[Don Carlos]

why did it take 21 years from when Joseph Smith initially began the practice (1831) for them to go public with a written commandment

Better question: How did he get away with it for so long before wife #1 caught on?

[reaganaut]

How did he get away with it for so long before wife #1 caught on?

- - - - -
It didn’t. Emma knew about polygamy after the second or third wife (her best friend Eliza Snow). She had gone to visit her parents and returned to find a pregnant Eliza in her house in her robe. She pushed Eliza down the stairs according to her report.

The revelation on polygamy specifically tells Emma to obey Joseph. She gave in at least once, but had a change of heart a few hours later.

He did most of it on the sly. There is a very sad account, of Emma at a Relief Society (women’s aux) where she is giving a speech on monogamy and the importance of it, not knowing that at least 1/3 of the women in the audience (including Eliza Snow at that point) were ‘married’ and had had sex with her husband.

[Elsie]

How did he get away with it for so long before wife #1 caught on?

Perhaps she thought Joe was REALLY good at housework!

[Elsie]

How did he get away with it for so long before wife #1 caught on?

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THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 132

51–57, Emma Smith is counseled (commanded) to be faithful and true; 58–66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.

51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to ^aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.

52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, ^areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.

53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been ^afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.

54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and ^acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be ^bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.

55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ^ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, wives and children, and crowns of ^beternal lives in the eternal worlds.

56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid ^aforgive my servant Joseph his trespasses; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I, the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to ^brejoice.

 

 

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Whatever HAPPENED to Emma???

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Eliza was a devout Mormon.

At age 38, she became Joseph Smith's 14th plural wife (in addition to Smith's lawful wife, Emma).

In 1842, after learning Eliza was pregnant, Emma Smith beat Eliza with a broomstick and

knocked her down a flight of stairs, causing Eliza to miscarry Smith's baby.

 

Wow!!

 

I guess ol' Emma got VAPORIZED by GOD!!!

 

We know that multiply him thing sure didn't work out!