Orson and Sarah Pratt

[_zeezrom]

While reading some of Orson Pratt's fine material on spiritual vegetables, I learned some more great nuggets about this Apostle of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. This is one interesting guy.

I learned that at the age of 57, he married a 16-yr old girl. Pratt's first wife had this to say about the affair:

Here was my husband, gray headed, taking to his bed young girls in mockery of marriage. Of course there could be no joy for him in such an intercourse except for the indulgence of his fanaticism and of something else, perhaps, which I hesitate to mention.

Van Wagoner 1986.

I've read before that Joseph Smith tried to make Sarah Pratt his own plural wife and Sarah refused him. Yah! Go Sarah! I was also reminded of something else I skimmed over a while back:

Orson Pratt became estranged from the church and Smith. Wilford Woodruff stated that "Dr. John Cook Bennett was the ruin of Orson Pratt". Van Wagoner and Walker note that, on August 20, 1842, "after four days of fruitless efforts at reconciliation, the Twelve excommunicated Pratt for 'insubordination' and Sarah for 'adultery'".

So, this is a big deal. This is saying that Sarah was accused of adultery right after refusing to marry Joseph Smith?! But I guess Van Wagoner says this may have just been a rumor.

Regarding Orson's writings in the Seer (1853), it appears they were condemned by the FP in 1865. I guess his work on spiritual vegetables is not doctrine after all. How would it be to have your work condemned by the church - a work you wrote while appointed an apostle of the Lord.

[_dblagent007]

The adultery charges were fabricated by Joseph and Hyrum to protect Joseph when the crap hit the fan - i.e., Sarah confirmed the rampant rumors that Joseph was secretly practicing polygamy. They convinced another couple to create a false affidavit that Sarah was having an affair with John C. Bennet. They were free to then argue that she was just one of Bennet's tramps trying to cover for him. You can't believe a word she said!

If Joseph and Hyrum will resort to these kind of tactics to move God's work forward, what won't they do? The ends justify the means, I guess.

Disgusting, simply disgusting.

[Guest]

[quote="zeezrom"]
So, this is a big deal. This is saying that Sarah was accused of adultery right after refusing to marry Joseph Smith?! But I guess Van Wagoner says this may have just been a rumor.

[quote]

No. The evidence seems to indicate that Sarah committed adultery with John C. Bennett, who claimed he was acting on behalf of Joseph Smith. We don't quite know the facts here, but it may be apparent that Sarah believed Bennett, and that for a while Orson believed that Joseph Smith was behind it. Orson came to believe otherwise and was reinstated in the Church.

Sarah never became reconciled and her children went on to become apostates; one son became a well known Sheriff, hunting and jailing polyg fathers. Your quote from Sarah came after Orson's death when she was even more unhappy when Brigham Young refused to grant her some sort of pension.

It isn't accurate to say that the charges were trumped up and that Sarah was defamed by Joseph Smith unless, of course, you choose to accept only one side of the story. In the end, because Orson came around, I believe that he saw problems with Sarah's story.

Sarah's grandchildren returned to the fold; Pres. Hinckley is a descendant.

[_zeezrom]

The adultery charges were fabricated by Joseph and Hyrum to protect Joseph when the crap hit the fan

I don't recall reading about this in ISL. I need to go back to it again...

[_Yoda]

No. The evidence seems to indicate that Sarah committed adultery with John C. Bennett, who claimed he was acting on behalf of Joseph Smith. We don't quite know the facts here, but it may be apparent that Sarah believed Bennett, and that for a while Orson believed that Joseph Smith was behind it. Orson came to believe otherwise and was reinstated in the Church.

OK...I am really confused by your statement here. Please help me understand.

No. The evidence seems to indicate that Sarah committed adultery with John C. Bennett, who claimed he was acting on behalf of Joseph Smith.

What evidence? Are you referring to the false affidavit? And, what do you mean by Bennett claimed he was acting on behalf of Joseph Smith? Are you saying that Sarah was having an affair with Bennett because she believed that Joseph wanted her to? This adds a whole new dimension to the phrase, "Follow the prophet".

[_dblagent007]

I don't recall reading about this in ISL. I need to go back to it again...

My recollection is that Bushman didn't believe the adultery claim was true. Also, I believe Van Wagoner did the best job explaining why the adultery charges were fabricated (and I think I have quoted that section on this board at some time in the past). As I recall, Hyrum had some people make out an affidavit attesting that Sarah was with JC Bennet every night for a month - the same month Bennet went to Springfield to get the Nauvoo charter enacted. Also, the couple that made out the affadavit later recanted and said that Hyrum came to them and told them the Church would be lost if they didn't agree to defame Sarah (he should have said a marauding legion of angels with flaming swords was about to be unleashed on Joseph!). With the stakes so high, they agreed to do it. They came to regret it later and recanted.

[_zeezrom]

while the allegation that Joseph accused Sarah of adultery is serious and troubling and I would love to explore this further, I can't get past the 57-yr old marrying a 16-yr old girl. What!! I'm at a loss of words. I guess BY and others did this too. I just never really looked at it for what it is. Old men sleeping with young girls in the name of religion.

I'm at a loss here. Why would the church not apologize for this?! Why would they not get up and say - sorry, big mistake. Incredible.

I need to take another look at all the prophets and apostles in regards to marrying young girls.

I keep hearing, "But look at the fruit of Joseph Smith - what great work he started."

Yeah...

[_Yahoo Bot]

Sarah's version was ghost-written written 40 years later by Wyl, a yellow journalist of the worst stripe. I've read lots of Wyl material. It is going to take a lot of doing for me to believe it. And this after she had a falling out with Brigham Young.

There is no evidence of a "false" affidavit unless you accept Sarah's story.

[_Yoda]

Sarah's version was ghost-written written 40 years later by Wyl, a yellow journalist of the worst stripe. I've read lots of Wyl material. It is going to take a lot of doing for me to believe it. And this after she had a falling out with Brigham Young.

There is no evidence of a "false" affidavit unless you accept Sarah's story.

OK....let's say that the affidavit is false. Would you please explain what you meant by this?

The evidence seems to indicate that Sarah committed adultery with John C. Bennett, who claimed he was acting on behalf of Joseph Smith.We don't quite know the facts here, but it may be apparent that Sarah believed Bennett, and that for a while Orson believed that Joseph Smith was behind it.

Please clarify. Are you saying that Sarah had the affair with Bennett because she believed that Joseph wanted her to?

[_dblagent007]

Van Wagoner provided some other evidence that supported Sarah's story that the affidavit was false. I believe one piece of evidence was that Bennet was in Springfield much of the time he was supposedly calling on Sarah every night.

Here is some more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Marinda_Bates_Pratt
Sarah Pratt was accused of having had an adulterous relationship with Bennett, and numerous affidavits printed in the local and pro-Mormon Nauvoo press (e.g., the Nauvoo Wasp), as well as by Jacob B. Backenstos, a relative of the sheriff of Hancock County, testified to these allegations. Sarah Pratt had stayed with Stephen H. Goddard and his wife, Zeruiah, while Orson Pratt was away on missionary work in England. The Goddards stated under oath that from the first night, Bennett "was there as sure as the night came," and that "he remained later, sometimes till after midnight." During this time Bennett and Pratt "sat close together, he leaning on her lap, whispering continually or talking very low." Zeruiah Goddard reported that on another occasion she "came suddenly into the room where Mrs. Pratt and the Dr. were; she was lying on the bed and the Dr. was taking his hands out of her bosom; he was in the habit of sitting on the bed where Mrs. Pratt was lying, and lying down over her." The Goddards said they visited Pratt in a home furnished to her by Dr. Robert Foster there several times late in the evening and found Bennett and Sarah Pratt together, "as if they were man, and wife."[10] Pratt claimed in 1886, when disaffected from the church, that when the testimonials were published, she went straight to the Goddard's home and Stephen ran out the back door, but that she confronted Zeruiah, who sobbed

“It is not my fault; Hyrum Smith [Joseph's brother] came to our house, with the affidavits all written out, and forced us to sign them. Joseph and the Church must be saved, said he. We saw that resistance was useless, they would have ruined us; so we signed the papers.[15] ”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Marinda_Bates_Pratt