Fundamentalists have long claimed that they received their priesthood authority from John Taylor after he received a visitation from Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith wherein he was instructed to set men apart to seal plural marriages even after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would no longer allow plural marriages within its Church. There is a revelation, hand-written by John Taylor that confirms much of the accounts below (the text of the revelation is found below as well). However, much controversy continues to surround these events and the mainstream LDS Church has vehemently denied both the existence of the revelation (although it has since been proven to be authentic) and the allegations surrounding the revelation - namely, that authority to perform plural marriages exists outside the mainstream LDS Church.

The following information was taken from 1886 On Trial, a booklet that was informally published and circulated primarily among fundamentalist Mormons. It listed most of the known accounts of the 1886 events chronologically but it has also labelled each account as a first hand or hearsay account or as circumstantial evidence . This makes it easier for persons unfamiliar with this information to know which accounts should be considered as most reliable. Additionally, the pamphlet marked all unreliable accounts with an asterisk to alert the reader that the information was taken from sources that have been incorrect as pertaining to other information found therein. That said, I have since found most of those accounts to be accurate citations - however, there remains some question as to the accuracy of these asterisked accounts as some of them were written decades after the events that they relate.

I am in the process of authoring an exhaustive book on this issue and have since found several other accounts, more helpful information, and previously unpublished materials - if you would like more information than is provided below, please email me at drewbriney - at - hotmail - dot - com.

Present: John W. Taylor, Francis M. Lyman, Heber J. Grant, Hyrum M. Smith, Charles W. Penrose, George F. Richards, Orson F. Whitney, David O. McKay, Anthony W. Ivins, Joseph F. Smith, Jr.

[President Lyman presided; John W. Taylor was instructed to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”]

Apostle John W. Taylor
"My father received a revelation which however was never presented to the Church, and I refer to this not because it was a revelation to my father; I don't think a revelation because it came through him was any greater than one receive of through any other president of the Church, but because it seems to pertain to this question."

(The revelation was read by Brother Penrose.)

Apostle John W. Taylor
"There are two things I am drawing your attention to. I am not in politics and very little in the Church, but I do this as a matter of privilege. This revelation is either true or it is false. Assuming that it is true, it seems to me that it would be better to offer leniency on the side of the Lord if you are going to offer any leniency, than on the side of politics. . . . Brother Lyman, what do you think of the revelation to my father?"

President Francis M. Lyman
"If you ask me if I believe in the plurality of wives, I would say that I believe it is true and will always be so, but the Lord may suspend the practice of it, and how much of the responsibility remains with the people and with the government, I don't know. I am living with my wives now all the time, but I don't hold the Church responsible for it but shoulder the responsibility myself . . . . I have no fault to find with the revelation."

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"Do you understand the free agency referred to in the revelation gives any one the privilege of taking a plural wife?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I take it that it refers to the individual and relieved the Church of the responsibility and placed the responsibility upon the individual."

President Francis M. Lyman
"When did you find this revelation?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I found it on his desk immediately after his death, when I was appointed administrator of his estate. . . ."

President Francis M. Lyman
"Do you think anyone can solemnize plural marriages with authority now?

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I feel under certain circumstances they could, but it would depend on the circumstances."

President Francis M. Lyman
"What conditions?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I fully explained that last time."

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"What are your views with regard to that revelation?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I am not the one to pass upon that revelation. I think you are the ones to do that."

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"What I desire to get at is as to how you view the matter, whether you have been guided by that in your case. You brought the revelation to us and it has never been accepted by the Church or presented to it."

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I think the only thing to do is to go to the presiding priesthood of the Lord and get his idea on it and get him to inquire of the Lord what His mind is regarding it.

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"I don't think Brother Taylor should come here and tell us what we need to do. But what I wanted to know is what he thought the President meant by the revelation, whether the man was placed upon his own responsibility by that revelation and the President and Church relieved of all responsibility or not."

Apostle Anthony W. Ivins
"Do you know how extensively this revelation has been circulated in times past and has guided people in their actions in this regard?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"Brother Joseph Robinson came to me and asked for a copy of it upon the suggestion of Brother Cowley and he got it from Brother Badger. Brother Joseph F. Smith, Jr. also got a copy but I don't know how many have got copies from these."

Apostle Anthony W. Ivins
"You don't know what inference was placed upon it in early times?"

Apostle John W. Taylor
"No, I don't know."

Apostle Anthony W. Ivins
"I ask this question because I have heard some of the brethren interpret this revelation in this way, and I would like to find out to what extent they had the endorsement of the Church in view of this revelation, and what was the reason these brethren went to Canada and Mexico. Do you know what they based their belief upon; as they seemed to be sincere. Whether it was from this revelation or from the President of the Church or from what grounds were taken that they could come in contact with the law of the land and still win out. I would like to know from Brother Taylor what he knows about this and if they were justified in it."

Apostle John W. Taylor
"President Smith has come out on numerous occasions with the statement that there have been no marriages of a polygamous nature solemnized with the approval of the Church, since 1890. He stands at the head of this dispensation at this moment and has adopted that policy, and as far as I am concerned I don't want to come in conflict with President Smith on this proposition. I don't know what others have taken from this revelation. If the revelation is true, it would certainly impress me that the Church was relieved of responsibility in this matter and the responsibility placed upon the individual."

Apostle Orson F. Whitney
"Was it not the policy during your father's administration to leave everything to the mind of the individual? I know this was the case with me when I went to inquire if I should take the test oath. I was told to exercise my own judgment. Also there is no authority as far as I can see in that revelation, no authority given to man to exercise such authority in marrying anyone, but the question of whether they should go into the relationship was left with the individual, as in President Young's time men were commanded to go into it."

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"I feel that we should not express our own views on this revelation but should have Brother Taylor's views if he will give them; if not, we can get through with that question."

President Francis M. Lyman
"The date of this revelation is September 1886, four years before the manifesto of President Woodruff and I remember at that time that President Taylor and all his brethren were very strongly entrenched in the principle of plural marriage. From [36] 1880 to 1890 men were almost commanded to enter it, especially the officials of the Church. We were all pretty well engaged in this question. The change came in 1890 when President Woodruff felt the necessity that plural marriage should cease and after that he felt just as strong against it, as President Taylor had felt for it before. It was subsequent to this that President Smith made his declaration that the Church took no responsibility for the unlawful co-habitation of those in plural marriage and the performance of plural marriages. I would like to ask if you have encouraged others to take plural wives, or taken them yourself or if you think these brethren who have copies of this revelation have taken it as an encouragement, for instance, Brother Robinson."

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I will answer that by asking if anyone you have had here before you has ever said that I encouraged him."

President Francis M. Lyman
"No one except Wolff, and you admit having encouraged him under the direction of a superior officer."

Apostle David O. Mckay
"I would like to know who the man is that directed you to instruct Brother Wolff to marry a certain party."

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I would not wish to take issue with the President of the Church or anyone who is at the head of the Church. I went to President Smith's office the other day and had a three and one-half hour talk with him and John Henry Smith and he said that he had never authorized anyone to perform a plural marriage. I am not saying that he is the one to whom I refer, but I do not want to say any more on this point."

Apostle Hyrum M. Smith
"I would like Brother Taylor to feel that we are not persuading him or any other man to do harm but simply to get at the bottom of these matters. I feel that you are responsible for the circulation of that revelation."

Apostle John W. Taylor
"I am willing to put in a supplemental answer to the effect that I have never married anyone without the endorsement and authority of the President of the Church and, if you desire, I will give the names of those I have married, but I think this would be unwise. . . ."

Apostle Charles W. Penrose
"Under this purported revelation from your father, do you think this authority is given [37] to anyone to perform a plural marriage on their own free agency?"

John W. Taylor
"If a man had been authorized in any way by authority to perform a marriage, under that revelation he would be."
(Minutes From Special Meetings of Quorum of Twelve, Salt Lake Temple, Feb. 22 & Mar. 1, 1911; Taylor later said that several individuals, including Joseph Fielding Smith, took the document and made a copy of it.)

In the latter part of September, 1886, the exact day being not now known to me, President John Taylor was staying at the home of my father, John W. Woolley, in Centerville, Davis County, Utah.

At the particular time herein referred to, President Taylor was in hiding (on the under-ground). Charles H. Bearrell and I were the "guardsmen" on watch for the protection of the President. Two were usually selected each night, and they took turns standing guard to protect the President from trespass or approaching danger. Exceptional activity was exercised by the U.S. Federal Officers in their prosecutions of the Mormon people on account of their family relations in supposed violation of the Federal Laws.

Soon after our watch began, Charles H. Bearrell reclined on a pallet and went to sleep. President Taylor had entered the south room to retire for the night. There was no door-way entrance to the room occupied by President Taylor, except the entrance from the room occupied by the guardsmen. Soon after 9 o'clock, I heard the voice of another man engaged in conversation with President Taylor, and I observed that a very brilliant light was illuminating the room occupied by the president. I wakened Bearrell and told him what I had heard and seen, and we both remained awake and on watch the balance of the night. The conversation was carried on all night between President Taylor and the visitor, and never discontinued until the day began to dawn – when it ceased and the light disappeared. We heard the voices in conversation while the conference continued and we saw the light.

My father came into the room where we were on watch, and was there when President Taylor came into the room that morning. As the President entered the room he remarked, "I had a very pleasant conversation all night with the Prophet Joseph." At the time President Taylor entered the room his countenance was very bright and could be seen for several hours after. After observing that some one was in conversation with the President, I went out and examined all of the windows, and found them fastened as usual.

The brethren were considerably agitated about this time over the agitation about Plural Marriage, and some were insisting that the Church issue some kind of edict to be used in Congress, concerning the surrendering of Plural Marriage, and that if some policy were not adopted to relieve the strain the government would force the Church to surrender. Much was said in their deliberations for and against some edict or manifesto that had been prepared, and at a meeting that afternoon, at which a number there were present and myself, I heard President Taylor say; "Brethren, I will suffer my right hand to be cut off before I will sign such a document."

I, Lorin C. Woolley, of Centerville, Utah, do hereby certify, that I have carefully made and read the foregoing statement of facts and the same is true to the best of my knowledge. Dated this 6th day of October, 1912.

/s Lorin C. Woolley (Items not in the 1929 account are italicized)

Testimonial of John Woolley concerning sealing marriages in 1914

At Centerville, Davis County, Utah, on the 16th day of January, A.D. 1914, Prest. Francis M. Lyman and Anthony W. Ivins called at my home, and in answer to questions asked I made the following statement: Some months ago I met Mathias F. Cowley on the street and he asked me if I was familiar with the Sealing Ceremony. I told him I was. He said, “If any good men come to you don’t turn them down.”
I believe from that statement that it was still proper that plural marriages be solemnized and that President Smith had authorized Cowley to instruct me.

Since that time, I have married wives to Nathan G. Clark, Joseph A. Silver, Rheuben G. Miller, and P.K. Lemmon Jr.
The ceremony in the case of Miller was performed in the S.E. part of Salt Lake, the woman being a widow whose name I do not know. The Lemmon ceremony was in Centerville, the name of the woman, I think, being Johnson.

/s John W. Woolley
(Document in Deseret Historical Department – Samuel Bateman / Daniel Bateman Documentation)

Some cried one thing and some another as reason why this despised doctrine should be abolished. They talked, pleaded, reasoned, cajoled, and even threatened. Even from high places within and without the Church, pressure was brought to bear in almost every conceivable form. This feeling had assumed such proportions in the closing days of President John Taylor’s life, that he was prevailed upon again to inquire of the Lord, that they might know if some way could not be had of the Lord to relieve the suffering saints, and meet the demands of the persistent.

At that time, and for many months prior to it, President John Taylor had, because of his years, been one of the most keen sufferers. He and a goodly number of the church leaders, hundreds of faithful men and women were in hiding, to escape the fury of the law enforced by men so unclean their foul minds and bodies would desecrate the air these hounded Saints would breathe.

At the time President John Taylor was concealed and guarded in the home of a trusted fellow church member.

The writer, with his father, was driving and guarding many men and women, fellow sufferers with President Taylor, at that time, in northern Utah and southern Idaho. Night and day our vigilance knew no end and no disappointments.

September 26, 1886, George Q. Cannon and two other apostles were visitors of President Taylor that and the previous day. Other trusted brethren were with them a portion of that time. George Q. Cannon and some of the visiting brethren called on President Taylor that day for the purpose of conveying to him some of these demands for cessation of the teaching and practice of plural marriage. George Q. Cannon had with him a document very similar to the manifesto presented and approved [four] years later. This instrument had been prepared by some of the most bitter opponents of this doctrine, members and nonmembers of the Church, with slight assistance from two of the faithful brethren. Some of these not only asked but demanded President Taylor's signature to that paper.

The contents of that document, and the requests and demands constantly coming in from other sources, were the subjects under almost constant consideration. George Q. Cannon and one of the other apostles present importuned President Taylor to obtain the will of the Lord on the matter. To this he consented, and preparation was made to that end.

The day previous, or early that morning a man who had served his shift almost constantly for many months in guarding President Taylor, was sent to convey and guard Apostle Brigham Young [Jr.] to a place of concealment in the mountain valleys north and east of Salt Lake. In the late afternoon of September 26, he returned to his home and post of duty, tired and worn.

He sought his bed in early evening, that he might be prepared for his watch as guard of President Taylor at midnight. He had hardly retired until a messenger came from President Taylor asking his attendance at the rooms of concealment. When this brother arrived there President Taylor told him that he realized he was very tired and was much in need of rest, but he was desirous that he should take position as his special guard that night, and let the other guard take his place in the next shift. The guard gladly acquiesced in President Taylor’s wishes and immediately set about to see that all windows and doors were properly darkened and locked fast.

President Taylor occupied a room with door opening into the main living room, but without outside place of entrance. President Taylor retired to his room at about the usual hour. The guard sat and reclined upon a seat a little to the side of President Taylor’s door and between it and the outside door of the room in which he was stationed as guard. Occasionally he would walk out and around the premises. All lights had been extinguished in the house. The guard who ordinarily would have been on watch at the time was lying down and most of the time asleep, on a lounge in the same room occupied by the guard on duty.

Shortly before the hour of midnight the attending guard was startled by the sound of voices in John Taylor’s room, and a bright light shooting out under the closed door into the room in which he sat. He awoke the sleeping guard and in bushed voice called his attention to the voices in the adjacent room and to the light along the floor. He at first became alarmed, with fear that some unwelcome visitor had gained access to President Taylor’s room of concealment. He told the awakened guard to stand at watch while he went out and around the house to the only window of John Taylor’s room. With guarded silence he rapidly made his way to the window, and while he could distinctly hear the voices from within, and see small shafts of light from the room, he began feeling up and about the window shutters he had so securely nailed down, to learn if some one had broken the fastenings. Before he had proceeded for in this feeling search, a voice whispered peace to him and told him to retire to his watch for all was well.

He did as he was bade. For some time the two men sat in rapt awe and silence. Finally a third voice was distinctly heard in conversation with the two that had been heard there for some time now past.

Members of the family, too, I think, were called to witness these things. At just what time or period of the occurrence I do not recall. Before morning one of the voices ceased to be heard, but two remained in constant and earnest conversation.

Just before dawn, the sound of voices ceased entirely. By this time four or five men and one woman had reached the room and witnessed the bright light and sound of voices in conversation. As light began to dawn in the east, John Taylor came from his room surrounded by a thin halo of light. When he greeted the assembled brethren and sister, the guard, ever loved and trusted by President Taylor, said in hushed voice, “President Taylor, we heard voices in your room and became alarmed.”

“Yes, my boy,” he replied, “I have been talking with Brother Joseph.”
“But we distinctly heard three voices,” the guard said. “Was there not a third person in the room with you?”

“Yes, it was our Master and our Lord,” was President Taylor’s solemn answer.

Within a few minutes fourteen men and women had assembled, and were sitting in profound silence about the room. Soon President Taylor arose, and at first standing by a table near the enter of the room, began to address them. For eight happy hours that godly man addressed that body of men and women. A part of the time he stood in midair, with feet considerable distance from the floor, and his head surrounded with a halo of light.

He told of his converse with the Prophet Joseph and his Lord, of much of the instruction he had received. Apostle George Q. Cannon was one of the assembly. President Taylor took in his hand the document he had been requested to sign the previous day, and holding it out at arm’s length before him spoke words to this effect: “I would suffer that arm to be drawn from its socket and my tongue by its roots from my mouth before I would sign that thing. It must remain for my successor to do that.”

John Taylor delivered the word of the Lord in mighty power, during the hours he stood before that favored few. He uttered several prophecies pertaining to the winding-up scene before the coming of Jesus Christ in His glory, in one of which he said, that prior to that time the Saints would be fully tried that the Lord might know who His chosen people would be. At that time one-half of the professing members of the Church, “Yes, and one-half of that half,” said he will turn away from God.

This prophecy was many times re-predicted by his worthy son, John W. Taylor, throughout many sections of the Church, and many Saints live today who were thrilled with the might power in which John W. Taylor restated his father’s prophecies.

. . .

John Taylor prophesied, among other things, that the time was near at hand when the Church with some of its leaders, would hate, pursue, persecute and excommunicate those how dared to teach or practise the law of plural marriage, for which he and hundreds of his brethren and sisters were then in hiding. Yet, now one year should pass before the coming of Jesus Christ, in which children would not be born under the holy covenant of the Patriarchal Order of Marriage.

He ordained and set apart five men of that assembly, conferring power and authority to unite faithful men and women in this Order of the Holy Priesthood, and to seal those covenants and promises by the Holy Spirit of Promise. These men were instructed to go into different stakes throughout the Church and ordain other men to the same power and calling. By the authority of the keys and powers of his apostolic and high priesthood presidency calling, he conferred upon those men those rights and powers; and said it would never be taken from the earth until Christ came whose right it was to rule and reign.

Notwithstanding the fact that some men upon whom this sealing power was conferred, have been excommunicated when discovered to have exercised those powers of high priesthood, and all others have been declared, from the great Tabernacle pulpit and from the press, by the present President of the Church, to possess no rights or authority to solemnize such marriages, some of those men to continue to exercise those sealing powers in all righteousness. No act of mortal man, other than their own unworthiness, can deprive them of that authority conferred upon them by divine injunction, or stop the carrying out of God’s purposes, as predicted by John Taylor. Neither they nor those for whom they righteously officiate can be derived of their sacred rights, or cut off from Christ’s Church by the words or acts of men unrighteously exercised.

. . .

At the time of the visit of our Lord and His Prophet Joseph Smith the following revelation of the will of God was received and declared by President Taylor.

[Quotes 1886 Revelation]

Several copies of this revelation were made at the time. The original is in President John Taylor’s own hand writing, and said to be in the church historian’s office. This statement has been made both publicly and privately, and by the press for several years past, and if a denial of these things has ever been made by one supposed to be responsible for the custody of that revelation, we have never heard or read of it. If these things are true who is responsible for their long withholding? If they are not true why are they not authoritatively and effectually denied?

The writer obtained the information as above given from two eye and ear witnesses of the event, and that testimony was borne in the name of the Lord and in mighty power, in the presence of three other hearers, and by him written down some seven years ago. Some of the prophecies delivered by John Taylor on that occasion were related to the writer nearly thirty years ago, by his son John W. Taylor, and that relating agreed in detail with the testimony borne by the two eye witnesses.
(B. Harvey Allred, A Leaf in Review, 2d ed., 183-84)

While the brethren were at the Carlisle residency [in Murray, Utah] in May or June of 1886, letters began to come to President John Taylor from such men as John Sharp, Horace Eldredge, William Jennings, John T. Caine, Abraham Hatch, President Cluff and many other leading men from all over the Church, asking the leaders to do something, as the Gentiles were talking of confiscating their property in connection with the property of the Church.

These letters not only came from those who were living in the Plural Marriage relation, but also from prominent men who were presiding in various offices of the Church who were not living in that relation. They all urged that something be done to satisfy the Gentiles so that their property would not be confiscated.

George Q. Cannon on his own initiative selected a committee comprising himself, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, John T. Caine and James Jack to get up a statement or Manifesto that would meet the objections urged by the brethren above named. They met from time to time to discuss the situation. From the White home, where President Taylor and companions stopped, after leaving the Carlisle home, they came out to father's. George Q. Cannon would go and consult with the brethren of the committee, I taking him back and forth each day.

On September 26, 1886, George Q. Cannon, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, and others, met with President John Taylor at my father's residence at Centerville, Davis County, Utah, and presented a document for President Taylor's consideration.

I had just got back from a three days trip, during most of which I had been in the saddle, and being greatly fatigued, I had retired to rest. Between one and two o'clock P.M., Brother Bateman came and woke me up and asked me to be at my father's home where a Manifesto was to be discussed. I went there and found there were congregated Samuel Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, L. John Nuttall, Charles Birrell, George Q. Cannon, Franklin S. Richards and Hyrum B. Clawson.

We discussed the proposed Manifesto at length, but we were unable to become united in the discussion. Finally George Q. Cannon suggested that President Taylor take the matter up with the Lord and decide the same the next day.

Brothers Clawson and Richards, were taken back to Salt Lake. That evening I was called to act as guard during the first part of the night, notwithstanding the fact that I was greatly fatigued on account of the three days' trip I had just completed.

The brethren retired to bed soon after nine o'clock. The sleeping rooms were inspected by the guard as was the custom. President Taylor's room had no outside door. The windows were heavily screened.

Sometime after the brethren retired and while I was reading the Doctrine and Covenants, I was suddenly attracted to a light appearing under the door leading to President Taylor's room, and was at once startled to hear the voices of men talking there. There were three distinct voices. I was bewildered because it was my duty to keep people out of the room and evidently someone had entered without my knowing it. I made a hasty examining and found all the window screens intact. While examining the last window, and feeling greatly agitated, a voice spoke to me, saying, "Can't you feel the Spirit? Why should you worry?"

At this I returned to my post and continued to hear the voices in the room. They were so audible that although I did not see the parties I could place their positions in the room from the sound of the voices. The three voices continued until about midnight, when one of them left, and the other two continued. One of them I recognized as President John Taylor's voice. I called Charles Birrell and we both sat up until eight o'clock the next morning.

When President Taylor came out of his room about eight o'clock of the morning of September 27, 1886, we could scarcely look at him on account of the brightness of his personage. He stated, "Brethren, I have had a very pleasant conversation all night with Brother Joseph." (Joseph Smith) I said, "Boss, who is the man that was there until midnight?" He asked, "What do you know about it, Lorin?" I told him all about my experience. He said, "Brother Lorin, that was your Lord."

We had no breakfast, but assembled ourselves in a meeting. I forget who opened the meeting. I was called to offer the benediction. I think my father, John W. Woolley, offered the opening prayer. There were present at this meeting, in addition to President Taylor, George Q. Cannon, L. John Nuttall, John W. Woolley, Samuel Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, Charles Birrell, Daniel R. Bateman, Bishop Samuel Sedden, George Earl, my mother, Julia E. Woolley, my sister, Amy Woolley, and myself. The meeting was held from about nine o'clock in the morning until five in the afternoon without intermission, being about eight hours in all.

President Taylor called the meeting to order. He had the Manifesto, that had been prepared under the direction of George Q. Cannon, read over again. He then put each person under covenant that he or she would defend the principle of Celestial or Plural Marriage, and that they would consecrate their lives, liberty and property to this end, and that they personally would sustain and uphold that principle.

By that time we were all filled with the Holy Ghost. President Taylor and those present occupied about three hours up to this time. After placing us under covenant, he placed his finger on the document, his person rising from the floor about a foot or eighteen inches, and with countenance animated by the Spirit of the Lord, and raising his right hand to the square, he said, "Sign that document, -- never! I would suffer my right hand to be severed from my body first. Sanction it, -- never! I would suffer my tongue to be torn from its roots in my mouth before I would sanction it!"

After that he talked for about an hour and then sat down and wrote the revelation which was given him by the Lord upon the question of Plural Marriage.

My son John:
You have asked me concerning the New and Everlasting Covenant and how far it is binding upon my people.

Thus saith the Lord:
All commandments that I give must be obeyed by those calling themselves by my name unless they are revoked by me or by my authority and how can I revoke an everlasting covenant
For I the Lord am everlasting and my covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with; but they stand forever.
Have I not given my word in great plainness on this subject?
Yet have not great numbers of my people been negligent in the observance of my law and the keeping of my commandment, and yet have I borne with them these many years and this because of their weakness because of the perilous times. And furthermore it is more pleasing to me that men should use their free agency in regard to these matters.
Nevertheless I the Lord do not change and my word and my covenants and my law do not.
And as I have heretofore said by my servant Joseph all those who would enter into my glory must and shall obey my law
And have I not commanded men that if they were Abraham's seed and would enter into my glory they must do the works of Abraham.
I have not revoked this law nor will I for it is everlasting and those who will enter into my glory must obey the conditions thereof, even so Amen.

Then he talked to us for some time, and said, "Some of you will be handled and ostracized and cast out from the Church by your brethren because of your faithfulness and integrity to this principle, and some of you may have to surrender your lives because of the same, but woe, woe, unto those who shall bring these troubles upon you." (Three of us were handled and ostracized for supporting and sustaining this principle. There are only three left who were at the meeting mentioned -- Daniel R. Bateman, George Earl and myself. So far as I know those of them who have passed away all stood firm to the covenants entered into from that day to the day of their deaths.)

After the meeting referred to, President Taylor had L. John Nuttall write five copies of the revelation. He called five of us together: Samuel Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, George Q. Cannon, John W. Woolley, and myself.

He then set us apart and place us under covenant that while we lived we would see to it that no year passed by without children being born in the principle of plural marriage. We were given authority to ordain others if necessary to carry this work on, they in turn to be given authority to ordain others when necessary, under the direction of the worthy senior (by ordination), so that there should be no cessation in the work.

He then gave each of us a copy of the Revelation.

I am the only one of the five now living, and so far as I know all five of the brethren remained true and faithful to the covenants they entered into, and to the responsibilities placed upon them at that time. During the eight hours we were together, and while President Taylor was talking to us, he frequently arose and stood above the floor, and his countenance and being were so enveloped by light and glory that it was difficult for us to look upon him.

He stated that the document, referring to the Manifesto, was from the lower regions. He stated that many of the things he had told us we would forget and they would be taken from us, but that they would return to us in due time as needed, and from this fact we would know that the same was from the Lord. This has been literally fulfilled. Many of the things I forgot, but they are coming to me gradually, and those things that come to me are as clear as on the day on which they were given.

President Taylor said that the time would come when many of the Saints would apostatize because of this principle. He said "one-half of this people will apostatize over the principle and possibly one-half of the other half" (rising off the floor while making the statement).

He also said the day will come when a document similar to that (Manifesto) then under consideration would be adopted by the Church, following which "apostasy and whoredom would be rampant in the Church."

He said that in the time of the seventh president of this Church, the Church would go into bondage both temporally and spiritually and in that day (the day of bondage) the One Mighty and Strong spoken of in the 85th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants would come.

Among many other things stated by President Taylor on this occasion was this: "I would be surprised if ten percent of those who claim to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood will remain true and faithful to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the time of the seventh president, and that there would be thousands that think they hold the Priesthood at that time, but would not have it properly conferred upon them."

John Taylor set the five mentioned apart and gave them authority to perform marriage ceremonies, and also to set others apart to do the same thing as long as they remained on the earth; and while doing so, the Prophet Joseph Smith stood by directing the proceedings. Two of us had not met the Prophet Joseph Smith in his mortal lifetime, and we – Charles H. Wilkins and myself – were introduced to him and shook hands with him.

(Signed) Lorin C. Woolley (Joseph Musser’s Compilation of Journal Notes Signed by Lorin C. Woolley; Persons present: Daniel R. Bateman, John Y. Barlow, J. Leslie Broadbent, and J.W. Musser; italics indicate material that is included in the 1912 version)

May 4, 1934:
Daniel R. Bateman’s Sworn Statement
Firsthand Account: 8 Hour Meeting
Hearsay Account: Ordinations

On September 27, 1886, I was at a meeting at the home of John Woolley at Centerville in Davis County, Utah, as one of the guards of President John Taylor, who was then at the to me of Brother Woolley, on the underground. Others who were present were John Woolley, Lorin C. Woolley, President George Q. Cannon, Brother Nuttall, and there were others.

The Manifesto had been prepared for President Taylor to sign. He had made it a matter of prayer, and the next morning in addressing himself to the subject, he was lifted off the floor and a halo of light was around his body; and he made the statement that he would suffer his hand to be severed from his body rather than place his signature to that document, and rather than endorse it he would suffer this tongue to be torn from its roots in his mouth.

He asked those present if they were willing to consecrate all that they had to the furtherance of the cause of righteousness in case it is requested of them. They responded they were. He asked if they were willing to give up their lives for the truth in the event it was required. They answered they were.

He then placed them under covenant to uphold and sustain the principles of the Gospel, particularly the principle of the Patriarchal Order of Marriage, from thence on as long as they lived. He said: “Some of you will live to see the time when there will scarcely be a family among the Latter-day Saints that will be united on the principles of the Gospel.” He said the time will come when one-half of the people will apostatize over the principle of Celestial Marriage, and perhaps one-half of the other half.

He counseled us not to begin our work until told to do so by proper authority. That much of the instruction he was giving we would forget, but that at the proper time it would come back to us. (Supplement to the New and Everlasting Covenant, p. 26)

After reading some expressions in a letter ascribed to A. W. Ivins in which the foregoing revelation [1886] is referred to as an unsigned scrap of paper--a so-called revelation – the words of a man which were never submitted to the people of the Church and are not binding, etc., I went up and talked with my sister Nellie E. Taylor, plural wife of John W. Taylor to learn what she knew about it. She says John W. referred to the circumstances on several occasions and told how his father was in hiding at the home of John Woolley at Centerville the night it was received. That Lorin Woolley was on guard in the next room and witnessed a strange light under Pres. Taylor's door. Next day a message was sent to those of the Apostles then at home to meet Pres. T. at Centerville. Bro. Geo. Gibbs arranged for a sheep wagon well closed in and drove them up. [32] John W. was asked to stand guard in the adjoining room. He said the revelation was submitted and received. The original was brought to the Temple, but as there was danger of the Temple being raided, it and other records were hidden by Wm. Salmon. This copy was later given to John W. who asked his brother-in-law, Rodney Badger, to place it in a safety box at the bank where he worked. It was later returned to John W. Taylor, who kept it in his office. While in this office, Ellen Sanberg was his secretary. He married her as a plural wife. After John's death Ellen kept the revelation and worked for L. N. Stohl, who persuaded her to let him make photographic copies of it.

Nellie says that one night after his death, John W. came to her with a troubled look on his face and it was made known to her that he was concerned about this revelation – the one given to John Taylor. Nellie went to Mill Creek and Ethan reluctantly surrendered it. Nellie took it to Frank Y. Taylor and asked that he deliver it to the Church historian. Frank delayed and some inquiry was made about it. Nellie again saw him about it and Frank decided to surrender it but instead of taking it to the historian's office, he took it to Pres. Grant and asked him if it was genuine and in the handwriting of his father. Pres. Grant said it was. Bro. Taylor asked how he could get around it. "I am not going to try to get around it," replied Pres. Grant.

The revelation given to President Taylor Sept. 27, 1886, is as well authenticated as any we have, and is just as sacred and just as true. It is from the Lord and set forth His mind and will at that time. It has been claimed by several that inasmuch as it never was presented to the Church, it is not binding upon the Church. That simply announces that unless we in conference vote to accept a commandment of God, we are not required to keep that particular commandment, which is not true. If God gave a commandment to 100 men and 60 of them rejected it, that would not affect the commandment. Of course, they couldn't obey the commandment till they heard it. This revelation could not be presented to the Church
when it was received and by the time it could be presented, we had already acted in a way quite opposite to its injunctions, so it was not presented to the members in conference at all, but that does not change the revelation.

Anyone in the Church who refers to any one of these revelations received by President Taylor or Apostle or President Woodruff as "purported," "so-called," "pretended," or as scraps of paper not binding because they were never accepted by the Church or as being received when an Apostle, is sowing confusion for himself and the Church to reap. (Excerpts from the Journal of Douglas M. Todd, Sr., 10-13)

During the years of 1886 and 1887, and during the terrible tirade against the Latter-day Saint Church for the practice of Plural or Celestial Marriage, and while President John Taylor and George Q. Cannon were undergrounding at the home of Brother Carlisle, which was located Westerly from the present site of the Murray Laudry, at Murray, Utah, and whose home was located near the Jordan River, and also at the home of John W. Woolley at Centerville, Davis County, Utah, at the latter place a marvelous manifestation of the Holy Ghost and appearance of two heavenly beings occurred.

I was one of the bodyguards of President John Taylor during this period of time. During the month of September, 1886, and while at John W. Woolley’s residence there was a powerful influence exercised by and from many sources by letter and otherwise from some who were living in plural marriage and from men who were presiding in the various offices of the Church who were not living in that relation. They all urged that something be done to satisfy the Gentiles so their property would not be confiscated.
George Q. Cannon, on his own initiative, selected a committee comprising himself, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, John T. Caine, and James Jack to get up a statement or Manifesto that would meet the objections urged by the above named.

On September 26, 1886, George Q. Cannon, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, and some others met with President Taylor at Brother John W. Woolley’s residence, at Centerville, Davis County, Utah, and presented a manifesto document for his consideration. President Cannon suggested that President Taylor take it up with the Lord and make a decision on the manifesto the next day. President Taylor replied: “Do you think that I would decide on such an important matter as that without taking it to the Lord and get his decision and final word on the matter?”

President Taylor retired at about nine o’clock on the evening of September 26, 1886. The sleeping rooms were inspected by the guard as was the custom. President Taylor’s room had no outside door. The windows were heavily screened.

Soon after President Taylor retired a light was seen under the door leading to his room and the guard was startled to hear three persons talking in President Taylor’s room. An examination was made by the bodyguard and watchman to see if all of the windows were still screened and if the only door to the room was bolted, which proved to be the fact. And while examining the last window a voice spoke to the guard saying “Can’t you feel the Spirit? Why should you worry?” The voices continued in the room until midnight, when one of them left, and the other two continued. Once of the voices was President Taylor’s and the other two were two heavenly messengers, as shown by the following: [paraphrases Lorin Woolley 1929 account].

When President Taylor came out of his room at about eight o’clock of the morning of September 27, 1886, one could scarcely look at him on account of the brightness of his face.

He stated, “Brethren, I have had a very pleasant conversation all night with Brother Joseph, the Prophet.” He was asked, who the third person was and the President replied that “it was your Lord.”

All present assembled in a meeting and President Taylor called the meeting to order. He had the Manifesto, that had been prepared by George Q. Cannon, and read it over again. He then put each one in the meeting under a covenant that he or she would defend the principle of Celestial or Plural Marriage, and that they would consecrate their lives, liberty and property to this end, and that they personally would sustain and uphold that principle.

By that time we were all filled with the Holy Ghost. After placing us under covenant, he placed his finger on the document, his person rising from the floor about a foot, and with countenance animated by the Spriit of God, and raising his right hand to the square, he said, “Sign that document, – never! I would suffer my right hand to be severed from my body first. Sanction it, - never! I would suffer my tongue to be torn from its roots in my mouth before I would sanction it!”

After that he talked for about an hour and then sat down and wrote the revelation which was given him by the Lord upon the question of Plural Marriage which I made a copy from the original written in the handwriting of President Taylor and which is as follows:

[Quotes 1886 Revelation]

After writing the above revelation, President Taylor made the following remarks: [quoting the Woolley account]

“I would be surprised if ten per cent of those who claim to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood will remain true and faithful to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the time of the seventh president, and that there would be thousands that think they hold the Priesthood at that time, but would not have it properly conferred upon them.”

In addition to the foregoing I was at meeting at Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah, when President George Q. Cannon spoke, shortly before his death as follows:

“The day will come when man’s priesthood and authority will be called into question, and you will find out that there will be hundreds who will have no priesthood, but who believe they hold it, they holding only an office in the Church.”

[quotes Joseph F. Smith, Improvement Era 4:394 (1901) regarding Priesthood conferral]

This applies to the Melchizedek as well as the Aaronic Priesthood.

Since about the year 1920 the method used is to ordain the person direct to the office in the Priesthood, who has not previously had the Priesthood conferred upon him, without conferring the Priesthood first upon him.

In 1886 I was 29 years of age when the revelation above stated was given to President John Taylor and I am, so far as I know, the only one living who witnessed the marvelous manifestations given through and by President John Taylor and the information I have herein related. I have been true and faithful to all of my covenants I have ever made and believe the whole gospel and the fullness thereof and at the age of 81 years I have a clearness of mind and alertness of intellect and I know that all I herein say is true. I know that my Redeemer lives and that no man will ever enter into the fullness of His glory unless he complies with the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage as revealed, in the 132 Section of the Doctrine and Covenants to the Prophet Joseph Smith. If we go where Abraham is we must do the works of Abraham.
[/s/ Daniel R. Bateman – Witnessed and signed in the presence of: Ida May Bateman, Arthur Gordon, David W. Jeffs] (Truth 8:44-46 (July 1942)

Centerville, Utah
August 2nd, 1949

To whom it may concern:

I am making this statement of my own free will and choice, with: no duress nor pressure from any person. And it is truthful and I hope will have a good effect. As a young English convert I came to Utah nearly sixty-five years ago, and in my middle teens I secured employment on the John W. Woolley farm in Centerville. I was as one of the family, taken into their confidence, and ate at the same table as they.
In the late eighties I saw come to the Woolley home, and remain there for perhaps eight months the following, although all of them did not remain constantly there, the following; President John Taylor, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, Angus Cannon, Joseph E. Taylor. I repeat, I ate with them, helped guard them, and knew all the routine that went on from day to day.
I attended the meetings on Sundays, including Fast meetings. President Taylor presented me with a five dollar gold piece, with which I purchased a small trunk, and I still have it in my possession. I at times carried their mail to the Church office in Salt Lake City on horseback. I remember Charley Wilkins and Sam Bateman well.
I heard President Taylor sing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" at a night party. Now for the crux of the letter. I have been approached during the past many years, by scores of men endeavoring to secure my signature to a statement that I was at the meeting where President was purported to have stood in the air and delivered a powerful sermon upon a certain doctrine, and that heavenly messengers visited him, etc. Never did I see or hear any such things, and I doubt if anyone else did, but I hereby solemnly affirm that I saw nothing supernatural like that, nor heard such a sermon, and firmly believe It could not have escaped my observation had it occurred.
I am absolutely now the sole survivor who was present during those eight months, and feel it my duty to present these facts before the world, inasmuch as some aspersion has been cast upon my name by those seeking to subvert the truth. I always have had the feelings of the highest regard for all the Woolly family, and still do.

/s George Earl (Statement of George Earl, August 2, 1949, Church Archives, Salt Lake City)

Olive remained in the Church throughout her life, but in 1979, she told me that on one occasion when a young girl, she went over to visit John W. Woolley who was her Grandfather, and while sitting at a table, he told her that "the Lord Jesus Christ has sat at this table"

One night Lorin Woolley was on guard outside. He saw a bright light shining out of President Taylor’s window and he heard voices. He was afraid someone had slipped passed him unnoticed so he stepped to the window. He could hear three voices conversing in a very peaceful manner and a calm feeling came over him that assured him all was right! The next morning he asked President Taylor about it, and was told he had heard the voices of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Savior. They had come to reassure President Taylor that polygamy was sanctioned of the Lord. (Spoken to Fred Collier – Includes Chapter Extract: The City In-Between, History of Centerville, 47.)