Without Disclosing My True Identity
but had heard of: “It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle
and perish in unbelief.”^56 From that time forward, Bennett’s thoughts turned to murdering
Joseph. Joseph wrote the following just two days after Bennett became angry with him in
relation to a parade and a mock battle set for the Nauvoo Legion:
I was solicited by General Bennett to take command of the first cohort during
the sham battle; this I declined. General Bennett next requested me to take
my station in the rear of the cavalry, without my staff, during the
engagement; but this was counteracted by Captain A. P. Rockwood,
commander of my life guards, who kept close to my side, and I chose my
own position. And if General Bennett’s true feelings toward me are not made
manifest to the world in a very short time, then it may be possible that the
gentle breathings of that Spirit, which whispered me on parade, that there
was mischief concealed in that sham battle, were false; a short time will
determine the point. Let John C. Bennett answer at the day of judgment,
“Why did you request me to command one of the cohorts, and also to take
my position without my stag, during the sham battle, on the 7th of May,
1842, where my life might have been the forfeit, and no man have known
who did the deed?”^57Rumors flew about the fallout between Joseph and Bennett. Many assumed it had
something to do with women and illicit sexual advancements made by either or both of them.
The historians do not put the proper pieces of the puzzle together. Joseph knew about the
womanizing; he knew about the brothels and the gambling; he knew everything about John
Bennett. But until Bennett turned on him, Joseph said nothing about his personal behavior.
After being publicly chastised and embarrassed by Joseph, Bennett’s hate for Joseph
became more and more passionate, stealing away all his inner peace. With the information
obtained from Joseph about the use of Masonic symbols in the new Temple Endowment, he
toured neighboring Illinois Masonic lodges, spreading the news that Joseph was mocking
Masonry by using its rituals and tenants in his temple ceremony. In particular, when the
Freemasons found out that Joseph had placed the Masonic apron on the character that
played Lucifer as “an emblem of [Lucifer’s] power and priesthoods”^58 they were enraged.
Soon after being booted out of Joseph’s inner circle, Bennett sought value by
becoming an authority on Joseph and attempting to expose him as a fraud and Mormonism
as a failed religion, spending a great deal of his time in the attempt. He produced his own
version of Joseph’s history by publishing Mormonism Exposed; The History of the Saints.^59 He
brought legal suits against Joseph in hopes of further exposing him to the hatred of the
masses—something Joseph had already dealt with, in spite of Bennett’s new efforts. Bennett
futilely attempted to persuade other Saints that Joseph was a fraud, and failing to convince
many of that, he changed his opinion, arguing instead that Joseph was a fallen prophet.
Even after he murdered Joseph, Bennett still could not find the value he sought for
himself. Consequently, he attempted to gain favor with Sidney Rigdon, with whom he thought
he might share offense because of Joseph’s secrecy and conduct. However, Sidney’s motives and
feelings for Joseph were elsewhere from Bennett’s, as Rigdon was bent on taking over the
Church as its leader and prophet. Sidney certainly did not share Bennett’s desires for polygamy
and would have nothing to do with him. Consequently, Bennett later sought out James Strang,
who did believe in polygamy, in an attempt to find value for himself with the Strangites. He