Plural Marriage Response

Post Date: 24th Dec, 2007 - 6:07pm / Post ID: #

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Plural Marriage Response - Page 2

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The government received the oath and believed all the falsehoods
which this notorious lecher and his companions could [45] circulate, and
on the strength of their statements President Buchanan sent an army to
this land to "wipe out the `Mormons.'" This adventure, however, was an
everlasting disgrace and a humiliation to them besides costing the nation
millions of dollars.
It may not be amiss to here insert the following interesting episode
which I have preserved to be handed down to posterity. Would that it might
serve as a warning to others:
"Judge Drummond.--While President Smoot, whose return from the States
was noticed yesterday, was in St. Louis on the 5th of last December, he
was called upon by a reporter of the St. Louis Republican, who entered the
former's room at the hotel, accompanied by a man between sixty and seventy
year" of age, stoop-shouldered, seedy-looking and wearing an air of
general dejection. The reporter, after interviewing Brother Smoot for some
time (the result of which appeared, with numerous errors, in the columns
of the Republican shortly afterwards), indicated his companion, and said:
"Mr. Smoot, I presume you know this gentleman.'
"`Not that I am aware of,' answered the one addressed.
"`Why,' exclaimed the reporter, `he was a United States judge in your
Territory many years ago. Just here the aged and seedy-looking person came
forward and said his name was Drummond.
"Is it possible,' said Brother Smoot, `that this is Judge Drummond of
Utah notoriety!"
"The person thus designated, blushed deeply, and visibly cowed
beneath the piercing glance of him whom he had once known as the mayor of
Salt Lake City, but recovering himself, said, `Yes, I believe I am the
person.' He expressed great pleasure at seeing the ex-mayor, asked about
Gen. Wells, Brother George A. Smith and other prominent `Mormons,' and on
leaving, repeatedly urged President Smoot to call upon him during his stay
in St. Louis. The latter declined the courtesy, on the plea of a lack of
time. Shortly afterward, on asking the hotel clerk what Drummond's
avocation was, he received the reply, `He's not very well known here; I
think he is a sewing machine agent.'
"The people of Utah remember Judge Drummond as the individual who
fabricated the untruth of the `Mormons' burning the U. S. court records
about the year 1857, which vile falsehoods served as a pretext for sending
General Johnston with the flower of the U. S. army out to Utah, to
exterminate all the inhabitants. What followed is well known. The
`Mormons' were not exterminated any more than the court records' were
annihilated. The papers and books which the [46] "Mormons" had `burned'
were discovered by Governor Cumming safe and sound, and W. W. Drummond was
forevermore branded as one of that class of characters `who love and make
a lie."
Through the misrepresentations of men of this stamp the officials of
the nation are again trying to deprive us of our liberty--a boon which is
as dear to us as it is to any other class of people on the earth.
New York was the native State of my mother and myself, and my father
was born in Vermont. My ancestors were among the pilgrims who faced the
dangers of the deep and sought refuge in the midst of savages and wild
beasts that they might free themselves from oppression. They helped to
purchase the freedom of this nation with their blood. They suffered nearly
every privation, endured untold sufferings and were even willing to lay
down their lives in the service of their country, that they might gain the
blessings of liberty for themselves and their posterity. Yet after these
great sacrifices their children are, by the action of Congress robbed of
their privileges as citizens or the republic, and the glorious
constitution which was framed by wise men and designed to permit every
individual to live and to follow his own inclinations, inasmuch as he does
not infringe upon the rights of others, is to be trampled in the dust by
cruel and lawless oppressors! It is terrible to contemplate!
If a wife can become so unselfish as to regard the interests of
others and be willing that her husband should follow the example of the
ancient patriarchs and take other women to wife who desire husbands and
homes; if they can be satisfied to share his affections, desiring above
all earthly things to secure the blessings of offspring that their
children may bear their name and be honorable, virtuous, upright, receive
support and education; would this not be much better than to be in
constant fear of being deceived?
That deceit is practiced generally in the world no one can deny, and
unfaithfulness to the marriage vows is winked at and allowed as a
"necessary evil." It is, however, none the less wicked, immoral and
degrading. It ruins both men and women, and because the latter have no
rightful claim upon the [47] affections, name, or support of the man, the
heartless libertine feels under no obligations to maintain her. His vows
of constancy are disregarded, and when weary of her he casts her off as a
thing of naught. He feels no remorse of conscience nor does he have any
fear for an Edmunds bill, but with perfect complacency the vile knave
seeks another victim. Yet, notwithstanding the vileness of this human
fiend who robs innocence of her purity he is allowed to move and mingle in
what is considered the highest and most refined society, while the doors
of Christian charity are closed against, his victim.
Despised by herself and shunned by society, the desolate,
heart-broken and abandoned daughter of Eve too often ends her hopeless and
dreary existence by committing suicide. But what of the innocent offspring
of the guilty paramour? If not murdered outright, they often meet a fate
that is still worse; they are cast into the streets, where they must beg,
steal or starve. They have no friends and their only home is in the dark
allies and loathsome dens of filth and degradation, where, exposed to
every low vice they soon become corrupted and hardened in sin. Who, let me
ask, will have to answer for this life-long degradation of human beings,
when the day of reckoning comes and the great book of accounts is opened?
But are these wicked and soul-destroying crimes confined to the lower
classes? No; the very worst iniquities are practiced among the rich, the
educated and exalted professors of Christianity, and are hidden with such
a thin covering that it scarcely needs to be lifted in order to disclose
the hell-brewed hypocrisy of these modern Christians.
The crime of infanticide has lost its horrors and has become very
fashionable in the high life and boasted civilization of this age, but it
is nothing more nor less than murder in the sight of God, for His first
great commandment was, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth."
Every woman was designed to be the glory of some man instead of being
prostituted to administer to his wanton pleasures and to be bought and
sold like goods and chattels. Those who have no regard for virtue and keep
not the laws of God, fail to answer the end of their creation. It is
useless to try to shut our eyes to the fact that "real men are rare,"
especially such as have souls sufficiently [48] large to take upon
themselves the responsibility of families. This being the case there are
thousands of good women, among whom are those who have been born and
nursed in the lap of luxury, who, under the present system of monogamy are
denied the blessings of matrimony. They are deprived of their birthright
and forced by this tyrannical and unjust law to live and die "old maids."
Under such circumstances should those who are so fortunate as to
obtain true and honorable husbands be altogether selfish and unmindful of
the wants of others? Unless there are those among the more favored ones
who are able and generous enough to allow their husbands to take a
plurality of wives, thousands of our sisters must remain single and thus
"waste their sweetness on the desert air." Could this system of plurality
of wives be adopted and practiced as it should be, it would give
opportunity for every good woman to marry, and there are thousands who
would gladly embrace it. Even a small share in the affection, care and
attention of a good husband would be far better than no husband or family
at all. It is a woman's right to become an honorable wife and mother, but
only through the adoption of plural marriage can this right be extended to
all. Were this permitted and recognized the present wicked and licentious
practices, that monogamy only feeds and encourages, would find fewer
victims.
The Latter-day Saints would not enter into this holy order of
matrimony unless they had received some stronger and more convincing
proofs of its correctness than the testimony of a man, for in obeying this
law it has cost them a sacrifice nearly equal to that of Abraham. The
promise attached thereto is the object for which they are struggling;
without sacrifice no person can gain a glory in the celestial kingdom. For
my part there is nothing that would induce me to go back to the pit from
which I was dug or to lose my hold upon that crown which awaits all those
who have laid their willing but bleeding hearts upon the altar.
We claim, as the ancients did, that it is of divine origin, and if
lived up to according to the spirit in which it was given, it can in no
way injure society. With us it is a matter of conscience, therefore no man
has the right to prescribe or to [49] interfere with us or our domestic
arrangements. The world should allow us the privilege of working out what
they are pleased to call "the problem."
This system is the only panacea that can eradicate and cure the great
evils that prevail in Christendom, which are to-day poisoning and eating
at the very heart-strings of our nation. Our opposers talk about virtue,
Christianity and freedom from priestcraft; they howl about "Mormon"
hierarchy, trammeled consciences and women in thraldom, etc., but who are
in the greater bondage? those women who are fruitful, and multiply and
replenish the earth and subdue it in obedience to the great command of our
Maker, or those who, thinking to preserve their beauty and feminine
attractions, take drugs, etc, to prevent fruitfulness and extra burdens,
in order that they may be free to go and come as they desire, hoping by
this means to retain a hold upon their husbands affections?
If the destruction of offspring was such a sin in the sight of God in
ancient times, why should it not be the same now? and if to have a
plurality of wives was not a sin then, how can it be now, when we read in
the holy Bible that He is the same yesterday, to day and forever?
"O consistency, thou art a jewel!"
There is a sorry day in store for those who are guilty of this awful
sin--disobeying and trifling with the laws of God and nature. Those who
are guilty of this crime will yet mourn as did the disobedient anciently,
and in bitter anguish of soul they will beg in vain for offspring.
Joseph the Prophet said, "The whole of America is Zion, * * and it is
described by the prophets, who declared that it is the Zion where the
mountain of the, Lord should be, and that it should be in the center of
the land." The Lord has said that He would "chasten the daughters of Zion"
(as well as the sons) "because of their vain pride and haughtiness," and I
believe that the day which Isaiah saw in vision is at hand, when, "Thy men
shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war, and her gates shall
lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. And in
that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our
own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name,
[50] to take away our reproach. In that day shall the branch of the Lord
be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent
and comely for them that are escaped of Israel."
"Mormon" women prefer men who will marry and acknowledge them before
the world as honorable wives and mothers, to those who prohibit marriage
and prevent the propagation of our species. The Saints abhor those who
permit women to be prostituted to minister to the wanton pleasures of the
wicked and lawless who are so low and debased that corruption is indelibly
written upon their foreheads.
This people desire to adhere to the laws of God and nature, which do
not doom the fair daughters of Eve to live in an unmarried state of
loneliness, nor to become unlawful mistresses, contracting incurable and
soul-sickening diseases to bequeath as a lasting legacy to their
offspring, thus bringing them to a wretched and untimely grave.
There are bad husbands as well as bad wives in this Church, as there
are in every community, but if a man abuses his wife or wives, they can
find redress, if they seek for it and they are always befriended. The
second wife is just as honorable as the first if she performs her duties
equally well. Her children, are also treated as are those of the first
wife. There has been no compulsion used in our marriage relations, but it
is optional with every man or woman to act as he or she may feel to be
right.
I feel thankful, however, that God has finally drawn a dividing line
between His people and their traducers. The act of the commissioners in
preparing the registration oath has not only disfranchised us who are now
living in polygamy, but also those who were formerly members of the Church
and had a plurality of wives, therefore no inducements are held out to us
to forsake our religion. This people rejoices in being separated from
prostitutes and unclean men, who may cast their votes, even if they
continue in their diabolical practices, just so it is not in the marriage
relation. We are pleased to note these distinctions, and in serving God we
are willing to endure every trial which He is pleased to send us, knowing
full well that it is for our good. If corrupt men can afford to disregard
all law and justice, we can stand it.
[51] Every thing of an evil nature that happens among the "Mormons" is
attributed to polygamy, no matter how inconsistent or inapplicable the
comparisons may be. In this way our opposers show neither wisdom,
greatness, nor nobility of character, but their ignorance and folly are
made so manifest that we can only look upon them with pity and a feeling
bordering on contempt. Why do they not reflect and learn wisdom by the
past experience of this people? Every effort they have made to trample
upon our rights and to obliterate any principle pertaining to the kingdom
of God has only been the means of doing good. They always commence wrong,
and though they see it at every step, and wish they had done differently,
they continue in their folly, trusting in their own strength and wisdom,
intent only upon trampling us under their feet; but their course is having
the very opposite effect from what they designed. They are only creating
and keeping alive the very elements that are necessary to keep the system
in good working order, for many who were at ease in Zion are now waking
up, and the drones are leaving the hive to make room for diligent workers.
The harder the pressure that is brought to bear upon us as a people, the
more faith and enthusiasm it instills into our bosoms and the faster we
shall gain power. We can "stoop to conquer," but can never cringe to a foe
nor shrink from a duty. We never forget that, there are many honest souls
yet to save, some of whom are in the midst of a cold and selfish world;
and as long as we retain the use of our faculties and the liberty of
speech, we shall endeavor to maintain truth, uphold righteousness and
assist in teaching suffering humanity the truths of heaven. The threats
and taunts of our enemies will only help to keep us awake and upon the
watch tower.
What, did Jesus say about the gentiles and the wedding garment? He
"sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and
they would not come. Again, he sent, other servants, saying, Tell them
which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my
fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But
they made light of it, and went their way. * * And the remnant took his
servants, and entreated them spitefully, and [52] slew them. But when the
king heard thereof, he was wrath: and he sent forth his armies, and
destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their city.
"Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which
were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore, into the highways, and as
many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out
into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both
bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king
came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding
garment, and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not
having a wedding garment? and he was speechless.
"Then saith the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and
take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth. For many are called but few are chosen."
How plain are these words, but how few understand their meaning!
The Saints may be compared to the importunate widow who came unto the
judge, saying, "Avenge me mine adversaries."
"And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto
Him though He bear long with them?
Is He not already vexing the nations that have rejected His people,
as He said He would, "with a sore vexation?" And they will be "sifted with
a sieve of vanity" and soon will be like "water spilled on the ground," or
"like chaff upon the summer threshing floor," until the wicked stewards
are cut off, and the following scripture will be fulfilled:
"Jesus said unto the chief priests, Did ye not read in the
scriptures; The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the
head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our
eyes?"
And as Peter said, "This is the stone which was set at naught of your
builders, which is become the head of the corner." "Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved."

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QUOTE The government received the oath and - Page 2 - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 24th Dec, 2007 - 6:07pm

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