Doctrines of Salvation 2:93; “How severe is the judgment on the man who has committed adultery, even though he apparently is repentant? In the Doctrine and Covenants,
42:24-26, the Lord has given us a key to this situation. If a person commits adultery and then repents with all his heart, he may be forgiven. If he repeats the offense, he is not to be forgiven, but is to be cast out. As I read it, the Lord has not provided that, under those circumstances, he can come back again.” – Joseph Fielding Smith
Proverbs 29:12; “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.”
Mr. Smith was the great-grandson of Hyrum Smith, the brother of Joseph Smith, Jr.
In light of the teaching he so adamantly defended, we’re wondering why his uncle Joe wasn’t booted from the Church…
D&C 42:24-26 was a supposed revelation God gave to Joseph Smith on February 9, 1831. It reads as follows –
D&C 42:24-26; “Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out 25 But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; 26 But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.”
According to records, Smith confessed to having an affair with their 16 year old housemaid, Fanny Alger. When Emma confronted him about it, Fanny Alger was noticeably pregnant which resulted in Fanny being kicked out of the house. The scene became so heated, two other men witnessing the event had to intervene.
That scenario took place in April 1833. You can find more in-depth info at Joseph Smith’s Polygamy Chronology. The next ‘indiscretion’ came just five years later when he married Lucinda Pendleton Morgan.
So our question remains –
If Smith had his revelation in 1831, and these Mormon men were witnesses to both the revelation, and his extra-marital affairs, why weren’t they holding Joseph Smith accountable?
Why didn’t they gather together to remind him, as well as each other, of God’s mandate?
Besides all this – God tells us in the Bible the only sin for which there is no forgiveness is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost – Mark 3:29.
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