a known liar, and that she had recently been caught in a compromising situation with a young man. They were willing to sign an affidavit to that effect if I wanted. This is her own family, mind you! That’s how they feel about Martha Brotherton.” He set the papers aside now and sat back in his chair. “So there it is. That’s what I’ve learned.”
Finally, Nathan straightened. “Now are you convinced, Joshua?”
Joshua stared at Nathan for a long moment, then turned to his brother-in-law. “Are you convinced, Carl?”
“Of what?”
“That there is absolutely no truth to any of this? That Bennett is lying? That Sarah Pratt is lying? Brotherton? Schindle? All of it is lies?”
There was just a flicker of hesitation. “I am absolutely convinced that Bennett is lying. And the others. I cannot and I will not believe that Joseph is consorting with harlots nor that he is advocating that there is no sin in unrestrained relationships with the opposite sex.”
Joshua sat back, digesting that. “I appreciate what you’ve done, Carl. This has been a lot of work, and not pleasant I’m sure.”
“The question is, Joshua,” Nathan said again, “are you convinced now?”
Joshua bent forward, rubbing his hands through his hair.
“Are you?” Nathan persisted.
Joshua didn’t look up. “I trust Carl implicitly,” he finally said. “If Carl says they are lying, then they are lying.”
“So you’ll let Caroline and Will be baptized now?”
Benjamin was not watching his two sons. He didn’t see the look of resignation that crossed Joshua’s face. Nor did he wait for his answer. He was watching Carl Rogers very closely now. Carl was staring at his hands, which were lying on the desk. His eyes seemed far away and troubled. “Carl?” Benjamin asked, very softly.
Joshua turned at the sound of his father’s voice, grateful for a reprieve from having to answer Nathan’s questions. Nathan turned too. Both of them saw Carl’s head come up very slowly.
“Joshua asked you two questions, Carl,” said Benjamin. “He asked if you thought Bennett was lying and you said yes, definitely. He also asked if you are convinced that there is absolutely no truth to any of this. Were you answering that question as well?”
For a long moment, Carl met Benjamin’s gaze. There was pain in Carl’s eyes and yet gratitude too. “No, not in the same way,” he finally murmured.
Nathan’s mouth flew open. “What?”
Joshua was staring now too. He was suddenly eager. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Benjamin shot them both a fierce look. “You two be quiet for a moment,” he commanded curtly. Then he turned back around. “What is it, Carl?” he asked gently.
Carl had been debating how he was going to tell them. Benjamin had just solved that for him. He cleared his throat and looked at each one of them. He cleared it again and then began, speaking very softly. “I want to say this very carefully. I don’t want Joshua to make more of it than what it is. And I don’t want Nathan to make less of it than what it is.”
“Go on,” Benjamin said with an encouraging smile. “We all agreed that we are after the truth here.”
“I have to be honest. Part of my hesitation is that I’ve not investigated this in the same way. For two reasons. First, I have been consumed with finding out about Bennett and his cohorts. It has taken my time, and frankly, it has taken far more of my energies than I ever expected. Second, I am an outsider. I’m not a member of the Church. As such, I cannot get the same access to people who would know about this as I could in the other matter.”
“And thirdly?” Benjamin prodded.
Carl finally met his gaze square on. “Thirdly, I’m not sure I want to know.”
“Why? Because it might be true?”
He swallowed once, looking bleak, then nodded. “That and because I think this could be very difficult for the family.”
“If there’s more, I want to hear it,” Joshua snapped.
Benjamin swung on him. “Joshua, I mean it. You and Nathan stay out of this.”
“Sorry,” came the mumbled reply.
“If you have any reservations, Carl, any questions still in your mind, I think we need to hear those too. Then we can decide what to do about them.”
Again the silence stretched out, heavy as a cloud of wood smoke in the room.
“Pa’s right,” Nathan finally broke in when Carl still hesitated. “Whether we like it or not, we need to hear what’s bothering you.”
“I concur,” Joshua added.
“All right,” said Carl. “Mind you, this is only a feeling, a suspicion. I’ve heard things that seem to confirm that suspicion, but that’s all.” His eyes searched theirs one by one. “I don’t believe for one moment that Joseph is teaching that promiscuous relationships between the sexes is acceptable to God. Nor do I believe that he is whisking off young women and locking them into rooms.” Again there was the hesitancy. Then he just shook his head. “But I do believe,” he finished firmly, “that Joseph is teaching that a man may have more than one wife.”
Chapter Notes
One of the difficult things in dealing with the tumultuous weeks in the spring of 1842 is separating truth from rumor, fact from speculation, evidence from innuendo and embellishment. Nauvoo was buzzing with the growing scandal surrounding John C. Bennett and his attempts to put the blame on the Prophet. There were charges and countercharges, accusations and counteraccusations. In this chapter, what happens when Joshua goes to Bennett’s house and what Carl presents as the result of his investigation are based on known historical evidence. The testimony of the Goddard family about Sarah Pratt and John C. Bennett, the Brotherton family’s comments about Martha, the declaration that Melissa Schindle was a harlot, the testimony of the women about Chauncey Higbee, the evidence that Bennett was likely running a brothel and also performed at least some abortions—all of these are drawn from carefully documented sources (see Danel W. Bachman, “A Study of the Mormon Practice of Plural Marriage Before the Death of Joseph Smith” [master’s thesis, Purdue University, 1975], pp. 223–49; Andrew F. Smith, “The Saintly Scoundrel: The Life and Times of John Cook Bennett” [unpublished ms., Brooklyn, N.Y., 1994], pp. 119–24).
Chapter 26
At Carl’s quiet statement, Nathan rocked back. Joshua just gaped. Benjamin seemed only mildly surprised.
Carl was steadfast in his demeanor. “I know he has said things, even publicly, about the Old Testament patriarchs having more than one wife. He once even suggested this might be part of the restoration of all things. I wasn’t there, but Melissa was. She said it created quite a furor.”
“Is that true?” Joshua demanded of Nathan.
“Well, yes, he did make a statement like that in a conference once, but it was said in passing. He—”
Joshua dropped back in his chair, his face exultant. “So behind it all there really is something going on.”
Carl flared at that. “That’s what I mean, Joshua! That’s the very thing I feared. You’re so determined to find something—anything!—that will help you stop Caroline from being baptized, you already have your mind made up.”
“That’s not true,” Joshua said, clearly stung by Carl’s attack.
“Isn’t it?” Nathan blurted. “We could all tell how disappointed you were when Carl proved Bennett’s stories false. And these lies are no different.”
“Nathan,” Benjamin said, in a voice that brooked no contradiction, “you have just justified Carl’s other fear. You have already made up your mind that there cannot be any truth to this.”
“Do you think there’s truth to it, Pa?” Nathan asked incredulously. “This is all part of the same pack of lies that Bennett is pandering around.”
“Is it?” Carl asked quietly.
“Yes!”
“Maybe you’d better ask Joseph.”
Nathan shot up, putting both hands on the desk. “Who is filling your head with that kind of stuff, Carl? Melissa
Schindle? Martha Brotherton? Who? I want to know.”
“Nathan!” Benjamin roared. “Sit down!”
The sound reverberated in the small room and shocked them all into silence. Nathan slowly sat back down. “Now,” Benjamin finally said, “let’s hear Carl out.”
Carl seemed very reluctant now. “This is all very tentative.” He looked at Nathan. “But this is not coming from Joseph’s enemies.”
“I’m going to Joseph with this,” Nathan muttered. “This is not right.”
“No you’re not,” Joshua exclaimed. “You’ll just tip his hand. This stays just among us until we find out the truth here.” There was a faint smirk. “Or is it you who is afraid to know the truth now?”
Benjamin sighed. “That’s enough, Joshua.”
“Why?” he flared. “I listened to the evidence against Bennett. And I was disappointed that his claims weren’t true. But I accepted it! And now, when it looks like it might go the other way—”
“Suppose,” Carl said, “someone started spreading vicious rumors about you, Joshua, and I learned about them. Would you want me to tip your hand?”
Joshua’s mouth opened, but as he stared at Carl it finally shut again. Then he let out a muttered, “Yes.”
“I would too.”
“All right, then,” Joshua went on, “how about this? Nathan can go to Joseph with the whole thing on Bennett. I told the man that if I found out he was lying to me, I’d do everything I could to bring him down. So take him down.”
“I will,” Nathan cried.
“But on this other, we say nothing until Carl looks into it some more.” He gave Nathan a hard look. “And whatever he finds, we accept, whether we like it or not. Agreed?”
“It won’t work,” Carl answered. “I told you, I’m an outsider. If this is happening, it is known only in the tightest of circles. Church leaders only. They are not talking about it and most certainly not to some person who isn’t even a member.”
Joshua’s disappointment showed on his face. There was no disputing the point. They all fell silent, mulling over how to get at a solution.
And then Nathan stunned them all. Still staring at the floor, he said quietly, “I will investigate this one.”
Joshua spun around. Carl stared in disbelief. Even Benjamin was shocked speechless for a moment. And then he saw the wisdom of it. This was for Joshua. He began to nod. “Yes, that would work. Nathan knows the leaders well. He is a trusted friend of Joseph’s. If there is truth in this, Nathan is the one to find it out.”
“Nathan doesn’t believe a word of it,” Joshua snorted. “What kind of investigation will that be?”
Nathan was looking at the floor now. He didn’t look up. “It will be as fair and as impartial as Carl’s. That’s what it will be. You have my word on it.”
Nathan and Benjamin found Joseph in his office above the store. They had gotten only a sentence or two into their report when Joseph held up his hand. “I’d like Hyrum to hear this. Can you wait?”
When they nodded he was up and gone. Ten minutes later he returned with his brother. Both looked grim. When they were seated, Joseph nodded to Nathan. “All right, start at the beginning again. Tell us everything.”
For half an hour Nathan talked in a low voice, interrupted only when Benjamin added details Nathan had forgotten or when the two brothers fired questions at him. When Nathan finally finished, Joseph looked as though he had been whipped. He sat with his head in his hands. Hyrum was fuming. Benjamin decided it was time they leave it to them. “Is there anything more you want us to do, Joseph?” Benjamin asked.
It was as though he had to come back to them from a long way away. “What was that?”
Benjamin repeated his question. Joseph slowly shook his head. “No, not at present. Give us some time, brethren.” He reached out and laid his hand on Benjamin’s arm. “Will you tell Carl that we are deeply indebted to him? This is what we’ve needed. Exactly what we’ve needed.”
“I will.”
There was a deep, pained sigh, and he looked down at his hands. “We have been long patient with John C. Bennett. We have given him every opportunity to repent, to change his ways, and this is what he does.”
Nathan waited half an hour before he finally saw Brigham come out of the door of the woodworking shop and start for home. Thankfully, Matthew did not come out with him. Nathan stepped out from behind the tree across the street and walked swiftly until he nearly caught up with him. Brigham, hearing his footsteps, turned, then stopped.
“Well, Brother Nathan. Good afternoon.”
“Afternoon, Brigham.”
Brigham gave him an odd look. “Just happening by?” he asked.
Nathan grinned. Brigham was pretty shrewd. He didn’t miss much. “No, actually I was waiting for you. Do you mind if I walk with you?”
Again there was that long searching look, then a brief nod. “Love to have your company.” They started off again, walking slowly.
“How’s Mary Ann?” Nathan asked. Like Nathan’s mother, Brigham’s wife was named Mary Ann.
“Fine.”
“And the children?”
“The children are fine. Mary Ann’s in a family way again.”
“Really? Congratulations. This will be your sixth?”
“Seventh.”
“Good. And she’s feeling all right?”
There was a sardonic smile. “She’s feeling fine. The children are fine. My cow’s had a touch of the bloat, but she’s better now. My horse is doing well. The roof leaks from time to time, but I plan to get at that this afternoon, as a matter of fact.”
Nathan flushed.
Brigham laughed shortly. “Just come right out with it.”
“All right. I’d like to ask you some questions.”
Brigham glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Brigham had stopped by the printing office earlier in the day to see John Taylor on a matter, and John had told him that Nathan Steed had been around asking questions. “To what end?” he finally asked.
Nathan decided that there was no being coy with Brigham Young. “There are rumors and stories floating about. You know my brother Joshua. Well, he’s aware of these. He is greatly troubled and will use this to stop Caroline and Will from being baptized.”
Brigham slowed his step until they were nearly stopped. “I appreciate your being honest with me, Nathan. Have you asked Joseph?”
Nathan flinched a little. “Uh . . . no. Not yet.”
Brigham’s round features softened. “I understand why you’re doing this, Nathan.” He laid an arm across his shoulder. “We can talk about it, but you need to know this. I can’t and I won’t speak for Joseph. There are some things you are going to have to ask him and him alone. Fair enough?”
“Yes, of course.”
Brigham smiled, teasing him a little. “Now, just to stay on safe ground here, why don’t I ask the questions.”
Nathan had to laugh. In a way that would be a relief. “All right.”
“We’re agreed that the whole thing with John C. Bennett and his spiritual wifery is a fraud and that Joseph never gave him permission to teach any such doctrine? You have no question about that?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Good. So what troubles you is whether or not Joseph is actually teaching that it is all right for a man to take more than one wife?”
“Yes,” Nathan said emphatically. “Is he?”
“Do you agree that if God chose to restore that practice, he could do it?”
“Well, yes, but—”
“I didn’t say he had, I’m just trying to clarify where you stand.”
“Yes. I believe God could do it, of course. But I don’t think he would, Brigham. Not anymore. It’s . . . it just doesn’t seem right. A man having more than one woman to love.”
“Let me reason with you as Joseph reasoned with me. Are you a believer in the resurrection of men and women?”
“Of course.”
“Do you bel
ieve that in the resurrection we will be much as we are now, only in a glorified state? That men and women, parents and children, will recognize one another there?”
“Yes, I believe that completely.”
“And do you believe that in the resurrection we will have the same filial feelings toward each other, that parents will still love their children, that husbands and wives will love each other?”
Nathan considered that more carefully, but the answer was still the same. “Yes, I do.”
“So, let me ask you this. You love Lydia and your children with complete love and devotion now?”
“Completely.”
“Suppose Lydia were to die. Is it possible that you would remarry after a time?”
“Well, yes, I suppose.”
“And do you think you could have the same tender feelings for and total devotion to that woman as you do with regard to Lydia now? And that if you had children with that woman, you would love them as you love your current children?”
Now Nathan sensed that he was being moved into a box and he answered more carefully. “Yes, I suppose that could be the case.”
Brigham had turned very solemn. “Did you know that Mary Ann is not my first wife?”
Nathan started a little, then remembered. “Yes, I do remember that.”
“I buried my beloved Miriam on a hillside in New York State. Do you think that because I truly love my Mary Ann now that it diminishes my former love for Miriam in any way?”
“No.”
“All right, then. Now, let’s come back to the resurrection. Everyone is dead now. Me, you, Lydia, my Mary Ann, this second wife of yours. We are all in heaven in the resurrection. Tell me what will happen there. If I am to have only one wife, what will happen to my Miriam and the two children we had together? Or if it is Miriam that I am given, then are Mary Ann and my current children to be sent away? Could you imagine sending your Lydia off and your children with her and saying, ‘I’m terribly sorry, but I have a different wife now’?”
The logic was irrefutable, and Nathan had no choice but to shake his head. “No, of course not.”
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