, 1858-09-03
Later From Salt Lake.

AhO opOSlol SOAAOopOhAOhh VI Wv A0"N
Francisco Bulletin, writing from Salt Lake
city under date of July 10th, 1858, after
describing his visit to the city of Ogden
and the different settlements in its vicinity,
says
The most AouriShing of these is known
as Sessions Settlement distant some ten
miles from the chief city of "Ziou," aud
founded by Peregrine Sessions, q native of
New England, who drove the first team
over the site which now bears his name. 1t
was nearly sun-dowp, when my pony halted
before Peregrine's house, apparently at
tracted thither by a great sign adorning its
front, aud promising entertainment" !"
Thinking here might be an opportunity for
some further study Of Mormon character, l
concluded to stop for the night.
BROTHER sEssIoNs-A MORMON FAMILY.
Brother Sessions I found to be one of
the most intelligent and apparently one of
the most honest Mormons of the Valley.
From him learned, what indeed was al
ready apparent at a glance, that he had
the finest locality for farming purposes any
where in the Valleys of the Mountains" I"
but even here, three or four hundred acres
measurement would cover every foot Of
land fit for cultivation. Entering the
house, found that mine host was the lord
of three wives only, by each of whom be
has several children. Naturally fond of
the little ones, l gathered several Of them
about me, when their father proceeded to
tell me, tohich Of his children were brothers
and sisters, and which were not. This was
the first practical illustration 1 had of the
Mormon practice Of denying the fraternal
relationship between children, both of whose
parents were not the same. 1t is needless
to say, that, to my simple vision, it was
strange sight to see q father pointing to
portion of his own children, and stating
that hey were not brothers and sisters.
You may remember, that Brigham some
time ago declared, that he hoped to see
the day when these halfbrothers and sis
ters should be able to intermarry as freely
as though no kindred blood flowed in their
veins.
Sessions, 1 should suppose to be natu-
rally kind man-one who would be likely
to make o single-wived family comfortable
and happy. 1t needed no second glance,
however, to show that his pOlygamous
household was disjointed. The father and
husband is well to do, so far as wealth is
concerned but his wives seemed gloomy,
detected and wretched. There was moth
ing Of tenderness, nor even Of kindness,
between the head Of the house and his
women" Not that there was any wrang-
ling-at least in my presence-but the ut
ter absence Of all evidence of respect, not
to say Of love or affection, was painful to
witness. Each wife was sad, detected and
restrained in manner, evidently distrustful
of the others, and conscious that she had
no exclusive nor any certain title o the
favor of the husband, except as she might
earn it by humiliating vassalage or the
menial price Of economical household SER
vitude.
STATEMENT OF MoRMoNIsM = PoLYGAMY ITS
BAsIs-rHE FATHER THE FUTURE GOD.
After supper l obtained the privilege Of
sleeping in Brother Sessions barn-yard,
under the lee of a fine stack of straw-as
there were no accommodations 10 be had
in the house. When my host accompanied
me out to my expansive, star-canopied
couch, embraced the opportunity to probe
him little upon the subject Of polygamy,
with view to obtaining, if possible, a
clear declaration Of the Mormon doctrine
in support of this peculiar institution
which hitherto l had failed to procure,
Brother Sessions entered upon the task
with commendabls zeal, promising BY the
suggestion that it would be necessary to be
q little discursiVe before be came to the
point. His argument, brief as l can make
it was, substantially thus God, the father
of US all, is only perfected man, being
who has followed natures law of progress
sion until be attained the highest scale Of
excellence. We are all children Of God in
a natural sense. God has a wife, although
the Bible don't say much about her,-and
she is our mother We of the present
day are parents only to the bodies Of our
children : the tabernacles Of clay into
which God puts the souls or spirits. These
spirits are born Of God and his wife Jesus
Christ was only a man, like all the rest oI
US. He was no more the sou Of God y
than is every one Of US but be was the
frst-born son, and so is our elder brother
Mary lOas not a virgin when the angel told
her husband to fear not. She had con
ceiVed the child known as Jesus, naturally
Just as every other mother had conceived
but into the tabernacle to which she gave
birth, God put the " first born" of biz
spiritual progeny, instead Of the fifteenth
or twentieth million that's all
After we die and enter into future stat
of existence, we are to progress eternally
will all become gods ourselves in due time
and will be each furnished with a world Il
people with our progeny, just as God peo
pled this world with bis /; As one sta
differs from another in glory, SO shall it b.
in the resurrection" says the scripture
and the measure Of glory which each shal
attain in Eternity, is to be guaged by hi
success in peOpliDg the world given to him