Background
1886 was a difficult year for the Church, a great number of
Latter-day Saints were convicted of polygamy, and a great many of them,
including Apostle Lorenzo Snow, were put in jail. Some of the Saints
who had previously fled to Canada found themselves no longer safe, as
it now became against the law there too. Two thousand Mormon women
involved in plural marriages protested the government's persecution
against their husbands, but were largely ignored. Ironically this was
the year the statue of liberty was erected, however, it seemed that
Mormons weren't entitled to such liberty, freedom and justice as the
rest of Americans. Even Church President John Taylor had to go into
hiding as there was a price on his head for his capture, and his
picture (along with George Q. Cannons') featured on wanted posters
throughout the territory.
Despite being out of the public's eye, John Taylor
still had an important role and mission to fulfill as God's prophet,
and even though the United States and many of the Saints had forsaken
him, the Lord was mindful of him, and he found refuge in the homes of a
few trusted Saints. John Taylor had faced persecution and death before
at the hands of the mob that killed Joseph Smith, but as the Lord
revealed to Wilford Woodruff half a decade before he went into hiding,
"I have saved my servant John Taylor for a wise purpose in me."
(Woodruff Journal, 28 Dec 1880) A few years later God reiterated how
important Taylor would prove during such difficult times when he
stated, "For by him only can you be sustained in the time of trouble
which is fast approaching." (25 Dec 1884, Unpublished Revelations
87:16) This is the story of how he fulfilled that prophesy, from
someone who witnessed it.
The Visitation of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith to John Taylor
While the brethren were at the Carlisle residence [in Murray] in May
or June of 1886, letters began to come to President John Taylor from
such men as John Sharp, Horace Eldredge, William Jennings, John T. Caine1, Abraham Hatch, President Cluff and many other
leading men from all over the Church, asking the leaders to do
something, as the Gentiles were talking of confiscating their property
in connection with the property of the Church.
These letters not only came from those who were
living in the Plural Marriage relation, but also from prominent men who
were presiding in various offices of the Church who were not living in
that relation. They all urged that something be done to satisfy the
Gentiles so that their property would not be confiscated.
George Q. Cannon on his own initiative selected a
committee comprising himself, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards,
John T. Caine and James Jack to get up a statement or Manifesto that
would meet the objections urged by the brethren above named. They met
from time to time to discuss the situation. From the White home, where
President Taylor and companions stopped, after leaving the Carlisle
home, they came out to father's. George Q. Cannon would go and consult
with the brethren of the committee, I taking him back and forth each
day.
On September 26, 1886, George Q. Cannon, Hyrum B.
Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, and others, met with President John
Taylor at my father's residence at Centerville, Davis County, Utah, and
presented a document for President Taylor's consideration.
I had just got back from a three days' trip, during
most of which time I had been in the saddle, and being greatly
fatigued, I had retired to rest. Between one and two o'clock P. M.,
Brother Bateman came and woke me up and asked me to be at my father's
home where a Manifesto was to be discussed. I went there and found
there were congregated Samuel Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, L. John
Nuttall, Charles Birrell, George Q. Cannon, Franklin S. Richards and
Hyrum B. Clawson.
We discussed the proposed Manifesto at length, but
we were unable to become united in the discussion. Finally George Q.
Cannon suggested that President Taylor take the matter up with the Lord
and decide the same the next day.
Brothers Clawson and Richards, were taken back to
Salt Lake. That evening I was called to act as guard during the first
part of the night, notwithstanding the fact that I was greatly fatigued
on account of the three days' trip I had just completed.
The brethren retired to bed soon after nine o'clock.
The sleeping rooms were inspected by the guard as was the custom.
President Taylor's room had no outside door. The windows were heavily
screened.
Sometime after the brethren retired and while I was
reading the Doctrine and Covenants, I was suddenly attracted to a light
appearing under the door leading to President Taylor's room, and was at
once startled to hear the voices of men talking there. There were three
distinct voices. I was bewildered because it was my duty to keep people
out of that room and evidently someone had entered without my knowing
it. I made a hasty examination and found the door leading to the room
bolted as usual. I then examined the outside of the house and found all
the window screens intact. While examining the last window, and feeling
greatly agitated, a voice spoke to me, saying, "Can't you feel the
Spirit? Why should you worry?"
At this I returned to my post and continued to hear
the voices in the room. They were so audible that although I did not
see the parties I could place their positions in the room from the
sound of the voices. The three voices continued until about midnight,
when one of them left, and the other two continued. One of them I
recognized as President John Taylor's voice. I called Charles Birrell
and we both sat up until eight o'clock the next morning.
When President Taylor came out of his room about
eight o'clock of the morning of September 27, 1886, we could scarcely
look at him on account of the brightness of his personage.2
He stated, "Brethren, I have had a very pleasant
conversation all night with Brother Joseph."3 (Joseph Smith) I said, "Boss, who is the man that was there until
midnight?" He asked, "What do you know about it, Lorin?" I told him all
about my experience. He said, "Brother Lorin, that was your Lord."
We had no breakfast, but assembled ourselves in a
meeting. I forget who opened the meeting. I was called to offer the
benediction. I think my father, John W. Woolley, offered the opening
prayer. There were present, at this meeting, in addition to President
Taylor, George Q. Cannon, L. John Nuttall, John W. Woolley, Samuel
Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, Charles Birrell, Daniel R. Bateman, Bishop
Samuel Sedden, George Earl, my mother, Julia E. Woolley, my sister, Amy
Woolley, and myself. The meeting was held from about nine o'clock in
the morning until five in the afternoon without intermission, being
about eight hours in all.
President Taylor called the meeting to order. He had
the Manifesto, that had been prepared under the direction of George Q.
Cannon, read over again. He then put each person under covenant that he
or she would defend the principle of Celestial or Plural Marriage, and
that they would consecrate their lives, liberty and property to this
end, and that they personally would sustain and uphold that principle.
By that time we were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
President Taylor and those present occupied about three hours up to
this time. After placing us under covenant, he placed his finger on the
document, his person rising from the floor about a foot or eighteen
inches, and with countenance animated by the Spirit of the Lord, and
raising his right hand to the square, he said, "Sign that document, -
never! I would suffer my right hand to be severed from my body first.
Sanction it, - never! I would suffer my tongue to be torn from its
roots in my mouth before I would sanction it!"
After that he talked for about an hour and then sat
down and wrote the revelation which was given him by the Lord upon the
question of Plural Marriage4 [the 1886
revelation to John Taylor]. Then he talked to us for some time, and
said, "Some of you will be handled and ostracized and cast out from the
Church by your brethren because of your faithfulness and integrity to
this principle, and some of you may have to surrender your lives
because of the same, but woe, woe, unto those who shall bring these
troubles upon you." (Three of us were handled and ostracized for
supporting and sustaining this principle5.
There are only three left who were at the meeting mentioned - Daniel R.
Bateman, George Earl and myself. So far as I know those of them who
have passed away all stood firm to the covenants entered into from that
day to the day of their deaths.)
After the meeting referred to, President Taylor had L. John Nuttall
write five copies of the revelation. He called five of us together:
Samuel Bateman6, Charles H. Wilkins, George Q.
Cannon, John W. Woolley7, and my self. He then
set us apart and placed us under covenant that while we lived we would
see to it that no year passed by without children being born in the
principle of plural marriage8. We were given
authority to ordain others if necessary to carry this work on, they in
turn to be given authority to ordain others when necessary, under the
direction of the worthy senior (by ordination), so that there should be
no cessation in the work.9 He then gave each
of us a copy of the Revelation.
John Taylor's 1886 Revelation
My son John: You have asked me concerning the New and Everlasting
Covenant and how far it is binding upon my people.
Thus saith the Lord: All commandments that I give
must be obeyed by those calling themselves by my name unless they are
revoked by me or by my authority, and how can I revoke an everlasting
covenant; For I the Lord am everlasting and my everlasting covenants
cannot be abrogated nor done away with; but they stand forever.
Have I not given my word in great plainness on this
subject? Yet have not great numbers of my people been negligent in the
observance of my law and the keeping of my commandment, and yet I have
borne with them these many years because of the perilous times. And
furthermore it is pleasing to me that men should use their free agency
in these matters.
Nevertheless I the Lord do not change and my word
and my covenants and my law do not. And as I have heretofore said by my
servant Joseph: All those who would enter into my glory must and shall
obey my law. And have I not commanded men that if they were Abraham's
seed and would enter into my glory they must do the works of Abraham.
I have not revoked this law nor will I for it is
everlasting and those who will enter into my glory must obey the
conditions thereof, even so, Amen.10
Lorin C. Woolley Account - Continued
I am the only one of the five now living, and so far as I know all
five of the brethren remained true and faithful to the covenants they
entered into, and to the responsibilities placed upon them at that
time.
During the eight hours we were together, and while
President Taylor was talking to us, he frequently arose and stood above
the floor, and his countenance and being were so enveloped by light and
glory that it was difficult for us to look upon him.
He stated that the document, referring to the
Manifesto, was from the lower regions.11 He
stated that many of the things he had told us we would forget and they
would be taken from us, but that they would return to us in due time as
needed, and from this fact we would know that the same was from the
Lord. This has been literally fulfilled. Many of the things I forgot,
but they are coming to me gradually, and those things that come to me
are as dear as on the day on which they were given.
President Taylor said that the time would come when
many of the Saints would apostatize because of this principle. he said
"one-half of this people will apostatize over the principle for which
we are now in hiding, yea, and possibly one-half of the other half"12 (rising off the floor while making the
statement). He also said the day will come when a document similar to
that (Manifesto) then under consideration would be adopted by the
Church, following which "apostacy and whoredom would be rampant in the
Church."13
He said that in the time of the seventh president of
this Church, the Church would go into bondage14 both temporally and spiritually and in that day (the day of bondage)
the One Mighty and Strong spoken of in the 85th Section of the Doctrine
and Covenants15 would come.
Among many other things stated by President Taylor
on this occasion was this: "I would be surprised if ten per cent of
those who claim to hold the Melchisedek Priesthood will remain true and
faithful to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the time of the
seventh president, and that there would be thousands that think they
hold the Priesthood at that time, but would not have it properly
conferred upon them."16
John Taylor set the five mentioned apart and gave
them authority to perform marriage ceremonies, and also to set others
apart to do the same thing as long as they remained on the earth; and
while doing so, the Prophet Joseph Smith stood by directing the
proceedings. Two of us had not met the Prophet Joseph Smith in his
mortal lifetime, and we -Charles H. Wilkins and myself -were introduced
to him and shook hands with him.
(signed) Lorin C. Woolley, 1929
In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses
I was privileged to be at the meeting of September 27, 1886, spoken
of by Brother Woolley, I myself acting as one of the guards for the
brethren during those exciting times. The proceedings of the meeting as
related by Brother Woolley are correct in every detail.
(4 May, 1934, Daniel R. Bateman, Sworn Statement)
See further evidence of this event
In Conclusion
The year of 1886 is past and gone. It has been an important year in
the History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. It has
sent to Prison hundreds of the Leading men of the Church and driven
into Exile the Presidency of the Church & Twelve Apostle and many
other Leading Men all for obeying the Celestial Law of God and the
patriarchal order of Marriage And our Nation are uniting in passing
unconstitutional Laws for the purpose of Destroying the Latter Day
Saints from off the Earth. Our nation is becoming vary wicked and fast
ripening in iniquity and preparing for the Just Judgments of God which
await them.
(Wilford Woodruff Journal, 31 December 1886)
Footnotes
1. "He was President of the convention and strongly urged the
adoption of the clause in the proposed constitution prohibiting
polygamy, believing this to be the true solution of the 'Mormon'
problem, and the only course that would satisfy the government and
people of the United States." (John T. Caine, LDS Biographical
Encyclopedia 1:733)
2. "And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold,
the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him."
(Exodus 34:30)
3. "he [Joseph] yet lives, and is with me where I am." (Revelation to
John Taylor, 27 June 1882, Unpublished Revelations 81:19)
"Elder [Lorin] Woolley testified that he knew the Prophets Joseph,
Brigham and Heber lived for he had seen them as they appeared to
President John Taylor in brother John Woolley's house." (Andrew Kimball
Journal, 25 January 1897.)
4. "There was a revelation that John Taylor received and we have it in
his handwriting. We've analyzed the handwriting. It is John Taylor's
handwriting and the revelation is reproduced by the
Fundamentalists...The revelation is dated September 27; that fits the
account of the meeting, 1886." (Reed C. Durham, LDS Stake High Priests
meeting, 24 Feb 1974)
5. "You will live to see men arise in power in the Church who will seek
to put down your friends and the friends of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ. Many will be hoisted because of their money and worldly
learning which they seem to be in possession of; and many who are the
true followers of our Lord and Saviour will be cast down." (Joseph
Smith to Mosiah Hancock, as recorded in his Journal, p. 19)
John Woolley was excommunicated in 1914 , Lorin Woolley was
excommunicated in 1924, and so was Daniel R. Bateman at some point.
"... woe unto those who cut men off from the Church for private pique,
or to exercise undue dominion, or for any reason not prompted by truth
and righteousness!" (Millennial Star 40:262)
6. In 1888 John M. Whitaker recorded in his Diary that Samuel Bateman
had told him of some "very interesting incidents that occurred while he
was with the late President John Taylor," but he says he did not
include them because they didn't fit in with the direction the Church
was then taking. (Whitaker Journal,16 September 1888.)
"Samuel [Bateman] spoke of the 8 hour meeting in Centerville, the
sermon of John Taylor there and the subsequent calling of certain men
there." (Life of Samuel Bateman,Olive A.K. Neilson,1944).
7. In the Spring of 1839, Joseph Smith, Sr. gave the young John W.
Woolley a Patriarchal Blessing which prophesied, "Thou wilt obtain
blessings, glory and honour, and through it though wilt receive keys,
world of knowledge and power, and thou wilt be called the Lord's
anointed."
8. "...no year will ever pass, ... from now until the coming of the
Saviour, when children will not be born in Plural Marriage. And I make
this prophecy in the name of Jesus Christ." (Apostle Abraham O.
Woodruff, Quarterly Conference in Colonia Juarez, 18-19 November 1900.)
9. "..the time would never come when children of Polygamous parents
would cease to be born in the Church." (Apostle Marriner W. Merrill,
Rudger Clawson Diary, 11 July 1899.)
A.B. Irvine told me that Apostle Woodruff told him that a certain
number of worthy people had been commissioned to keep alive the
principle of plural marriage. (Carl Ashby Badger - Apostle Reed
Smoot's
secretary - Journal, 8 October 1904.
"President Taylor died in exile for this principle and he gave men
authority to perform the ceremony of marriage, which authority I have
been told was never revoked." (Mission President to Apostle Francis M.
Lyman, 19 Oct 1906, Quinn - Origins of Power)
10. John Taylor Papers, Church Historians Office
11. "the powers of hell will do their utmost to get this people to give
up that holy law which God designs to maintain." (Brigham Young, Mosiah
Hancock Journal, Spring 1863)
"We have made a covenant with death, And with hell we are in
agreement." (Isaiah 28:15)
12. "What would be necessary to bring about the result nearest the
hearts of the opponents of 'Mormonism'? Simply to renounce, abrogate or
apostatise from the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in its
fullness." (Pres. Charles W. Penrose, Deseret News, 23 April 1885)
"To be at peace with the government and in harmony with their fellow
citizens who are not of their faith, and to share in the confidence of
the Government and the people, our people have voluntarily put aside
something which all their lives they have believed to be a sacred
principle." (First Presidency, Petition of Amnesty, 19 Dec 1891)
13. "You men and you women that lift up your voices against that holy
principle [plural marriage] that has been introduced among this people,
the time will come when your daughters will run these streets as common
harlots" (Pres. Heber C. Kimball, as related in General Conference, Oct
1901, p. 32)
"the sin of adultery is running rampant through the Church." (Harold B.
Lee, Ensign 4:7:101)
14. "A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of
the Saints, and the result will be financial bondage." (Pres. Heber C.
Kimball to Amanda Wilcox, 1868)
Heber J. Grant mortgaged the temple for $30 million in 1923 (for 50
years) to help out the Utah and Idaho Sugar Co.
15. "And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one
mighty and strong, holding the sceptre of power in his hand, clothed
with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal
words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order
the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints
whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their
children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;" (D&C 85:7)
16. "... the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed;
otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing."
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 169)
"Surely a man cannot possess an appendage to the Priesthood without
possessing the Priesthood itself, which he cannot obtain unless it be
authoritatively conferred upon him." (Joseph F. Smith, Improvement Era
4:394, March 1901)