Why Wasn't Emma The First To Be Sealed To Joseph?

[JulieM]

From reading more on this, I learned that Joseph wasn't the only member living polygamy that didn't have their legal wife sealed to them first:  

 

"There were 30 men who married plural wives prior to when Joseph Smith was killed. Out of those 30, only 4 of them were sealed to their civil wives before they were sealed to their plural wives. In other words....they were sealed to their non-legal wives before they were sealed for eternity to their legal wife."

 

So Emma must not have been the only first wife that had difficulty accepting the principle.  I'm sure it was a confusing time for many and that explains why this may have happened.

This just keeps getting more disturbing. I'm struggling here and I talked to some of my church friends about this yesterday too. They had read the essay but were not aware of this part of how Joseph lived polygamy. I'm not the only one bothered by this and I'm pretty appalled that members on here are laying the blame on Emma for this happening. Emma didn't even know about most of these early sealings to other women, so how can you possibly blame her that Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to her and their children before he started sealing himself to others?

[JLHPROF]

None of Joseph's plural wives were initiated into the Anointed Quorum before Emma, notwithstanding their acceptance of polygamy. It's pretty clear that Joseph did wait for Emma. He wanted her to be the first.

 

Oops.  My mistake.  And I knew that too.

[JLHPROF]

You can't use Joseph Smith's marriages to teenagers as evidence that such ages weren't necessarily unreasonable or unheard of in terms of marriages at the time.

 

No, but you can use statistics.  http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/64501-on-despising-apostate-sanctimony/page-5#entry1209437063

[CV75]

This just keeps getting more disturbing. I'm struggling here and I talked to some of my church friends about this yesterday too. They had read the essay but were not aware of this part of how Joseph lived polygamy. I'm not the only one bothered by this and I'm pretty appalled that members on here are laying the blame on Emma for this happening. Emma didn't even know about most of these early sealings to other women, so how can you possibly blame her that Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to her and their children before he started sealing himself to others?

I think it would help to look at the timing of the marriages and the key by which these sealings were performed.

 

It seems that Emma was already sealed as early as July 1830 (D&C 25:3) under terms for sealing that were in place at that time (see verse 1). She had an office and a calling that seems to have been intimately entwined with the Prophet’s (verses 5-9) and which was part and parcel to their marital covenant (verses 5, 9 and 13).

 

To trace Joseph and Emma's covenantal history, one needs to start at the very beginning and see how the power to bind on earth and in heaven was in operation from the very first keys that were restored, and how that played out in their life as a couple from the beginning of the Restoration through the end of their mortal life together.

[ALarson]

It seems that Emma was already sealed as early as July 1830 (D&C 25:3) under terms for sealing that were in place at that time (see verse 1). 

 

These verses?:  

 

 1 Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.

3 Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

 

 

Sorry, but it's a huge stretch to claim that from these "It seems that Emma was already sealed" to Joseph as early as 1830.

[pogi]

I'm pretty appalled that members on here are laying the blame on Emma for this happening. Emma didn't even know about most of these early sealings to other women, so how can you possibly blame her that Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to her and their children before he started sealing himself to others?

 

I don't think anybody is blaming Emma.  The fact is, both Emma and Joseph were in incredibly difficult positions, and each reacted in very human ways.  Joseph was naturally afraid to tell his wife and was wrong for not telling her in my opinion, and Emma was naturally resistant.  In a perfect world, Joseph would not have been afraid and Emma would not have been resistant, but that is unrealistic.  

 

Given the reality of their human nature and their imperfect circumstances, which would you prefer - would you prefer to find out AFTER you were sealed to your husband that he was secretly married to other women AFTER your sealing?   Or, would you prefer to know BEFORE you were sealed for time and eternity that we was already sealed to other women, giving you the opportunity to know what you are getting into first?

 

Ideally, Joseph would have approached Emma before being sealed to her and said, "Honey, will you be sealed to me for time and eternity?  Oh, by the way you are just the first, there will be more, many more to come.  And Emma's response would have been, "Yes, yes, yes, thank you for your honesty and letting me be first."  Honestly, the ideal scenario sounds just as ridiculous as what really happened.  There is no way to culturally spin this and make it sound normal and right.  

[ERayR]

Where did you find such information? Who said it? How accurate is it? Was dishonesty such that a whole group of 26 men granted themselves the right to take other wives WITHOUT first consulting their first wife?

Does anyone else see a problem with this?

My wife has said, specifically, "If you (meaning me the writer of this opinion) were ever to want another woman, have the courage to inform me and take out a divorce before ever entering into such a realtionship. Don't play around and keep me uninformed as a 'security blanket' should your new playmate not want to continue playing".

Honesty and courage and truthfulness. Aren't those prerequisites to building a good relationship?

 

Much presentism here.

[ERayR]

This just keeps getting more disturbing. I'm struggling here and I talked to some of my church friends about this yesterday too. They had read the essay but were not aware of this part of how Joseph lived polygamy. I'm not the only one bothered by this and I'm pretty appalled that members on here are laying the blame on Emma for this happening. Emma didn't even know about most of these early sealings to other women, so how can you possibly blame her that Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to her and their children before he started sealing himself to others?

 

Don't go reading too much into this unless you have a way back machine to go back and investigate..  You are looking at it by present day standards and ideals.

[HappyJackWagon]

 

Interesting that the 4 women Emma 'gave' to JS were the Partridge (ages 19 and 22) and Lawrence (ages 17 and 19) sisters, among the youngest of the group. Helen Mar Kimball was in that time frame as well.

 

I think this needs to be pointed out when the argument of JS supposedly going after young girls is brought up.

Yes, but there is a significant difference between 19-22 and a 14 year old.

 

To the OP- after JS death all of his wives were sealed to him vicariously in the temple. The implications to this are big.

 

1- Joseph's understanding and practice of "sealing" evolved over time

2- The sealings performed at the "wedding ceremony" with his plural wives may not have been performed by the proper authority, ie. by individuals who didn't possess the sealing keys, thus the need to do it properly in the temple.

3- The "sealings" of JS to his plural wives may not have been official sealings as we think of them today, meaning that JS was actually "sealed" in the temple to Emma first, since his plural wives weren't sealed to him in the temple until after his death.

 

I confess this is speculative but it illustrates that there is much that is unknown about the practice of polygamy, including the sealings to the plural wives.

[USU78]

Several thoughts on this thread:

 

1.  Emma might have chosen younger brides for JSJr because of her need to dominate as Tai-Tai the other wives that would be acting as this-world wives.

 

2.  Emma's and other wives' later sealings is a curious phenomenon, but we have no contemporaneous accounts explaining why.  Accordingly, all we can do is speculate, and our speculations follow our already-formed opinions/beliefs on The Principle.

 

3.  The sealing of the dead to the living may be more what the post-Elijah visit restoration was about, whereas the already-present sealing power may have been more about sealing the living to the living . . . Baptism for the Dead was not practiced till far later and, along with other ordinances for the dead, were of more lasting value, as I view things, than The Principle, notwithstanding how many died for it.

[Nevo]

This just keeps getting more disturbing. I'm struggling here and I talked to some of my church friends about this yesterday too. They had read the essay but were not aware of this part of how Joseph lived polygamy. I'm not the only one bothered by this and I'm pretty appalled that members on here are laying the blame on Emma for this happening. Emma didn't even know about most of these early sealings to other women, so how can you possibly blame her that Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to her and their children before he started sealing himself to others?

 

Hi JulieM,

 

It looks strange to us that "Joseph didn't make sure he was sealed to [Emma] and their children before he started sealing himself to others," but historical context is important here. For one thing, sealing children to parents didn't exist in Joseph's lifetime. Also, for whatever reason, sealings to living legal spouses only took place within the Anointed Quorum, which didn't exist yet when Joseph began marrying plural wives.

[canard78]

None of Joseph's plural wives were initiated into the Anointed Quorum before Emma, notwithstanding their acceptance of polygamy. It's pretty clear that Joseph did wait for Emma. He wanted her to be the first.

Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom of the rabbit hole... Anointed Quorum...

Says here that there are several other of Joseph's wives in it too. Any source on the order of the dealings and evidence that Joseph had waited until Emma was ready?

[JLHPROF]

Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom of the rabbit hole... Anointed Quorum...

Says here that there are several other of Joseph's wives in it too. Any source on the order of the dealings and evidence that Joseph had waited until Emma was ready?

 

http://signaturebooks.com/2010/02/quorum-of-the-anointed/

http://signaturebooks.com/2010/11/excerpts-joseph-smiths-quorum-of-the-anointed/

Very good book.  Lists all the members, dates of enrollment, and things like that.

Edited November 17, 2014 by JLHPROF

[Nevo]

Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom of the rabbit hole... Anointed Quorum...

Says here that there are several other of Joseph's wives in it too. Any source on the order of the dealings and evidence that Joseph had waited until Emma was ready?

 

The sources I consulted were Anderson and Bergera, ed., Joseph Smith’s Quorum of the Anointed, 1842-1845: A Documentary History (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2005), and Andrew Ehat's MA thesis, "Joseph Smith's Introduction of Temple Ordinances and the 1844 Mormon Succession Question."

[VideoGameJunkie]

What LDS woman wouldn't want to be sealed to a prophet? It's like being guaranteed salvation almost.

[Calm]

No, it isn't.

Salvation has nothing to do with the person you are married to (save how you choose to treat them), it has everything to do with your relationship with God and Christ.

[CV75]

These verses?:  

 

 

Sorry, but it's a huge stretch to claim that from these "It seems that Emma was already sealed" to Joseph as early as 1830.

Only if you're skipping the other key concepts along the way (the ones i shared in that and other posts). Also, ultimately, there really is no practical difference between being "'sealed" and being "sealed to."

[mtomm]

Joseph apparently viewed the sealing ordinance as a way to bind families to him in a dynastic relationship.  He not only sealed women to him but he sealed men to him as sons. See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_adoption_%28Mormonism%29

 

For some good information see:  http://en.fairmormon.org/Joseph_Smith/Polygamy/Polyandry

 

It would make a lot more sense if he sealed men to him as sons then he would have sealed the women to him as daughters if sealing was meant to only bind us together as eternal families and wasn't sexual in nature..  

Edited November 17, 2014 by mtomm

[pogi]

What LDS woman wouldn't want to be sealed to a prophet? It's like being guaranteed salvation almost.

 

If I was a women, I wouldn't want to be married to a bishop let alone a prophet.

[HappyJackWagon]

No, it isn't.

Salvation has nothing to do with the person you are married to (save how you choose to treat them), it has everything to do with your relationship with God and Christ.

Unless the prophet promises them and their family salvation. Perhaps they were too trusting.

[pogi]

Unless the prophet promises them and their family salvation. Perhaps they were too trusting.

 

How was their promise any different from the promises that we all receive through the sealing covenant?  They are all conditional.

[HappyJackWagon]

How was their promise any different from the promises that we all receive through the sealing covenant?  They are all conditional.

The plural wives weren't aware of the current language of the sealing covenants. Is there a reason they should expect it to be conditional when they are promised or guaranteed salvation?

[JLHPROF]

No, it isn't.

Salvation has nothing to do with the person you are married to (save how you choose to treat them), it has everything to do with your relationship with God and Christ.

 

Not entirely sure I agree with that - the sealing relationship can absolutely bring about salvation.

 

I Corinthians 7:14 - For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

 

"When a seal is put upon the father and mother, it secures their posterity, so that they cannot be lost, but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father and mother.” - Joseph Smith (quoted by Elder Bednar, March 2014)

 

...just a couple of quotes.

[Calm]

I think there is some inconsistency in teaching and I don't know how it will play out but I highly doubt anyone is going to be saved without accepting Christ as Lord, Master and Saviour and I don't see either spouses or parents as puppet masters mouthing the words for their family members so they can sneak them in the back door.

A woman can't just get herself sealed to the prophet and then go abuse her children, lie about her neighbours, sleep around and still be guaranteed an automatic place for salvation without going through the same repentance process everyone else gets.

Edited November 17, 2014 by calmoriah

[cinepro]

No, it isn't.

Salvation has nothing to do with the person you are married to (save how you choose to treat them), it has everything to do with your relationship with God and Christ.

 

Presentist.

 

I will pass over the temptations which I had during the twenty four hours after my father introduced to me this principle & asked me if I would be sealed to Joseph, who came next morning & with my parents I heard him teach & explain the principle of  Celestial marrage-after which he said to me, “If you will take this step, it will ensure your eternal salvation and exaltation & that of your father’s household & all of your kindred.

 

This promise was so great that I willingly gave myself to purchase so glorious a reward.

 

http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/womans-view-helen-mar-whitneys-reminiscences-early-church-history/11-appendix-one

 

 

Edited November 17, 2014 by cinepro