’s administration to leave everything to the mind of the individual? I know this was the case with me when I went to inquire if I should take the test oath. I was told to exercise my own judgment. Also there is no authority as far as I can see, in that REVELATION, no authority given to man to exercise such authority in marrying any one, but the question of whether they should go into the relationship was left with the individual, as in President Young’s time men were commanded to go into it.
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: I feel that we should not express our own views on this REVELATION but should have Brother Taylor’s views if he will give them, if not we can get through with that question.
President Francis M. Lyman: The date of this REVELATION is September 1886, four years before the manifesto of President Woodruff and I remember at that time that President Taylor and all his brethren were very strongly entrenched in the principle of plural marriage. From 1880 to 1890 men were almost commanded to enter it, especially the officials of the Church. We were all pretty well engaged in this question. The change came in 1890 when president Woodruff felt the necessity that plural marriage should cease and after that he felt just as strong against it, as President Taylor had felt for it before. It was subsequent to this that President Smith made his declaration that the Church took no responsibility for the unlawful co-habitation of those in plural marriage and the performance of plural marriages. I would like to ask if you have encouraged others to take plural wives, or taken them yourself or if you think these brethren who have copies of this REVELATION have taken it as an encouragement, for instance Brother Robinson.
Apostle John W. Taylor: I will answer that by asking if anyone you have had here before you has ever said that I encouraged him.
President Francis M. Lyman: No one except Wolff, and you admit having encouraged him under the direction of a superior officer.
Apostle David O. Mckay: I would like to know who the man is that directed you to instruct Brother Wolff to marry a certain party.
Apostle John W. Taylor: I would not wish to take issue with the President of the Church or anyone who is at the head of the Church. I went to President Smith’s office the other day and had a three and one-half hour talk with him and John Henry Smith and he said that he had never authorized anyone to perform a plural marriage. I am not saying that he is the one to whom I refer, but I do not want to say any more on this point.
Apostle Hyrum M. Smith: I would like Brother Taylor to feel that we are not persuading him or any other man to do them harm but simply to get at the bottom of these matters. I feel that you are responsible for the circulation of that REVELATION.
Apostle John W. Taylor: I am willing to put in a supplemental answer to the effect that I have never married anyone without the endorsement and authority of the President of the Church and, if you desire, I will give the names of those I have married, but I think this would be unwise....
Apostle Charles W. Penrose: Under this purported REVELATION from your father do you think this authority is given to anyone to perform a plural marriage on their own free agency?
Apostle John W. Taylor: If a man had been authorized in any way by authority to perform a marriage, under that REVELATION he would be.
(Signed)
John W Woolley
Lorin C Woolley
Daniel Bateman
George Q Cannon
L John Nuttall
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