THE CELESTIAL ORDER OF MARRIAGE—ETERNITY AND PLURALITY OF THE COVENANT —THE REVELATION WRITTEN AND DELIVERED TO THE HIGH COUNCIL—JOSEPH, HYRUM AND OTHERS OBEY IT.  
Every woman has the right to virtuous wifehood and maternity. This was the omnipotent design in her creation. Yet how shall it be fulfilled under modern systems? Clearly, the Creator can make known.
 
"When they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage," saith the revelation; therefore the tie of conjugal relation must be made here and to endure beyond the gates of death it must be fixed by an eternal covenant with the divine sanction.
 
Joseph Smith's mission was all-comprehending. From the Church organization, it expanded until it made known a code of moral law by which the modern world, under the light of Christian truth, may achieve social redemption and be forever purified.
 
The decree of the Lord making known to the Prophet the eternity and plurality of marriage, was a part of this sublime plan. It came to him little by little, as he was enabled to bear the dazzling light of celestial glory: and when eventually the full view of the holy order was permitted to him, he saw the principles of eternal progression, the laws by which the universe is filled with shining and inhabited spheres to make the infinite glory of our God. The exaltation of these visions was all that mortal man could bear; and the Prophet felt that the dull, selfish world would refuse to understand the purity and promise, would refuse to undergo the earthly trials to secure the heavenly blessing, and would seek the death of such humble disciples of the Savior as should embrace this principle of eternal life.
 
Even after that portion of the revelation now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants was made known to him, Joseph did not write it for a time, although he obeyed its commands and taught it to Hyrum and other faithful men, who, in prayer and humility before God, accepted and fulfilled its requirements.
 
The revelation therefore remained the unwritten law of God, established in the hearts and obeyed in the lives of some of His faithful servants, until the 12th day of July, 1843, when it was recorded, that it might remain a comfort and guide to the people after Joseph and Hyrum should pass away. On that day, under the Prophet's dictation, and in the presence of Hyrum, the revelation was written by William Clayton. A copy of it was taken the next day by Joseph C. Kingsbury for Bishop Newel K. Whitney.
 
On the 12th day of August, 1843, the revelation was read before the high council and presidency of the stake of Nauvoo. There were present Hyrum Smith, who presented the principle; William Marks, Charles C. Rich, and Austin Cowles, the stake presidency; and Samuel Bent, William Huntington, Alpheus Cutler, Thomas Grover, Lewis D. Wilson, David Fullmer, Aaron Johnson, Newel Knight, Leonard Sobey, Isaac Allred, Henry G. Sherwood and Samuel Smith, the high council.
 
After reading the revelation, Hyrum promised his brethren that they who accepted it should be blessed and sustained in the Church by the Spirit of God and the confidence of the Saints, and they who rejected it should fall away in their faith and power; and it was even so.
 
To promulgate this commandment and to obey it was probably the Prophet's greatest earthly trial. Emma did not at first accept it; but later she became convinced of its truth and gave good women to her husband to wife as Sarah of old administered to Abraham.
 
Some of the Prophet's brethren caused him great sorrow by teaching impurity of life under the guise of this holy principle: but their wickedness was uncovered and the Church was purged of their presence.
 
The teaching of the revelation has been a test of personal holiness. The men who have seen in this commandment a holy and exalted duty and who obeyed in meekness and purity, have lived by their faith and have come off triumphant; while those who have sought to minister to evil passions have sunk and been cast out.
 
There is not one word in the revelation, nor was there one word in the Prophet's teaching other than purity and self sacrifice.
 
The Lord said:
 
I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment—that no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord;
 
And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordaine............