The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-14
DEFENCE OF P0LYGAMY
One Of the Eight Wives Of a Member of
the Utah Legislature.
BIBLE VIDE NJ c E 9.
Arguments in Favor of Congress Giving More
Land TO the llOrmons.
1,nv OF urAu TO nRR SISTER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AIAny OF Utah TO HER SISTER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
GREAT SALT LAKE Cry, Jan. IL, 1854.
Dr.R SfsTxR.-Your letter of Oct. ID received
Yesterday My joy its reception was more than can
express had waited so long for your answer to our
last that had almost concluded my friends Of
Tended and would write TO more. Judge then OF
my joy when read the sentiments of friendship and of
sisterly affection expressed in your letter
We all well here, and prosperous and happy in
family circle. Ny children -four in number) ere
healthy and cheerful and fast expanding their physical
and intellectual faculties Health peace, and prosper
ty have attended us all the day long
II seems dear sister, that nearer toge-
Their in religious views than formerly.
Why is thisS Are not all bound to leave this world
with all we possess therein and reap the reward of our
doings here in q never ending hereafter
II so do not desire to be undeceived, and to know
and to do the TRUTH
Do not all wish in very hearts to be sincere
with ourselves, and TO be honest and frank with each
others
II So you win bear it'll me patiently while give
few Of my reasons for embracing and holding sacred
that particular point in the doctrine OF the Church OF
the Saints to which you my dear sister together with
Imean, plurality of wives"
| have Bible which have been taught from my IN
fancy to hold sacred
In this Bible read Of n holy named Abraham,
Who is represented the friend Of God-a faithful man
Tod. ana who is called in the New Testament, the
Father OF the Faithful " (see James I'd 20 Rom ath
18th; Gal. 80 sth 9th, 10th, 29th)
find this man had plurality OF wives some OF whom
rere called concubnes (See Book of Genesis ani for
Ii. concubipes see 25th chap, 9th verse;
also find his grandson Jacob possessed of four wives
Neve and daughter. These wives are spoken
highly by the sacred writer's, honorable and
virt, Gus women tThese" say the Scriptures, " did
build tho house of Israel"
jacob himself was also of God and the Lord
blessed him and his house and commanded him TO be
and particularly 35th chap, 10th and 18th
find also that the twelve of Jacob by these four
wives became princes heads of tribes patrarchs whose
had in everlasting remembrance to all gene
rations
Now God talked with Abraham Isaac and Jacob FIRE.
quently and his angels also visited and talked with
them, and blessed them and their wives and children
H. IL t,no Nagf In Of
for hating and selling their brother, and for adultery
But in all his communications with them he
demned their family organization; but the contrary
always approved of it, and blessed them in this respect
He told Abraham that he would make him the
ali tho nations and kindreds Of the earth should be
blessed. see Genesis 18th chap I'm, 18TH ana lsth
also 18th chap, ls % and Sd verses In later
wears find the plurality of wives perpetuated sanction
ed, and provided for in the law of Moses.
David the Psalmst not only had plurality Of wives,
but the Lord himself spoke by the mouth OF Nathan the
prophet and told David that He the Iord) had given
his masters wives into his BOSOM but because he had
committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, and had
caused his murder, He would take his wives and give
them to neighbor of his, &c See ID Samuel, 18th
chap 7th to llth verses
Here then we have the word OF the Lord not only
sanctonng polygamy but actually giving to King David
the wives OF his master saul and afcrward taking the
wives Of David from him, and giving them to another
Here have SAM lie Of severe reproof and pun
ishment FOR adultery and murder while poygamy is au
thorized and approved by the word of God.
But to come 10 the New Testament, find Jesus Christ
speaks very highly of Abraham and his family He says
from the north and from the south and shall sit down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God
Luke, chap. Is, verses rs and 20.
Again he said: s'If We Abrahams seed, ye would
do the works of Abraham"
Paul the apostle wrote to the saints of his day. and
Informed them folows:-''As many of you as have
been baptized into Christ have put Christ and If ye
are Chriss then are ye Abrahams Seed and heirs ac-
cording to the promise"
He also sets forth Abraham and Sarah as patterns of
ath and good works. and the father and mother of
hithu Christians who should by faith and good works
tatya "a l.r and
sarah
According to Jesus Christ and the apostles then the
kny way TO be saved is 10 be adopted into the great
amiy OF polygamsts by the gospel, and then strictly
Again John the Revelator describes the Holy City OF
the Heavenly Jerusalem with the of the twelve
sons OF Jacob inscribed on the gates, Rev. 81, II.
To sum up the whole then, find that paygamsts
the friends of God-that the family and lneige Of
polyga mist selected in which all nations should be
biessed-that polygamst is named in the New Tesla
ment the father of the faithful Christians OF after
ages, and cited pattern for all generations Thas
the wife OF poygamst who encouraged her husband in
the practice of the same and urged him into it. and
OBLIGATED in giving him another wife, named as an hon
orable ana yrtuous woman, pattern for Christian la
des and the very mother Of all holy women in the Chris
tan Church whose aspiration 1t should be to be called
her daughters.
OF the poygamc family stand at the head in the kingdom
Of Cod In short that al the saved Of after generations
should be saved by becoming members OF polygamic
family that all those who do not become members of it
strangers and aliens to the covenant Of promise the
That ali people from the cast west north or south,
who enter into the kingdom enter into the society Of
poygamsts and under their patrarchal rule and gov
srnment
Indeed, approach the gates Of
heaven without beholding the names OF twelve poygam-
ists (the of four different women by one man. en-
craven IN everlasting glory upon the pearly gates
My dear sister with the scriptures before me- could
never End il in my heart to reject the heavenly vision
which has restored TO the funess Of the gospel
the latter day Prophets and Apostles merely
10 Ind of mi
and of family organization and government preparatory
to the restoration Of all Israel
But leaving all scripture history precedent out OF
the question let us come to natures law.
What then appears to be the great object of the mar
rage relations2 answer the multiplying Of our spe
cies-the rearing and training Of children
And while a kind husband should nourish sustain,
and comfort the wife Of his bosom by kindness and
attention consistent with her situation, and with his
most tender affection, still he should refrain from all
those unmeiy associations which forbidden in the
great constitutional laws OF female nature which laws
carried out in almost the entire animal economy
Human animals excepted
Polygamy, then, practical under the Patriarchal
Law Of Cod tcnds directly to the chastity Of and
to sound health and morals in the constitutions of their
odspring
The poypamc law of God opens to all vigorous healthy
and vrtuous females a door by which they may become
honorable wives OF vrtuous men and mothers of faith
full, virtuous, healthy and vigorous children
Aud here let me ask you my dear sister, what fema e
In all New Hampshire would marry drunkard, man
of hereditary dis ease, debauchee an ider, or spend
thrifty Or what woman would become prostitute Or on
the other hand, live and die single without forming
those nexpressby dear relationships of wife and mother
II the Abrshsmic covenant Patrarchal law OF God,
ED your State aud held sacred and hon
orsble by ali
Dear slater. in your thou hessness you inquire why
not plurality Of husbands as well as plurality of
wivesS"
To which reply
l. God has never commanded or sanctioned plurality
OF husbands
g. Man is the head Of the woman" and no woman
can serve two lords.
8 Such order Of things would work death AMI not
lfe or in palmer language, II would multiply disease
instead Of children
This lay leaves females exposed 20 a life Of single
tsbesednessn without husband, child friend TO pro
vide for and comfort them to life OF poverty and
loneliness, exposed to temptation 20 perverted alec
tons to unlawful means to crafty them TO the
cessty OF selling themselves for lucre. While the
who has abundance Of means Is tempted 20 spend
mistress in secret and in avcss way while the law OF
God would have given her to him honorable wife
These circumstances give rise 10 murder infantcde sui