27 September 1886 Revelation to President John Taylor

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Revelation given to President John Taylor on 27 September 1886. This revelation was received as a confirmation of the continued will of the Lord regarding the "New and Everlasting Covenant" or the principle of Celestial Plural Marriage. Because of the continued persecution of the Church allegedly over the principle of plural marriage, the brethren and especially President Taylor were continually pleading with the Lord for relief and direction. This revelation was received by President Taylor in connection with his pleadings with the Lord for direction on this principle and the resultant difficulties. At this time, President Taylor spent much of his time in hiding, as he was trying to avoid arrest for continuing to maintain his plural wives. Consequently, communication among the brethren and to the Saints was often times difficult. At President Taylor's death about a year later, George Q. Cannon came out of hiding to assist with the funeral arrangements, and was subsequently arrested for his own practice of plural marriage. The original text of this revelation was written down by hand by President Taylor himself, and upon his death this copy came into the hands of his son and later Apostle John W. Taylor. It was Apostle John W. Taylor who transcribed this revelation and made it available to others. (See minutes of meeting of the Quorum of 12 Apostles, 22 February 1911--the Trial of Apostle John W. Taylor)

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

2. 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 everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with, but they stand forever.

3. 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 laws 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,

4. And furthermore, it is more pleasing to me that men should use their free agency in regards to these matters. Nevertheless, I the Lord do not change and my word and my covenants and my law do not.

5. 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?

6. 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.

Photograph of President John Taylor, with his signature.

 

Copy of the 1886-John Taylor revelation in his own handwriting.

 

Hand-written copy of John Taylor's 1886 revelation in the handwriting of his son, John W. Taylor.

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