ATDTDA (7): 197-198 decoding

[bekah]

At 9:11 PM -0400 4/25/07, Peter Petto wrote:
>Mormon apostles - does this refer to any Mormon missionary, or 
>specifically to an elder in the LDS church hierarchy? the original 
>apostles were 12 disciples chosen by Jesus to preach the gospel


Page 198,  Deuce to Webb in attendance:

"You're going over into Utah, Webb.  We happen to run across some 
Mormon apostles in time, why you can even get baptized, get a bunch 
of them proxy wives what they call sealed on you, so's you'll enjoy 
some respect among the Saints, how's that while you're all waiting 
for that good bodily resurrection stuff?

*
"As the polygamy practice increased in Utah from the 1850's-'80s, several
instances occurred where "higher-ranking" Mormon men appropriated the wives
of subordinates; and there were many more occasions where higher-ranking
priesthood holders broke the hearts of young men by taking their intended
brides as their own plural wives.  At that time, Mormon theology held that
the more "plural wives" a man had, the greater his "kingdom" would be in the
afterlife.  Therefore, it was appropriate that the highest-ranking leaders
could attract the greatest number of "plural wives" who could "ride his
coattails" into his "celestial kingdom."  This practice was so prevalent that
many Mormon women had themselves "sealed by proxy" to Smith, Young, and other
high leaders, even though they had no earthly relationship with them."
<http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon199.htm>

*

In 1890, likely for political reasons,  the Mormons approved a 
Manifesto which ended polygamy as official doctrine  but polygamy 
continued to be practiced.   While most Mormons accepted monogamy, 
many didn't or it took a lot of time, and some of the highest placed 
Apostles left the church but others stayed on with secret families.

So Utah got to become a State in 1896.   In 1898 they elected H.R. 
Roberts to the US House but he had to leave office in 1900 due to his 
polygamy.  Reed Smoot, a monogamist,  was elected to the Senate in 
1903 and after the Smoot Hearings,  was allowed to stay (many years).

The Mormon apostles mentioned on page 198 are probably just 
polygamous Mormons with multiple wives who were living in the 
"Jeshimon" area of Utah and Deuce is telling Webb how good he can 
have it there even after death.

Bekah
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