| W. W. Phelps writes his wife, Sally, of a woman's place as
a helpmeet and a man's duty as the head of the man. Women created for men.
Joseph has preached a great sermon on the subject—a mystery. Marriage
for eternity is the celestial law. Men may have only one wife. Women should
veil faces in public. Sister
Gilbert (in Missouri) melancholy. Apostles returning by October 1 for opening
of school. Commandments received from Cleveland last week. David Whitmer
and Samuel H. Smith appointed to the Literary Firm . |
| Woman's
place |
¶ |
I have it in my heart
to give you a little instruction, so that you may know your place, and stand
in it, beloved, admired, and rewarded, in time and in eternity. |
|
W.
W. Phelps to Sally, Sept. 9, 1835, Journal history. |
| Man's
duty: multiply |
|
But in order to do this,
I must show the duty of man, in part. Man was created in the beginning to
dress the earth to multiply his species; to honor God, and enjoy his presence
forever. |
|
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| Toil,
beautify, dominion |
|
Hence it is the duty
of man to labor for his living; to provide for his own household; to cultivate
the land; to beautify it, to rear up habitations, and to have dominion over
all animals which were made for his use and benefit. |
|
|
Helpmeet
Multiply
|
|
But it is not good that
man should live alone, therefore it is pleasing to the Lord, that we should
have an helpmeet, and multiply and replenish the earth, raising up seed,
that the earth may be filled with its measure of man … |
|
|
| Natural
order |
|
In the first chapter
of Romans, beginning at the 26 verse, see what abominations women and men
work by changing the order of heaven. |
|
"For
this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: fore even their women
did change the natural use into that which is against nature." |
| Vile
affections (gentiles) |
|
Then one sees why the
generations of men have been more or less cursed, with harlots, whoremonger,
adulterers, maimed children, ungodly wretches, &c. God gives them
up to their own vile affections. This you know is the fact with men and
women in general among the gentiles. |
|
| Lord
blesses our children |
|
The Lord promises to
bless the fruit of the body of the Saints, if they keep his commandments.
This brings to mind "our little innocent Lydia" who, I am [illegible]
from what I learn, is beloved and blessed of the Lord: if I were with you
I could tell you why, but (suffice till I come,) to say that one of the
great reasons is because her Mother did the will of the Lord without murmuring
in bringing that child into the world. |
|
|
Man
the head
Woman created for man |
|
In the 11th chapter
of first Corinthians, you will see that the head of Christ is God; and the
head of man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and that the
woman was created for the man … |
|
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| No
celibacy, fornication, birth control |
|
Celibacy is not tolerated
by the commandments, neither is fornication, nor is any device that hinders
the increase of man: This you may learn by reading the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th
and 10th verses of the 38 chapter of Genesis. … |
|
|
| Man
and woman a unit |
¶ |
… Now I must hint
of women: For the man is not without the woman neither is the woman without
the man in the Lord. |
|
W.
W. Phelps to Sally, Sept. 16. 1835, Journal history. |
Wives
submit
Husband head of woman
Lord head of man |
|
I wish you to read the
seventh of I Corinthians and learn for yourself: In Ephesians and Colossians
it says—"Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto
the Lord." That is keep your husband's commands in all things as you
do the Lord's. Your husband is your head, and the Lord is his head. |
|
|
Joseph's
sermons on duty of wives to husbands
Mystery |
|
Br. Joseph has preached
some of this greatest sermons on the duty of wives to their husbands and
the rule of all women I ever heard. I would not have you ignorant, Sally,
of the mystery of Men and Women, but I can not write all. You must wait
till you see me. |
|
Possible
intimation of plural marriage? |
Couples
forever
Not till death do us part |
|
This much, however,
I will say, that you closed your 4th letter to me in a singular manner;
really it was done after the manner of the Gentiles: Says Sally "I
remain yours till death." But since you have seen my blessing I think
you will conclude "if your life and years are as precious in the sight
of God as mine," thus you will be mine in this world and in the world
to come; and so long as you can remain on earth as you desire, I think you
may as well use the word "forever," as "till death."
… |
|
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| No
right to any other woman |
|
This—is the reason
why I have called you at the commencement of this letter, my only one, because
I have no right to any other woman in this world nor in the world to come,
according to the law of the celestial kingdom. … |
|
Contra plural marriage |
Wives
must obey husbands
Husband must lay down life for wife, if necessary |
|
Now what I say unto
you, I say unto all: women, or wives must obey their husbands in all things
and then they are clear; the husband is responsible, and he being the head,
as Christ is the head of the church, must do as much for his wife as Christ
did for the church; lay down his life for her, if necessary. This will show
that he loves her. |
|
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| Biblical
veils |
|
If you read the 11th
chapter of first Corinthians, you may find some good instruction: In old
times honest women veiled their faces in public; especially as is mentioned
in the 10th verse of this chapter "because of the angels" they
probably formed veils then of their hair. |
|
"For
this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels." |
| Veil
face in public to avoid tempting |
|
I think when I return
that my women will generally vail their faces in public and give no one
a chance to gaze upon what is not his. This modest way will not lead to
temptation, and may be one means of promoting virtue. |
|
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| Love |
|
I have cried for joy
when your letters have come, because of their seeming virtue and meekness:
I should hate to have to chasten you, but as I love you, so I will chasten
you, if you step aside from what I require, and what I know is the will
of the Lord. |
|
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| Instructions |
|
You must not tattle;
you must not find fault; you must not be proud; you must not be exalted;
you must not speak evil of your neighbor; no; no; Sally, do none of these
things, but the pure in heart, and you shall be sure of Zion, and me. This
instruction is good; I want every saint to follow it. … |
|
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Don't covet
|
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I want to say beware
of covetousness: for if there are any that hover over a little property
it will canker their souls. |
|
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| God
wants perfect people |
|
God will have a perfect
people, if he has to destroy hypocrites and his dissembles with fire, famine,
pestilence and the sword. |
|
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| Vexations
continue to end |
|
Oh the horror, the trouble,
the vexations that has commenced, will increase, and shall continue to waste
the wicked and ungodly till corruption is ended! |
|
|
| Sister
Gilbert melancholy |
|
I want to say to Sister
Gilbert, cease to be melancholy; but rejoice; cease to care so much about
many things; tis the willing and obedient that will eat the good of the
land of Zion … |
|
|
Healthy
Kirtland seasons |
|
The news here is about
as usual. Health prevails among the brethren generally. Whenever the wind
is in the north it blows cold and I talk of hurrying to Missouri. From appearance,
the season is about two months longer at Zion than at Kirtland. |
|
|
Twelve
return early October
Traveling elders returning |
|
A letter from the
Twelve of the last week, says they will return to prepare for school about
the 1st of October. Br. Marsh (h) was meek and in good health and spirits.
The travelling elders begin to come in: Kirtland will be filled with them
in a short time.
… |
|
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| No
word when Zion will be redeemed |
|
The
subject of which could be most pleasing to the saints in Missouri, I have
no particular knowledge of—that is, when Zion will be redeemed. Little
is said or known, more than you know and is printed. To try our faith and
for other purposes, the Lord says little to us about it. … |
|
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| Fashion |
|
Away with flaunting
fashions; away with the luxuries of life: give me the knowledge and love
of God; my meek and modest wife; our children; —the real Saints for
friends, and I shall have more health and joy on earth … |
|
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| Doctrine
and Covenants available |
|
We
got some of the commandments from Cleveland last week; I shall try to send
one hundred copies to the Saints this fall by Br. Wm Tippets. He starts
next week. … we put them at a dollar in order to help us a little,
considering how much we have lost by the Jackson mob. I would not be without
one for five dollars. … |
|
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| Returning
in the spring |
|
If my folks and the
saints die faithful and pray in faith, I shall come home with Waterman the
latter part of next spring and make a visit. And what next I know not for
the Lord has not said. |
|
Waterman (Jan. 23,
1823–June 6, 1886) is their
first child. |
| David
Whitmer and Samuel H. Smith selling D&C |
|
Day
before yesterday David Whitmer and Samuel
H. Smith were appointed general
agents to the Literary firm to take and sell Books among the extensive branches
of the Church, &c. … |
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| |
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W. W. Phelps
W. W. Phelps to Sally, May 26, 1835
W. W. Phelps Autobiographical Letter
Biographies
|