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Show Page 98 council. Such an administrative problem had not arisen before. There was some question, raised by Brigham Young, about the legality of Orson's excommunication in the first place, inasmuch as only three of the quorum had participated in the decision; but Joseph Smith determined that it 45 was "legal when no more could be had." Orson had undergone his direst test of faith to that time. Ultimately, he chose both his wife and his Prophet, setting the entire blame for the scandal on Bennett's shoulders. The devastating stories he heard from Sarah, from Bennett, or from both together, seem to have been fabrications when viewed in the light of the depositions offered by such relatively disinterested people as the Goddards and Backenstos. If Joseph Smith did make overtures to Orson's wife, they were likely misinterpreted; in later years, however, Sarah testified that Joseph Smith had never been improper 46 in his behavior to her. The fact remains that Joseph was known to request the wives of his closest associates in marriage as a form of loyalty test - whether or not this was the source of Sarah's consternation remains obscure. It is very likely, given the testimony of the Goddards, that John C. Bennett planted the idea in Sarah's mind that Smith wanted her, and that he, Bennett, had an alarming, intimidative influence over her in any case. One witness said that Bennett cultivated many women in this manner, with his lies,and then would try "to father all his iniquity up- 47 on Joseph Smith." In an atmosphere of rumor and distortion, with the very real practice of plural marriage carried out in Nauvoo under close concealment, it is likely that Orson fell prey to Bennett's deceit and to his wife's guilt and confusion. But Orson saw through Bennett soon enough; in May he wrote to his cousin, John Van Cott: "John C. Bennett has published lies concerning myself & family & the people with which I am connected. His book I have read with the greatest disgust. No candid honest man can |