This is quite unexpected to me brethren and sisters to be called upon to address you this forenoon and still more so to address you upon the particular subject which has been named it is rather new ground for me that is I have not been in the habit of publicly speaking upon this subject and it is rather new ground to all of the inhabitants of the United States not only them but to all of inhabitants of Europe the greater portion of them not been in habit of preaching a doctrine of this description consequently we shall have to break up new ground it is well known however by the congregation that is before me that the Latter-day Saints have embraced the doctrine of plurality of wives as part of their religious faith it is not as many have supposed a doctrine embraced to gratify the carnal lusts and feelings of man that is not the object of the doctrine and we shall endeavor to set forth before this enlightened assembly some of the causes and whys and wherefores in relation to this doctrine show you why it is a part and portion of our religious faith and I believe that they will not under our present form of government I mean government of United States I believe they will not try us for treason for believing and practicing our religious notions and ideas I think if I mistake not there is amendment this constitution gives the privilege to all the inhabitants of this country the free exercise of their religious notions the free exercise of their faith the practice of it then if it can be proven to administration that the Latter-day Saints have actually embraced as part and portion of their religion plurality of wives constitutional and should there be laws enacted by this government from the free exercise of this it must be unconstitutional but says one we cannot comprehend how this doctrine can be embraced as a matter of your religious views and faith we can hardly conceive how it can be embraced as a kind of domestic concern something that pertains to domestic pleasures but when it is incorporated as part of religion like to know the whys and wherefores very well before we get through we will endeavor to tell you why we consider it an essential doctrine to our glory exaltation and to our happiness or our fullness of happiness in the eternal world and before we come directly to the point it [may/may not?] be necessary to make a few preliminary remarks in regard to the existence of man to his first existence to his first estate and then say something in relation to his present state and in third place something in relation to next or future state

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I well recollect the time God restored the everlasting the priesthood certain ordinances placed upon my head the blessings Abraham Isaac and Jacob why says one I never thought of it why did not you think of it why not look upon Abraham's blessings for the Lord blessed him with innumerable seed as the sand upon the sea shore so if you obey the laws shall inherit the blessings of Abraham how does he get along to get this mighty kingdom did he do it all through one wife suppose he got it all by his wife Sarah alone no Sarah gave certain woman name of Hagar to Abraham and by her a seed was raised up unto Abraham is this all no we read of quite a number I think of ten dozen wives Abraham had after Sarah's death

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but again there is another reason why this plurality should exist among the Latter-day Saints I have already given you one reason and that is that you might inherit the blessings made to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and receive a continuation of your posterity that they may become a[s] numerous as sand upon

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but says one how find that out by new revelation in our day when was it given and to whom it was given to our prophet seer revelator Joseph Smith on the twelfth day of July 1843 only about 11 months before he was martyred for his testimony of Jesus he held the keys of these matters he had the right to inquire of the Lord and the Lord has set bounds and restrictions to these things and he has told us in that revelation that only one man can hold these keys upon the earth at the same time and these keys belong to those that stand at the head and at the front and preside over all affairs of church and kingdom of God last days they are the sealing keys the power in other words of Elijah having been committed restored to the earth by Elijah the prophet who held many keys among the rest the keys of sealing to bind the hearts of fathers to children and the children to the fathers and all the sealing keys and powers pertaining to the last dispensation

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we can only just touch here and there upon a [point?] with regard to this great sublime beautiful glorious subject revealed by the prophet the seer the revelator that has sealed his testimony with his blood and born testimony to the nations of things that were of ancient times as well as of things that are to come but while talk the vision of my mind is opened it spreads forth the branches like the branches of thrifty tree spreading out far ends of heavens in all ways and as the glory of God how great what do I feel to say hallelujah to his great and holy name for he reigns in heavens and he will exalt his people to sit with him upon thrones of power to reign for ever and ever.