Celestial Marriage & Acts Of Congress

Celestial Marriage Acts Congress - Mormon Doctrine Studies - Posted: 24th Dec, 2007 - 3:51am

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Celestial Marriage & Acts Of Congress

Celestial Marriage & Acts of Congress

Well you can tell that I have reached the Celestial Marriage part of the KoZ2 site:

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                              CELESTIAL MARRIAGE
                            AND ACTS OF CONGRESS

                          A series of six articles
                                      by
                                B. H. Roberts

                              Table of Contents

                                Reprinted by

                                January 1999


                                  PREFACE

The following series of six articles by B. H. Roberts was originally
published in 1885 in the Contributor, Volume 6, beginning on pages 50, 107,
134, 168, 205, and 252. This valuable and interesting collection has been
reprinted here, with only minor corrections, I.e., grammar and punctuation. We
have also given each of the six parts a sub-title for the convenience of the
reader, as each one discusses a different aspect of celestial (plural)
marriage.
        --The Publisher


                                  CONTENTS

Part I.
Celestial Plural Marriage Is Eternal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7

Part II.
Plural Marriage Supported in the
Old Testament  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Part III.
Plural Marriage Not Condemned in the
New Testament  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Part IV.
Efforts by Congress to Abolish
Plural Marriage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Part V.
Plural Marriage--
a Religious and Constitutional Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Part VI.
The 1882 Edmunds Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60


[7]                          CELESTIAL MARRIAGE
                            AND ACTS OF CONGRESS

                                B. H. Roberts

                                    Part I
                    Celestial Plural Marriage Is Eternal

With the Latter-day Saints marriage is a religious duty. Every man not
disqualified by nature should obey the righteous law given by heaven's Eternal
King--"Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it." This is
just as binding upon man as the command--"Repent every one of you, and be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." We can make
no distinction between the commands of God--all are equally binding upon His
people, for He that said "repent," said also "be fruitful"--and man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! We
take it for granted that all our readers understand the commandment, "Be
fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it," is to be obeyed
within the marriage relation; so we need not stop to prove that which is
already conceded.

On the subject of marriage the Latter-day Saints entertain views that are
different to those held by any other people. While other people marry for time
only, and their marriage ceremonies end by the person officiating saying; "I
now pronounce you man and wife, until death does you part"--the Latter-day
Saints are united in marriage, not for time only, not until death does them
part, but for this life, and all eternity. And this holy contract, this sacred
covenant is sealed, not only on the earth, but in the heaven also, by that
power [8] which Jesus conferred upon His servant Peter, saying unto him:
"Whatsoever thou shalt bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven, and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt., xvi,
19.) An awful and universal apostasy took place in the first three centuries
of the Christian era, and this authority to bind on earth and in heaven was
taken from among men; but in this age which the scriptures point to as the
glorious "dispensation of the fulness of times," which God has declared to be
"the times of restoration of all things," that authority has been again
committed to man; and the mutual covenants made by the Saints at the marriage
altar, are sealed by that authority, and their vows being made for all
eternity, as well as for this life--when they shall come up in the
resurrection, they will have claims upon each other--their contract has not
expired like those contracts have which were made until death separated the
parties; consequently they can continue their family associations, which will
be endeared by a thousand recollections of mutual tenderness and affection
given and received while journeying through this life--this life, where fear
forever overshadows hope, where smiles of joy have to struggle up through
tears, and where merry laughter is often stifled with the sigh of misery.

Marriage, then, with the Saints, is not a transient relationship to end
with death; but these holy associations entered into here are to blossom and
bear fruit in the never ending eternities. The family organization to which we
owe so much for what little purity and refinement there is in the world, is
not to be dissolved and pass away as a night's vision, but will remain and
form a part of that unspeakable bliss which those shall partake of who are
worthy.

We know many good people are shocked when we speak of the relationship of
husband and wife continuing in heaven. But why? Is the association unholy? To
say that it is would be [9] to charge God with being the author of that which
is impure. But it is not unholy, for if there is anything in this world that
ennobles a man, develops all that is best in him, refines, purifies, and makes
him more godlike, it is the love and confidence bestowed upon him by a
virtuous, noble wife; and the influence of a pure honorable husband is not
less productive of good in woman; and--"While room is found in infinite space;
while there are particles of unorganized element in nature's storehouse; while
the trees of Paradise yield their fruits, or the Fountain of Life its river;
while the bosoms of the Gods glow with affection; while eternal charity
endures, or eternity itself rolls its successive ages, the heavens will
multiply, and new worlds and more people be added to the kingdom of the
Fathers."

These views are at variance with the shadowy notions men have of heaven
and eternity, but assurances of their truth have been given to the Saints
through the revelations of the Lord. The refining influences of the family
circle are to continue, and we have no reason to fear that the institution
which has contributed so much to our refinement here will ever prove a means
of corruption in the life to come.

The chief objectionable feature to the marriage system of the Saints,
however, is the plurality of wives. Against this principle modern civilization
professes to revolt and clamors for its suppression. The pulpit, the press,
the demagogue, presidential candidate, and even Congress are contracting their
brows in threatening anger at the Saints, who have the temerity to cling to
this principle as a part of their religion in spite of all the wrath of their
enemies. The Supreme Court may very complacently tell them this principle is
not a part of their religion, but the Saints refuse to believe the court; and
still insist that it is a part of their religion, and no insignificant part
either; for the Lord has revealed it unto them, and tells them they will be
under condemnation if they do not obey it. (See [10] Doctrine and Covenants,
Section 132.) Congress, however, declares polygamy a crime and has enacted
laws to punish those who practice it.

The theory of those opposed to plurality of wives is that it is a species
of sexual immorality--a scheme devised to minister to man's baser passions,
and claiming it to be a principle of religion is only an effort to place an
evil beyond the reach of law--hence they desire it obliterated, lest it should
corrupt the body politic and religious--destroy the family, and undermine the
prosperity of the state. Before we examine the incorrectness of this position,
we wish to show the difference between polygamy as commonly practiced, and the
principle of plurality as believed in and practiced by the Latter-day Saints.

  The theory of marriage in the Christian nations of Europe and America is
monogamic--one man and one wife; the fidelity to the theory, however, is very
questionable, as among the European nobility morganatic marriages, in which,
during the marriage ceremony, the left hand is given instead of the right, are
frequently contracted; the issue of these unions cannot share the title nor
estate of the father, neither can the morganatic wife succeed to them; but a
dowry and title is usually granted her. It must be remembered that these
morganatic associations are entered into by those who already have one wife.
Then there is the very extensive practice of keeping mistresses, so largely
indulged in by the wealthy classes both in Europe and America; to say nothing
of the numberless sporadic cases of marital infidelity, coupled with the legal
system of successive polygamy--the divorcing of one wife for frivolous causes,
then marrying another, and so on ad infinitum--so shamefully practiced in many
of the states, New England taking the lead with two thousand cases per annum.
These considerations will enable people ordinarily informed of the social
condition of modern civilization to see through the [11] flimsy vail with
which hypocrisy seeks to cover its social infamy, and demonstrates that the
vaunted theory of monogamy, and the virtuous practice of it are as far apart
as the east is from the west. There is another species of bigamy occasionally
practiced: A married man becomes infatuated with some woman other than his
wife. Perhaps she is noble and virtuous, and he well knows the abominable arts
of seduction will not bring the desired object within his reach. Equally
fruitless would be any attempt to secure his victim aside from what she
believed to be an honorable marriage. Studiously he keeps hidden his first
marriage, pays his addresses to his intended victim; and she, unconscious of
her ruin, accepts the proffered plight of love. They are married. Soon after
the dreadful truth is dragged to light--the man she married was already
another woman's husband--who can describe her emotions! Shame, anger,
despair--each struggling for the mastery! The awful sense of being betrayed by
one she loved, and who she fondly hoped loved her, overwhelms the heart,
nature is unable to sustain the shock, and the victim of the common bigamist
sinks to despair, and life becomes a miserable existence. The results of this
villain's double dealing are as mischievous to the first wife as to the
second, their sorrows are akin; the hearts of both are grievously wounded, and
refuse to be comforted. They hoped for happiness, but behold misery; they
hoped for comfort, but behold distress; where they trusted, they were
betrayed, and all the affections are turned to gall. Instead of respecting,
they despise; instead of trusting, they suspect; instead of loving, they hate;
no star of promise appears in their horizon--all their hopes are wrecked, and
gloomy despair settles over them for life. Such are the evils attending bigamy
as known to the world; but the principle of plurality of wives as practiced
among the Saints of Utah, is no more like the bigamy of the world than the
glorious light of the king of day, is like the pestiferous darkness that
enshrouds the benighted regions of the damned.

[12] Among the Saints of Utah, plurality is well known to be a part of their
religion; and when a young couple is united in marriage, the young lady
understands that if her husband lives his religion-- does his duty--he will
take other wives, who will enjoy equal rights with herself. When a man takes a
second wife, no concealment is made of the former marriage; the lady he
approaches on the subject knows that he has a family already. Furthermore, his
first wife is not ignorant of his intentions; to the contrary, she is
consulted in the matter and gives her consent to the arrangement. No one then
is deceived; no one's rights are interfered with; the second or third wife is
just as honorable as the first--whatever distinction the laws of the land may
make, be it said to the honor of the Latter-day Saints, who believe in the
divinity of plurality--they make none; neither is there any distinction
between the children of the second or third wife, and the children of the
first. There was little need of Congress attaching to the Edmund's Bill a
clause making the issue of plural marriages legitimate up to January 1883. To
all intents and purposes among the Saints, they were so before; and those born
after the date fixed by Congress will be regarded in the same way.



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24th Dec, 2007 - 3:45am / Post ID: #
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Congress Acts and Marriage Celestial

Continued...

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The foregoing statements concerning the bigamy of the world, and
plurality of wives as believed and practiced by the Latter-day Saints, show
conclusively there is nothing in common between them. None of the evils
enumerated as following common bigamy can possibly attend celestial
marriage--a term we shall use hereafter in contradistinction to the bigamy of
the world because in it no deception whatever is employed. It is acknowledged
by the community where it is practiced as a part of their religion, and is
considered not only as honorable, but, under proper circumstances, is regarded
as a duty. The second wife was acquainted with the circumstances under which
she married her husband; the first wife is not deserted, neither is she
betrayed, but consents to the marriage [13] of her husband to other women, it
being as much a part of her religion as of his. The children all receive the
name of the father, and are esteemed as gifts from the Lord. Under these
circumstances then there can arise no bitterness of feeling, no hatred to mar
the peace of the family circle. Confidence in the husband is not lost, and the
wives having the consciousness that they have not been betrayed; with the
assurance that they have the esteem and affection of their husband, that their
children are honored, coupled with a firm conviction that they are conforming
to the will of heaven--celestial marriage is stripped of all the horrors in
which the diseased brain of modern Christianity has seen proper to cloth it,
and exalted as far above common bigamy as honorable marriage is above
loathsome prostitution.

We are now ready to prove that celestial marriage is a principle of
religion with the Latter-day Saints. Let it be remembered that the enemies of
the Saints insist that celestial marriage is only an institution invented for
the sole purpose of ministering to the lustful desires of men, that claiming
it to be a part of their religion is only a cloak to cover their sins. But
pause a moment let us reflect upon the situation. To marry one wife and rear
up a family incurs great responsibility; to rear two families doubles the
responsibilities, and as you increase the family, you multiply the anxiety.
Yet those opposed to celestial marriage will persist in saying the Saints thus
increase their cares merely for sexual gratification. Poor innocent souls! Do
they suppose for a moment the Saints are ignorant of the fact that hundreds of
thousands of men in this immoral nation are daily gratifying their passions
outside the marriage relation, thus avoiding the extra care and anxiety
attached to rearing more than one family? Do our moralists think the
inhabitants of Utah are ignorant of the fact that the towns, villages and
cities of modern Christendom are thronged by harlots whose smiles are bought
by married and single [14] men? The Saints are aware that they could do
likewise, and their conduct would only provoke a smile; those who are their
enemies now would excuse it, and say they had merely indulged one of the
amiable weaknesses of mankind.

In addition to the increase of care and anxiety incurred by those who
practice celestial marriage, by recent laws enacted by Congress, they are
disfranchised, disqualified for holding any office in the Territory or under
the United States, are shut out from the honorable pursuits for places of
honor, profit, trust, or emolument within the gift of their fellow citizens.
They are also liable to arrest and on conviction could be fined $500 and
thrown into prison for five years. Besides all this, there is public sentiment
they have to brave, and the reproaches of canting hypocrites they have to
endure, whose morals when compared with the morals of the Saints would be like
comparing for clearness the muddy, turbulent Missouri river, with their own
clear, sparkling mountain streams that steal from under banks of drifted snow,
whose very whiteness is emblematic of purity.

Is it possible that men will endure all the inconveniences mentioned in
the foregoing solely for the purpose of sexual gratification, when they could
avoid all these serious risks and more freely indulge their amorous appetites
by following the example of many--very many of their would be reformers? Who,
while professedly horrified at the idea of a man marrying more wives than one,
respecting them as wives, and rearing their children in honor, are frequently
the paramours of harlots, the revilers in bagnios, and the seducers of
innocent, trusting, loving maidens, and who point their slanderous finger of
scorn at celestial marriage, and cry "unclean! unclean!"--thinking by the
uproar to detract attention from their own moral depravity. But this old trick
of crying "stop thief" while the stolen chattles are on the crier's back, will
not serve their purpose, [15] for we have the assurance of Holy Writ, that
there is nothing secret but what shall be uncovered; and when the secrets of
these men are made known, they will be despised by all people. But rather than
share in their iniquity, the Saints had better endure the sneers of
hypocrites, the malice of priests, the scorn of the people, the slander of the
press, the oppression of Congress, the insolence of the judge, the tyranny of
the laws, and the withering, bitter, blighting hatred of the whole world, than
wallow with them in their corruption, or surrender even a shadow of a
principle that God has revealed to them by His prophets.

The fact that the Saints sacrifice so much for celestial marriage--run
the risk of fines and chains, take upon themselves all the extra cares and
anxiety which attaches to it--increasing the hatred of bigots, and the
oppression of government--is an evidence to the thoughtful that they cling to
their principle from other motives than amorous gratification, as nothing but
a deep and sincere belief that they are doing the will of heaven will induce
men to adhere to a principle banned by law, condemned by popular sentiment,
and which is so fruitful of care, anxiety, and even of fines and
imprisonments.


[16]                              Part II
                Plural Marriage Supported in the Old Testament

Moreover, celestial marriage was established among the Saints by
revelation (see Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 132). They did not practice
polygamy and then pretend to receive a revelation to cover up their supposed
iniquity. The revelation came from the Lord through Joseph Smith, but the
Elders were loth to obey it, because it came in contact with all their
prejudices and traditions; but having unbounded faith in the revelation, and
believing they would be under great condemnation if they did not comply with
its requirements, they set aside their prejudices, disregarded the scoffs of
the world, and obeyed what they believed to be, and what they still believe to
be, the voice of God, trusting in Him to sustain them and deliver them from
any peril that might threaten them in consequence of their obedience to His
law.

The faith of the Saints in the revelation commanding them to practice
celestial marriage was strengthened by reading in the scripture flow the Lord
blessed and approved the actions of those who practiced plural marriage in
past ages. They read of faithful Abraham taking Hagar, the handmaid of his
wife Sarah, to wife; and when trouble arose in the family and Hagar departed
from her husband's household, an angel of the Lord met her and commanded her
to return (Genesis xvi, 9), which, if plural marriage were sinful, the angel
would not have done, but would rather have encouraged her in her flight from
that which was evil. Nowhere do we find the Lord reproving Abraham for taking
Hagar to wife; on the contrary, when the Lord appeared unto him some time
after the birth of Ishmael, He promised him a son by his wife Sarah, through
whom all the seed of Abraham was to be blessed. And [17] when Abraham prayed
for the welfare of Ishmael the Lord promised to bless him also, saying: "And
as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold, I have blessed him, and will make
him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly twelve princes shall he beget,
and I will make him a great nation." (Genesis xvii, 20.) Subsequently, when
about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord again visits Abraham, renews the
promise that Sarah shall yet have a son, calls Abraham His friend, and reveals
unto him His intentions of destroying the cities of the plain. And then
Abraham successfully pleads for the righteous within the cities. In all this
there appears no displeasure towards Abraham for marrying more wives than one.

The history of Jacob furnishes still more striking proofs of God's
approval of polygamy. The story of his marrying the two daughters of Laban is
too well known to need repeating here. But when Rachel realized her
barrenness, she gave her handmaid, Bilhah, to be her husband's wife, and she
bore Jacob a son. "And Rachel said, `God hath judged me, and hath heard my
voice, and hath given me a son.'" (Genesis xxx, 6.) Then, when Leah saw that
she had left off bearing children, she took Zilpah, her maid, and gave her to
Jacob to wife; and the sacred writer adds: "And God hearkened unto Leah, and
she conceived and bear unto Jacob a fifth son. And Leah said: God hath given
me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband." (Genesis xxx, 17,
18.)

  Again: "And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened unto her, and opened
her womb, and she conceived and bear a son; and said: God hath taken away my
reproach." (Genesis xxx, 22, 23.) If plurality of wives were wrong in the
sight of God, would he bless in so remarkable a manner those who practiced it?
Would he hear the prayers of those polygamous wives, and answer them with
blessings--take away the reproach of the barren Rachel, the second wife of
Jacob, and [18] make her fruitful, and give more children unto Leah as her
"hire" for giving her husband another wife when he already had three? We think
not.

If a plurality of wives, I mean, of course, as practiced by Abraham,
Jacob, and the prophets, is a sin at all, it must be adultery--it can be
classed as no other. In Galatians, v, 19-21, we read:

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, * * * and such like, of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall
not inherit the kingdom of God." The adulterer, then, cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; but we find the following coming from the lips of Jesus
concerning Abraham, Jacob and the prophets: "There shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the
prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out." (Luke xiii,
28.)

Again: "And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west
and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew viii, 11.) We are driven to the conclusion by this testimony that
polygamy is not adultery, for were it so considered, then Abraham, Jacob and
the prophets who practiced it would not be allowed an inheritance in the
kingdom of heaven; and if polygamy is not adultery then it cannot be classed
as a sin at all.

David, the king of Israel, and a "man whose heart," we are informed, "was
perfect before the Lord," had a plurality of wives. His first wife was the
daughter of Saul; but while fleeing as a fugitive before the king of Israel,
he married Abigail, the widow of Nabal, and also Ahinoam, of Jezrell, "and
[19] they were both of them his wives." (I Samuel xxv, 42, 43.) Yet
notwithstanding David practiced a principle which the Christians of today
denounce as evil, we are taught by the scripture that "David did that which
was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from anything that He
commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the
Hittite." (I Kings xv, 5.)

If David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of
his life, except in the matter of Uriah's wife, he must have done that which
was right in the eyes of the Lord when he took Abigail and Ahinoam to be his
wives; hence a plurality of wives, as David practiced it, must be right in the
sight of God.

David's great sin in the case of Uriah's wife also throws some light on
the subject in hand. The circumstance is well known--David committed adultery
with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and then had her husband placed in the
front of the battle where he was murdered. For this accursed crime the Lord
sent Nathan, the prophet, to reprove David. In the course of that reproof
Nathan said: "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over
Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave unto thee thy
master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house
of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have
given unto thee such and such things." (ii Samuel xii, 7, 8)

From this we learn that the Lord not only gave David the kingdom of
Israel and Judah, but also delivered him out of the hands of Saul, and gave
unto him his master's wives into his bosom, and intimates that if this was not
enough, he would have given unto him more wives. If polygamy were sinful, was
it not wrong for the Lord to give unto David the widows of [20] Saul into his
bosom when he already had several wives? If for a man to have a plurality of
wives is sinful, then in this instance at least the Lord was a party to the
wrong. And the Christians of to-day who, in the face of the truth just pointed
out, still insist on the sinfulness of polygamy--virtually accuse God of being
a party to the evil.



24th Dec, 2007 - 3:47am / Post ID: #
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Celestial Marriage & Acts Of Congress Studies Doctrine Mormon

QUOTE
After the death of her husband, Bathsheba became the wife of David; but
the child which was the fruits of David's adulterous connection with the woman
was smitten by the Lord with death; and all David's fasting and praying was of
no avail to save it. (II Samuel xii.) After Bathsheba became the polygamous
wife of David, however, she bore unto him another son they called his name
Solomon, "and the Lord loved him." (ii Samuel xii, 24.)

When King David waxed old and usurpers were laying their plans to secure
the throne of Israel to themselves, instead of Nathan the prophet coming with
a severe reproof from the Lord, we find him uniting with Zadock the priest in
an effort to place this polygamous child Solomon on the throne of his father
David, and they were successful; Solomon became king. (I Kings I, ii.)

The Lord appears to sanction his appointment also, for no sooner is
Solomon made king than the Lord appears to him and promises to grant whatever
he might desire. And when Solomon prayed for wisdom, the Lord promised to
bestow it upon him in rich abundance, together with long life, honor and great
riches. (I Kings iii.) Solomon was also chosen to build a temple to the Lord
(I Kings v, 5), and when it was dedicated, the glory of God filled the house
in attestation of Divine acceptance. (I Kings viii, 10,11.) The Lord also
appeared unto Solomon and gave him an assurance that the temple was accepted.
(I Kings ix, 1-3.)

[21] What a contrast between the child begotten in adultery and the one born
in polygamy! The one is smitten of the Lord with death in his infancy; the
other is "loved of the Lord," exalted to the throne of his father David,
chosen to build a temple to God, who gives most positive and public proofs of
His acceptance of it, and also reveals himself unto him, warning and
encouraging him. Surely in all this the Lord God has stamped adultery with
unmistakable marks of His displeasure, while, on the other hand, He has set
his seal of approval on polygamy.

  Neither is the case of Solomon the only instance where God acknowledges
and blesses the children born in polygamy. When Jacob, just previous to his
death, blessed his children, he bestowed as great blessings upon the children
of his polygamous wives as upon the children of Leah, nay, the blessing of
Joseph the son of Rachel, is greater than that pronounced upon any one of the
rest. (See Genesis xlix, 22-26; also, Deuteronomy xxxiii, 13-18.) Moreover,
when Reuben, Jacob's oldest son, by transgression lost his birthright, instead
of the birthright falling to Simeon, the next oldest son, we are informed that
it was given unto the sons of Joseph. (I Chronicles v, 1, 2.)

We learn from the description given of the New Jerusalem that there will
be twelve gates in the wall surrounding the city, and on these gates will be
written the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, born of his four wives. We have
already quoted the words of Jesus, showing that polygamous Abraham, Jacob and
the prophets will be in the kingdom of God, and will doubtless have their
abode in this New Jerusalem, so, that it appears that if our modern friends,
who so bitterly oppose the practice of the Saints in having, a plurality of
wives, ever go to heaven, gain an admittance into the "heavenly city," it will
be by passing through a gate upon [22] which is written the name of a
polygamous child, only to be ushered into the presence of such notorious
polygamists as Abraham, Jacob and many of the old prophets. It appears to the
writer that modern Christians must either learn to tolerate polygamy or give
up forever the glorious hope of resting in Abraham's bosom--a hope which has
ever given a silvery lining to the clouds, which hang about the deathbed of
the dying Christian. But the indignant unbeliever in the rightfulness of a
plurality of wives, rather than associate with polygamists, may prefer to
pluck off his crown, lay aside the golden harp of many strings, give up the
pleasure of walking the goldpaved streets of the city whose "builder and maker
is God," and take up their abode outside where the whoremonger, the liar and
hypocrite dwells, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Surely he
must either do this or make up his mind to honor those who believe in and
practice plurality of wives--more properly celestial marriage.

Right here it might be as well to mention the fact that, according to the
genealogies given by Matthew and Luke, so far as the earthly parentage of
Jesus is concerned, He came of a polygamous lineage, some of His progenitors
being polygamous children, and many of them practiced that form of marriage.
Surely some other line of descent would have been chosen for the Son of God if
polygamy were sinful.

In the laws given to ancient Israel--and God was their law-giver--we find
several, which more than foreshadow the permission to practice plurality of
wives. Here is one in Exodus xxi: 7-12, which regulates the practice by
forbidding the husband to diminish the food of the first wife, her raiment, or
her duty of marriage when he takes him another wife: "If he take him another
wife, her food (I.e., of the first wife), her raiment, and her duty of
marriage, shall he not diminish."

[23] Again we find a law regulating inheritances in families: "If a man have
two wives, one beloved and another hated, and they have borne him children,
both the beloved and the hated; and if thy first-born son be hers that was
hated: then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he
hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved first-born before the son of
the hated, which is indeed the first-born: but he shall acknowledge the son of
the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he
hath; for he is the beginning of his strength: the right of the first-born is
his." (Deut. xxi:15-17.)

It may be claimed that this law relates to cases of a man having two
wives in succession, and that is true; but it also relates to the case of a
man having two wives simultaneously; and this idea is more forcible when we
remember that Israel was a polygamous nation; and this is where the force
comes in as an argument concerning plural marriage: both women are regarded as
wives. Their rights and the rights of their children are considered equal; and
if the second wife, even though she be hated, should bear the first son, that
son must not be defrauded of his birthright; he must inherit a double portion
of his father's possessions. This construction is not strained; it is natural
and proves that God intended to provide for the rights of the polygamous wife,
as well as to protect the first wife in hers. This careful legislation gives
us another instance of God's approval of polygamy.

We quote another law: "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die,
and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a
stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her unto him to
wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her, and it shall be
that the first-born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of the
brother, which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel." [24] (Deut.
xxv: 5, 6.) How eminently unjust this law would be if God regarded polygamy as
sinful, and prohibited its practice! Under such circumstances a young man
would be liable to have forced upon him his brother's wife, and would be
debarred from making any choice of a wife for himself. But there is no
provision in the law which exempted a man who already had a wife from taking
his deceased brother's wife--it is as binding on those already married as upon
the single, and would occasionally enforce the practice of polygamy. Those who
refused to comply with the requirements of this law were disgraced before all
Israel by the wife of the deceased brother, before all the Elders, loosing the
latchet of his shoes, and spitting in his face, and forever after "his name
shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed." (Deut.
xxv: 9, 10.)

Is it possible that God was such an imperfect legislator that He enacted
laws for His people, which, if obeyed would enforce upon them the practice of
that which was sinful, that which would destroy the purity of the family, and
undermine the prosperity of the state? Yet such must be our conclusions if we
adopt the opinions of the modern religionist, moralist, and statesman who
persist in saying that a plurality of wives, even though practiced under
divine direction, and hedged about with all the restraining influences of
religion, will result in these calamities to society. Need we comment on this
presumption in poor, weak, short-sighted man, or exclaim how consummate is
that egotism that will call in question the wisdom of the great Jehovah's
laws?

The following is a summary of reasons we have for believing that God
approves of a plurality of wives as practiced by the ancient patriarchs and
many of the leaders and prophets of Israel:

[25] First.--When a polygamous wife deserted the family of which she was a
member, the Lord sent an angel to bid her return to that family, and promised
to make her seed a great nation.

Second.--The Lord heard and answered the prayers of polygamous wives,
blessing their connection with their husbands by granting them children; and,
in the case of Rachel, the second wife of Jacob, performing what men call a
"miracle"--making the barren fruitful--in attestation of His approval of her
polygamous marriage with Jacob.

Third.--The men who practiced plural marriage by no means forfeited the
peculiar blessings promised to them before they were polygamists; on the
contrary, the promises were renewed to them, and greater blessings added--God
continuing their friend and revealing Himself and His purposes to them.

Fourth.-- God Himself gave unto David a plurality of wives, thus becoming
a party to the evil, if polygamy be sinful.

Fifth.--God owned and blessed the issue of polygamous marriages--making a
marked contrast between them and illegitimate children.

Sixth.--So far as the earthly parentage of Jesus is concerned, He came of
a polygamous lineage, which certainly would not have occurred had polygamy
been unlawful and the issue spurious.

Seventh.--The Lord gave unto ancient Israel a number of laws under which
polygamy was not only permitted, but in some instances made obligatory.


[26]                              Part III
              Plural Marriage Not Condemned in the New Testament

It may be said that all our arguments in defense of plural marriage are
drawn from the Old Testament, and that Jesus Christ introduced a new
dispensation in which polygamy was abolished and monogamy set up in its stead;
and that the Saints cannot justify the practice of polygamy by quoting the
writings of Moses and the Prophets in its support. This is the answer made by
some of our opponents to the arguments set forth in the foregoing articles,
and it is supposed that this rather peculiar assumption demolishes the force
of all we have said. Let not the world, however, mistake the position the
Latter-day Saints have taken upon this question.

It is not because the Lord approved of the polygamy of Abraham, David,
and many other judges, leaders, and kings of Israel that the Saints believe in
and practice celestial marriage now. It is not because the Lord gave King
David his plurality of wives that the Saints take theirs. It is not because
God owned and blessed the issue of polygamists, or that He gave to ancient
Israel laws which, if obeyed, would enforce the practice of polygamy, that the
Saints in Utah practice a plurality of wives. But it is because God, in this
age in which we live--to accomplish His own wise purposes--gave, on the
twelfth of July, 1843, a revelation to the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, commanding them, on pain
of coming under condemnation before Him, to practice this principle of plural
marriage. (See Doc. & Cov., sec. 132.) Our references to past events, as
recorded in Holy Writ, are merely to prove that God at one time did sustain
men in practicing polygamy by bestowing peculiar blessings [27] and promises
upon them; and, as proven in the preceding number, did, in various ways, set
his seal of approval to this institution; and let it be borne in mind that God
is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Paul tells us, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written
for our learning;" and from that which was "written aforetime," we have proven
that plurality of wives as practiced by the ancient patriarchs and prophets
was righteous in the eyes of God--must be so, for He has given indisputable
evidence of His approval of it, and that which He approved must be holy:"Thou
[God] art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look upon
iniquity." (Hab. I, 13.) Having seen that polygamy was right, proper, and
virtuous in the days of the ancient saints and prophets, through what
mysterious changes have we passed that it now becomes vile, corrupt,
licentious, ungodly, and withal threatens the purity of the family and the
prosperity of the State? "When God permits a thing," says the learned
historian Grotius, "in certain cases, and to certain persons, or in regard to
certain nations, it may be inferred that the thing permitted is not evil in
its own nature." Accepting this proposition as self evident, we conclude that
since God permitted, and even more than permitted, polygamy--therefore
polygamy "is not evil in its own nature."

A kind of vague idea exists in modern minds that polygamy is an
institution of the carnal law given to Israel under Moses--or rather was
permitted under the Mosaic law; but only those assume this who have not
thoroughly examined the subject. Polygamy was not introduced when the Mosaic
law was given--it was practiced by the righteous patriarchs prior to that
time. Moreover Paul says: "And the scripture foreseeings that God would
justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham,
saying, In them shall all nations be blessed." (Gal., iii:8.)

[28] Again: "For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them (ancient
Israel--see preceding verse and chapter), but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Heb. iv:2.)

From this we learn that the Gospel was preached in the days of Abraham.
It was also preached unto Israel whom Moses led out of Egypt. The law of
carnal commandments was added to it because of transgression. (Read Gal.
iii:8, in connection with verses 19, 23 to 26.)

The question may arise what was this gospel that was preached unto
Abraham and ancient Israel? Why, as we understand it, there is but one Gospel,
and that is the same in all ages of the world--the scriptures call it "the
everlasting Gospel." It is redemption to the human family from the
consequences of Adam's transgression, through the suffering, death, blood, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, by which is brought about the resurrection of
all men. It is salvation from the consequences of our own individual
transgressions through faith in Christ and obedience to Him--this is the
Gospel that was preached to Abraham and ancient Israel, and side by side with
it was the practice of polygamy, so that we may conclude that polygamy was
permitted in a Gospel dispensation as well as under the carnal law.

Neither did Jesus ever abolish polygamy and set up monogamy in its stead;
if He did, the writers of the New Testament have been woefully neglectful in
recording the important change, for not one word respecting such a thing
appears in the New Testament--no, not so much even as a reproof to the many
polygamists by whom they must have been continually surrounded. "But," says
one, "did not Jesus say, when speaking of a man and his wife, 'they twain
shall be one flesh'?" It is true that some of the Jews came to Jesus, [29] and
made the inquiry: "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every
cause?" In answering this question the Master said: "Have ye not read that He
which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this
cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife; and
they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh.
What, therefore, God hath joined together let no man put asunder." (Mat. xix:
3-6.)

It will be observed that the subject of discourse throughout is not, "Is
it lawful for a man to take one wife to another, or for a man to take more
wives than one?" but "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every
cause?" And in answering that question, Jesus sought to impress upon their
minds that a man and his wife were one flesh; God had joined them together,
and no man was to put them asunder. When the Jews quoted the law of Moses
concerning divorce, Jesus told them because of the hardness of their hearts
Moses permitted divorce, but from the beginning it was not so, and explained
further, that he who put away his wife, save for the cause of fornication, and
married another, committed adultery, and whosoever married the divorced wife
under the above circumstances committed adultery also; but let it be
remembered that putting away one wife for some frivolous cause and then
marrying another as the custom of some is today, by no means describes the
circumstance of a man marrying two wives at once, or of taking one wife to
another; the passage condemns in no doubtful manner the vile custom of divorce
for frivolous causes--but polygamy is not alluded to even in the remotest
manner. The only comfort this passage in Matthew can afford the opponents of
polygamy is, the word "wife," singular, is used instead of wives, plural, and
"they twain shall be one flesh" instead of an expression denoting more than
twain being one flesh; but this can be of no importance since Jesus was
addressing a people among whom both monogamy [30] and polygamy was practiced;
therefore the use of these words in the singular number cannot be regarded as
significant.



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Then, with a great deal of assurance, the following passage is quoted: "A
bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife." (I Tim., iii: 2.) The
opponents of polygamy say this means a bishop must have one wife only. Even if
this rendering of the passage be allowed, it is not a general law against
polygamy. If it were the design of the apostle in this passage to condemn the
practice of a plurality of wives, why is it that he did not make the
prohibition of the practice general? Why merely say the bishop shall have only
one wife, and leave us to infer that the laymen and higher church officials
are at liberty to have more than one wife? Again, this construction of the
passage reveals this: It must have been the custom of the Christians in the
days of Paul to practice polygamy, or why did he write saying, the bishop must
have only one wife, if the Christians did not practice polygamy at all? Surely
this construction of the passage proves too much for the opponents of
polygamy.

But this is a strained, unnatural rendering of the passage to make it
condemn plurality of wives. It means, and means only, that a bishop should be
a married man. Else, as presiding in a community, having under his watchcare
many who have families, how shall he be able to counsel and instruct them, he
being a man without experience in managing a family? This view, moreover, is
supported by the context wherein Paul remarks that a bishop must be "one that
ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
for, if a man know not how to rule well his own house, how shall he take care
of the church of God?" (v. 4, 5.) This passage, then, like the other just
disposed of from Matthew, has no reference to the subject of polygamy.

[31] Is it not strange that modern Christians will so vehemently assert that
polygamy is condemned by the New Testament? And when you give all attention,
listening to their arguments, you find, to paraphrase a speech from the
Merchant of Venice, "They speak an infinite deal of nothing: their reasons are
as two grains of wheat in two bushels of chaff; you shall seek all day ere you
find them; and when you have them, they are not worth the search;" for one is
a discourse on the evils of divorce, instead of polygamy, to which no allusion
is made, either directly or indirectly; the other, instead of condemning
polygamy, suggests that a bishop should be a married man.

It will not be amiss here to ask: If a plurality of wives is truly and
indeed wrong, why is it that no plain, positive condemnation of the practice
is to be found in the writings of Moses, the Prophets, or the Apostles and
disciples of Christ? And that no such condemnation exists in the writings of
these scripture makers is evident from the fact that the opponents of polygamy
in arguing against it quote scripture that does not in the slightest manner
allude to the subject.

Let it be remembered, too, that these writers of scripture were under
great obligation to proclaim against the iniquity of the people. The Lord said
unto Ezekiel: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of
Israel; therefore, hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me:
when I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not
warning, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I
require at thine hand." (Ezek. iii:17, 18.) So Isaiah: "Cry aloud, spare not,
lift up thy voice like a trumpet: Show my people. their transgressions, and
the house of Jacob their sins." (Isa. lviii:1.)

If plurality of wives is wrong, how very unfaithfully have the prophets
performed the duty imposed upon them, for not [32] one word have they left on
record in condemnation of it, and still the practice of polygamy was common in
Israel. But there was John, the forerunner of Christ, who was especially sent
to preach repentance, surely he will denounce polygamy, for he was a bold,
fearless man, bent only on accomplishing the mission whereto he had been
appointed, he lacked not courage to inveigh against iniquity that his Master
had bid him condemn, no matter how venerable or respectable it had become
through custom; but John is silent.

So the Apostles of Christ; they are men after the same stamp as John; and
in no ambiguous terms they condemned every species of evil, every kind of
illicit commerce between the sexes--but not one word against a plurality of
wives. On the contrary, those who practiced this form of marriage are held up
as patterns of faith and integrity to the infant church.

It cannot be possible that God who is of purer eyes than we are, would
suffer any sin especially of the magnitude that polygamy is esteemed to be--to
exist for ages uncensured. In addition, then, to the evidences of God's
approval of polygamy already enumerated we may add the evidence of
non-condemnation.

From what has been said it will appear that the Latter-day Saints have an
abundance of evidence drawn from the scriptures to confirm their faith in the
divinity of the revelation received by Joseph Smith commanding the Saints
under proper regulations to practice plurality of wives. But why was such a
commandment given? What is the good to be obtained by renewing this old system
of marriage practiced by the Patriarchs? It would doubtless be answer enough
to say, God has commanded it; trust Him, for He will require nothing but what
will result in good. But there are reasons that will commend plurality of
wives as practiced by the Latter-day [33] Saints to those who will listen to
them, and weigh them carefully, and who will not allow their minds to become
befogged by the driveling sentimentalism so often urged against it, and which
is occasionally mistaken for sound argument. It is a doctrine accepted by the
Saints and abundantly evidenced by the scriptures, that man's spirit had an
existence prior to his natural birth, and that God is the father of those
spirits. It will be remembered that the whole Christian world believe in a
contention which took place in heaven--that Lucifer rebelled against "heaven's
matchless King," and with him drew away one-third of the host of heaven, and
they became the devil and his angels. The rest of the spirits who kept their
first estate are permitted to come and take bodies on this earth that they
might become acquainted with good and evil, and through the experience they
gain here be prepared to make greater advancement in the eternities that
stretch out before them. We said this doctrine is abundantly evidenced by the
scriptures, but we shall not stop to argue the matter here, as it is
sufficient for our purpose to merely make the statement.

Before connecting this matter with the reason God had for commanding
plurality of wives, it will be necessary to make another statement: that the
tendency of the world morally is downward cannot be denied. Especially in
regard to the relationship between the sexes. We are aware that some ministers
of the Gospel and a few writers boast to the contrary, telling us of the
exalted station assigned to women in this age and of the comparative purity of
this generation! The facts, however, do not bear out the assumption. And
although hypocrisy has increased his cunning, still in vain he seeks to cover
up the horrid moral deformity of the times. This is another matter that needs
no discussion; with those at all acquainted with the world, either by actual
contact with it or through the medium of the press, the statement is
self-[34]evident--a prima facie case. It was because of sexual corruption,
doubtless, that God in the days of Noah destroyed mankind by a flood. For He
"saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." He knew
that children born unto such characters would partake of the evil natures of
their parents in whose footsteps they would walk, and only grow up to manhood
to curse God and increase the wickedness of the race. In justice, then, to
those pure spirits that were still to tabernacle in the flesh, God could not
permit them to come through such an evil parentage to inherit the weaknesses
of their fathers which would drag them down to death and hell--so the floods
were sent, and mankind destroyed except righteous Noah and his family.

We have said that the spirits of men exist before they inhabit bodies on
the earth, and that God is their father. Paul says, "We have had fathers of
our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence: Shall we not much
rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?" (Heb. xii: 9.)
Many of the most noble of these spirits has God held in reserve to come upon
the earth in these last days to accomplish a mighty work. Through what
parentage shall they come? Shall the drunkard, or the debauchee beget the
bodies their spirits shall inhabit? Shall their mothers be belles of fashion,
who, in order to revel in the amusements of modern society, have rendered
themselves incapable of giving birth to a healthy, robust progeny; and who no
longer desire, neither are they fit to become mothers? We answer directly,
that it is not through such a parentage that those noble spirits will come,
because they would be loaded down with the diseases, lusts, and imbecility of
their parentage. Therefore, God has given a law to his people, which, if
obeyed in righteousness, will afford a better fatherhood and motherhood to
those spirits than is now known to the world. We refer, of course, to the law
of [35] celestial marriage, revealed to the Latter-day Saints, and it will
accomplish all we claim for it.

Having seen that God is the father of the spirits of all men, beyond all
questioning He has a parental solicitude for the welfare of His offspring and
will be desirous that good men--men perfect in their generations--should
become the earthly parents of these spirits that are His children. And for the
reason that good men might become the fathers of a numerous posterity, He has
revealed this doctrine of plurality of wives. Let it be remembered here that
the practice of this principle is confined to the good among the Latter-day
Saints. The drunkard, blasphemer, libertine, debauchee, and ungodly sinner
cannot go into the temples of God, and enter into these holy associations. The
gates are not open to everyone, but to those only who are worthy, and who will
lead their sons and daughters in paths of rectitude, and teach them in their
youth to prize, above all things else on earth, their chastity and virtue.

We cannot do better, perhaps, than to insert here two or three paragraphs
from a lecture delivered by Doctor Romania B. Pratt to the ladies of Salt Lake
City. These extracts were published in the Woman's Exponent:

"The duties and requirements of a woman, fulfilling her sphere of
motherhood, absolutely demand certain periods of abstinence, which, if not
granted her through thoughtful solicitude for her welfare by her husband or
herself assumed, by virtue of the dignity of womanhood, or by the divine right
of free agency, the principle of her life and health is encroached upon, and
she is forced to perform her ever increasing labors and duties with a
decreasing store of vitality." Upon the observance of this law of nature, so
neatly stated in the foregoing, depends the health of the mother and the
welfare of [36] the offspring, and plural marriage favors its fulfilment more
than monogamy.

The Doctor continues: "There is nothing in the economy or requirements of
man's life which require this abstinence beyond the temperate limit of his
powers of vitality, and this to me is a proof unanswerable and prima facie on
the spheres of manhood and womanhood, of the divinity (and I believe is a
necessity for the salvation of the human race) of the truth and divine origin
of the principle of plural marriage.

"With this principle--universal but limited, and governed by laws of
marriage inhibiting sensuality and selfishness, insuring to the wife the
literal fulfilment of that part of the marriage ceremony which provides that
she shall be `nourished and cherished and provided for,' and the children be
hygienically and physiologically clothed and fed, and properly educated--the
solution of the growing social evil would be found. Every woman would be what
every true woman's happiness depends upon--a happy wife and mother, queen over
her own increasing posterity, and men, honored patriarchs, which are divine
rights of both, given by God as a law unto man on earth and throughout all
eternity.

"Were this the order of the world, abortions, foeticides, infanticides,
seductions, rapes and divorces would be relics of the barbarous age, while
intelligence, light, peace, and goodwill and love would be the motor forces of
the world; in short, the Millennium would have come."



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[37]                              Part IV
                Efforts by Congress to Abolish Plural Marriage

In July 1862, Congress, under the pressure of a popular religious
sentiment, enacted a law against the marriage system of the Latter-day Saints.
It is true the law is made to punish "bigamy and polygamy in the territories
and other places over which the United States have exclusive jurisdiction;"
but doubtless making the law applicable in all the territories was only an
effort to make it appear that these enactments against polygamy and bigamy
were not special legislation. The effort to disguise the intent of the
legislator, however, was in vain; the people of Utah understand that it was
meant for them in the beginning. President John Taylor in 1869 wrote as
follows:

"Now who does not know that the law of 1862 in relation to polygamy was
passed on purpose to interfere with our religious faith? This was as plainly
and distinctly its object as the proclamation of Herod to kill the young
children under two years old, was meant to destroy Jesus; or the law passed by
Pharaoh in regard to the destruction of the Hebrew children, was meant to
destroy the Israelites. * * * This law (of 1862) in its inception, progress,
and passage, was intended to bring us in collision with the United States,
that a pretext might be found for our ruin. These are facts that no honest man
will controvert. It could not have been more plain, although more honest, if
it had said the `Mormons' shall have no more wives than one. It was a direct
attack upon religious faith." (Discussion with Vice President Colfax, page 8.)

Subsequent events, together with more recent enactments on the same
subject have proven the correctness of President Taylor's views. The Saints in
every possible manner [38] have sought to convince the nation that plural
marriage with them was a part of their religion they practice being based upon
a revelation from God and sustained by Holy Writ. As an evidence of their
sincerity they point to the extra care involved in rearing two, three or four
families as compared with rearing one; they can also refer to the risks they
have run of fines and imprisonment in obeying what they esteemed to be one of
God's commands to them.

In April 1882, in view of the bill pending before Congress, which the
people of Utah regard as threatening their liberties, petitions were sent to
Congress by the men, women, and youth of both sexes of our Territory, praying
for a commission of honorable gentlemen to be appointed by Congress to
investigate the affairs of Utah before the passage of the unfriendly
legislation, as in the estimation of the petitioners such enactments as were
proposed could only be passed by men ignorant of the true situation of affairs
in the Territory. These petitions set forth that Congress was deceived by the
malicious and libelous charges made against the Saints by their unscrupulous
enemies. Besides denying the infamous charges made against the inhabitants of
Utah, each petition contained a clause respecting the subject of polygamy.

The men said:

      "Whatever of polygamy exists among the `Mormons' rests solely upon
    their religious convictions."

The women said:

      "And moreover, we, your petitioners, hereby testify that we are
    happy in our homes, and satisfied with our marriage relations, and desire
    no change. * * * And we most solemnly aver before God and man, that [39]
    our marital relations are most sacred, that they are divine, enjoining
    obligations and ties that pertain to time and reach into eternity. Were
    it not for the sacred and religious character of the institution of
    plural marriage, we should never have entered upon a principle which is
    contrary to our early teachings, and in consequence of which our names
    are cast out as evil by the Christian world."

The following is from the petition sent by the young men:

      "We deny that the religious institution of plural marriage as
    practiced by our parents, and to which many of us owe our existence,
    debases, pollutes, or in any way degrades those who enter into it. On the
    contrary, we solemnly affirm, and challenge successful contradiction,
    that plural marriage is a sacred, religious ordinance and that its
    practice has given thousands honorable names and peaceful homes, where
    Christian precepts and virtuous practices have been uniformly inculcated,
    and the spirit of human liberty and religious freedom fostered, from the
    cradle to maturity."

This is what the young ladies said:

      "The passage of such bills (then pending before Congress--Edmunds'
    Bill and others) would deprive our fathers, mothers and brothers (and
    ourselves when properly qualified) of the rights of franchise, and in
    fact, of all the rights of American citizens, debarring us of the free
    exercise of our holy religion, which is dearer to us than life itself; *
    * * for we have been taught, and conscientiously believe that plural
    marriage is as much a part of our religion as are faith, repentance, and
    baptism."

[40] To these petitions were appended more than fifty thousand names.

Congress, however, refused to grant the very just demands of the
petitioners, and in the face of all the evidence before them, that with this
large body of citizens of Utah plural marriage was a part of their religion,
they passed the Edmunds Bill, which increased the severity of the punishment
of those who should dare to practice that principle, which fifty thousand
people of the Territory of Utah had, in the most solemn manner, declared to be
a part of their religion. For one I can only account for this strange conduct
of Congress on the score of human weakness. I do not use irony. I know that in
January 1882, the various religious sects of Utah issued a public call for
meetings to be held in every state and territory of the Union, to make
speeches, pass resolutions, and petition Congress to enact laws against the
"Mormons." Religious mass meetings were held in nearly all the large cities of
the land, and men who knew nothing of the "Mormons" but what they had heard
through the vague and untruthful reports of their enemies, spoke learnedly and
with misguided zeal upon a question of which they were profoundly ignorant.
And while standing in the very midst of the floods of corruption which
threaten to overwhelm the land, and morally bankrupt the nation, they
displayed their skill in rhetoric, and exhausted their powers of oratory in
denouncing supposed evils that existed in Utah. These unhallowed efforts were
not unfruitful. Religious zeal was aroused. Popular prejudices were awakened.
A flood of petitions reached Congress, demanding legislation against the
"Mormons;" and Congressmen, anxious to win the approval of their constituents,
were subservient enough to yield without investigation to the demands of
popular clamor.

It was in vain that men, women, and the youth of both sexes of Utah
denied the truth of the foul charges made against [41] them. It was in vain
that they asked for a commission of upright men to be appointed to investigate
the charges made against them by their accusers; even that poor boon was
denied them. Was Congress determined not to hear the defense of the accused?
Senators and representatives, and, in fact, nearly all officials in this
nation are placed in their respective positions by the votes of the people,
and, for the most part, men occupying positions of honor, trust and profit are
disposed to pander to the wishes of the populace upon whom they depend for a
continuance in office. To keep in popular favor they frequently sacrifice
principle to interest. Utah has no representation in the Senate, no power in
the House, no voice in the Presidential Election, possesses no political
influence in the nation, and is altogether powerless to resist the evils
forced upon her. Under these circumstances, politicians and demagogues
jeopardize no personal interests, when in answer to popular clamor, they
invade the liberties of the people of Utah. The religious bigots among their
constituents cried against the Mormons--"Crucify them, crucify them," and the
liberties of the people of Utah were sacrificed to satisfy the unjust demands
of their relentless persecutors.

Had religious mass meetings been called in Utah to petition our local
legislature to adopt some measures deemed necessary for the public weal--had
the legislature yielded to the demands of this portion of their constituency,
what a pious howl would go up about the Church dominating the State. The
gravest apprehensions would be aroused for the safety of our nation. The
stupendous fabric of our government, erected by the untiring zeal of patriots
and sanctified by their blood and tears, would be esteemed in danger; the
partition wall built between church and state would be considered as broken
down, and evils innumerable to threaten the liberties of mankind. But as this
religious crusade is against the unpopular "Mormons," there was none who
"moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped."

[42] This last clause should be modified. There were a few of our statesmen
who possessed the moral courage to protest against the unjust course of
Congress. Senator Vest, of Missouri, said, in the course of the debates on the
Edmunds Bill: "I am prepared for the abuse and calumny that will follow any
man who dares to oppose any bill here against polygamy; and yet, so help me
God, if my official life should terminate tomorrow, I would not give my vote
for the principles contained in this measure."

Senator Brown said: "No matter what the popular applause may be on the
one hand, or the popular condemnation on the other, I will join in no hue and
cry against any sect that requires me to vote for measures in open violation
of the fundamental law of the land."

Senator Morgan said: "I am not willing to persecute a "Mormon" at the
expense of the Constitution of the United States."

Senator Call, of Florida, opposed the measures.

Senator Pendleton, of Ohio, proclaimed against the unjust measures
proposed in the Edmunds Bill.

Senator Lamar, of Mississippi, though feeble in health, and unable to
take part in the debates on the bill, yet put himself upon record as opposed
to what he considered a "cruel measure."

There were also some members of the House who opposed the passage of the
bill, but their voices were lost in the tumultuous clamor for its passage, and
it passed. Congress lacked the courage to stand out against the zealous
demands of their constituents. Therefore, we said we accounted for the hasty
action of that Congress on the score of human weakness.

[43] The passage of the Edmunds Bill was regarded as a great victory by the
enemies of the Latter-day Saints; still it has not been altogether
unproductive of good to the Saints. The introduction of the bill in Congress
produced considerable discussion on the "Mormon" question throughout the land,
and although this discussion was, as a general thing, unfriendly to the
"Mormons," still it gave an opportunity for fair-minded public men to express
their sentiments upon so important a subject; and by their utterances much has
been done to present the "Mormon" people in a more favorable light before the
masses. "Mormonism" courts discussion. Agitation only brings it into
prominence and causes investigation; investigation reveals its sublime truths,
displays its native strength, and produces conviction in the honest seeker for
truth; while persecution for conscience sake only unites its devotees, and
will intensify their zeal.

The nation can afford to pause long enough at least to ask: What shall we
accomplish by the passage of this special legislation? Will it result in the
suppression of "Mormonism?" Or even in the extinction of that objectionable
feature of it called polygamy?

No instance comes to my mind from history where heretics were converted
from the error of their ways by oppressive enactments of councils or the
proscriptions of tyrants. All history supports this statement of Gibbons:

"The reluctant victim may be dragged to the foot of the altar, but the
heart still abhors and disclaims the sacreligious act of the hand. Religious
obstinacy is hardened and exasperated by oppression; and as soon as the
persecution subsides, those who have yielded are restored as penitents, and
those who resisted are honored as saints and martyrs."

[44] With this historical truth staring them in the face, Congress can
scarcely hope to abolish any part of the religion of the Saints in Utah by
oppressive legislation. Although the nation has determinedly closed its eyes
to the fact that with the large majority of the people of Utah, plural
marriage is a part of their religion, testimony which neither Congress nor the
nation can ignore, is now laid before them. We refer to the report of the
Commissioners appointed to execute certain provisions of the Edmunds law. The
report was made to the Secretary of the Interior, December 1884; and speaking
of polygamy, said:

"Three-fourths or more of the Mormon adults, male and female, have never
entered into polygamic relations, yet every orthodox Mormon, every member in
good standing in the Church, believes in polygamy as a divine revelation. This
article of faith is as much an essential and substantial part of their creed
as their belief in baptism, repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and the
like."



24th Dec, 2007 - 3:50am / Post ID: #
Quote

Celestial Marriage & Acts Of Congress

QUOTE
Referring to the trial of Rudger Clawson, and the impaneling of the jury
to try him, they say:

"Each juror was asked: `Do you believe it right for a man to have more
than one living and undivorced wife at the same time?' Each and every Mormon
in the box--a few with hesitation, but nearly all with promptness answered,
`Yes, Sir.' All such men were successfully challenged for cause, this part of
the proceedings afforded strong confirmation of the opinion we have expressed,
that all orthodox `Mormons' believe polygamy to be right and that it is an
essential part of their creed."

Certainly from this time forth neither the national legislature nor any
one else will say that plural marriage is not [45] a part of the religion of
the Saints in Utah; and if it is "an establishment of religion," has Congress
any right to make laws respecting it or to prohibit the exercise thereof?

The temerity which questions the actions of the Congress of this great
nation may be regarded as presumption. More especially may this be the case
since the Supreme Court of the United States has declared the law of 1862
enacted against polygamy in the territories, Constitutional. Still, while I
have a great respect for Congress--knowing as all do, that it is composed of
men of ability and learning; and having a profound regard for the learning,
experience, wisdom and patriotism of the Supreme Court--still I cannot help
but remember that the men composing these very honorable bodies, legislative
and judicial are but men, and are subject to those influences which act upon
the minds of men. It is natural for man to love the approval of his fellow
man; and--

"Oh, popular applause, what heart of man
Is proof against thy sweet seducing charms!"

Some eighteen centuries and one half ago, the Son of God was arraigned
before the judicial tribunal of Pontius Pilate; and although Pilate "found no
fault in him" and "would have let him go," the popular voice cried, "crucify
him, crucify him," and Pilate, unable to withstand the influence and demands
of the multitude, delivered Jesus into their cruel, murderous hands. Human
nature has not changed much since then; and perhaps I shall be pardoned for
suggesting that it is just possible that Congress and the Supreme Court, to
satisfy popular clamor, sacrificed the liberties of the people of Utah.

At any rate my reading would teach me not to regard Congress and judicial
tribunals with any superstitious reverence. I know that such institutions have
been guilty of the [46] most flagrant acts of injustice in the past. "It was a
judicial tribunal," says Charles Sumner, "which condemned Socrates to drink
the fatal hemlock and which pushed the Savior barefooted over the pavements of
Jerusalem, bending beneath his cross. It was a judicial tribunal which,
against the testimony and entreaties of her father, surrendered the fair
Virginia as a slave; which arrested the teachings of the great apostle of the
Gentiles and sent him in bonds from Judea to Rome; which in the name of the
old religion adjudged the Saints and fathers of the Christian Church to death,
in all its most dreadful forms; and which afterwards, in the name of the new
religion, enforced the tortures of the Inquisition, amidst the shrieks and
agonies of the victims; while it compelled Galileo to declare, in solemn
denial of the great truth he had disclosed, that the earth did not move round
the sun. It was a judicial tribunal, the Supreme Court of the United States,
which, in 1857, Chief Justice Taney, speaking for the court, decided that
Negroes, whether free or slaves, "were not citizens of the United States, nor
could they become such by any process known to the Constitution." From the
whole tenor of the decision it is plain to be seen that in the estimation of
the court, "a Negro had no rights which a white man was bound to respect."

With these historical evidences of the frailty of judicial tribunals
before us, we are encouraged to proceed with our inquiries respecting the
enactments of Congress against the religion of the Latter-day Saints.


[47]                                Part V
            Plural Marriage--a Religious and Constitutional Right

Throughout Europe, a hundred years ago, each nation had its establishment
of religion. Persons not belonging to their national establishment of religion
were excluded either wholly or in part, from any participation in the public
honors, trusts, emoluments, privileges, and immunities of the state. The
establishing of national religion has done much to disturb the tranquility of
society and brought upon mankind innumerable evils. To illustrate: Henry VIII,
King of England, died in 1547, leaving the crown, by his will, first to his
only son, Edward, then to Mary, his daughter by Catharine of Aragon, his first
wife, and lastly to Elizabeth, his daughter by his second wife, Anne Boleyn.

Edward was but nine years of age at the time of his accession, and the
Duke of Somerset, his uncle, was appointed Protector of the Realm. The
Protector, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cranmer, favored the
reformed religion. Somerset had been protector scarcely a year, when he
directed Archbishop Cranmer and a committee of divines to compile a Book of
Common prayer in the English language. The year following, 1549, Parliament
abolished all other forms of worship, and established this in its stead. So
zealous were the instigators of this movement to establish the national
religion, that they appointed a commission "to examine and search after all
heretics and condemners of the Book of Common Prayer." Two persons convicted
of holding heretical doctrines were condemned to the flames, and the
persecution extended all over England.

[48] In 1553, Mary became queen, and being a zealous Catholic, she resolved to
restore the Roman Catholic faith. The statutes passed in the reign of Edward
VI, establishing the Protestant Church of England, were repealed, and in 1554,
Mary married Philip, the Catholic prince of Spain. It was now the fate of the
Protestants to experience a relentless persecution at the hands of incensed
Catholics, who had been proscribed and oppressed under the reign of Edward VI.
Many were condemned to the flames, and the severe punishments inflicted upon
the heretics sicken the heart and bring the blush of shame to the cheek when
we see such evidences of "man's inhumanity to man."

At the death of Queen Mary, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne of England.
She was a Protestant in faith, and on her accession to the throne, promptly
restored the Protestant religion. Her ecclesiastical supremacy was also
proclaimed. This was the signal for another religious persecution, though it
proved to be less cruel than that experienced in the preceding reign.

Mary, Queen of Scots, disputed Elizabeth's right to the crown of England,
and she being a Catholic, was warmly supported by the professors of the
Catholic faith, who hoped, through her, to see the Protestant religion
suppressed and their own made dominant throughout England. To this end deep
plots were laid, looking to the assassination of Queen Elizabeth. The
conspiracy failed, and the Scottish queen was beheaded. Thus history goes on,
page after page, to record the suffering, the oppression, the cruelty, the
murderous plots which grow out of efforts to control the consciences of
mankind. The experience of the past warns the legislators and rulers of to-day
not to interfere with the sacred rights of conscience. We are responsible for
the exercise of those rights to the King of Kings alone; and when earthly
potentates invade [49] the domain of conscience, they intrude their unwelcome
presence on holy ground, and I rejoice to see men grand enough to refuse
obedience to the invader.

Early in the seventeenth century, many people fled from religious
persecutions in the European nations, and made America, then a new and
undeveloped continent, their place of refuge. Yet some of these sects who fled
from intolerance and persecution in the Old World were not willing to tolerate
differences of opinion in religious matters. The Protestants refused to grant
the Catholics the same rights which they claimed for themselves; the Puritans
were not willing that the Baptists and Quakers should settle in their midst,
and hence arose religious persecution in the New World. These parties who were
driven from the older colonies founded new ones, where more liberty was
guaranteed to the settlers, and men began to talk of having the right to
worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. The oppression
exercised by the English administration and Parliament towards the American
colonies of Great Britain caused the colonies to forget for a time the
distinctions which formerly existed in consequence of differences of religious
opinions, and unite in defense of their dearest rights. After the victory was
won, and the invader of their liberties was forced to acknowledge the
independence of the American colonies, the new nation had to deal directly
with the question of religious toleration. A variety of sects had established
themselves in the different colonies, and when the Constitution was adopted
for the purpose of forming a more perfect union, it was seen at once by the
American statesmen that it was altogether impracticable to found a national
establishment of religion. Which particular sect could they choose to be
fostered by the government? Had they chosen one to the disparagement of the
others, innumerable evils would have arisen in the state. Wisely, therefore,
the statesmen of the young republic concluded to let [50] religion be a matter
between each man and his God alone; and put it beyond the power of the nation
to interfere in religious matters by inserting in the Constitution the
following provision:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof." (See first amendment to Constitution.)
Not only does this clause in the first amendment put it out of the power of
Congress to establish a national religion, but it also forbids Congress
interfering with the free exercise of religion. The Pagan, the Jew, and the
Mohammedan are to be as free from the interference of Congress as are the
various Christian sects of religion. Webster, who doubtless will be accepted
as an authority in defining words, gives the following definition of religion:
"Any system of faith and worship; as the religion of Turks, Hindoos or
Christians, true and false religion." Accepting this as a correct definition
of religion, the first amendment would protect the Turkish and Hindoo religion
as well as the Christian from Congressional interference. We do not form this
conclusion upon the authority of Webster alone. By consulting the writings of
those who took a prominent part in drafting and establishing the Constitution,
and those more particularly who contended for religious liberty, we learn that
it was the intention that all religions should be equally protected.

We insert a few paragraphs from the writings of some of those men who
were active in advocating the wise provisions in our Constitution which
establish religious liberty." *

      *[I take these extracts from a little work published by Hon. George
    Q. Cannon, entitled, "A Review of the Decision of the Supreme Court of
    the United States, in the case of Geo. Reynolds vs. The United States."
    Last, summer I went through the works of Jefferson, making notes of those
    passages on the subject in hand, [51] but unfortunately those notes have
    been mislaid, and therefore I make use of those collected by President
    Cannon, which, for the most part, are identical with those selected by
    myself--B.H.R.]

The following extract is from the works of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1, p.
45. It is true these remarks were made respecting the bill establishing
religious freedom in Virginia; but that bill and the first amendment to the
Constitution are one in spirit. Both would place religion beyond the control
of human interference, and, therefore, these remarks of Jefferson's serve to
show the spirit in which we must regard the Constitution now under
investigation:

"The bill establishing religious freedom, the principles of which had, to
a certain degree been enacted before, I had drawn, in all the latitude of
reason and right. It still met with opposition; but with some mutilation in
the preamble, it was finally passed; and a singular proposition proved that
its protection of opinion was universal. Where the preamble declares that
coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy Author of our religion, an
amendment was proposed, by inserting the words `Jesus Christ,' so that it
should read `a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ the holy author of our
religion;' the insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they
meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the
Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindoo and infidel of every
denomination."

Surely this is a correct idea of religious liberty. Anything short of
this would not be just. The following extract from a letter from John Adams,
May 16th, 1822, gives us to understand that he, too, considered freedom in
religion was to be universal:

"I do not like the late resurrection of Jesuits. They have a general now
in Russia, in correspondence with the Jesuits in [52] the United States, who
are more numerous than everybody knows. Shall we not have swarms of them here
in as many shapes and disguises as ever a king of the Gypsies--Bamfield
Morecarew, himself assumed? In the shape of printers, editors, writers,
schoolmasters, etc. I have lately read Pascal's letters over again, and four
volumes of the history of the Jesuits. If ever any congregation of men could
merit eternal perdition on earth and in hell, according to these historians,
though like Pascal, true Catholics, it is this company of Loyola. Our system
of religious liberty, however, must afford them an asylum." (E. Jeff., 640.)
The italics are mine, but what a broad, noble view is here of "our system of
religious liberty!" Though Adams esteemed the Jesuits to be worthy of eternal
perdition, still he was willing to acknowledge that "our system of religious
liberty afforded them an asylum." Surely this proves that religious freedom
was intended by these early statesmen, who established the Constitution, to be
universal.



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24th Dec, 2007 - 3:51am / Post ID: #
Quote

Celestial Marriage & Acts Congress

QUOTE
"Happy, thrice happy," said Washington to his army on the occasion of his
announcing to it the treaty of peace with Great Britain, "shall they be
pronounced who have contributed anything, who shall have performed even the
meanest office in erecting this stupendous fabric and empire on the broad
basis of independency, who shall have assisted in protecting the rights of
human nature and establishing an asylum for the poor and oppressed of all
nations and religions."

From this it appears that he who is styled the father of his country,
understood that "all religions" were to find an asylum in this nation. But is
there to be no limit to religious liberty? Is it to be supposed that Congress
is to allow murders to be committed, and then acquit the parties who did the
deed because they claimed it to be a part of their religion thus to murder
their fellow men? Reckless indeed would he be who would make such a claim as
that. Each person should be so [53] limited in exercising his religious belief
that he be not allowed to trespass upon the rights or liberties of others.
"One man's liberty ends where another man's begins." This we consider is the
proper limit of personal and religious freedom. This is the view taken by
Madison in his letter to Edward Livingstone. He said, "I observe with much
pleasure the view you have taken of the immunity of religion from civil
jurisdiction in every case where it does not trespass on private right or
public peace." (3, Mad. P. 24). So [with] Jefferson: "The rights of conscience
we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our
God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such actions only as are
injurious to others." (Query, xvii, p. 16q.)

Our investigation has certainly proven that in the United States
religious freedom is to be universal, protecting not only the Christian in the
exercise of his faith, but the Hindoo, the Pagan, and Mohammedan as well; and
that "the powers of government extend to such actions only as are injurious to
others." Therefore we may lay it down as a correct principle: that so long as
a people in practicing their religion do not interfere with the rights and
liberties of other people, they should not be vexed, or maltreated by those
who differ from them respecting religion; and not only should the government
refrain from persecuting them, by passing oppressive enactments against them,
but it also should prevent others from molesting them.

Now, let inquiry be made as to whether the Latter-day Saints have ever
trespassed upon the rights of other people or not. Have the Saints ever
meddled with, or in any manner molested the Methodists, or Baptists, or
Presbyterians, or Catholics? No. Yet all these sects exist in Utah, where the
Mormons are the overwhelming majority in population. Furthermore, the members
of orthodox societies have been [54] ever active in misrepresenting the
Latter-day Saints abroad. With a few honorable exceptions, the sermons and
lectures of the sectarian preachers, who sojourn in Utah for a season and
periodically go east to raise funds ostensibly for the purpose of regenerating
the Mormons, are of a character to mislead and embitter the popular mind
against the Saints. Moreover, these same good church members join in with as
soulless a set of political tricksters as ever cursed any portion of God's
earth, and who have for their avowed object the destruction of the liberties
of the Mormons--yet can these parties point to a single instance of their
being interrupted in their proceedings, political or religious? No such
circumstance can be pointed out.

Does the religion professed by the Saints threaten the destruction of the
rights or privileges of anybody? No. I am aware that it is alleged that the
principle of plurality of wives threatens to destroy the purity of the family,
and undermine the prosperity of the state; but is the allegation true? Of one
thing we are certain, and that is that here in Utah the plurality of wives as
practiced by the Saints is not destructive of the purity of the family. It is
not just to confound the principle of Celestial marriage with the polygamy of
Oriental lands, for they have but little in common. In Utah every woman is
free to make her own marriage contract. No coercion is employed--nor indeed,
from the situation of affairs, could it be employed, even if there were a
disposition to use it. The utmost freedom is enjoyed by all in the matter of
marriage, which, as we understand it, is not the case in Oriental countries.
There is nothing in the marriage system of the Saints that is dangerous either
to the liberties of women or the purity of the family. The association between
the husband and the first wife is not destroyed when the husband takes another
wife. Among the Saints it creates no scandal. The second wife occupies a
position that is just as sacred as that in which the first wife [55] stands.
The children of the second wife are regarded as equally honorable with the
offspring of the first wife. Each wife enjoys the love, esteem, companionship
and confidence of her husband; and under these circumstances wherein is the
purity of the family destroyed?

We are not prepared to deny that evils exist in polygamous families. We
frankly admit that in some instances men fail to deal justly with their
families in the plural order of marriage. But does that prove plural marriage
is evil and incompatible with the purity of the family? We think not. In
hundreds of thousands of instances men who live in the monogamic order of
marriage maltreat, neglect, and abuse their families; but because this is the
case, are we to conclude that marriage is a failure and incompatible with the
happiness of mankind? Why, no. Such a conclusion would be regarded as absurd.
Would it not be equally as absurd to judge polygamy in the manner named?

If the purity of the family is not corrupted by plurality of wives among
the people who practice it, is it at all likely that the purity of the family
in other states will be corrupted by their practice? It is the extremest folly
for people in the east to become alarmed for the safety of their family
organization. The Mormon system of marriage does not menace the purity of
their families. But all arguments to the contrary, our enemies insist that our
system of marriage is dangerous to the best interests of society and clamor
for its suppression. They shut their eyes and refuse to behold the peace, the
happiness, the tender regard for each other, which exists in those households
where plurality of wives is practiced. In spite of the protests of those
living in this order of marriage, our legislators would break up these holy
associations and make honorable wives and virtuous mothers outcasts, degrading
them to the level of prostitutes and placing upon the innocent brows of their
[56] offspring the brand of infamy. If we tell them that these men and women
have entered into these associations tinder the belief that they were doing
the will of God--that it was a part of their religion--we are told that if
they grant plural marriage to be an establishment of religion and therefore
refrain from punishing it as a crime, that every evil doer would set up a plea
that whatever crime he committed was a part of his religion, and in
consequence of this would claim an immunity from punishment. Judging from
their expressed apprehensions, our legislators and judges fear, if they grant
plurality of wives to be a part of the religion of the Latter-day Saints, that
the Hindoos may come to this land and insist upon burning widows upon the
funeral pyres of the husbands; or others, perhaps the thugs, will claim the
right to commit murders as a part of their religion. But is there no
difference between burning women and marrying them? Between the destruction of
life and perpetuating it?

  The early Christians were falsely accused of murdering an infant in order
to have its blood to literally commemorate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper
by drinking thereof. Christians of today celebrate the sacrament by partaking
of bread and wine. Suppose some over apprehensive legislator should introduce
a law abolishing the celebration of the sacrament, and should offer as a
reason for the enactment that, if they permitted the celebration of the
sacrament to continue in the churches, some fanatic might possibly insist upon
using more literal emblems of the flesh and blood of Christ than bread and
wine; and to accomplish this, do that which the early Christians were falsely
accused of doing--murder an infant for its blood. What reply would the
Christian sects make? They would say: "To murder a child even to get its blood
to celebrate the Lord's Supper would be a diabolical crime; but our
celebration of the Lord's Supper by partaking of bread and wine is not a
crime, injures no one, trespasses upon no one's [57] liberties, and calls to
mind the great sacrifice made for us by our Savior. While it is right for our
legislators to punish those actions which are injurious to others--even though
parties should claim said acts to be a part of their religion--yet they have
no right to strike down a sacrament of our faith which is not injurious to
others."

This would be the answer. Ours is the same: the Suttee is the destruction
of life. Murder is a crime from which man naturally recoils with abhorrence.
It requires not the aid of human enactments to convince the mind that murder
is a crime. It is Malum in se. That is, it is in and of itself a crime. The
human enactment does not and cannot make it any more of a crime than it is by
nature--the human law only fixes the punishment. It is destructive of the
rights of others, and therefore should be suppressed.

This is not the case with the celestial marriage of the Latter-day
Saints. That is not Malum in se, is not in and of itself a crime, and is only
a crime because it has been made so by the enactments of Congress. Plural
marriage as practiced by the Saints does not interfere with the rights or
liberties of others. Those who claim it as a part of their religion, in
practicing it do no injury to others; therefore, it does not come within the
scope of the legitimate powers of government, since, according to Jefferson.
"The legitimate powers of government extend to those actions only that are
injurious to others."

From the foregoing it is evident: first, that Congress should make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, either to select a religion for the
citizens, or interfere with the free exercise of any existing religion, or any
which may arise in the nation; second, that it was the intent of those who
labored to establish religious liberty in America to make such [58] liberty
universal, not only protecting the Christian in the free exercise of his
religion, but the Hindoo and the Mohammedan also, and indeed protecting all
men of all religions or of no religion; third, that the legitimate powers of
government extend to such actions only as are injurious to others; fourth,
that those actions which trespass upon the rights of others, or interfere with
the liberties of other people should be restrained, even though certain
parties claim those actions to be a part of their religion; but, fifth, if in
the exercise of any religion the devotees thereof do not trespass upon the
rights of others, or invade their liberties, then they should be unmolested in
the free exercise of their religion, be it ever so unpopular or even absurd.

In the light of these principles laid down, let us review the subject in
hand--plurality of wives. The Latter-day Saints claim plurality of wives to be
a part of their religion, and the honorable Commission appointed by the
President with the approval of the Senate to administer the Edmunds law, have
testified that this principle of marriage is an essential part of the religion
of the Saints, as much so as repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of
sin. Therefore, since Congress, according to the first amendment, is to make
no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, no law should be made
interfering with the free exercise of this principle of the religious faith of
the Saints, unless it can be shown that the plural marriage of the Saints is
destructive of the rights or liberties of others. As yet no one has been able
to prove that the Saints, in practicing their religion, have trespassed upon
anyone, or invaded anyone's liberties, and since their actions are not
injurious to others, government cannot rightfully interfere with the practice
of their religion.

Therefore, with all due respect to the Congress who enacted the law of
July 1862, and the Supreme Court of the [59] United States, we conclude that
the enactment which defined the plural marriages of the Latter-day Saints to
be a crime, and made it punishable by fines and imprisonment was passed in
violation to the first amendment to the Constitution.



24th Dec, 2007 - 3:51am / Post ID: #
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Celestial Marriage & Acts Congress Mormon Doctrine Studies

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[60]                              Part VI
                            The 1882 Edmunds Act

Having briefly examined the enactments of Congress against the religion
of the Latter-day Saints as violating the provision of the Constitution
inhibiting interference with the free exercise of religion, we now inquire
into the more recent enactment of Congress known as the Edmunds Act, which
became a law March 22, 1882.

The Edmunds Act is supplementive of the enactment of Congress of 1862. It
is a crimes act, amending Section 5352, Revised Statutes, which is a part of
the crimes act of the United States. This law defines polygamy to be a man
taking to wife more than one woman "simultaneously or on the same day," or
who, having a living and undivorced wife, shall marry another. Those guilty of
committing this offense may be fined not more than five hundred dollars and be
imprisoned in the penitentiary not longer than five years, or be punished by
both fine and imprisonment. The law also defines cohabiting with more than one
woman, whether in the marriage relation or outside of it, to be a misdemeanor,
punishable by a fine of three hundred dollars or imprisonment for six months,
in the discretion of the Court. Still farther: The eighth section provides
"That no polygamist, bigamist, or any person cohabiting with more than one
woman, and no woman cohabiting with any of the persons described aforesaid in
this section, in any Territory or other place over which the United States
have exclusive jurisdiction, shall be entitled to vote at any election held in
any such Territory or other place, or be eligible for election or appointment
to, or be entitled to hold any office or place of public trust, honor, or
emolument in, under, or for any such Territory or place, or under the United
States." By the [61] provisions of this section of the act under
consideration, polygamists are punished (1) by being stripped of the right of
suffrage; (2) by being made ineligible for election or appointment to any
office or place of trust, honor, or emolument in the Territories or under the
United States.

It may be claimed that to deprive persons of the right of suffrage, and
disqualifying them to hold office, is not punishment. But those who hold these
views should remember that the Edmunds act amends section 5352 of the Revised
Statutes of the United States; and that this whole title of the Revised
Statutes of which section 5352 is a part, is the crimes act of the United
States, and the penalties affixed to a crimes act certainly have for their
object the punishment of the violators of that law. To deprive a person of the
right of voting is a greater punishment than to deprive him of property, for
it is the right preservative of all other rights. To the inhabitants of Utah
it is worth more than houses or lands, for the ballot is the only weapon with
which they can beat back designing demagogues who seek the control of the
Territory with a view to plunder and oppression.

This same section further punishes men supposed to be guilty of polygamy,
by depriving them of the right to hold office in the Territory or tinder the
United States. They are not permitted to acquire positions of profit, trust,
honor, or emolument; they are excluded from the ranks of honorable associates
and positions. And yet we are told this is not punishment! No punishment to
have an office of honor or trust or profit taken from one? No punishment to be
degraded and disgraced? No punishment to stamp the name with infamy? Whoever
says these things are not punishment contradicts the decision of the Supreme
Court of the United States. Judge Field of the Supreme Court, in the case of
Cumming vs. The State of Missouri (see 4 Wall. Reports) held that "The [62]
deprivation of any rights, civil or political, previously enjoyed, may be
punishment, the circumstances attending and the causes of the deprivation
determining this fact. Disqualification from office may be punishment, as in
the case of conviction upon impeachment. Disqualification from the pursuits of
a lawful avocation or front positions of trust, or from the privilege of
appearing in the courts, or acting as an executor, administrator, or guardian,
may also, and often have been, imposed as punishment." The circumstances
attending the disfranchisement of many of the Mormon people determines that
the disabilities created by the Edmunds Act were meant for punishment. The
qualifications it requires electors and office holders to possess were never
before known in any part of the nation. The whole history of the passage of
this act confirms one's belief that the part which strips many worthy citizens
of the suffrage and the right to hold office was meant for punishment.

Granting the disabilities created by the Edmunds Act to be punishment, we
next inquire how is the punishment inflicted. Articles V and VI of the
amendments to the Constitution provide that "No person shall be field to
answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on presentment or
indictment of a grand jury, * * * nor be deprived of life, liberty, or
property without due process of law." "In all criminal prosecutions the
accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial
jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, *
* * and to be informed the nature and cause of the accusation; to be
confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor; and to have the assistance of counsel for
their defense."

Such are the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to the citizens of the
United States; but in the passage and [63] enforcement of the Edmunds Act,
nearly all these bulwarks erected to protect the citizens from injustice have
been torn away, and punishment inflicted contrary to all received principles
of law and justice. Is the one upon whom this punishment of disqualification
for voting and holding office inflicted indicted by a grand jury? Is he
confronted by the witnesses against him? Does he have compulsory process for
obtaining witnesses in his favor? Does he have the assistance of counsel for
his defense? There is but one answer to all these inquiries, and that is in
the negative. Let us proceed further: Is the one accused found guilty by an
impartial jury of his peers and of the vicinage? No; but an illegal,
expurgatory test oath was presented him and if he refused to take it, he was
adjudged guilty and the punishment of disqualification for voting and holding
office was applied.

Right here it might not be amiss to refer to the jury system of Utah. By
the passage of the Poland Bill in 1874, it was arranged that the grand and
petit juries should be made up of half "Mormons" and the other half
non-"Mormons." The non-"Mormon" class comprises about twenty-two per cent of
the whole population. The enactment of Congress therefore gave twenty-two per
cent of the population the same representation in the juries as was allowed
the seventy-eight per cent. The injustice of such an act is apparent and
requires no argument to point out the unfairness. The enactment of Congress
known as the Edmunds Bill, passed in March 1882, in Section 5, provides "That
in any prosecution for bigamy, polygamy, or unlawful cohabitation under any
statute of the United States, it shall be sufficient cause of challenge, to
any person drawn or summoned as a jury man or talesman, * * * that he believe
it right for a man to have more than one living and undivorced wife at the
same time."

[64] The questions asked by the United States prosecuting attorney supposed to
be authorized by this provision of the Edmunds Act, result in excluding from
the grand jury, at least, all "Mormons," as it is feared they would not find
indictments for polygamy and unlawful cohabitation. Whether this be true or
not, it is not necessary to our purpose to discuss here. But by this
arrangement the whole criminal proceedings of the Territory are entrusted in
the hands of men who represent but twenty-two per cent of the population--the
Gentiles or non-"Mormon" class. In 1884, E.S. Goodrich, Esq., published an
article in the Chicago Times, headed "Mormonism Unveiled." This gentleman
considers the criminal statistics of the Territory for 1882 with the following
result, and he obtained his figures from official sources:

"The total number of all arrests for crime and misdemeanors in these
localities (the populous districts of the Territory) during 1882, was two
thousand one hundred and ninety-eight, of which the seventy-eight per cent of
the `Mormon' population furnished three hundred; and the twenty-two per cent
of the non-"Mormons" one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight. * * * So
that the `Mormons,' comprising seventy-eight per cent of the population of the
Territory, contributed one-eighth of the arrests made during 1882, and the
non-`Mormons,' having only twenty-two per cent, contributed seven-eighths."

Is it not dangerous to the interests of society in Utah to entrust all
the criminal investigations to a grand jury chosen from a class of citizens
who, while they only represent `twenty-two per cent of the population', yet
furnish seven-eighths of the arrests made in the Territory? Is it not quite
likely, since these non-"Mormons" are bitterly opposed politically and
religiously to the vast majority of the people of Utah, that while malice will
prompt them in their "findings" [65] against the "Mormons," "favors" will
induce them to find no indictments against members of their own party?

When you come to the petit jury, the situation is not much improved.
Under the challenges arranged for in Section 5 of the Edmunds Act, all
"Mormons" in prosecutions for polygamy, bigamy, or unlawful cohabitation, are
successfully challenged for cause. The theory of trial by jury is that it
shall be impartial, but juries before which "Mormons" are tried are not
impartial. They are composed of men which are opposed to them both in politics
and religion--are their avowed enemies. The innocent "Mormon," as well as the
one who may be guilty, goes not to his vindication, but to his conviction,
when tried by such a jury. It is claimed that the bias in favor of Mormon
institutions would render it impossible for a "Mormon" juryman to act
impartially in judging as to the matter of fact as to the guilt or innocence
of one accused of polygamy or unlawful cohabitation; while a non-"Mormon," who
not only dislikes the particular feature of Mormonism denominated celestial
marriage, but hates that whole system of faith and worship, and is "filled
from the toe, top full" of bitterness against the devotees, can act
impartially in judging the guilt or innocence of a member of the "Mormon"
Church accused of crime. Is this consistent? If the favor of the "Mormon"
juryman would prevent him being impartial, would not the malice of the
non-"Mormon" render him incapable of acting impartially. This Edmunds Act,
then, besides being, as we believe, an invasion of our religious liberties,
violates several provisions of the Constitution, in that it inflicts
punishment without due process of law--it is a legislative enactment
inflicting punishment without a judicial trial, and therefore a bill of
attainder.

Bills of attainder, in a technical sense, are legislative enactments
convicting a person of some crime for which it inflicts upon him, without any
trial whatever, the punishment [66] of death. If they inflict a milder
punishment, they are usually called bills of pains and penalties. Judge Field
of the Supreme Court of this nation, in Cummings vs. the State of Missouri,
from which I have before quoted, said: "A bill of attainder is a legislative
act which inflicts punishment without a judicial trial."

The definition includes a bill of pains and penalties as a bill of
attainder, and indeed so it is; and if the Edmunds Act is not a bill of
attainder, then no legislature ever passed one. Judge Story, speaking of such
enactments, says: "Such acts are in the highest degree objectionable and
tyrannical, since they deprive the party (accused) of any regular trial by
jury, and deprive him of his life, liberty, and property, without any legal
proof of his guilt. In a republican government, such a proceeding is utterly
inconsistent with first principles. It would be despotism in its worst form by
arming a popular legislature with the power to destroy at will the most
virtuous and valuable of its citizens of the state." (Story on the
Constitution, p. 144.)

The Constitution expressly forbids the passage of such acts. The language
is: "No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed" (Art. I, Sec.
9). Section 10 of the same Article prohibits a State passing a bill of
attainder, etc. Hence, since the Edmunds Act is a bill of attainder, it
violates the Constitution, which forbids the passage of such acts.

How forcible the remarks of Judge Story are to one acquainted with Utah
affairs, wherein he says, the passage of such acts "would be despotism in its
worst form, by arming a popular legislature with the power to destroy at its
will the most virtuous and valuable citizens of the state." If inquiry be
made, it will be found that it is the "most virtuous and valuable citizens" of
Utah--men who laid the foundation of the [67] Territory's prosperity--who have
been afflicted, whose rights and liberties have been stricken down by the
Edmunds Act.

                                    * * *

I cannot conclude this series of articles without referring again to the
enactments of Congress respecting Utah being an invasion of our religious
liberties. We are graciously told by our judges that the religious liberty
vouchsafed to us by the Constitution means freedom to believe whatever we
choose, to entertain such opinions as we please; but we are not at liberty to
practice our religious belief, nor to act in accordance with our opinions. If
this is what is meant by the guarantee of religious liberty in the
Constitution, then "What thrice mocked fools are we!" We have always
understood we were free in the United States, not only to believe, but to
practice any principle of religion, so long as in doing so we trespassed not
upon the rights of others. And if it is not so, then religious liberty in the
United States is a myth and the Constitution a fraud, which keeps "the word of
promise to our ear, and breaks it to our hope," for no government ever
existed, however tyrannical it may have been, but what its subjects could have
enjoyed this much religious liberty. Why, the peasants of the monarchies of
Europe--aye, the very serfs of autocratic Russia--could believe what they
pleased so long as they attempted not to carry their belief into practice.

Such an interpretation of the first amendment to the Constitution, which
provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," makes a farce of our
boasted religious liberty. We have fondly believed that our Revolutionary
forefathers had, in the institutions of our country for which they shed their
blood, bequeathed to us, their posterity, the precious boon of pursuing
happiness in our own way, and freedom to worship God according to the dictates
of our own [68] consciences--that they had planted the tree upon which was to
grow the luscious fruit which they and their fathers had so longingly desired
in the monarchies of the Old World. But after lovingly clinging to this belief
for more than a hundred years, we awake to find our hopes dust, and the fruit
from the tree of liberty but Sodom apples--fair to the eye, but within filled
with bitter ashes! Can intelligence believe an interpretation so monstrously
absurd? Can we believe that the men who were grand enough, in the face of an
ignominious death, to declare their independence of Great Britain for
liberty's sake would so mock their posterity with such delusive hopes? I will
not--I cannot believe it! I could more readily believe our judges, who thus
interpret the law, have erred, or allowed their prejudices against the
Celestial Marriage of the Latter-day Saints to influence their judgment.

We claim no immunity from proper punishment for those who, in practicing
their religious belief, shall do injury to others, or trespass upon the
liberties of their fellow men; but we do claim this: So long as men, in
practicing their religion, do no violence to the rights of others, government
cannot rightfully interfere with their religion, cannot prohibit the free
exercise thereof, and when the correctness of this interpretation of the
clause in the Constitution respecting religion is recognized, the Celestial
Marriage of the Latter-day Saints will no longer be punished by fine and
imprisonment, for it is a principle of religion, the practice of which is not
injurious even to those who may not believe in it.





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