4 ▁Nau vo o ▁era ▁when ▁several ▁top ▁M orm on ▁leaders , ▁including ▁Smith , ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁and ▁He ber ▁C . ▁Kim ball ▁took ▁multiple ▁w ives . ▁M orm on ▁el ders ▁who ▁public ly ▁taught ▁that ▁all ▁men ▁were ▁commanded ▁to ▁enter ▁pl ural ▁marriage ▁were ▁subject ▁to ▁har sh ▁discipline . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 4 ▁the ▁Nau vo o ▁Ex pos itor ▁critic ized ▁Smith ▁for ▁pl ural ▁marriage . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts ▁( L DS ▁Church ) ▁After ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁was ▁killed ▁by ▁a ▁mob ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁the ▁main ▁body ▁of ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts ▁left ▁Nau vo o ▁and ▁followed ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁to ▁Ut ah ▁where ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁pl ural ▁marriage ▁continued . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁Br igh am ▁Young , ▁the ▁second ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁public ly ▁acknowled ged ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁pl ural ▁marriage ▁through ▁a ▁ser mon ▁he ▁gave . ▁Add itional ▁ser m ons ▁by ▁top ▁M orm on ▁leaders ▁on ▁the ▁virt ues ▁of ▁pol yg amy ▁followed . ▁Cont ro vers y ▁followed ▁when ▁pol yg amy ▁became ▁a ▁social ▁cause , ▁writers ▁began ▁to ▁publish ▁works ▁condem ning ▁pol yg amy . ▁The ▁key ▁pl ank ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ' s ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁platform ▁was ▁" to