Does the Book of Mormon Forbid Polygamy?

DOES THE BOOK OF MORMON FORBID POLYGAMY?

Plural marriage is mentioned incidentally but unmistakably, in a powerful discourse delivered by the prophet Jacob against immorality (Jacob 2:22-35.) In this one instance, certainly polygamy, as a possible practice, is not forbidden.

The Nephites had fallen into grievous sin; they were committing whoredoms; and excusing themselves “because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.” The Prophet Jacob takes them to task for this in sober, strong words, and declares that “David, and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord” (verse 23), which by reading the context, clearly means that the unlawful association of David and Solomon with women whom they had taken as wives and concubines, without the authority of the Lord, was an abomination to the Lord. That this is really the meaning, is amply confirmed a few sentences later, where the Lord says, “ For there shall not any man among you (the Nephites to whom Jacob was speaking), have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none” (verse 27). That was to be the law to the Nephites at that time. Yet, it was not a prohibition of polygamy as such, everywhere and for all times, since the statement follows, “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.”

An intelligent, honest reading of Jacob’s spendid discourse makes it clear that plural marriage may be practised, but Only under the express command of the Lord; and that a man sins whether it be a David or Solomon or some humbler person, who takes more than one wife when the practice is forbidden by the Lord, or when the woman is not given to the man by the authority of the Lord.

In the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Lord commanded his people to practise plural marriage. About two per cent. of the people entered into the practice. The polygamy thus practised bore no resemblance to “whoredom,” for the wives were lawfully wedded to their husbands, and they and the children received equal honour and had equal rights. Later, in 1890, the Lord forbade the further practice of polygamy; and to-day as to the Nephites of Jacob’s day, a man shall have but “one wife, and concubines he shall have none.” Whether polygamy may be practised is always determined by the Lord and not by man.

Persons who read only part of a statement and overlook the other parts seldom find the truth. One sentence from Jacob’s fine discourse, would appear to prohibit polygamy ; but the reading of the whole discourse compels the belief that polygamy is justified whenever the Lord commands it to be practised.

Most of the religious misunderstandings of men come from imperfect or incomplete knowledge; and, indeed, the multiplicity of Christian sects have been founded upon some Biblical text to the exclusion of the full meaning of the subject under discussion. Latter-day Saints will avoid making this serious mistake.—W.