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Remarks, 25 November 1843

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Remarks, 25 November 1843

Source Note

JS, Remarks, [, Hancock Co., IL, 25 Nov. 1843]. Featured version inscribed [ca. 25 Nov. 1843] in Wilford Woodruff, Journal, vol. 5, 1 Jan. 1843–31 Dec. 1844, pp. [166]–[167]; handwriting of ; Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for Discourse, 17 Jan. 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff.

Historical Introduction

On the evening of 25 November 1843, JS delivered remarks to the , Illinois, and members of the at the conclusion of the trial of member . Four days earlier, JS had preferred charges against Sagers for trying to seduce Phebe Madison, a young woman living in Sagers’s home. Sagers had evidently been teaching the doctrine of plural marriage prior to JS’s charges. On 25 November, the high council met in the upper room of to deliberate on this and several other cases. During the meeting, JS presented his charges against Sagers, and Sagers pleaded not guilty. After the appointed council members spoke on behalf of and against the defendant, the council ruled that the charge was “not sustained” and, as stated in JS’s journal, the high council took “no action” against Sagers.
Following the council’s verdict, JS told those gathered that he did not condone fornication or adultery and warned that those who used his name to justify engaging in such practices would be condemned. later recorded JS’s comments in his journal. This text appears to be the only detailed account of JS’s remarks. Following the trial, Sagers taught the doctrine of plural marriage and may have engaged in the practice.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Charges against Harrison Sagers Preferred to William Marks, 21 Nov. 1843.

  2. [2]

    Nauvoo Stake High Council Minutes, 25 Nov. 1843; JS, Journal, 25 Nov. 1843.

  3. [3]

    Nauvoo Stake High Council Minutes, 25 Nov. 1843; JS, Journal, 25 Nov. 1843.

  4. [4]

    The account recorded in the Nauvoo high council minutes simply states that Sagers “taught false doctrine which was corrected by President Joseph Smith.” (Nauvoo Stake High Council Minutes, 25 Nov. 1843.)

  5. [5]

    In April 1844, Lucinda Madison Sagers, Harrison Sagers’s wife, lodged a complaint with church leaders stating that her husband was teaching the “doctrine of spiritual wives” and implying that he was practicing it. She also stated that he abandoned his family shortly after the November 1843 trial. Harrison Sagers was again summoned to appear before the high council, which determined that because it had already ruled on the case it had “no right to deal with him on that item.” (Lucinda Madison Sagers to “the Presidency and the Twelve,” no date; Minutes, no date, Nauvoo High Council Papers, [Apr. 1844], JS Collection [Supplement], CHL; see also Nauvoo Stake High Council Minutes, 13 Apr. 1844.)

    Smith, Joseph. Collection, 1827–1846. CHL. MS 155.

    Nauvoo Stake High Council Minutes, ca. 1839–ca. 1843. Fair copy. In Oliver Cowdery, Diary, Jan.–Mar. 1836. CHL.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Remarks, 25 November 1843
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [166]

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President Joseph Smith made an address upon the Subject which was highly interesting & its tendency was to do away with evry evil & practice virtue & Holiness before the Lord that the had not received any license from him to commit adultery fornication or any such thing but to the contrary if any man commit adultery He could not received the of God even if he was saved in any kingdom it could not be the celestial kingdom He said he thought the many examples that had been manifest & others was sufficient to show the fallacy of such a course of conduct, He condemned [p. [166]]
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Source Note

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Page [166]

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Remarks, 25 November 1843
ID #
3442
Total Pages
2
Print Volume Location
JSP, D13:284–285
Handwriting on This Page
  • Wilford Woodruff

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Wilford Woodruff noted in his journal that when he arrived at JS’s store that day, he “found the High Council sitting on a case of Harrison Sagers for some improper conduct or offer towards some female.” (Woodruff, Journal, 25 Nov. 1843.)

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. [2]

    See Doctrine and Covenants 12:5; 16:9, 1835 ed. [D&C 38:24; 46:33].

  3. [3]

    See Revelation, 9 Feb. 1831 [D&C 42:24–26]; and Vision, 16 Feb. 1832 [D&C 76:103].

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