Polygamy was Mormonism’s most controversial theological novelty. Critics casually equated it with slavery, dubbing them “the twin relics of barbarism.” Whatever you think about the wisdom of polygamy, its emergence in 19th-century Mormonism raises a deeper question. Given human conformity, how did such a radical break from social convention ever get off the ground? John Turner’s Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet provides an intriguing window into the sales process:



By April, Nauvoo buzzed with tales of adultery, “spiritual

wifery,” and apostasy. At the church’s annual conference, Hyrum Smith felt

obliged to contradict rumors ” about Elders Heber C. Kimball, Brigham

Young, himself, and others of the Twelve, alleging that a sister had been shut

in a room for several days, and that they had endeavored to induce her to

believe in having two wives.” The sister in question was Martha

Brotherton.

While individuals

often responded with disbelief and disgust when church leaders taught them the

doctrine of celestial marriage or approached them about becoming plural wives,

Brotherton was somewhat unusual in making her disillusionment with the church

and its leaders a matter of public scandal. She did so because of John C.

Bennett. The mercurial Bennett lost his church membership in June following

allegations of his own sexual indiscretions, and he soon began assembling evidence

he could use — as one unsympathetic newspaper put it — “to glut his

revenge upon the Prophet.” Bennett met with Brotherton in St. Louis, where

the young woman and her parents had relocated, and persuaded her to detail her

travails in a letter, a notarized copy of which was published in one of the

city’s newspapers and later included in Bennett’s exposé of Mormon polygamy,

political power, and sacred rituals.

In the affidavit, Brotherton

stated that Young and Kimball persuaded her to meet with Joseph Smith in the

upper room above Smith’s store, the same room in which Young had officiated at

two of Smith’s plural weddings and in which he received his endowment.

According to Brotherton, Smith and Kimball left her with Young, who then

“arose, locked the door, closed the window, and drew the curtain”

before asking her if she would marry him “were it lawful and right.”

Young then explained the prophet’s teaching on the matter:

brother

Joseph has had a revelation from God that it is lawful and right for a man to

have two wives; for, as it was in the days of Abraham, so it shall be in these

last days, and whoever is the first that is willing to take up the cross will

receive the greatest blessings; and if you will accept of me, I will take you

straight to the celestial kingdom; and if you will have me in this world, I

will have you in that which is to come.

When Brotherton demurred, Young, after demanding a kiss, went to

fetch Smith. According to Brotherton’s affidavit, the prophet provided her with

glib encouragement: “if you do not like it in a month or two, come to me,

and I will make you free again; and if he [Young] turns you off, I will take

you on.” Young proceeded more cautiously and seriously, asking, “Did

you ever see me act in any way wrong in England, Martha?” Brotherton

begged for time to consider the proposal. She and her parents soon left Nauvoo,

convinced that Smith and his apostles were “deceivers.”