Editing Mormonism and polygamy (section)

=== Mormon response ===
Mormons responded to polygamy with mixed emotions. One historian notes that Mormon women often struggled with the practice and a belief in the divinity of the polygamy commandment was often necessary in accepting it. Records indicate that future church leaders, such as Brigham Young, [[John Taylor (Mormon)|John Taylor]], and [[Heber C. Kimball]], greatly opposed polygamy initially.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Newell |first=Linda King |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/10376019 |title=Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith |date=1984 |publisher=Doubleday |others=Valeen Tippetts Avery |isbn=0-385-17166-8 |edition=1st |oclc=10376019|page=98}}</ref> Documents left by Mormon women describe personal spiritual experiences that led them to accept polygamy.<ref>{{harvnb|Hardy|2007|pp=160–161}}</ref> Another historian notes that some Mormon women expressed appreciation for polygamy and its effects.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|382}}

An early leader of the church, Orson Pratt, defended polygamy by arguing that the practice was a result of divine revelation and that it was protected under the [[Constitution of the United States|US Constitution]] as a religious freedom. Following the public announcement of polygamy, members of the church published pamphlets and literature defending the practice. Mormon missionaries were also directed to defend polygamy.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last=Whittaker |first=David J. |date=1984 |title=Early Mormon Polygamy Defenses |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23286126 |journal=Journal of Mormon History |volume=11 |pages=43–63 |jstor=23286126 |issn=0094-7342}}</ref>{{rp|44}}