The major point that I will attempt to convey in this article is that Joseph Smith and the other LDS Church leaders knowingly decieved its members and the public at large regarding polygamy. Most Mormons and non-Mormons now know that Joseph Smith practiced polygamy. This historical fact is really only debated by the RLDS Church which has claimed that Brigham Young invented polygamy after Joseph Smith's death. However, there is substantial historical evidence that Joseph Smith practiced and taught polygamy during his lifetime. This post will start by showing the early LDS teachings against polygamy and the denials of any member practicing the act. I have been very exhaustive in my search and hope that the evidence I present will convince you of the deception the LDS Church promulgated to its members and the world.

In this article I will use all Mormon sources, including the History of the Church, two LDS publications, the Messenger and Advocate and the Times and Seasons, and personal speeches and documents of faithful Mormons.

Messenger and Advocate (Aug 1835) pg. 163
"All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this church should be held sacred and fulflled. Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife: one woman, but one husband, except in teh case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again."

History of the Church, vol. 5, pg. 30 (May 1836)
"Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man, should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in case of death,, when either is at liberty to marry again."

Messenger and Advocate (May 1837) Warren Cowdery editor, pg. 511
"1st. That we will have no fellowship whatever with any Elder belonging to the quorums of the Seventies who is guilty of polygamy or any offense of the kind, and who does not in all things conform to the laws of the church contained in the Bible and in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants."

PRACTICED:
Benjamin Johnson Letter to Gibbs, 1903 in E. Dale LeBaron (1967)
"And now to your question, 'How early did the Prophet Joseph practice polygamy?' I hardly know how wisely to reply, for the truth at times may be better withheld; but as what I am writing is to be published only under strict scrutiny of the wisest, I will say, that the revelation [D&C 132] to the Church at Nauvoo, July 21, 1843, on the Eternity of the Marriage Covenant and the Law of Plural Marriage, was not the first revelation of the law received and practiced by the Prophet. In 1835, at Kirtland, I learned from my sister's husband, Lyman R. Sherman, who was close to the Prophet, and received it from him, "that the ancient order of Plural Marriage was again to be practiced by the Church." This at the time, did not impress my mind deeply, although there then lived with his family a neighbor's daughter, Fannie Alger, a very nice and comely young woman about my own age, toward whom not only myself, but every one, seemed partial for the amiability of her."
(Date of marriage to Fannie Alger: prior to 1838, probably 1835 when Fannie Alger lived with Joseph Smith)

DENIALS:
Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pg. 869 (August 1, 1842)
"The church afterwards publicly withdrew their fellowship from him [John C. Bennett], and his character was published in the 17th number of this paper; since that time he John C. Bennet] has published that the conduct of the Saints was bad that Joseph Smith and many others were adulterers, murderers, &c. -- that here was a secret band of men that would kill people, &c. called Danites -- that he was in duress when he gave his affidavit, and testified that Joseph Smith was a virtuos man -- that we believed and practiced polygamy -- that we believed in secret murders, and aimed to destroy the government &c."

Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pg. 909 (September 1, 1842)
"All legal contracts of marriage made before a preson is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. It is not right to persuade a woman to be baptized contrary to the will of her husband neither is it lawful to influence her to leave her husband."

Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pg. 939 (October 1, 1842)
"All legal contracts of marriage made before a preson is baptized into this church, should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. It is not right to persuade a woman to be baptized contrary to the will of her husband neither is it lawful to influence her to leave her husband."

Times and Seasons, vol. 4, pg. 28 (December 1, 1842)
"He spoke of the various publications of Bennett and others, and of the prejudices which they had necessarily excited-that the Mormons were charged with sanctioning a community of wives and of goods, with polygamy, and various other enormities, not one word of which is true."

PRACTICED:
Orange Wight Autobiography, BYU, pg. 8-9 (1903)
"I now come to that part of my story that you will be most likely interested in, which regard the doctrine taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith in regard to the plural marriage system ....... After we got in the house Sister Woodworth took me in another room and told me that Flora was one of Joseph's wives. I was aware or believed that Eliza R. Snow and two of Partridge girls were his wives but was not informed about Flora. But now Sister Woodworth gave me all the information necessary, so I knew Joseph believed and practiced polygamy."
(Date of marriages: Prior to 1842)

Mary Lightner 1905 Address, typescript, BYU, pg. 2-3
"Two of his sisters were Joseph's wives. Emma took them by the hand and gave them to Joseph...... I went forward and was sealed to him [Joseph Smith]. Brigham Young performed the sealing, and Heber C. Kimball the blessing. I know he had six wives and I have known some of them from childhood up. I knew he had three children. They told me. I think two are living today but they are not known as his children as they go by other names."
(Date of marriage to Mary Lightner: February 1842)

Helen Whitney "Scenes in Nauvoo," WE 11 (1882), pg. 146
"It was not until the summer of after he had gone east that I learned of the existence of the plural order of marriage, and that the spring of 1842 had seen his sister Sarah Ann the wife of Joseph Smith."
(Date of marriage of Sarah Ann: July 27, 1842)

DENIALS:
History of the Church, vol. 6, pg. 405 (May 25, 1844)
"Saturday, 25 -- At home, keeping ou to fhte way of expected writs from Carthage. Towards evening, Edward Hunter and William Marks, of the grand jury returned from Carthage; also Marshal John P. Greene and Almon W. Babbitt, who informed me there were two indictments found against me, one chargine me false swearing on the testimony of Joseph H. Jackson and Robert D. Foster, and one charging me of polygamy, or something else, on the testimony of William Law, that I told him so! The particulars of which I shall learn hearafter. There was much false swearing before the grand jury."

History of the Church, vol. 6, pg. 411 (May 1844)
"It is not right for a man to bare down his neck to the oppressor always. Be humble and patient in all circumstances of life; we shall then triumph more gloriously. What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one."

Times and Seasons, vol. 5, pg. 423 (February 1, 1844)
"As we have lately been credibly informed, that an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter day Saints, by the name of Hiram Brown, has been preaching Polygamy, and other false and corrupt doctrines, in the county of Lapeer, state of Michigan."

PRACTICED:
Benjamin Johnson My Life's Review (1947), pg. 93-95
"In talking with my mother after the revelation [D&C 132] on plural marriage was given, he told her that when the Lord required him to move in plural marriage, that his first thought was to come and ask her for some of her daughters; and I can now understand that the period alluded to was at Kirtland, where she had three unmarried daughters at home, two of whom died there, and Almira, the other, was sealed to him in Nauvoo; the other two, Nancy M. and Susan E., being sealed to him by proxy since his death...........Early on Sunday morning he [Joseph Smith] said, "Come Brother Bennie, let us have a walk." I took his arm and he led the way into a by-place in the edge of the woods surrounded by tall brush and trees. Here, as we say down upon a log he began to tell me that the Lord had revealed to him that plural or patriarchal marriage was according to His law; and that the Lord had not only revealed it to him but had commanded him to obey it; that he was required to take other wives; and that he wanted my Sister Almira for one of them, and wished me to see and talk to her upon the subject."
(Date of marriage to Almera Johnson: Spring 1843)

Emily Young "Auto," Woman's Exponent 14 (1885), pg. 38
"The first intimation I had from Brother Joseph that there was a pure and holy order of plural marriage, was in the spring of 1842, but I was not married until 1843. I was married to him on the 11th of May, 1843, by Elder James Adams. Emma was present. She gave her free and full consent. She had always up to this time, been very kind to me and my sister Eliza, who was also married to the Prophet Joseph Smith with Emma's consent; but ever after she was our enemy."
(Date of marriage of Emily Dow Partridge: May 11, 1843)

Cordelia Cox Autobiography, BYU, pg. 4
"In the spring of forty-four [1844], plural marriage was introduced to me by my parents from Joseph Smith, asking their consent and a request to be his wife."
(Date of marriage of Cordelia Cox: None, Cordelia Cox refused)

DENIALS, DENIALS, & MORE DENIALS:
Times and Seasons, vol. 6, pg. 893-894 (May 1, 1845)
"Dear Sir: To condemn unheard, any man or set of men or their principles, on the strength of popular rumor, or the testimony of enemies, would be gross injustice. An impartial investigation should always precede condemnation. The Latter-day Saints are charged by their enemies, with th blackest crimes. Treason, murder, theft, polygamy, and adultery, are among the many crimes laid to their charge. -- The press reiterates and gives publicity to these charges. Under these circumstances, it is but right, that they should be heard in their defence. I shall, therefore, in this communication, briefly examine and refute a few of the charges, for it would need a legion of writers to answer (all) the lies told about us."

Times and Seasons, vol 6., pg. 894 (May 1, 1845)
"Most of the stories against the Mormons have been propagated by apostates and traitors, (who have been generally cut off from the church for their crimes.) They publish their lies, and straightway they are believed, and hawked about as awful disclosures, and received by community with trembling and holy horror. Sidney Rigdon, I see by the papers, has made an exposition of Mormonism, charging Joseph Smith and the Mormons with polygamy, &c. it dones not require a very sagacious mind to fathom Mr. Rigdon's motive for doing."

Times and Seasons, vol. 6, pg. 894 (May 1, 1845)
"As to the charge of polygamy, I will quote from the Book of Doctrine and Convenants, which is the subsrcibed faith of the church and is strictly enforced. Article of Marriage, sec. 91, par. 4, says, "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have but one wife except in the case of death when either is at liberty to marry again." Sec. 12, par. 7. "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart and shall cleave unto her and NONE ELSE." In ancient till God cleanses the earth, and restores the government of his says, "know this that, in (the last days of perilous times shall come), for men shall be TRAITORS, FALSE ACCUSSERS, INCONTINENT, fierce despiser of those that are good." No wonder then that apostates rage, or that the fulness of truth revealed again should bring a storm of persecution."

I now ask you who is the "TRAITOR, FALSE ACCUSSERS, INCONTINENT, fierce despiser of those that are good"? Joseph Smith and the LDS Church leaders were the ones that clearly deceived its members and the public. This is now historical fact.

After performing this exhaustive search I am certainly convinced that many of the early Mormons knew nothing about polygamy. The LDS Church leaders not only lied about their practice of polygamy, they denied the charges brought against them, falsely accussing those that raised the charges against them. Polygamy was both against Illinois State law and also againts the Doctrine and Covenants. Some Mormons have justified this act of lieing and deceiving because God must have commanded it.

The God I know is not a God of deception and not a God of lies. I can only hope that my Mormon friends and family can see this and the other deceptions passed on by Mormon leaders.