and in due time the Lord would reorganize it again. There were many other things suggested to my mind, but the lapse of time has erased them from my memory."
Mr. Marks saw, in his vision, just what he was grieving over. These officials that were so much concerned about congenial wives for eternity had overcome the membership in sin and wickedness! Tell me, gentle reader, what are we to think of the inspiration of such a set of men?! These officials, by their corruption, were smothering whatever good there might be in the body. All this was under the superintendence of the prophet of Mormonism, whose inspiration we are asked to accept and honor—asked to believe that God left the throne of the universe, took his son from the mediatorial throne, and brought him to earth just to introduce him to the one that was at the head of this corruption!! Now, under the supervision of this man, that institution he was especially chosen to establish was so corrupt that the Lord concluded he would have to destroy the concern and try it again!! Marks further says:
"A few days after this occurrence I met with Bro. Joseph. He said that he wanted to converse with me on the affairs of the church, and we retired to ourselves. I will give his words verbatim, for they were indelibly stamped upon my mind. He said that he had desired for a long time to talk with me on the subject of polygamy. He said it would eventually prove the overthrow of the church, and we would have to leave the United Stated unless it could be speedily put down."
This conversation was in 1844. For a long time, we are told, Smith had been wanting to talk with Marks on the subject of polygamy. For a long time, therefore, polygamy had been on hand in Nauvoo, and the Mormon prophet was aware of the fact. At that time it had such a hold on the church that Smith was alarmed, for fear they would have to leave the United States! How came polygamy there? Smith could get revelations whenever he called for them. Why could he not
