The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-08-30

b. VI have fifteen; | know no one who has
more; but of those sealed to me old ladies
whom regard rather as mothers than wives, but
whom have taken home to cherish and support.
H. G-Does not the Apostle Paul say that a
bishop should be 'the husband of one wife?"
b. Y-So we hold. We do not regard any but
a married man as fitted for the Office of Bishop.
But the Apostle does not forbid bishop having
more wives than one.
H. G-Does not Christ say that he who puts
away his wife, or marries one whom another has
put away commits adultery.
b. Yves; and hold that man should
ever put away wife except for adultery-not
always even for that Such is my individual
views 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. Chow do you regard what is commonly
termed the Christian Sabbath!
B. Y.-As divinely appointed day of rest
We enjoin all to rest from secular labor that day
We would have no man enslaved to the Sabbath,
but enjoln all to enjoy it.
Such is as nearly as | can reeollect, the sub
stance of nearly two hours conversation, wherein
much wac said incidentally that would not be
worth reporting. l have reported his answers
alone to my questions and observations. The
others appeared uniformly to defer to his views,
and to acquesce fully in his responses and expla-
/
NAUTICAL accuracy but with no hesitation reserve.
He was very plainly dressed in thin summer
clothing and with no air of sanctuary or fanatic
ism. In appearance, he is portly, frank, good
natured, rather thick-set of fifty five, seeming
to enjoy life, and to be in particular hurry to
get to heaven. His associates plain men,
evidently born and reared to life Of labor, look
ing little like crafty hypocrtes or swindlers as
any body of men [ ever met. The absence of cant
or shuttle from their manner was marked and gen.
eral, yet think may fairly say that their Nor
monism has not impoverished thenl-that they
were generally poor men when they embraced it,
and are now in very comfortable circumstances-as
men averaging three or four wives apiece certainly
need to he.
said to the assembled chiefs at the close of the
above colloquy, that the degradation Cor, if you
please, the restriction) of Woman to the single
office of child-bearng and it's accessories, is in
evitable consequence Of the system here para
| mount [ have not observed a sign in the stree;
an advertisement in the journals, of this Mormon
metropolis, whereby woman proposes to do any
thing whatever. No Mormon has ever cited to me
his wife's or womans opinion on any subject; no
Mormon woman has been introduced or has spoken
to me- and, though | have been asked to visit
Mormons at their houses no one has spoken OF his
wife Cor wlves) desiring to sec me- or his desiring
to make her or their acquaintance, voluntari-
y indicated the existence ofsuch being or beings;
will not attempt to report our talk on this sub
ject because, unlike what have above given, it
assumed somewhat the character of disputation,
and could hardly give it impartialy; but one re-
mark made by President Young think can give
accurately, and it may serve as example of all
that was offered on that side. 1t in these words
l think exactly: "If l did not consider myself
competent to transact a certain business without
taking my wife's any woman's counsel with re-
gard to it, think l ought to let that business
alone The spirit with regard to Woman, of the
entire Mormon as of all other polygamic systems,
is fairly displayed in this avowal. Let any such
system become established prevalent, and Woman
will soon be confined to the heram her appear
i'll the street with unveiled face will be count
ed immodest. joyfully trust the genius Of the
Nineteenth Century tends to a solution of the
problem of Moman's sphere and destiny radically
different from this