I am Ryan McKnight. I'm Kara Santa Maria. I am Christopher Smith.

Hi, I'm Andrew Torres. This is Naked Mormonism.

The Serial Mormon History Podcast.

Mormon theology, nearing the end of 1843, continued to expand.

Now that the polygamy revelation was written on actual paper, the practice carried with it an air of divinity. Others could now partake and join the anointed quorum in their various clandestine prayer meetings.

Before more couples could get their calling an election

made sure in Navu, the polygamy revelation, the actual text of it, required presentation to the

High Council for their approval. The man to present the polygamy revelation to the High Council,

of course, was Hiram Sidekick Abiff Smith, Joe's older brother and patriarch of the church.

Contrary to what apologists or believing members may think, polygamy was practiced long before

modern day doctrine covenant section 132 was ever actually committed to paper.

There had been allusions to polygamy, you know, some kind of polygamy revelation as early as 1831, just a year

after the church started. But there's absolutely no evidence that it was ever written before

July of 1843. Regardless of that, people beyond just Joe had been engaged in plural marriages

or spiritual wifery, as the rumor said, for years by the time 1843 rolled

around, people were initiated into the practice by degree dependent upon how well they could be

trusted. As a quick refresher, according to Bloody Brigham Young, he was aware of polygamy

before even Joe's older brother, Hiram was. According to Brigham Young, he was the guy who taught the doctrine of celestial marriage to

Hiram Smith.

Now, this is from Bloody Brigham's own account, which he preached this in Salt Lake City

on October the 8th, 1866.

He starts with a bit of rhetoric and propaganda, just to solidify his own claims of rightful leadership by providing a brief character sketch of Hiram's sidekick of Biff Smith.

...