Minutes of A Meeting of The Twelve Apostles held in the Salt Lake Temple. 22 February 1911, at 10 o'clock A.M. Those present of the Quorum:

[President] Francis M. Lyman

Heber J. Grant

Hyrum M. Smith

Charles W. Penrose

George F. Richards

Orson F. Whitney

David O. McKay

Anthony W. Ivins

Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.

. . .

Hyrum M. Smith

Do you think it would be wrong for me to go and get another wife?

John W. Taylor

It would depend upon the circumstances.

Hyrum M.Smith

In view of the fact that the Church has taken a very emphatic stand against this thing and said that it cannot be done, and still some of the people have assumed to perform and encourage these marriages in face of this position. Do you think they are justified in this?

John W. Taylor

I do not want to discuss my own case it is up to you and the brethren to pass upon that. I am living among the Philistines and you brethren are among the "Mormons." There is one thing that is much more serious in my mind than polygamy and I am not mentioning it to aid me in my case at all. When the enabling act was passed there were two things that we promised, one thing was that polygamy would be stopped and the other that Church influence would not be used in politics.

My father received a revelation which, however, was never presented to the Church, and I refer to this not because it is a revelation to my father, I don't think a revelation because it came through him was any greater than one received through any other president of the Church, but because it seems to pertain to this question.

The revelation follows:

September 2[7th] 1886

[My Son John:]

You have asked me concerning the New and Everlasting Covenant and how far it is binding upon my people.

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, and how can I revoke an everlasting covenant; for I the Lord am everlasting and my everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with, but they stand forever.

Have I not given my word in great plainness on this subject? Yet have not great numbers of my people been negligent in the observance of my law and the keeping of my commandments and yet have I borne with them these many years; and this because of their weakness, because of the perilous times.

And Furthermore, it is now pleasing to me that men should use their free agency in regard to these matters. Nevertheless, I the Lord do not change and my word and my law and my covenants do not.

And as I have heretofore said by my servant Joseph: all those who would enter into my glory must and shall obey my law 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? 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.

The above revelation was read by Brother Penrose.

. . .

John W. Taylor

Brother Lyman, what do you think of the revelation to my father?

President Francis M. Lyman

If you ask me if l believe in the plurality of wives, I would say that I believe it is true and will always be so, but the Lord may suspend the practice of it and how much of the responsibility remains with the people and with the government, I don't know. I am living with my wives now all the time, but I don't hold the Church responsible for it, but shoulder the responsibility myself. In 1900 President Snow said there was no more authority to perform plural marriages. You were present when President Snow was sustained as President of the Church and he made the statement that there should be no more plural marriages performed with the permission of the President of this Church, and a short time later published to the world through the Deseret News. Have you (to Brother Taylor) been authorized since President Snow's presidency to perform or authorize any plural marriages?

John W. Taylor

That I would prefer not to answer, as it would lead to something else. My view is that the Lord was anxious to put everybody upon his own responsibility and take the responsibility from the church.

. . .

Charles W. Penrose

Do you understand the free agency referred to in the revelation gives any one the privilege of taking a plural wife?

John W. Taylor

I take it that it refers to the individual and relieved the Church of the responsibility and placed the responsibility upon the individual.

President Francis M. Lyman

When did you find this revelation?

John W. Taylor

I found [it] on his desk immediately after his death when I was appointed administrator of his estate.

. . .

Minutes of A Meeting of The Council Of The Twelve held 1 March 1911, 10 A.M. Those present of the Council:

[President] Francis M. Lyman

Heber J. Grant

Hyrum M. Smith

Charles W. Penrose

George F. Richards

Orson F. Whitney

David O. McKay

Anthony W. Ivins

Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr.

also John W. Taylor.

. . .

Orson F. Whitney

Was it not the policy during your father's administration to leave everything to the mind of the individual? I know this was the case with me when I went to inquire ifI should take the test Oath. I was told to exercise my own judgment. Also there is no authority as far as I can see, in that revelation, no authority given to man to exercise such authority in maying anyone, but the question of whether they should go into the relationship was left with the individual, as in President Young's time men were commanded to go into it.

Charles W. Penrose

I feel that we should not express our own views on this revelation, but should have Brother Taylor's views, if he will give them; if not, we can get through without that question.

President Francis M. Lyman

The date of this revelation is September 1886, four years before the manifesto of President Woodruff, and I remember at that time that President Taylor and all his brethren were very strongly entrenched in the principle of plural marriage. From 1880 to 1890 men were almost commanded to enter it, especially the officials of the Church. We were all pretty well engaged in this question. The change came in 1890 when President Woodruff felt the neccessity that plural marriage should cease and after that he felt just as strong against it, as President Taylor had felt for it before. It was subsequent to this that President Smith made his declaration that the Church took no responsibility for the unlawful cohabitation of those in plural marriage and the performance of plural marriages, I would like to ask you if you have encouraged others to take plural wives, or taken them yourself, or if you think these brethren who have copies of this revelation have taken it as an encouragement, for instance Brother Robinson.

John W. Taylor

I will answer that by asking if any one [of] you have had here before you [one who] has ever said that I encouraged him?