Summary:
During the Nauvoo period, John C. Bennett was second only to Joseph Smith in the Mormon hierarchy. Bennett quickly gained the trust of Joseph Smith soon after his conversion when he drafted the extremely powerful Nauvoo charter and successfully achieved its passage in the Illinois legislature. This city charter gave the Mormons significant independent rights and powers from the state of Illinois. Bennett's titles included Assistant President of the Church, Mayor of Nauvoo, and a Major-General in the Nauvoo Legion. John C. Bennett was aware of Joseph's covert polygamy and he began to seduce women, telling them that there was a new practice from God called "spritual wifery." Eventually, Bennett's predatory behavior became public, and he was excommunicated. Bennett went from being Joseph Smith's best friend and trusted confidante to becoming a bitter enemy.
Why this matters:
- Some see Bennett as the scapegoat to provide plausible deniability and distract from the actually-true rumors about Joseph's similar sexually predatory behavior.
- Joseph rewarded Bennett's loyalty with positions in both the church and the city government.
- Bennett was a medical doctor and allegedly performed secret abortions, even promising to abort the babies of his "spiritual wives" if they were to become pregnant.
- Some have suggested that Bennett's performance of abortions on Joseph Smith's extra-marital sexual partners explains why there are few offspring of Joseph Smith through his polygamous wives.
- Hyrum Smith discovered Bennett's duplicitous character after digging into his background and warned Joseph to distance himself from Bennett, but Joseph ignored his brother's advice.
Learn More:
- Wikipedia - John C. Bennett
- Wikipedia - Spiritual Wifery
- Archive.org - History of the Saints (John C. Bennett's expose after leaving the Mormons)
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