LDS Prophet John Taylor’s 1886 Revelation Created Mormon Fundamentalism! | Ep. 2032

Mormon Stories Podcast

Dr. John Dehlin

Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2025

⏱️ 261 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Shocking new breaking news!!!! Did you know that LDS Church prophet John Taylor started Mormon Fundamentalism?

The LDS Church History Library just released hi-res scans of the original version of a September 27, 1886, revelation to church president John Taylor that commanded Mormons to “do the works of Abraham.” As the LDS Church was gradually winding down polygamy after 1890, a growing movement believed that polygamy was essential and could not be discarded. The revelation quietly circulated through copies, giving their position some teeth. Then, in the early 1920s, a man named Lorin Woolley began telling the other half of the story: at the time of the revelation, John Taylor had ordained him and other men with the authority to perform plural marriages and ensure “the principle” never died. What is this revelation, what does it say, and how was it used and even denied by church leaders?

We are joined today by Bryan Buchanan of Benchmark Books and co-host of Sunstone History Podcast to talk about the new revelation.

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:20 What John’s understand has been up to this point

00:06:34 What happened? New documents released

00:12:15 The church is attempting to be more transparent than in the past

00:14:02 Quick review of polygamy history

00:22:11 Reading the first document - Letter to John Taylor

00:34:20 John Taylor passes away in 1837 - in hiding

00:40:12 They want to become a state, but do not want to give up polygamy

00:46:45 The response from Deseret News

00:53:26 The second manifesto

00:55:00 Leaders are dishonest in the Smoot hearings

01:15:16 The Smoot hearings are a watershed moment

01:23:50 First documented case of the 1886 revelation being circulated

01:45:00 Badger receives a typed copy of these revelations

01:53:30 Why are patriarchs or stake presidents performing plural marriages?

01:58:00 Salt Lake Tribune is publishing huge lists of people who are new polygamists

02:05:20 John Taylor to John Woolley document

02:16:12 What are Lorin Woolley’s motives?

02:23:08 Around the 20s, the first full revelation is published

02:39:29 J Reuben Clark - 1923 document

03:04:18 John Taylor visited by Jesus saying polygamy is an eternal principle

03:14:03 “Truth” magazine published in 1935, and various other books

03:17:20 J Reuben Clark Statement from June of 1933

03:44:05 “Latter-day Revelation” book made available (like a condensed D&C)

04:15:00 Why Bryan finds this to be such a fascinating time in Mormon history

04:17:55 Come to Sunstone!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Mormon Stories podcast. I'm your host
0:04.7	John DeLinn. It is June 16th, 2025, and we have super breaking news. What would you think,
0:13.3	if you're a believing Mormon, or even a questioning Mormon, or a non-Mormon or never Mormon,
0:19.3	what would you think if I told you that new evidence
0:22.4	has surfaced that it's possible, this is my understanding, we'll get into it, that the third
0:29.0	president or prophet of the Mormon Church is actually now officially the founder of the fundamentalist polygamous movement within Mormonism.
0:40.6	Now, those are my words.
0:42.0	My guest may choose to use different words, but that's the teaser based on my best understanding.
0:47.4	Today we have back in studio the Brian Buchanan, both of signature books and of Year of Polygamy slash Sunstone podcast.
0:58.2	Hey, Brian, welcome back.
0:59.3	Good to be back.
1:00.7	I'm always fun to be here.
1:01.9	I'm so happy you reached out to me.
1:04.2	Yeah.
1:04.8	When this dropped, I knew this is going to be of interest to a lot of people.
1:08.6	And it also can use some context.
1:10.4	This is what historians love to do, obviously, right? Let's talk about it more. Yeah. And you've been on,
1:16.0	you've done at least a few episodes with us so far. We, with Lindsay, I think we did a couple
1:21.4	episodes on the history of Mormon polygamy. We also, I think, did some stuff with signature books as well.
1:28.7	And then we did the second anointing one with Darren.
1:31.1	That's right.
1:31.8	And that will come back today, too.
	...

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