Editing Mormonism and polygamy (section)

==== John C. Bennett and ''The History of the Saints'' ====
[[John C. Bennett]] was a member of the church and close friend of Joseph Smith who was [[Church membership council|disfellowshipped]] and later [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] for adultery. Following his excommunication, Bennett began to travel around the eastern United States as he lectured about the church. In his lectures, Bennett included claims of sexual misconduct among church leaders, secret rituals, and violence.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|73–74}} In 1842, Bennett published a book entitled ''The History of the Saints: Or, An Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism'' which includes alleged stories of sexual misconduct by Smith and other church leaders.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dinger |first=John S. |date=2018 |title=Sexual Slander and Polygamy in Nauvoo |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jmormhist.44.3.0001 |journal=Journal of Mormon History |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=1–22 |doi=10.5406/jmormhist.44.3.0001 |jstor=10.5406/jmormhist.44.3.0001 |issn=0094-7342}}</ref> The church responded to Bennett's claims about Smith by gathering affidavits and printing contradictory evidence in newspapers. The women of the [[Relief Society]], encouraged by its president, [[Emma Smith]], also wrote their experiences that disproved Bennett's statements. They also began a petition in support of Joseph Smith's character which they delivered to the governor of Illinois.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|74–75}}