In addition to these labors, Elder Taylor visited Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and many other cities, everywhere preaching the gospel with great success, everywhere preaching the gospel with great success, converting the unbelieving and strengthening and encouraging the Saints. Thus the autumn and winter of 1840--41 passed away.
The object for which the Apostles had visited Great Britain was accomplished. They had established the Church there on a sound basis. The Book of Mormon and the Hymn Book had been published; a periodical to advocate and defend the faith delivered to the Saints established; a permanent shipping agency founded to aid the Saints in gathering to Zion; branches had been organized in nearly all the principal towns of the kingdom, and some eight thousand souls had been baptized. In all this labor Elder Taylor had taken an active, prominent part; and now, in company with his fellow Apostles, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and Willard Richards, he sailed on the ship _Rochester_ for America.
Elder Taylor arrived in Nauvoo on the 1st of July, 1841. Here a great sorrow was awaiting him--his faithful, patient Leonora was sick nigh unto death. The hardships in Missouri, the separation from her husband,--on whose strong arm and steadfast courage she was wont to lean,--and the consequent increase of care in watching over her family, had at last broken down her strength; and hence he found her pale and wan, and death clutching at her precious life. He called in twenty Elders, who prayed for her; she was anointed with oil, hands were laid upon her, and, in fulfillment of God's promise, the prayer of faith healed the sick--the Lord raised her up.
It was shortly after the return of the Twelve from England that the Prophet Joseph made known to them the doctrine of celestial marriage--the marriage system that obtains in the celestial worlds where the Gods dwell,--marriage that is to endure for time and for eternity, the ceremony being performed by one holding that power which binds on earth and binds in heaven. Celestial marriage also includes a plurality of wives.
This system of marriage had been revealed to the Prophet a number of years before, but he had kept the matter in his own heart. The time had come, however, when the principles of this marriage system must be made known to others and the practice thereof entered into by the faithful in the Priesthood. Hitherto the Saints, in common with the so-called Christian world, had married until death did them part; but now, through the introduction of celestial marriage, the covenants between men and their wives were to be made for eternity as well as for time. In this marriage system the great truth is revealed that the association of husband and wife, with all its endearing associations is to continue forever; and that--to paraphrase the words of one who spake as if inspired on this theme [1]--as long as there is room in infinite space, or matter in the exhaustless storehouse of nature, or as long as the bosoms of the Gods glow with affection, just so long will new worlds be created and filled with the ever increasing posterity of the righteous, and new kingdoms added to the dominions of the Fathers!