Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
Did LDS prophets knowingly deny the existence of a revelation they had previously acknowledged?
In this episode of A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism, we examine one of the most remarkable and troubling contradictions in LDS history: the 1886 John Taylor Revelation.
According to the document, Church President John Taylor received a revelation declaring that plural marriage was part of God's eternal law and could never be revoked. Yet only four years later, the 1890 Manifesto announced the end of official Church-sanctioned polygamy.
The story becomes even more complicated in 1933 when the First Presidency publicly stated that there was "no such revelation" and no evidence that it had ever been given.
But historical records tell a different story.
At the 1911 disciplinary trial of John W. Taylor, multiple Church leaders openly discussed the revelation, acknowledged that copies existed, and examined them. Joseph Fielding Smith stated that he personally obtained a copy and placed it in the Church Historian's Office.
Among the leaders involved were Heber J. Grant, A. W. Ivins, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith—the very men who would later occupy some of the highest leadership positions in the Church.
In this episode we explore:
• The 1886 John Taylor Revelation
• The 1890 Manifesto ending official plural marriage
• The 1911 John W. Taylor disciplinary trial
• Testimony that copies of the revelation existed and were preserved
• The 1933 First Presidency denial
• The role of Heber J. Grant, A. W. Ivins, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith
• The implications for prophetic authority, revelation, and institutional trust
The central question is straightforward:
If Church leaders previously acknowledged and preserved the revelation, why did they later publicly deny its existence?
"A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism" and all of my other books are available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and Audible formats
amazon.com/stores/Bill-Reel/author/B0H1NLJLP6
Also if anyone needs extra support as they work through their faith deconstruction, I am a certified Somatic Informed Trauma Coach and you can look into my work at awakenandthrive.org
#Mormonism #LDS #ChurchHistory #JohnTaylor #Polygamy #1886Revelation #Manifesto #JosephFieldingSmith #DavidOMcKay #HeberJGrant #ExMormon #MormonDiscussion #FaithCrisis #LogicalDeconstruction
Did LDS prophets knowingly deny the existence of a revelation they had previously acknowledged?
In this episode of A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism, we examine one of the most remarkable and troubling contradictions in LDS history: the 1886 John Taylor Revelation.
According to the document, Church President John Taylor received a revelation declaring that plural marriage was part of God's eternal law and could never be revoked. Yet only four years later, the 1890 Manifesto announced the end of official Church-sanctioned polygamy.
The story becomes even more complicated in 1933 when the First Presidency publicly stated that there was "no such revelation" and no evidence that it had ever been given.
But historical records tell a different story.
At the 1911 disciplinary trial of John W. Taylor, multiple Church leaders openly discussed the revelation, acknowledged that copies existed, and examined them. Joseph Fielding Smith stated that he personally obtained a copy and placed it in the Church Historian's Office.
Among the leaders involved were Heber J. Grant, A. W. Ivins, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith—the very men who would later occupy some of the highest leadership positions in the Church.
In this episode we explore:
• The 1886 John Taylor Revelation
• The 1890 Manifesto ending official plural marriage
• The 1911 John W. Taylor disciplinary trial
• Testimony that copies of the revelation existed and were preserved
• The 1933 First Presidency denial
• The role of Heber J. Grant, A. W. Ivins, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, and Joseph Fielding Smith
• The implications for prophetic authority, revelation, and institutional trust
The central question is straightforward:
If Church leaders previously acknowledged and preserved the revelation, why did they later publicly deny its existence?
"A Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism" and all of my other books are available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and Audible formats
amazon.com/stores/Bill-Reel/author/B0H1NLJLP6
Also if anyone needs extra support as they work through their faith deconstruction, I am a certified Somatic Informed Trauma Coach and you can look into my work at awakenandthrive.org
#Mormonism #LDS #ChurchHistory #JohnTaylor #Polygamy #1886Revelation #Manifesto #JosephFieldingSmith #DavidOMcKay #HeberJGrant #ExMormon #MormonDiscussion #FaithCrisis #LogicalDeconstruction
