The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-23
AMONG TIE SAINTS.
An inside view. OF nIermOndon- Review Of
II |. u POlYnlIlY In IIlnh.

when questioned closely on the score OF poly
gamy a Mormon will say;--"The Prophet
revealed Il, aud we are commanded to do il for
the salvation of ourselves and the women. But
their religion teaches them that the highest duty
OF man Is to become father and inc more
times he repeats himself on earth the more glory
will he receive in heaven. Women are in
structed that to become mothers and raise up
children to the Lord is but the duty assigned
them by their Maker. And many OF the ladies
or forget all the finer feelings in their
nature, and, in this life of degradation find
comfort in the thought that they are serv-
ing the Lord or following the precepts OF HIM
who said unto the woman, "Go, and sin no
more"
DO WOMEN BELIEVE 1T RIGHT?
But few women, however, indorse this doc
trine of polygamy, and then only through re-
ligious fervor. The balance merely submit.
Indeed, what else can they do? When the elder
in the church, or the correspondent imbued with
Mormonistic prejudices, tells you that they are
happy, don't believe them Take reason first,
and afterwards talk with the women, If you can
obtain an opportunity TO do so. Ask OF the
woman who has been wife for many years
who gave her first love to the husband OF her
youth-ask of her if she believes 1t right to have
the place she has heretofore held in her hus-
bands heart and home usurped by younger
and more enticing woman. Talk with them and
they will tell you, as they have told Others that
they would rather that their darlings soul
would wing its way to God who gave it than that
the loved one should live and suffer as they have
suffered, in the destruction of the hearts best
and holiest affections. All this, and much more,
can be learned by conversing with those in whom
fanatieism has not destroyed womanhood.
WHY MORE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT HEARD.
1t is extremely difficult for Gentiles to obtain
interviews with Mormon ladies, or to gain adj
mittance to their family circle. The reason
given for this by the Mormons is very sound and
good so far as it goes They will tell you that
men have often come among them, and after re-
manning for time would marry one of their
young ladies, and by-and-by he would leave her
often after she became mother, and they would
see him no more and the mother and child
would be left for them to support. This Is the
reason assigned for their eXclusiyeness. Women,
too, are forbidden to talk of their plurality sys-
TEN, even among themselves, and they are
Ataught that it is the height of impiety to rebel
against this custom. One of their best informed
ladies made the following remark regarding it:
''When woman can disabuse her mind of all
her former teachings, when she can tear from
her heart all love for her husband and the father
of her children, she may be comparatively happy
in polygamy and not before"
WOMEN IRE NOT FORCED TO MARRY.
The Mormons say that women do this of their
own free will, that they are not forced to become
the additional wife. Let us see if this is true.
Literally, they don't drag them away and marry
them, but their situation is forced on them none
the less. The teachings of the elders, the cease
less prosecutions of the saints, from which there
is no escape, compels them to yield. Besides
the great prepOnderance oil women renders IL
probable that II they do not marry a man who
already has one or more wives, they must re-
main unwedded. The teacher, the elder, the
bishop, and the prophet, all urging woman to
marry man, with the penalty OF expulsion from
the church If she refuses, would be considered
moral force in most places elsewhere and Gen
tiles consider it equivalent to physical force,
even in Salt Lake City.
WOMEN ARE FREE TO LEAVE THE CHURCH AND
CITY.
Such is the assertion which you hear on every
hand when you talk with the Mormons regard
ing their women. They will say, IF my wife is
dissatisfied she may go. would not try to pre-
vent it. Our women are the freest on earth.
Let us look into this also. In the first place. the
assertion is utterly false the retutation of 1t
being patent to any who inquiries into their life.
Women have no rights, no property. Hereto
fore there has been no chance for them to
escape. Examples are numerous where they
have tried to escape and have been brought back,
though generally the fact does not come before
the public. / will call the attention of the Nor
mons themselves to one or two cases, which ii
would be very hard for them to deny
wIFE's DEVOTION REWARDED WITH TREACH-
ERY THROUGH MORMON INFLUENCES.
number of years since a man, who is now
an elder in the Church and brother of another
elder, lived in an Eastern city, the husband of a
noble woman, who owned some property in her
own right. The man joined the Mormons, and
his wife, with true womanly devotion, mort
gagged her property to enable them to remove to
Salt Lake. The family lived happily for some
years, one of the daughters marrying a wealthy
man, with whom she is still living. The wife's
property in the East was sold and the money
invested in real estate in the city, in the hus-
bands name. Then came the edict that all true
Saints should decd their property to the Church
to be held in trust for them. The property
bought by this woman's money was so decided by
the husband. Then the husband was ordered to
take another wife, and he complied. Then his
wife, robbed of her property and her husband,
left his roof and went to her daughters, where
she is still living. Business called the son-in-
law from the Territory, and he took his family
with him. The mother of his wife attempted tC
go with her daughter, and three times was she
brought back by the Mormon authorities OF
frivolous pretexts, and finally she had to pro
cure an escort of soldiers to guard her out o.
the Territory
THE YOUNG WIFE OF AN ANCIENT ''sAINT,
AFTER DESERVING HIM, is INTIMIDATED By
THREATS. sr.
A very pious old Mormon, besides having
several wives, was married or sealed, as they
term ii, TO young and very pretty girl, who
from the pressure brought to bear on her by the
Church, consented to the sacrifice. He treated
her unkindly, and she, loathing his caresses
escaped from him and took refuge in a Gentle
family in Salt Lake City. The family employed
her, and told her that as long as she chose tC
stay with them they would protect her. Aftel
the expiration of several weeks the man who
claimed her called at the house TO get her. bu
she refused to see him, and the gentleman will
whom she was staying would not permit him tC
see her against her will. The old fellow wen
away yowing that he would have her. The mex
day the girl went out and called on some of he
Mormon friends, and came back very sad She
said that they would curse her soul ii she die
not 90 with her husband, and she was foolisl
enough to believe they had the power. Agar
the old man came this time with policeman
and without knocking at the gentleman s door
fhaf xVa n