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gdm-digest           Saturday, July 11 1998           Volume 02 : Number 010




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 21:31:26 -0600
From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> The Book of the Law of the Lord.

The following page has many parallels to the book of much like F.A.R.M.S.
and others find in Mexico and the Yucatan.  I provide it here and allow
you to ponder on the parallels you may or may not see.  I post the page
with permission of Rick Hurd.  I include links to his page and his e-mail
address if you wish to learn more from a more informed source on this
subject.

To the question as to if I could forward the one web page below, Rick
replied.

- ---------------

Sure, help your self.

Unlike the plates the Book of Mormon were translated from where only a few
had the chance to view them, thousands seen the Voree Plates. I recently
had a man who understands the Hebrew language examine the facsimile of the
plates and I am including his translation with this letter.

Sincerely, Rick Hurd.

First of all I note that the opening portion of the ... translation is a
complex form of Hebrew poetry called CHIASMUS (there are also within this
Chiasmus several parallelisms).  This Chiastic structure is four levels
deep:

A.  My people ARE NO MORE.

     B. THE MIGHTY ARE FALLEN,
     and the young slain in battle.

          C.  Their BONES bleached on the plain
          BY NOONDAY SHADOW

               D.  The houses are leveled to the dust,
               and IN THE MOAT are the walls.
               They shall be inhabited.

               D.  I have IN THE BURIAL
               served them,

          C.  and their BONES IN THE DEATH-SHADE,
          towards the sun's rising, are covered.

     B.  They sleep with THE MIGHTY dead,
     and they rest with their fathers.
     They HAVE FALLEN in transgression

A.  AND ARE NOT, but the elect and faithful there shall dwell.


This is a very good example of Chiasmus, as good as any I have seen.

Also, regarding the "signature" which in yours reads "Rajah Manchou of
Vorito" the copy I have had for some time printed by THE TRUE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST RESTORED has "Rajah Manchore of Vorito." This phase seems
also to be Hebrew:

Rajah - A perfect Hebrew name "Yah[weh] sees" or "Yah[weh] is seer" or "Ra
is Yah[weh]"

Manchore - Man (Hebrew prefix meaning "from") Chore - To be white, a
nobleman (Strong's 2353, 2357, 2361, 2715)

Vorito - Although in Aramaic V'ORITA means "and the Torah" I favor BRIT
with the terminal -A found often in Aramaic.   Initial BET in Hebrew is
always hard B but in the other parts of a word is usually pronounced "V"
so that a shift from "B" to "V" is likely and an initial "V" could only
indicate a BET.  This would make this word "covenant"

The above would mean that "Rajah Manchore of Vorito" means:

Rayah from the whitemen/noblemen of the Covenant.

Let me know your thoughts on the above.

I will analyze the script and get back with you. =20

- --------------------


Description of one side of one of the Voree Plates.

1st. An eye. The symbol of God, who is all-seeing: consequently it is
called THE ALL-SEEING EYE, and has been used as symbolical of the DEITY in
all countries, and in all ages of the world.

2nd. The figure of a man down to the waist having a crown resembling a
cap, and composed of radiating lines, on his head; and a scepter in his
hand. These are symbols of authority, and shew him a ruler. As he has the
sun, moon and stars (all the natural lights), below him, and only the
ALL-SEEING EYE above him, he is prophet, seer, revelator, translator, and
First President of the church-governing not by natural light, or mere
human wisdom, but by Revelation or the word of God and derives his
authority solely from God, and not in any sense from the actions of men.

3d. The sun on the right and the moon on the left. These represent the two
Vice PRESIDENTS, or counsellors in the First Presidency; the two largest
natural lights being used as symbols, because they are to assist the First
President in wisdom, or natural light merely, and not by revelation.

4th. A cross pillar above and resting upon the center large star, and
under the human figure, two pillars above and resting upon the two upper
large stars, and below and between the sun and the moon. These represent
COADJUTORS, assistants or helps of whom there have been several since the
beginning of the church, appointed by revelation.

5th. Twelve stars, six around the sun and six around the moon. These
represent the High Council of the Church, The division into classes of six
each agrees with established usages in the church, one-half to stand up
for the accuser, and the other for the accused. This is not the high
council of the stake.

6th. Twelve large stars. Ten of these in two rows at the bottom of the
plate, and the other two over them, nearly between the sun and moon. They
represent the TWELVE APOSTLES. These stars are larger than those which
represent the High Council of the church, because the apostles have a more
important ministry but are placed below them because they are subject to
their discipline, and below the symbols of the First Presidency because
they are subject to its directions.

7th. Seventy small stars immediately within the points of the twelve large
ones, being six to each except the center one which has only four. They
represent the SEVENTIES, who are subject to the direction of the Twelve
Apostles.

8th. A straight line dropping down before the scepter. "Therefore thus
saith the Lord God, behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried
stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall
not make haste, Judgment also will I lay to the line and righteousness to
the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the
waters shall overflow the hiding place."

"Thus he showed me; and behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by a
plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos,
what seest thou? And I said, a plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold I
will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again
pass by them any more."

These symbols were all prophetic of the order that will exist in the
fullness of times. Thus God in his goodness to those who lived in days
past has shown them not only the rest which he had in reservation for
them, but the perfectness of the means by which he will accomplish it.
Probably now we understand it in part, but in times to come we shall "know
as we are known."

BOOK OF THE LAW OF THE LORD Arguably the most important book ever written
in the English language.

Parts translated from metal plates found buried under an oak tree.

e-mail: [e-mail]

http://members.aol.com/strangites/index.htm

Copyright =A9 1997 by Rick's Indexing. All rights reserved.







Ciao Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter

- -

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 23:34:40 -0600
From: "Perry L. Porter" <[e-mail]>
Subject: ---> This is long, I wrote it back in 1980 BYU

I wrote this long ago and just scanned it in and corrected it from a very
bad typed copy.

Even though I don't believe that Polygamy was from God, I think this is
worth reading.

It was written to get faithful Mormons to think.  It is
non-confrontational, but if  you do think, you should find this subtlety
thought provoking.


- ----------------------


ANSON BOWEN Call; Post 1890 Manifesto Polygamist, Typical Mormon or
Religious Zealot?


The prominent Mormon polygamist, Anson Call (Sr.) founded Call's Landing
on the Colorado River, had four wives and was a successful business and
religious leader of Bountiful, Utah. Most historical accounts of the
issuance of the Manifesto portrayed those who took plural wives, while in
self-exile in Canada and Mexico during 1890-1904, as diehards or out of
harmony with the Church. While criticism may be warranted for a small
number of eccentric members, it is not applicable to all. Once case in
point is his __th son, Anson Bowen Call, or Anson B. as his family called
him. Anson B. was engaged to marry his first plural wife, before the first
1890 Manifesto, as thing worked out, he ended up marrying 3 plural wives
after October 1890 press release.1

Anson B's case is important, because the early death of his second wife
provided a second chance to examine his motives and commitment to the this
unique religious practice. After examining the evidence, it will be more
apparent that Anson B. was one who lived polygamy because of convictions
gained through, what he refers to as religious experiences, rather than a
rebel our of harmony with church authority.

Anson Bowen Call was born October 20, 1863, in Bountiful, Utah of Ann
Mariah Bowen Call and Anson Call. He was his mother's sixth child and his
father's twenty-third. Anson Call had six wives.2 At a very young age
Anson B. participated as a child in some peculiar aspects of plural
marriage family life. Anson B. describes his youth as:

"I spent most of my childhood living in her (Aunt Mary's) home. She was
just like a mother to me, and I grew to love her very much."3

This situation was created because all of the children of Aunt Mary were
grown and married when Anson B. was young and also because Anson B.'s
mother had her hands full taking care of eight children older than Anson
B.4 As seen later, this advantage of plural marriage "mother swapping" or
an ideal model of harmonious plural marriage in and of itself, did not
initially convince Anson B. to take up plural marriage enthusiastically.

Apparently, Anson Call (Sr.) took the scriptures literally when it
admonished the Saints to pray in secret. On top of his two-story house in
Bountiful, Anson (Sr.) built a small prayer room which one could only
enter through a trap door in the top of a bedroom closet. This later
proved very useful during the polygamy raids.5 Anson (Sr.) taught his
children to pray in secret at least once a day. This had such an effect on
Arson B. that he later wrote: "This practice became, a habit with me, and
to this day, I do not remember a single day of my life that I have missed
or neglected my secret prayer."6

Anson B. was schooled at home by hired tutors. Later he attended a private
school taught by his Aunt. Eventually he attended public school (until age
17) where he was under instructions by interesting teachers such as his
nephew Anson V. Call and B.

H. Roberts.7

Anson B. was baptized just ten days before his ninth birthday. In his life
history he further explains the differences in the Church policy from
those of today. In doing so, he also gives a little insight on how these
policies had actual impact on individuals.

Anson B. laments, "I was never ordained to any of the offices in the
Aaronic Priesthood, since they did not have quorum organizations as they
do now, and they did not know that they could have more than one quorum in
a ward at a time. My brother, Chester, was Bishop at that time, and it
made me feel very badly when I was not chosen as one of the twelve for the
Deacons." His first ordination in the Priesthood was to the office of
Elder at age twenty-one.8

The conservative nature and concern for the spiritual stability of Anson
B.'s farther for his son was exhibited when he withdrew Anson B. from the
University of Deseret, because Anson B. had joined a debate club and had
enrolled in a class on civic government. Which had caused Anson B. to
debate every question that arose. Nevertheless, a brief two-year
collegiate experience did qualify him to teach school in Bountiful at a
starting salary of $40.00 per month.9

For the next two years in his life he taught school and courted Mary
Theresa Thomson. On November 4, 1885, they were married in the Logan
Temple by the Temple President, Marriner W. Merrill. Anson B.'s records
this interesting historical sidelight about his first marriage: "At that
time everyone was required to be re-baptized (1885) just before going to
the Temple to be married."10

Anson (Sr.) had been on the "underground" for so long that from Anson's
remarks apparently the family had come to except it as common place that
his father was unable to attend the wedding. By coincidence Anson B. on
his return trip from Logan was utterly surprised to find his father on the
same train returning home for the first time since summer.

Anson B. was living in Bountiful, Utah, the first two years of his married
life when he was asked by his father to move to Star Valley, Wyoming, to
take care of Anson's brother's plural wife because his father and other
family members were afraid of raids by deputy Marshalls."11

According to his youngest son, Eran A. Call, while living in the frontier
(sanctuary)12 of Afton, Wyoming, Anson B. was "asked by the President of
the Church, Wilford Woodruff, to take a second wife and go into
polygamy."13 Anson B. Call, Jr., also mentioned in an oral interview that
his father was called upon to take a plural wife while living in Star
Valley.14

Anson B. mentions that one primary reason for practicing polygamy , was
that "I was taught all my life, the principle of plural marriage, and
accordingly in 1888 I became engaged to Harriet Cazier."15 The most
predominant reason for entering polygamy was pointed out by the oldest
daughter of Anson B.'s fourth wife in an oral interview. Lorna Call
recounts her father explaining how he came to marry his second wife.

When Anson B. asked Aunt Theresa to marry him, she said to Anson B., "Do
you believe in polygamy and would you practice polygamy?" Lorna further
recounts the family oral history by saying that Anson B. did not know what
to say because he wanted to gain her favor. Lorna recalls her father's
response as follows: "I believe in the principle and if the opportunity
comes I would practice it." Lorna further relates that it was impressed
upon her from youth that her parents both believed the only way they could
receive the highest degree of glory, was by practicing the principle.16
From the time of the call from Wildord Woodruff and the subsequent
engagement, sometime in 1888, and when they actually made the trip from
Star Valley to the Logan Temple in June 1889, a momentous stopgap measure
was taken by the Church. Political pressure had worsened to the point that
the decision had been made that no sealings were supposedly performed in
the Mormon temples from September 1889-1890, (according to a press
release, referred to as the Manifesto).17

After Harriet Cazier took out her endowments in the Logan Temple they were
informed that the temple workers could not perform any more plural
marriages because the temples might be confiscated if they did. The Temple
President, Marriner W.

Merrill, told Anson B. that he was awaiting instructions and that he would
write Anson B. as soon as he received them.18

The Manifesto suggests a vague time period during the previous year
(September 1889-September 1890), that no more marriages were being
performed in the temples. The policy in the Logan Temple apparently was
affective as early as June 12, 1889, (This being the endowment date of
Harriet Cazier as recorded on genealogical records).19 Subsequently,
(circa one month later) Anson B. was counseled to correspond discreetly
with George Q. Cannon in Salt Lake. After several attempts to contact
Brother Cannon, Anson B. went to Salt Lake City, to contact the
authorities, in person, to find out when and where he could fulfill his
call to take a plural wife.20 Anson B. received council from then,
President Woodruff, while Woodruff was hoeing strawberries in his garden
next to his Salt Lake home.

Many times Mildred Hurst, has heard Anson B. tell the story of what
President Woodruff advised. In her oral interview she recorded what her
father said was Wilford Woodruff's counsel: "sell everything you've got
and go down there (to Mexico) and don't cause trouble for the Church. You
go with my sanction."21 It is apparent that President Woodruff was not
desirous of having those who took sanctioned plural wives after the
Manifesto return to United States, because of the investigations and
accusations being made by the Utah Commission at that time. This was
reiterated by Anson B. in his life history as the reason for selling the
land in Wyoming. Wilford Woodruff illustrated his point by telling Anson:
"If you leave a nest egg, the hen is pretty apt to come back." 22

A Humorous incident recorded by Anson B. regarding his trip to Mexico
reveals part of the secrecy and tension of the times, being only a month
after the Manifesto was voted on in General Conference. Anson B. records
the following:

Accordingly, I sold my property in Wyoming and Utah, and took my wife, and
three daughters, and Hattie, my wife to be, and started for Mexico,
leaving Salt Lake City, on November 27, 1890.

On the way, while waiting for our train at Trinidad, a stranger with a
lunch basket on his arm walked into the waiting room. I said to my wife,
"That man looks like a Mormon to me."

She replied, "What makes you think so?"

"I don't know, only he looks like a, Mormon. I think I will go and find
out."

"We have come this far on our way without any molestations (sp). I think
you better let strangers alone", she said.

"I'm going to have a talk with him." I went and was told by the stranger
to mind my own business, and let him alone. I went back to my family and
told them the result of my adventure. My wife retorted, "It serves you
right. You will learn to let strangers alone."

"I still believe he is a Mormon and I'm going to find out before our train
leaves." So again, I tried. This time the stranger said, "Young man, what
are you following me around for?"

"I want to ask you if you are, a Mormon."

"What business is that of yours?" the stranger replied.

"None, only I am a Mormon. and I took you for one."

"What is your name?" he asked.

I found that he was Philip Hurst, and that he too, was going into Mexico,
so we traveled the balance of the way to Deming, N. M. together.23

By December 10th they had made their way to Colonia Diaz, where the first
wife, Theresa, stayed with the two children while Arson B. and his plural
bride-to-be, Harriet, went on to Colonia Juarez. Anson B.'s account of
their wedding shows that the plural marriage ceremony where the first wife
gives her husband to the second wife, was not always observed, since the
fist was left baby-sitting in another town. This account also indicates
that the officiator (A. F. McDonald) put emphasis on the religious
ordinances, and practicality rather than nuptial traditions and romance.



We arrived in Juarez on the evening of December 11, and went immediately
to the home of Brother A. F. MacDonald, to whom my note of recognition,
from President Wilford Woodruff was addressed. We found him out cutting
kindling for the fire, and when told who we were, he said, "Oh yes. I've
been expecting you." I showed him the note, of recognition, but he said he
did not need that.

He took us up to his home (in which Erastus Snow had at one time lived)
and without even giving us time to wash, stood us up and married and
sealed us for time and eternity. Hattie, of course, was very disappointed,
as she, like any other girl, desired to be married in her, wedding dress,
which she had carried with her from Utah. 24

Much of Anson B.'s life was governed or influenced by spiritual
manifestations like the following:

In the spring of 1894, I, with Theresa on one arm and Hattie or the other,
started for a walk down to the Lucern (sp) Ditch. Suddenly I stopped, and
Theresa asked me what on earth was the matter. I said that a strong
impression had suddenly come to me, and through I did not hear anything,
it was as though it been spoken; it said, "if you to loose one of these
wives, which would it be?" I told them that I couldn't choose between
them. They both meant so very much to me.

They just took it as a joke, but to me it was very serious.25

Less than two months later on May 6, 1894, Hattie died of pneumonia.

Anson B's plural wife Harriet "Hattie" Cazier died after just fours years
of plural marriage, leaving Anson Bowen Call facing a real dilemma. He
felt that there was no reason to remain in Mexico, but he had no nowhere
to go because he had sold his land in Wyoming as per advice of the
President of the Church. Anson B. found himself living in a Mormon Colony
of self-exiled polygamist, but now, by a twist of fate, he was a
monogamist. Polygamy was no longer extolled from the pulpits of the Mormon
Church in America. It wouldn't be until 1904 that President Joseph
Fielding Smith would personally visit Mexico to withdraw Church sanction
of plural marriages world wide. 26

According to his son, Eran in his oral interview, Anson B. had no desire
to take a plural wife even though his father had died a faithful
polygamist and Anson B. had been raised in a successful polygamous
environment. Eran expressed that his father's earlier desire not to enter
into the order only changed when he was called upon and asked to live it
by the Prophet of the Lord.27

At this juncture the dilemma as indicated, by his son Eran, was that Anson
B. had never desired to live polygamy previous to his call to live the
principle. Also, Anson B. had lived at least the letter of the law of
Celestial Marriage for a total of four mortal years. Anson B. could
possibly rationalize that he had fulfilled his call, since he had done the
sealing work here on earth and had started his Celestial covenants and
that he would be able finish what he had started, after this mortal life.
Arson B., while in a state of doubt over why God had taken his plural
wife, he had voiced the desire to his first wife to return to Utah and
live a monogamous mortality.

At this point a somewhat unique situation in Mormon plural marriage
occurred. Mormons too often look only to the male priesthood holder, as
the decisive person in a plural marriage arrangement. However in this
situation, Theresa was a woman dedicated to the principle of Celestial
plural marriage, before she even considered marriage to Anson Bowen Call.
According to Lorna Call, in response to Anson B.'s request to return to
the United States, Theresa replied: "No we are to live in polygamy. I know
that is what we are to do and we can do it here and now and not there, (as
back there in the US)."28 Subsequently, because of his wife's dedication
to the principle, and his not yet receiving an answer to his prayers,
Anson B.

remained in Mexico. This also hints that Theresa understood very well that
the Manifesto applied in Utah, but not outside the US, as in Mexico.

Concerning the dilemma Anson B. mentioned in his life story that, "I just
couldn't acknowledge the hand of the Lord in Hattie's passing." Even
though he had prayed many times, he couldn't understand Why, if the Lord
wanted him to live polygamy, he would take away his second wife, after
only four years of marriage. The answer came in another spiritual
manifestation and was to become the motivating factor in the decision of

whether or not to enter polygamy again. After there months of not
receiving an acknowledgment from the Lord, Anson B., while on a business
trip to Colonial Juarez, was suddenly taken ill. According to his life
history he went into a type of coma where he could hear those around him,
but he could not speak. He was rubbed down in an effort to save him. He
remained in this critical condition most of the night. In the middle of
the night his wife Theresa noticed Anson B. sitting up in bed. He was
awake when she inquired of his well being, but later Anson B. was not sure
if he was awake or asleep when he had this spiritual manifestation. He
then related to his wife the event as follow:

Sometime during the night, a personage appeared at the foot of my bed. I
raised up and sat up in bed, and discovered that it was my father. He held
a book under his arm. He took the book out, and opened it, and told me
that it was an account of my life. It showed the debits and credits of my
life, and appeared to me to be about one-third full. I thought that the
debit side exceeded the credit side, and that my record was very bad, as
the last entry made on the debit side was very large, the largest in the
whole book. My father told me that the Lord was very displeased, because I
had not acknowledged His hand in taking Hattie, and that the last large
figure represented this. I attempted to add the debits in the book, but my
father closed the book, and said that no one but the custodian of that
book had any right to examine its contents. He said that the custodian of
my book was John W. Taylor (who later married me and my third wife). He
told me that my life was generally approved, but that the Lord was much
grieved at the last recording. However, he assured me that the credits
were greater than the debits, even though they appeared to be less, as
they recorded the debits more often than they did the credits. My father
said that I would live to fill that book, and that I would not be taken
until it was filled. (As it appeared to me to be one-third full, I figured
I would live to be 84 years old. Anson B. lived to be 91 years old.) 29

Consequently, Anson B. accepted the hand of the Lord in the death of his
second wife. The following February he received a call to fill a mission
to England.

The mission prevented him from taking a third wife until 1898. The
visitation was a decisive factor in where they would live as indicated by
this statement by Anson: "We remained in Mexico for the purpose of living
the principle of plural marriage, and accordingly on March 8, 1998, Dora
Pratt Was married and sealed to me for time and eternity by apostle John
W. Taylor.30 (The same man Who was the keeper of Anson B.'s book in his
vision).

On January 21, 1903, one year before Anson B.'s third wife passed away,
his fourth wife, Julia Sarah Abegg, was sealed to him. This decision was
also prompted by spiritual intuition as indicated by the words of Anson
Bowen Call from his life history.

It reads; "We felt that I ought to have another wife."31 Lorna Call offers
a more detailed account in an oral interview, of what she had considers a
very sacred family experience. Referring to her father's and his wive's
choice of a fourth wife. Anson B.

heard a voice telling him whom he should marry, but his two wives walking
along side him did not hear the voice. 32

In addition to spiritual manifestations preceding the taking or a plural
wife, Anson B's also had mission calls, one to England 1895-1897, and a
five month M.I.A. Mission from October 1901 - March 1902, which each
proceeded the taking of the last two plural wives.

At the beginning of his England Mission he stopped in Salt Lake for
General Conference (April, 1895). He also stopped for October General
Conference on the way to his 1901 M.I.A. Mission to Star Valley, Wyoming.
These trips to Salt Lake previous to the taking of each plural wife
confirms at least two separate and consistently chronological
opportunities to receive specific, personal sanctions from the Church
president before taking plural wives.33 As to how common it is to have
personal sanctions, directly from Church headquarters is beyond the scope
of this paper, but would be in informative topic, requiring the search for
rare documents that could be potentially embarrassing Wilford Woodruff as
being disingenuous with his 1890 Manifesto. Few if any such documents may
have ever been created in the first place.

Anson B.'s son, Ara Call, confirmed in an oral interview, that his parents
talked to him often about polygamy. This is Ara's consensus of his
father's views on plural marriages:

Father always told us that it was a true and honest principle. He told us
how he entered into the marriage and how sacred it was. But he always
instructed us that the Lord lad taken it from the land how and that it was
no longer to be lived, none of us were to enter into it, unless it was
revealed by the prophet of the Lord. He told us there was only one man on
the earth that could ever sanction that and that would be after the Lord
gave it. That one man was the President of the Church. He always told us
that the marriages that he had were done honestly with the acknowledgment
and the permission of the President of the Church. No other man but the
President of the Church sanctioned his marriages. They were holy and
sacred. But polygamy was no longer allowed and we were to understand that
it was a holy, sacred ordinance which was taken from the earth at the
time. We were to recognize and understand that.34

During the oral interview, Ara explains his own conviction towards plural
marriage which reflects his father's teachings:

I talked with him when I was older. He felt very deeply that it was a
command of the Lord. He felt and has told me many times that Celestial
marriage, defined in the Doctrine and Covenants, applied to plural
marriage. I told him even as late as when I was married, "With the rewards
of celestial as you interpret them, what about some of us who cannot, even
if we wanted to, live polygamy? When the Church says we should not live
it, how can you say that the highest degree in the celestial kingdom comes
through celestial marriage? Why is it denied to others who are probably as
faithful as you were when you entered it?" Anson B. further said to his
son Ara:

"The Lord is a just Lord and if you cannot live it you will not be
condemned for not living it." That was his philosophy.

But on the other hand if you could and it was permitted and sanctioned and
encouraged by the Church and you did not when you could, then you will be
hold accountable for not.35

Later on in the oral interview Anson B. continues:

I hope at least you get a glimpse of how I felt about this polygamous
relationship and marriage. It is dear to my heart. It was a very sacred
and very wonderful situation. I'm not proposing polygamy now, don't get me
wrong about it. I know there are those who feel like I do about polygamy,
but want to live it now. Obviously when the Church leaders do not sanction
it (,) it is not to be lived. So I don't want any misunderstanding in that
regard. I look upon it on a higher order of things than what the regular
marriage is even today. If the Lord were to command it would not be easy
for many to live.

But for those who could I think the rewards would be greater; that is my
conviction. I know it's subject to a lot of ridicule and a lot of
misunderstanding about those who went into that practice, why they did and
how they lived it. I know in many cases there was friction when lust
entered into it. I've mentioned that is foreign to what it was intended to
be.36

At one point the rumor was circulating through the Mormon colonies that
the plural marriages performed in Mexico were invalid. It is important to
note Anson B's response toward the Church authorities and the authority's
response to the rumors.

Anson B. recorded the following in his life history:

There had been talk that none of these marriages had been legitimate. We
had heard that it had been said from the stand in Salt Lake City, that no
plural marriages performed since the manifesto were approved by the
Church. And though it was several years later and Julia had given birth to
several children, we decided that if these rumors were true, we would not
live together any longer, as we did not desire to do wrong. Hearing that
Apostle Anthony W. Ivins was to be in El Paso soon, I left my families and
went to see him. I asked him about this matter, and told him who had
performed my marriages and when and where. He told me that he did not know
why this had been said, but he said, "Don't you worry about that one
minute, because all of your marriages are all right, and they have all
been done with the knowledge and approval of the president of the Church.
You go ahead and keep your covenants and take care of your wives and
families and support them, and don't worry about it."37

Anson B. Call's life story and oral interviews of his children contain
much material on the Mexican revolutions and the Saints expulsion from the
Mexico Colonies. After one such expulsion enough Saints had returned to
the area that the Dublan Ward could be reorganized. In 1915 Apostle
Anthony Ivins visited the colonies for the purpose of reorganization. On
the evening of May 11th, Stake President Bently and Apostle Ivans
conducted a meeting at which Ivans proposed a reorganization of the ward.

Ivans requested the members of the ward to write three names on a slip of
paper, any of whom they could sustain is Bishop of the Ward, and then sign
the slips. After Ivans collected the slips he announced that he had
selected Anson Bowen. Call as Bishop and W. Ernest Young and Nephi W.
Thayne as counselors. 38 By this somewhat unusual process, Anson Bowen
Call became, bishop of the Dublan Ward, at which position he remained in
for thirty years.

The many years as bishop, father and patriarch along with the conflicts
with the Mexican Revolution all remain for future study but one incident
as bishop relates to the general topic of this paper and confronts A most
interesting circumstance. Sometime after the 1904 Manifesto some members
apostatized from the Church and formed various fundamentalist groups. Many
of the leaders of these groups came from the Adair Lebaron family of
Colonial Dublan. The way in which Anson Bowen Call handled this situation
not only confirms his standing in the Church and shows that he intimately
understood the importance of presidential sanction of plural marriage, but
it completely demonstrates Anson B.'s disassociation as a fundamentalist.

In an oral interview Eran recalls the LeBaron situations:

Oh yes. My father had a critical role to play in that situation. He was
the Bishop and himself living in polygamy. And yet because of the Church
stand on polygamy, Brother Adair LaBaron came along and wanted to live
polygamy and he was excommunicated He and other Fundamentalists would
visit Father on occasions and we knew them.

When his sons, who were members of the Church, became young men and went
on missions, that's when the real problems with the LeBarons started. They
broke away from the Church and thought they were prophets and should lead
and run the Church. Adair LeBaron thought he should be President of the
Church after Heber J. Grant died.

Yes, I was very aware of them ... There were no real effects of the
polygamist or the Fundamentalist movement there.

LeBaron was about the only one. There were a couple of other families who
had been excommunicated for these practices, but Adair LeBaron and his
boys were the only ones that were very aggressive about it, as I recall.39

Anson Bowen Call, Bishop. Father, Patriarch and Polygamist: like father
like son. Typical Mormon or Religious Zealot?

Compared with the LeBarons, he was a typical Mormon.

Footnotes:

1. Perry L. Porter "Polygamy After the Manifesto: One Man's Reasons,"
History 490, Senior Seminar Paper. Copy in possession of History
Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 1979. pp. 1-48. (Upon
checking for a copy of my paper with the History department, they informed
me that they do not keep these historical papers, but they throw them
away.  My copy of the paper, I put in a special place for safe keeping, in
fact it is so safe, that I can not find it. By pure luck that first part
of the paper that dealt with analysis of how Mormon Histories skirted the
2nd Manifesto, I do have in my possession and a copy of it can be fond at
[http://www.xmission.com:80/~plporter/lds/misleading.htm ]. ) [ back ]

2. Anson Call, (SR), "Autobiography and Life Sketch of Anson Call."
Autobiographical Typescript (edited and enlarged by Perry Porter Photo
copy in the possession of Perry L. Porter, 365 North 1000 East, Orem Utah
84097, pp. 1-19. [ http://www.xmission.com/~plporter/lds/ansoncall.htm ] [
back ]

3. Anson Bowen Call, "Life Story of Anson Bowen Call," Autobiographical
Manuscript. Photo copy In the possession of Perry L. Porter, 365 North
1000 East, Orem, Utah P4601 p. 1.
[http://www.xmission.com/~plporter/lds/ansonbc_man.htm] [ back ]

4. Anson Bowen Call, p. 1.  [ back ]

5. Anson Call (SR.), Appendix IV.  [ back ]

6. Anson Bowen Call, p. 1.  [ back ]

7. Anson Bowen Call, P. 1.  [ back ]

8. Anson Bowen Call, p. 1.  [ back ]

9. Anson Bowen Call, p. 1.  [ back ]

10. Anson Bowen Call, pp. 1-2.  [ back ]

11. Anson Bowen Call, p. 2.  [ back ]

12. Because Star Valley was a remote, predominantly Mormon community in
the wild mountainous frontier of Wyoming, it was a kind of sanctuary for
the polygamous families, from deputy marshals.  [ back ]

13. Eran A. Call Oral History, Interviews by Gordon Irving, 1973,
Typescript, p. 1, The James Moyle Oral History Program, Archives,
Historical Department or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
Salt Lake City, Utah. (Note that Eran was appointed as a quasi General
Authority in April of 1997. Area Presidencies The new area presidencies
are comprised of members of the Church's Quorums of the Seventy. Following
are the new assignments, with the area name listed. Mexico North -- Earn
A. Call, Dale E. Miller, Tomes Valdes Eran A. Call, 67, retired Church
Educational System director for Mexico; formerly one Brigham Young
University faculty; former department store manager, real estate and
building developer; bachelor's degree, Brigham Young University; master of
business administration, New York University; served church as mission
president, patriarch, high councilor, stake president's counselor, bishop,
missionary training center president; wife, Katherine Groesbeck Call, nine
children.) [ back ]

14. Anson Bowen Call, Jr., Oral History, story, Interview by Jessie Embry,
July 17, 1976, Typescript, p. 16, L.D.S. Polygamy Oral History Project,
Charles Redd Center of Western Studies, Brigham Young University Library,
Provo, Utah.  [ back ]

15. Anson Bowen Call, p. 2.  [ back ]

16. Lorna Call Oral History, Interview by Jessie Embry June 28,-1976,
Typed Manuscript, L.D.S. Polygamy Oral History Project, Charles Redd
Center of Western Studies, Brigham Young University Library, Provo, Utah.
pp. 42, 43. Mildred Hurst Oral History, Interview by Jessie Embry June 28,
1976, Typed Script, L.D.S. Polygamy Oral History Project, Charles Redd
Center of Western Studies, Brigham Young University Library, Provo, Utah.
p. 12. Mildred also mentions in her oral history that papa and Aunt Hattie
we're taught the same thing. i.e. that Plural Marriage was prerequisite to
celestial kingdom. Anson B. Call, Jr., also stated the same thing on page
16 of his oral history.  [ back ]

17. The Doctrine and Covenants, rev. ed. Salt Lake City, Utah, 1923,
Manifesto pp. 256-257.  [ back ]

18. Anson Bowen Call, p. 2.  [ back ]

19. Genealogical Records, See Appendix p. 16-20.  [ back ]

20. Anson Bowen Call, p. 2.  [ back ]

21. Mildred Hurst, P. 12. Also a similar account is given by Ara Call in
his oral interview.  [ back ]

22. Anson Bowen Call, p. 2.  [ back ]

23. Anson Bowen Call, pp. 2-3.  [ back ]

24. Anson Bowen Call, P. 3.  [ back ]

25. Anson Bowen Call, P. 3.  [ back ]

26. Interview with Earnest W. Young (age 92) at his home, 820 North 1077
East, Provo, Utah 84601, October 20, 1979. He recalls being in the meeting
where President Joseph F. Smith withdrew any further sanction of plural
marriage outside of the U.S.A., Earnest W. Young recalled the date as
1906.  [ back ]

27. Eran A. Call, p. 1.  [ back ]

28. Lorna Call, p.p. 43, 44.  [ back ]

29. Anson Bowen Call, p. 4.  [ back ]

30. Anson Bowen Call, p. 6. Anson B. further attests the validity of his
marriage by stating that "(at this time men who had the authority, could
marry for time and eternity outside the temples.)".  [ back ]

31. Anson Bowen Call, D. 3. Previously Anson B. had a premonition that one
of his wives would die. If he had waited until the third wife died, in
August 1904, the April 1904 Manifesto would have been declared and he
would been restrained to be a monogamist for the remaining 54 years of his
life.  [ back ]

32. Lorna Call, p. 4.  [ back ]

33. Anson Bowen Call, pp. 5-6.  [ back ]

34. Ara Call, p. 40.  [ back ]

35. Ara Call, P. 30.  [ back ]

36. Ara Call, pp. 44, 45.  [ back ]

37. Anson Bowen Call, p. 6.  [ back ]

38. Anson Bowen Call, p.p. 13, 14.  [ back ]

39. Eran A. Call, p. 15.  [ back ]

[The following is from a press release from the LDS Church, in regards to
a new Temple that was built in the neighboring home town next to where
Anson B. Call lived most of his life. Note that nowhere does it explain or
even hint that the majority of the town was once a Polygamist colony. Or
why such a small town would warrant a temple or why has such a small town
in Mexico has such a high population of white Anglo-Saxons. Or why this
community is one of the few LDS Church owned and operated High Schools in
the entire world. Swept under the carpet once again, is any reference to
our polygamous roots.

It is just as much a lie to omit relevant facts as it is to make them up.
The press release mentions the church run Schools and the area being a
Mormon colony in 1880's but does not mention that it was a major Mormon
polygamous refugee camp, the largest settlement of polygamist Mormons
world wide.

Such selective editing of the press release shows no sense of history,
tradition or loyalty, by the church towards those that sacrifices so much
for one of the churches most distinctive doctrines!]

**March 6, 1998 Contact: Don LeFevre [phone] *

GROUNDBREAKING SET FOR TEMPLE IN NORTHERN MEXICO-COLONIA JUAREZ,
CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO **

Groundbreaking services heralding the construction start for a temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this northern Mexico
community are scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 1998.

The temple site is in the foothills above Juarez Academy, an
elementary-secondary institution operated by the Church.

Temples of the Church are used for marriages, baptisms and other sacred
ordinances. Although authorized for use only by faithful Latter-day
Saints, they are traditionally opened to public tours prior to formal
dedicatory services.

The temple to be built in Colonia Juarez is one of three "small" temples
announced by President Gordon B. Hinckley, world leader of the Church,
during the General Conference this past October to serve small Latter-day
Saint populations in remote areas. One is already under construction in
Monticello, Utah. Another is to be built in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Church has 51 operating temples around the world, including one in
Mexico City, and another 21 announced temples are in various stages of
construction or planning, including one planned for Monterrey, Mexico.

Presiding at the groundbreaking services Saturday will be Elder Eran A.
Call, a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy and president of the
Mexico North Area.

The building contractor, a joint enterprise between Jacobsen Construction
Co., Inc., Salt Lake City, and Cobaco, a Colonia Juarez firm, is expected
to begin work immediately and the project should be complete by the end of
summer.

The temple district will include the Colonia Dublan and Colonia Juarez
stakes, which include some 4,700 members of the Church. Both colonies were
established by Latter-day Saint settlers in the 1800s.

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Perry     <[e-mail]>    http://pobox.com/~plporter

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