Of all of Joseph Smith’s teachings and practices, none has been more controversial than plural marriage.

Several witnesses affirmed it occurred in the early 1830s.

First, there is no contemporary evidence to support that early missionaries viewed the Cochranites marital pluralities favorably. In addition, it is unclear why Joseph Smith or other Church leaders needed the Cochranite example to introduce them to plural marriage. They were unquestionably already aware of Old Testament patriarchs who married polygamously without apparent condemnation. Also, it appears that if polygamy was mentioned in Kirtland meetings either because of a Cochranite connection or for any other reason, Church members undoubtedly would have condemned the practice. Lastly, Parley Pratt related that he did not learn of the restoration of the practice of plural marriage until after his return from England in 1843.

It appears that beginning in 1831, accusations of polygamy were leveled at the Church in general. Based upon assumptions that the law of consecration included a community of wives as one of its tenets, several of these charges were published. Understandably, Church leaders actively denied such allegations.

During the 1830s, several individual members were guilty of immoral practices that may have been labeled as “polygamy.” Their activities were not ignored by their non-member neighbors or their Church leaders.

Sometime in 1840 Joseph Smith first broached the topic of plural marriage privately to trusted friends. Most of the apostles were in England and thus were unavailable for an introduction to the practice.