On the morning of the 12th of July 1843, Joseph and Hyrum Smith came into the office, in the upper storey of the brick store, on the bank of the Mississippi river. They were talking on the subject of plural marriage. Hyrum said to Joseph, "if you will write the revelation on celestial marriage, I will take, and read it to Emma, and I believe I can convince her of its truth, and you will hereafter have peace." Joseph smiled, and remarked, "you do not know Emma as well as I do." Hyrum repeated his opinion and further remarked, "the doctrine is so plain I can convince any reasonable man or woman of its truth, purity and heavenly origin," or words to their effect. Joseph then said, "well, I will write the revelation and we will see." He then requested me to get paper and prepare to write. Hyrum very urgently requested Joseph to write the revelation by means of the Urim and Thummim, but Joseph in reply, said he did not need to, for he knew the revelation perfectly from beginning to end.

Joseph and Hyrum then sat down, and Joseph commenced to dictate the Revelation on celestial marriage, and I wrote it, sentence by sentence, as he dictated. After the whole was written, Joseph asked me to read it through, slowly and carefully, which I did, and he pronounced it correct. He then remarked that there was much more that he could write on the same subject, but what was written was sufficient for the present.

Hyrum then took the Revelation to read to Emma. Joseph remained with me in the office until Hyrum returned. When he came back, Joseph asked him how he had succeeded. Hyrum replied that he had never received a more severe talking to in his life, that Emma was very bitter and full of resentment and anger. Joseph quietly remarked, "I told you, you did not know Emma as well as I did." Joseph then put the Revelation in his pocket and they both left the office.

The revelation was read to several of the authorities during the day.