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Thanks. It's nice to be informed!

Comment by Anonymous — 10-19-2007, 10:02:37 AM
My great-grandfather was a Mormon pioneer and polygamist. The doctrine of polygamy has not been abandoned. The keys to this sacrament were taken back after the church's due diligence in accordance with the 11th article of faith. In compliance with the 12th article of faith, and the knowledge that the sacrament is not essential to salvation, submission to the law of the land was in order. The church sought all of its legal challenges to the prohibition on polygamy before submitting, and after the then President of the church received revelatory experiences and confirmation from the Lord. "At that time conditions were such that the Lord by revelation withdrew the command to continue the practice, and President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto directing that it cease." (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 213-218.)

Comment by Glade — 11-12-2007, 07:32:35 PM
Many good facts herein. I learned several new things by reading this page. Thank you for your research and for taking the time to help educate others.

Comment by John S. — 12-16-2007, 09:01:03 AM
Women in the early church and up until about 1940 did hold the priesthood. They never held an office, they were able to annoint and bless in the name of Jesus Christ, but could not evoke a blessing by using the words 'by the power of the holy... Priesthood.' This was used during childbirth, attending the sick, etc. Apparently it was abandoned due to conflict of it's use and what Joseph Smith had intended. However when still hold limited powers of the priesthood to bless, annointed and pronounce blessings in the temple (initiatory) and those who have received the second annointing with their husbands. Both of which are not discussed further outside the temple.

Webmaster: Interesting, Anonymous. I'm confident God also hears a mother's prayer for her children. I bet in His eyes such a prayer bares the same weight as a priesthood blessing...

Comment by Anonymous — 10-5-2008, 04:08:37 PM
I am a woman in the LDS church and I love it! I was brought up by a very strong willed woman and I am a strong willed woman myself, and I find a great deal of freedom in my testimony of the gospel. Couples are taught to work together on decisions. This keeps me from taking charge all the time and making our marriage unbalanced. :) I take charge sometimes, about half, and its nice that I don't have to take charge the other half of the time. Praying together with my husband brings us closer. It is true that women in the church are encouraged to stay home with their children if at all possible, but women are also encouraged to be educated and world sauvee. We are taught to prepare for a career in order to support ourselves if something happens to our husbands. I know that stay-at-home-mom is a stereotype that is looked down on in today's modern world, but the stay-at-home-mother is the greatest force in the world today, and I am finding that I enjoy working at home much more than working out in the field! Who wants to dress up anyways?

Comment by Anonymous — 2-9-2009, 08:58:54 AM
While LDS women received the right to vote in 1870, Utah became a state in 1895, making the "second state" claim correct only if in 1895 only one other state previously had granted suffrage rights to women.

Webmaster: Good catch, Mark. You're right, Utah was not officially a state until 1896.

Comment by Mark F. Brinton — 12-9-2009, 03:38:46 PM
I thought polygamy had been practiced for the purpose of there being a war sometime back when and several of the men had been killed. Therefore, since women couldn't own land, as well as work, they were assigned to their "polygamous homes" to live that way and replenish our people..??

Comment by Lewinsky_Logistics — 7-12-2010, 05:12:06 AM
Hi Lewinsky_Logistics. That's a common misconception. It is certainly true that in some cases widows were “married” as second wives so they could have someone to take care of them. A number of Brigham Young's wives, for example, were elderly widows who were probably “wives” in name only. However, this situation can only explain a small fraction of all 19th-century polygamous marriages. Furthremore, polygamous marriages were not typically arranged; I don't believe it was common for women to be “assigned” to any marriage. Additionally, many Mormon women of the 19th century were leaders in the feminist movement of their time. It is simply not true that they couldn't work. Some of the first female doctors in the United States were Mormon.

Consider this quote from Brigham Young: "As I have often told my sisters in the Female Relief Societies, we have sisters here who, if they had the privilege of studying, would make just as good mathematicians or accountants as any man; and we think they ought to have the privilege to study these branches of knowledge that they may develop the powers with which they are endowed. We believe that women are useful not only to sweep houses, wash dishes, make beds, and raise babies, but that they should stand behind the counter, study law or physic [medicine], or become good book-keepers and be able to do the business in any counting house, and this to enlarge their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large."

Comment by El Santo Gringo — 7-18-2010, 12:27:18 AM
Yeah, I'm a student in high school and even I've been asked that question. Everything here is explained just fine and all, though something I'd like to add is just to trust in God. People have had a negative view on polygamy for a long time, but just as it is explained in the Book of Mormon, (concerning plural wives) “For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.” Note the "if I will raise up seed unto me" part. Everything is done in His wisdom. This scripture may offer a possible reason why the Lord allowed the practice at the time. It is possible since the church was small and just starting that this practice could allow for a larger generation of LDS members. Think back to prophets such as Jacob who had plural wives. The Lord allowed it to him at the time, and look what happened from there. The 12 tribes of Israel all came through him, including that of Ephraim. So, what I'd like to say is that don't exactly look to that time when the church allowed it as a bad thing, but remember that all is done in the wisdom of the Lord. If I am wrong about anything, feel free to correct me, I'm only 16 years old, but I have been a member all my life. ^_^

Comment by Austin — 7-3-2011, 04:58:54 PM
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