Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage: A Discussion

by Joseph Fielding Smith; R. C. Evans

The correspondence in this pamphlet was brought about through the wilful misrepresentation of the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints and the unwarranted abuse of the authorities of the Church by Mr. Richard C. Evans, in an interview which appeared in the Toronto (Canada) Daily Star of January 28, 1905. A copy of the interview was placed in the hands of the writer, who, on February 19th following, replied to Mr. Evans in an open letter which was published in the Toronto Star on or about the 25th of the month.^[1] This open letter was answered by Mr. Evans in a personal letter, and on the 23rd of May, a rejoinder to his reply was sent to Mr. Evans at his home in London, Ontario, Canada. In all, four communications—including the interview—have passed between us, and all of these four communications are here reproduced in full. A copy of the open letter which appeared in the Star, was also sent to Mr. Evans who acknowledged its receipt. Nothing more was done in regard to this correspondence until August 17th and 24th, when an article containing a portion of it appeared in the Zion's Ensign, published by the "Reorganized" church at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, under the title: "Statements Authenticated," in which it was made to appear that the full and complete communications were reproduced. But this, however, was not the case.

In a letter from Mr. Evans to the editor of the Ensign which accompanied the above mentioned article, he said:

Believing that good will be accomplished by the publication of the entire matter, I herewith mail you the referred to matter.

From this it would naturally be supposed that the complete correspondence would be given. However I was not surprised to see that Mr. Evans' side of the controversy was in full, while a large portion of my first communication had been purposely suppressed; and that my second letter did not appear at all! And thus was the "entire matter" given to the readers of the Ensign that "good" might be "accomplished." (?)

The parts that were purposely left out of my communication by Mr. Evans, were most vital to the subject and have been indicated as they appear in the body of this work by being placed in italics, excepting a few minor matters which he omitted that I have not mentioned, nevertheless matters that throw light upon the subject.

One of these quotations was in relation to two articles in the first volume of the Saints' Herald which were important, coming, as they did from the "enemy's" camp. Here is the omitted part:

If you believe your statement to be true, will you kindly explain the following passage in the Saints' Herald, your official organ, volume I, page 9,—it would be well for you to read the entire chapter, which is entitled "Polygamy." The quotation is as follows:

"The death of the Prophet is one fact that has been realized, although he abhorred and repented of this iniquity (meaning "polygamy") before his death. This branch of the subject we shall leave to some of our brethren, who are qualified to explain it satisfactorily."

In the same volume, page 27, what is meant by the following: "He, (Joseph Smith) caused the revelation on the subject (polygamy) to be burned, and when he voluntarily came to Nauvoo and resigned himself into the arms of his enemies he said that he was going to Carthage to die. At that time he also said that if it had not been for that accursed spiritual wife doctrine he would not have come to that." Kindly read the context.

There is more evidence that can be produced, but if you will explain this it may suffice.

The first half of the succeeding paragraph was quoted but the second half was omitted. I quote in full with the part suppressed in italics:

In the light of the knowledge I have received and the evidence at my command, I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith made no such statement as the above, and that he did not have the revelation burned. There is, however, value in the above statements from your "Herald," for they bear witness to the origin and introduction of the principle of plural marriage and revelation concerning the same.

It is easy to perceive that Mr. Evans felt "that good will be accomplished by the publication of the 'entire matter'"; and for that reason he omitted this evidence which the leaders of the "Reorganization" have been trying so successfully to destroy for lo these many years. The two articles in the Saints' Herald have caused the leaders of that sect no end of trouble, and today they are in the same fix in regard to plural marriage that the first editor of that paper was when he wrote, for they cannot explain the Prophet's connection with the principle "satisfactorily," and never will be able to until they acknowledge the truth.