The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-10-06
politics Gerature asrinu 5finf Aatp General unelaeu


a
wives belonging to any one mani
3. VI have fifteen; | know no one
who has more; but some Of those sealed
to me are old ladies whom | regard rath-
er as mothers than wives. but whom
have taken home to cherish and support
II. G-Does not the Apostle Paul say
that Bishop should be ''tha husband of
one wifei"
b. Y.-So we hold. We do not re-
gard any but married man as fitted for
the Office of bishop. But the Apostle
does not forbid bishop having more
wives than one.
H. G.-Dose not Christ say that he
who puts away his wife, or marries one
whom another has put away commits a.
duteryl
B. Y.--Yes; and I hold that no man
should ever put away wife except for
adultry-not always even for that. Such
is my Individual view of the matter.
do not say that wives have never been
put away in our Church, but that l do
not approve of the practice.
| H. Glow do you regard what is
com n only termed the Christian Sabbath
/ B. Y-As a divinely appointed day Of
rest. We enjoin all to rest from secular
labor on that day. We would have no
man enslaved to the Sabbath, but We en-
join all to respect aud enjoy it.
Such is, as nearly as can reccolect
the substance of nearly two hours con-
versation, wherein much was said Incl
dentally that would not be worth report
ing, even IL could remember and repro.
duce it, and wherein others bore a part;
but, as President Young is the first min
lister of the Mormon Church, and bore
the principal part in the conversation,
have reported his answers alone to my
questions and observations. ,1'he others
appeared uniformly to defer to bis views,
and to acquiesce fully iO his responses
and explanations. He spoke readily, not
always with gram aticsl accuracy, but
with no appearance Of hesitation or re.
seve, and with no apparent desire to con.
ccal any thing, nor did he repel any Of
my questions as iupertinent He was
very plainly dressed in tbinsummer cloth.
ing, and with no air of sanctimouy or
fanaticism. In appearance, be is port
ly, frank, eood-natured, rather thick, sc,
man of ffty-67e, seeming to enjoy life
and be in no particular hurry to get to
heaven. His associates are plain men
evidently born and reared to life of la
Dor, and looking as little like crafty by.
posrities OF swindlers as any body of men
| ever met. The absence OF cant or snuff
fe from their manner was marked and
general, yet. l think I may fairly say
that their Mormonism has not impover.
ished them-that they we're generally
poor men when they embraced it, and are
now in very comfortable circumstances
as men averaging three or four wives a
piece certainly need to be.
III hazard any criticisms on Mormon
ism generally, reserve them for sepe
rate letter, being determined to make
this fair and full expose of the doctrine
and polity, in the very words Of its Proph
ct, so far as | can recall them. | do moi
believe President Young himself could
present them in terms calculated to rem
der them less obnoxious to the Gentle
world than the above. But | have
right to add here, because [ said it to sht
assent bled chiefs at the close of the above
colloquy. that the degradation Tor, if yot
please, the restrictoD) of Woman to tn,
single Office Of child bearing and its &C
ccssories, is an inevitable consequence o
the system here paramount. | have no
observed sign in the streets, an adver
tsemeut in the journals of this Mormol
metropolis, whereby woman propose
to do anything whatever. No Mormon
has ever cited to me bis wife's or an,
woman's opinion on any subject; no Nor
mon woman has been introduced or ha
J spoken to me; and, though | have bee
asked to visit Mormons in their houses
} DO one has spoken of bis wife (or wives
desiring to see me, or his desiring me t
make her Cor their) acquaintance, or vol
r UNFAIRLY indicated the existence of such
being or beings. will not attempt t
report our talk on this subject because
: unlike what | have above given, it as
> sumed somewhat the character of di.
putation, and conld hardly give it in
: partially; but one remark made by Pres
ident Young | think / can give accurate
ly and it may serve as sample of a
} that was offered on that side. 1t was i
these words, | think exactly: "If di
not consider myself competent to transat
acertain business without taking my wife
or pny woman's counsel with regard to i
t | think ought to let that business alone.
The spirit with regard to Woman, Of th
: entire Mormon, as of all other polygami
systems, is fairly displayed in this avow
g al. Let any such system become estat
/ lished and prevalent, and Woman vi
} soon be confined to the harem, and be
= appearance in the street with unveile
/ face will be accounted immodest. joJ
! fully trust that the genious of the Nine
e teenth Century tends to solution of til
problem of Womsn's sphere and destin
' radically different from this.