The John C. Bennett Affair. Ann Eliza Young
made this statement concerning John C. Bennett:
One of the first persons to be initiated into the
plural-wife doctrine, if not indeed Joseph’s confederate
in producing it, was Dr. John C. Bennett, at that time
Mayor of the City, Major-General of the Nauvoo
Legion, and a very great friend of Joseph. It is said
that the pupil fairly outran the teacher, and his success
as special pleader for the system of Celestial Marriage
was so decided that he incurred the displeasure of the
Prophet, and they quarrelled violently. He taught the
doctrine to some ladies whom Smith had intended to
convert himself, and thus coming directly in contact
with the Prophet and his schemes, a rupture was
caused between the worthy co-workers. (Wife No.
19, by Ann Eliza Young, 1876, page 74)
The Mormon writer John J. Stewart claims that
Joseph Smith did not teach John C. Bennett the doctrine
of plural marriage, however, he states that John C.
Bennett was a wicked man and may have joined the
church because he had heard rumors concerning plural
marriage:
One leader to whom Joseph did not confide the
matter was Dr. John C. Bennett, Nauvoo’s mayor,
whose moral conduct the Prophet had found
questionable. Bennett, he learned, had deserted
a wife and family in Indiana. Yet, professing
to be Nauvoo’s most eligible bachelor, he was
enthusiastically courting the women of Mormondom.
Joseph’s admonition to him to refrain from this was
ill received, and from that hour Bennett became his
secret enemy. Rumors of plural marriage in the
Church had persisted almost since its beginning—
and may well have been the chief reason for Bennett
seeking to affiliate with the Church. It was, of course,
impossible to keep the doctrine and practice of it in
Nauvoo from becoming known, even though public denials of it were made by the Church leaders— . . . (Joseph Smith the Mormon Prophet, by John J. Stewart, pages 147-148) William E. Berrett, a Mormon writer, stated: Among these reckless adventurers, none was more skillful in winning his way into the confidences of the people than John C. Bennett, previously alluded to as the first Mayor of the city. He is often referred to by historians as a “moral leper.” When his promiscuous sexual practices were discovered he was excommunicated from the Church and deprived of all his civic positions. (The Restored Church, 1956 edition, page 219) After John C. Bennett joined the church Joseph Smith gave a revelation commending him for his love and good works. This revelation was given in January of 1841, and it is still published in the Doctrine and Covenants: Again, let my servant John C. Bennett help you in your labor in sending my word to the kings and people of the earth, and stand by you, even you my servant Joseph Smith, in the hour of affliction; and his reward shall not fail if he receive counsel. And for his love he shall be great, for he shall be mine if he do this, saith the Lord, I have seen the work which he hath done, which I accept if he continue, and will crown him with blessings and great glory. (Doctrine and Covenants 124:16-17) John C. Bennett and Joseph Smith soon became very good friends. The following appears in the book, Mormon Portraits: “All decent people in Nauvoo,” says Mr. K., “regarded Bennett as a perfect scoundrel.” And
he was the prophet’s Pylades; was with him day
and night! Mr. Webb says: “He was a very small,
villainous-looking man. I hated him from sight.
Ambition and women filled his soul.” “He was full
of low cunning and licentiousness,” says Mrs. Pratt.
Several well-informed witnesses tell me that he used
to promise abortion to those females that objected to
the “blessings of Abraham” on the ground of fear for
the consequences. “I heard him preach against the
Gentiles,” said a lady of eighty eight years to me. “He
seemed raving mad.” I said, “The fellow is a devil,”
but my friends warned me not to talk like that of the
best friend of the prophet. (Mormon Portraits, by
Dr. W. Wyl, 1886, page 133)
Even though Joseph Smith knew that Bennett was
a wicked man, he honored him. John C. Bennett was
elected Mayor of the city of Nauvoo, and was even
made an assistant President of the Mormon Church.
The following appeared in the minutes of the General Conference held in April of 1841:
http://www.utlm.org/booklist/digitaltitles/samplepdfs/josephsmithandpolygamy_sample.pdf
scroll down to page 10 at link easier to read there.