John Taylor's Revelations: September 27, 1886

Revelation Received Monday, September 27, 1886, at Centerville, Utah Territory.  (John Taylor Papers, LDS Archives).  The LDS Church denies the validity of this revelation.  Also, Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained in 1934:  “If the Lord had wanted plural marriage to continue according to the interpretations some [Fundamentalists] give of President Taylor’s [1886] revelation, He would have allowed President Taylor to have lived and enforced it but He took him and raised up President Wilford Woodruff who was inspired to give the Manifesto" (Letter dated 31 December 1934.  Musser, Ballard-Jenson Correspondence, 27).  Notwithstanding that the LDS Church denies this revelation, it is herein reported, solely for historical and educational purposes:

My son John: You have asked Me concerning the
New and Everlasting covenant-- how far it is
binding upon my people.
2 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;
3 And how can I revoke an everlasting
covenant?
4 For I the LORD am everlasting and My
everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor
done away with; but they stand forever.
5 Have I not given My word in great plainness
on this subject?
6 Yet have not great numbers of My people been
negligent in the observance of My law and the
keeping of My commandment;
7 And yet have I borne with them these many
years, and this because of their weakness because
of the perilous times;
8 And furthermore, it is more pleasing to Me
that men should use their free agency in regard
to these matters.
9 Nevertheless I the LORD do not change, and
My word and My covenants and My law do not.
10 And as I have heretofore said by My servant
Joseph Smith: All those who would enter into my
glory must and shall obey My law;
11 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?
12 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.

John Taylor's Revelations: June 27, 1882

Revelation Received Tuesday, June 27, 1882, at Salt Lake City, Utah Territory.  (John Taylor Papers, LDS Archives).  "It specifically addresses the Council of Fifty, a political council established by Joseph Smith in March 1844" (Holzapfel and Jones, "'John the Revelator': The Written Revelations of John Taylor", BYU Religious Studies Center, http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/champion-liberty-john-taylor/11-%E2%80%9Cjohn-revelator%E2%80%9D-written-revelations-john-taylor#_edn1).:


Verily, thus saith the LORD, I have instituted My
kingdom and My laws, with the keys and power
thereof.
2 And have appointed you as My spokesmen and
My constitution, with President John Taylor at
your head, whom I have appointed to My church
and My kingdom as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator,
unto My church and unto My kingdom-- and to
preside over My church and over My kingdom,
and to be My mouthpiece unto My church and
unto My kingdom.
3 And I will honor him, and he shall speak forth
the words that I will reveal unto him from time to
time by the whispering of My Spirit, by the
revelation of My will and My word, or by Mine
own voice as I will, saith the LORD;
4 And ye shall listen to his words as My words,
saith the Lord your God.
5 Thus saith the Lord God who rules in the
heavens above, and in the earth beneath: I have
introduced My kingdom and My government,
even the kingdom of God that My servants have
heretofore prophesied of--
6 And that I taught My disciples to pray for,
saying, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven."
7 For the establishment of My rule, for the
introduction of My law, for the protecting of My
church, and for the maintenance, promulgation,
and protection of civil and religious liberty in this
nation and throughout the world.
8 And all men of every nation, color, and creed
shall yet be protected and shielded thereby;
9 And every nation, kindred, and people, and
tongue shall yet bow the knee to Me, and
acknowledge Me to be Ahman Christ, to the glory
of God the Father.
10 And My law, and My rule, and My dominion
shall extend over the whole earth, and no one
shall stay My hand, or question my authority;
11 For I rule by right, in the heavens above and
in the earth; and My right, and My rule and My
dominion shall yet be known and extended to all
people.
12 And now behold, I speak unto you through
My servant John, whom you have acknowledged
and shall acknowledge as My spokesman: Thus
saith the Lord God, the Maker of heaven and
earth, the ruler of the universe, whose right it is
to rule in the heavens above, and in the earth
beneath;
13 Behold, I raised up My servant Joseph Smith
to introduce My gospel, and to build up My
church, and establish My kingdom on the earth.
14 And I gave unto him wisdom, and knowledge,
and revelation, and intelligence pertaining to the
past, the present and the future, even to that
extent which was not known among men;
15 And I endowed him with power from on
high, and conferred upon him the priesthood of
Aaron, and also the Priesthood of Melchizedek,
which is after the order of the Son of God, even
the holiest of all, and after the power of an
endless life- and administereth forever in this
world and the world to come.
16 He was called and ordained to this office
before the world was; he was called by Me, and
empowered by Me, and sustained by Me to
introduce and establish My church and kingdom
upon the earth--
17 And to be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to
My church and kingdom; and to be a King and
Ruler over Israel.
18 He was slain for the testimony of Jesus, and
for the word of God; but he yet lives, and is with
Me where I am.
19 And now I speak unto you who are members
of this council, and of My kingdom, and I say
unto you, as I said unto My disciples of old: Ye
have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.
20 I called you by My servant Joseph, and by My
servant Brigham, and by My servant John.
21 You did not teach and instruct Me; but I have
taught and instructed you, and organized you
according to My eternal laws.
22 Ye are My constitution, and I am your God.
23 And I will be acknowledged; and My will,
and My word, and My law shall bear rule in My
kingdom, saith the LORD.
24 If it does not, then it is not My kingdom, and
then are ye not My spokesmen;
25 For if it is by the wisdom of man, by the
intelligence of man, and under the direction of
man, then it is a kingdom of man, and it is not of
Me, and I will not acknowledge it, saith the Lord
God.
26 Have I not instructed you in all that you
know, and is not this kingdom organized and
directed by revelation from Me? Is it not called
the Kingdom of God?
27 If therefore it is not My kingdom, why do you
make use of My name, and invoke My authority
and My aid?
28 Is this kingdom not called,
"The Kingdom of God, and His laws, with the
Keys and Powers Thereof, and Judgment in the
Hands of His Servant Ahman Christ"?
29 And because I am kind and beneficent to all
peoples, and because I have given to man his free
agency, and have always maintained that free
agency among all peoples, and have treated all
men alike among all nations, and made the sun to
shine on the evil and the good, on the just and the
unjust, and have never controlled the consciences
of men, think ye, therefore, that I have no rights,
and will yield up all My authority to the dictates
and caprices of wicked and corrupt men?
30 Verily I say unto you, Nay.
31 Behold, Satan sought to take away the free
agency of man in the beginning, for which he
was thrust out of heaven, and has sought to
introduce the same principles upon the earth,
which principles are opposed to Me, to My
institutions, and My laws, and to the freedom, the
welfare, and happiness of man--
32 And by which principles the government of
the United States sought to deprive My people of
their free agency.
33 And because men have been under the
influence and power and dominion of Lucifer,
and because tyranny and oppression and evil
have abounded by him, and not by Me, saith the
Lord your God, shall righteousness and justice,
and judgment, and truth, and virtue, and holiness
be forever trampled under foot? --And the
principles of tyranny, oppression, and misrule,
and anarchy, deception, and fraud forever
prevail?
34 Verily I say unto you, Nay.
35 And for this cause have I introduced My
church and My kingdom, that pure and righteous
principles might be inculcated, and man by his
free agency yield a willing obedience to My law;
36 For after this testimony and the rejection
thereof, I will sweep the earth of evil doers as
with the besom of destruction;
37 For this is My right; and while man has free
agency, judgment belongs to Me, saith the LORD.
38 And I will come out of My hiding place and
vex the nations of the earth because of their
iniquities, their misrule, their tyranny, their
oppression, their corruption, their murders, their
adulteries and fornications, and all their
abominations.
39 And because My servant Joseph, whose soul
was pained because of their cruelties and
oppressions, the injustice, fraud, and corruption,
and the inhumanity of men, proclaimed himself
the advocate of human rights, the advocate of
liberty, and the friend of man;
40 And because, according to My eternal
decrees, the free agency of man should be
guaranteed to all men, I moved upon him to
introduce into My kingdom certain parties not in
My church-- for the purpose of exhibiting into
My kingdom that I would still maintain the free
agency of man, and that I hold inviolate that
principle, and will still maintain it to the end--
41 Think ye, therefore, that because they are
thus admitted to a share in My government and
My laws that they shall be permitted to break
their covenants, violate their obligations, and
reject Me and My laws and authority, and seek to
overthrow the kingdom of God, and deprive My
people who are contending for freedom, and who
shall yet maintain it, of their agency, and of My
laws?
42 Verily I say unto you, Nay.
43 They shall be admitted to the rights of
representation in the manner appointed, after
subscribing to My covenants and
commandments, and have a full and free
opportunity of presenting their views, interests,
and principles, and enjoying all the free and
rights of this council;
44 But they shall acknowledge Me and My laws
in this council, saith the Lord God;
45 For My people's rights, and immunities, and
free agency shall be acknowledged as well as
those of all other people;
46 And My laws and government shall be
sustained, or I will not acknowledge you, saith
the LORD.
47 I have invested you with the keys and power
of My kingdom, and they cannot be bartered
away to others.
48 Shall all men be free? Yes, free to do right,
free to express their sentiments and opinions, and
have a full, fair, and free representation;
49 But no man shall violate his covenants,
pervert My laws, subvert others free agency, and
trample upon Mine authority in this council,
saith the Lord your God.
50 Again I say unto you, as I said before:
Henceforth do as I shall command you, saith the
Lord your God. Even so, Amen.

John Taylor's Revelations: June 25 and 26, 1882

Revelation through John Taylor, received Sunday and Monday, June 25th and 26th, 1882 at Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, containing questions concerning the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, as also Celestial Marriage and Plural Marriage, which the Church was currently practicing.  (John Taylor Papers, LDS Archives).  Holzapfel and Jones wrote that this revelation was given "just three months after U.S. president Chester Arthur signed the Edmunds Act into law on March 22, 1882.  The act began a new phase of the federal prosecution against the Church" (Holzapfel and Jones, "'John the Revelator': The Written Revelations of John Taylor", BYU Religious Studies Center, http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/champion-liberty-john-taylor/11-%E2%80%9Cjohn-revelator%E2%80%9D-written-revelations-john-taylor#_edn1). The practice of Plural Marriage was abandoned between the years 1890 and 1904:


Question: Is the law of Celestial Marriage a law
given to this nation or to the world?
2 Answer: No-- in no other sense than as the
gospel is given and in accordance with the laws
thereof. So far as it is made known unto men, it
is made know unto them as the gospel is made
known unto them, and is part of the New and
Everlasting Covenant.
3 And it is only those who receive the gospel that
are able to, or capable of, entering into this
covenant.
4 Have I not said through My servant Joseph
Smith that all kingdoms are governed by law?
And if they receive not the law of the gospel, they
cannot participate in the blessings of Celestial
marriage, which pertains to Mine elect.
5 No person or people or nation can enter into
the principle of Celestial marriage unless they
come in by Me, saith the LORD, and obey the law
of My gospel through the medium of him who is
appointed unto this power as made known unto
My people through My servant Joseph in a
Revelation on the eternity of the marriage
covenant, including the plurality of wives.
6 I have therein stated that , "all those who have
this law revealed unto them must obey the same;
for behold I reveal unto you a New and an
Everlasting Covenant; and if ye abide not that
covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can
reject this covenant and be permitted to enter
into My glory."
7 Furthermore, "And as pertaining to the New
and Everlasting Covenant, it was instituted for the
fullness of My glory; and he that receiveth a
fullness thereof must and shall abide the law, or
he shall be damned, saith the Lord God."
8 It is again written that, "all kingdoms have a
law given."
9 The Celestial kingdom, including the promise
of Eternal Life, pertains to, "the church of the
Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through
Jesus Christ, His Son."
10 Therefore, such must be sanctified from all
unrighteousness, that they may be prepared for
the Celestial glory.
11 "For he who cannot abide the law of a
Celestial kingdom, cannot abide a Celestial glory;"
12 "And he who cannot abide the law of a
terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial
glory;"
13 "And he who cannot abide the law of a
telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory;
therefore, he is not meet for a kingdom of glory.
Therefore, he must abide a kingdom which is not
a kingdom of glory."
14 Each of the persons inhabiting these several
kingdoms shall be quickened by the same power
that pertains to the kingdom that they are
destined to inherit, whether Celestial, terrestrial,
or telestial; and shall receive of their respective
glories.
15 And again it is written, "And again, verily I
say unto you, that which is governed by law is
also preserved by law, and perfected and
sanctified by the same."
16 "That which breaketh a law, and abideth not
by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself,
and willeth to abide in sin, cannot be sanctified
by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment."
17 It is further written, speaking of Celestial
marriage, "And verily I say unto you, that the
conditions of this law are these: All covenants,
contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows,
performances, connections, associations, or
expectations that are not made and entered into,
and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, of him
who is anointed, both as well for time and for all
eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and
commandment, through the medium of Mine
anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to
hold this power (and I have appointed unto My
servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days,
and there is never but one on the earth at a time
on whom this power and the keys of this
priesthood are conferred) are of no efficacy,
virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from
the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto
this end have an end when men are dead."
18 This law is a Celestial law, and pertains to a
Celestial kingdom. It is a New and Everlasting
Covenant, and appertains to thrones, principalities,
powers, dominions, and eternal increase in
the Celestial kingdom of God.
19 You are not now sent to proclaim this
principle to the United States, nor to the world,
nor to urge it upon them. It is not for them as a
nation or nations, only as many as accept the law
of My gospel, and are governed thereby.
20 Behold, if you were to preach this principle
unto them, and they said, we accept it, could you
then administer it unto them? Verily I say unto
you, nay.
21 Have I not said, "Behold, Mine house is a
house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a
house of confusion."
22 "Will I accept of an offering, saith the LORD,
that is not made in My name?"
23 "Or will I receive at your hands that which I
have not appointed?"
24 "And will I appointed unto you, saith the
LORD, except it be by law, even as I and My
Father ordained unto you, before the world was?"
25 "I am the LORD thy God, and I give unto you
this commandment: that no man shall come unto
the Father but by Me or by My word, which is
My law, saith the LORD."
26 "And everything that is in the world, whether
it be ordained of men, by thrones, or
principalities, or powers, or things of name,
whatsoever that may be, that are not by Me, saith
the LORD, shall be thrown down, and shall not
remain after men are dead, neither in nor after
the resurrection saith the LORD your God."
27 "For whatsoever things remain are by Me,
and whatsoever things are not by Me shall be
shaken and destroyed."
28 " Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the
world, and he marry her not by Me nor by My
word, and he covenant with her so long as he is
in the world and she with him, their covenant
and marriage are not of force when they are
dead, and when they are out of the world;
therefore, they are not bound by any law when
they are out of the world."
29 You ask, what shall we do? Thus saith the
LORD, obey My law and seek not to become a
law unto yourselves, nor trust to outside
influences; but seek in the way appointed to the
Lord your God.
30 Ye are My spokesmen, I am your God; and as
I have before said, I now again say: Henceforth
do as I shall command you.
31 Concerning the course taken by the United
States, they have a right to reject this law
themselves, as they have a right to reject the
gospel; but it is contrary to the provisions of the
Constitution, which is the supreme law of the
land, for them to prohibit you from obeying it.
32 Therefore, abide in My law which I have
revealed unto you, saith the Lord God, and
contend for your rights by every legal and
constitutional method and in accordance with the
institutions, laws, and Constitution of the United
States.
33 Be humble, be faithful, be diligent; seek unto
Me and it shall be made know unto you from
time to time what My will is pertaining to this
matter.
34 I am the Lord your God, hearken to Me, and
obey My law, and your enemies shall be
confounded, and My kingdoms shall be
victorious.
Even so, Amen.

John Taylor's Revelations: November 19, 1877

Revelation Received through President John Taylor on Monday, November 19, 1877. (Joseph F. Smith Papers, LDS Archives), at Salt Lake City, Utah Territory.  This revelation was received shortly after the death of President Brigham Young.  Historians Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Christopher C. Jones wrote that "The effort to settle Brigham Young’s estate was challenging because it was difficult to distinguish what property belonged to the Church in Brigham Young’s name and what property legitimately belonged to the surviving family members" (Holzapfel and Jones, "'John the Revelator': The Written Revelations of John Taylor", BYU Religious Studies Center, http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/champion-liberty-john-taylor/11-%E2%80%9Cjohn-revelator%E2%80%9D-written-revelations-john-taylor#_edn1):
 
I have been asking the LORD to show me how to adjust the property of the church held in the name of the late President Brigham Young, so as to do justice to his estate; and yet not wrong the Church, and have received the following:
2 You have asked of Me, and others of the
Twelve have asked of Me, that wisdom might be
given to you to adjust these property matters of
the church;
3 Thus saith the LORD: Be one, be united, be
honest, act upon the principles of justice and
righteousness to the living and the dead, and to
My church, and I the LORD will sustain you and
acknowledge your labors. Amen.

Mormon Theology no. 31 - The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage

A commentator to The Mormon Eagle (Tim) wonders whether or not Plural Marriage is the New and Everlasting Covenant or not.  Therefore, this essay will define it from a scriptural and doctrinal point of view.

Doctrine and Covenants 132:3-4 state, "Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.  For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory. (italics added)"  Here the Lord uses the phrase "the new and everlasting covenant", and decrees damnation if not entered into.  Said President Spencer W. Kimball, "Though relatively few people in this world understand it, the new and everlasting covenant is the marriage ordinance in the holy temple by the properly constituted leaders who hold the genuine, authoritative keys.  This glorious blessing is available to men and women on this earth. (“Temples and Eternal Marriage,” Ensign, Aug. 1974, p. 5, emphasis added)"  It is called new because it is revealed anew in every Gospel dispensation.  It is called everlasting in that it has been enjoyed by God's people since the beginning of the world, even since Adam and Eve.

Joseph Smith taught, "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.  He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase. (D&C 131:1-4)"  Joseph Smith also taught, 

Except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrection. But those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory. (History of the Church, 5:391)

Thus we see that the New and Everlasting Covenant is marriage, although the Lord connected Plural Marriage with it for a time, but no longer does so.  

There are certain blessings only available to those who are married by the Priesthood Authority only held in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In regards to these blessing the Lord has stated, 

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.  Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them.  Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them (D&C 132:19-20).

President Spencer W. Kimball taught, "It matters not how righteous they may have been, how intelligent or how well trained they are.  No one will enter this highest glory unless he enters into the covenant, and this means the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. ( “The Importance of Celestial Marriage,” Ensign, Oct. 1979, pp. 5–6 )"

The Lord taught this doctrine to His ancient Apostles when He said, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. 16:19)"  

I know that only marriage in the Houses of the Lord of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can assure the perpetuation of the marriage relationship.  If one is married in any place other than a Mormon Temple, he cannot enter into God's presence and dwell with his family forever.  I know this is true, and I defy Earth and Hell to say otherwise.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Mormon Theology no. 29 - Polygamy and the LDS Church

With the myriad of articles about the Polygamist groups and their Trust Fund issues saturating the press, The Mormon Eagle feels to announce the LDS Church's official policy on Plural Marriage or Polygamy.

At one time the principle of Plural Marriage was sanctioned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and for a time was connected with the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, but is no longer connected therewith.  Therefore, Plural Marriage is no longer a policy of The Church of Jesus Christ.  President Wilford Woodruff stated in 1890, "We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor permitting any person to enter into its practice" (Official Declaration - 1).

President Joseph F. Smith had this to say in 1904, after hearing that new plural marriages were being conducted after the issuance of the Manifest in 1890.  He said, "I hereby announce that all such marriages are prohibited, and if any officer or member of the Church shall assume to solemnize or enter into any such marriage, he will be deemed in transgression against the Church, and will be liable to be dealt with according to the rules and regulations thereof and excommunicated therefrom" (Conference Report, April 1904, p. 97).

In the October 1998 General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, 

If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose.  Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church. . . . There is no such thing as a "Mormon Fundamentalist."  It is a contradiction to use the two words together.  More than a century ago God clearly revealed unto His prophet Wilford Woodruff that the practice of plural marriage should be discontinued, which means that it is now against the law of God.  Even in countries where civil or religious law allows polygamy, the Church teaches that marriage must be monogamous and does not accept into its membership those practicing plural marriage.

Thus The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' position is stated clear as day, shining as the Sun in a cloudless sky, that none be led astray or brought into the buffetings of Satan.  

I know that the principle of Celestial Marriage is of God, and at this time God has stated that Plural Marriages are to be non-existent in His Church.  If they were to be reinstated, Heavenly Father would make it known through His chosen Prophet, the President of the Church, who at this time is President Thomas S. Monson - chosen because he is the only man on Earth authorized by God to exercise all the Priesthood keys.  In the Name of Jesus our Savior, amen.