View source for Question: Did Joseph Smith and Brigham Young steal Henry Jacobs' family?

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==Question: Did Joseph Smith and Brigham Young steal Henry Jacobs' family?==
[[File:Zina plaque at church history museum small.jpg|frame|right|This plaque located in the Church History Museum mentions Zina's sealing to Joseph Smith and marriage to Brigham Young (Photo taken in 2012)]]
===Zina had refused Joseph's suit three times and chosen to marry Henry, but then decided to be sealed to Joseph===

Joseph Smith and Brigham Young's "mistreatment" of Henry and their "theft" of his family have received a great deal of publicity, thanks to late 19th century anti-Mormon sources, and Fawn Brodie increased their cachet for a 20th century audience.  <ref>These charges are examined in detail ([http://www.fairmormon.org/perspectives/fair-conferences/2006-fair-conference/2006-zina-and-her-men-an-examination-of-the-changing-marital-state-of-zina-diantha-huntington-jacobs-smith-young here]).</ref>  For present purposes, we will focus on Zina.  She had refused Joseph's suit three times, and chosen to marry Henry.  Why did she decide to be sealed to Joseph?

===Zina stated that God had prepared her mind for Joseph's teachings even before she had heard them===

When interrogated by a member of the RLDS Church, Zina refused to be drawn into specifics.  She made her motivations clear, and explained that God had prepared her mind for Joseph's teachings even before she had heard them:
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:Q. "Can you give us the date of that marriage with Joseph Smith?"  
:A. "No, sir, I could not."  
:Q. "Not even the year?"  
:A. "No, I do not remember. It was something too sacred to be talked about; it was more to me than life or death. I never breathed it for years. I will tell you the facts. I had dreams—I am no dreamer but I had dreams that I could not account for. I know this is the work of the Lord; it was revealed to me, even when young. Things were presented to my mind that I could not account for. When Joseph Smith revealed this order [Celestial marriage] I knew what it meant; the Lord was preparing my mind to receive it." <ref>Cannon, "History of Henry Bailey Jacobs," 5; cited in Van Wagoner, ''Mormon Polygamy'', 44.</ref>
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===Henry Jacobs stood as proxy for Zina's post-martyrdom sealing to Joseph, and her marriage for time to Brigham Young===

Henry was to stand as proxy for Zina's post-martyrdom sealing to Joseph, and her marriage for time to Brigham Young.  He and Zina separated soon thereafter, and Henry was soon gone on one of his many missions for the Church. <ref>See [http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2006_Zina_and_Her_Men.html here] for a more in-depth analysis of attacks on Brigham and Joseph regarding Zina and Henry.</ref>

Zina herself clearly explains the basis for her choice:
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…when I heard that God had revealed the law of Celestial marriage that we would have the privilege of associating in family relationships in the worlds to come, I searched the scriptures and by humble prayer to my Heavenly Father I obtained a testimony for myself that God had required that order to be established in his Church. <ref>Interview of John Wight [RLDS] with Zina D.H. Young, October 1, 1898, "Evidence from Zina D. Huntington-Young," Saints’ Herald, 52 (11 January 1905), 29; cited in Wyatt, "Zina and Her Men: An Examination of the Changing Marital State of Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs Smith Young".</ref>
Faced with questions from her RLDS interviewer that she felt exceeded propriety, Zina became evasive.  She finally terminated the interview by saying, "Mr. Wight, you are speaking on the most sacred experiences of my life…."<ref>Autobiography of Zina D. Young, no date, part of the Zina Card Brown Family Collection (1806-1972), LDS Church Archives, MS 4780, box 2, folder 17, cited by Wyatt, "Zina and Her Men: An Examination of the Changing Marital State of Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs Smith Young,"; John Wight with Zina D.H. Young, 1 October 1898, “Evidence from Zina D. Huntington-Young,” ''Saints Herald'', 52 (11 January 1905): 28.</ref>
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[[Category:Becoming Gods]]
[[Category:Letter to a CES Director]]
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[[es:Pregunta: ¿Acaso José Smith y Brigham Young roban familia Henry Jacobs?]]
[[pt:Pergunta: É verdade que Joseph Smith e Brigham Young "roubou" a família de Henry Jacobs?]]
[[Category:Questions]]