Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-02-22
NOrmOns Marriage.

rated, entitled The City OF the Saints, by
Richard f. Burton, the great English traveller
shonnds not only in valuable information as to
:he character OF the people and their religious
belief, but gives the most understandable ac
count of their doctrine of the plurality of wives
hat we have yet met with. We have endeav-
ored, from the work before US, to give some
idea Of what is the ground upon which the
Mormons defend this peculiar institution OF
theirs That their reasons are all talacl0us
and are only sustained by precedents beyond
the pale of civilization, and arguments that are
ike ropes of sand, will be seen by the in-
eligeDt reader
Mr.. Burton tells us that the system OF plu-
atty OF wives is called by the Mormons, zee
iestial marriage" and is based on "reVela-
:ion'' claimed to have been given to Joseph
Smith, the seer, in Nauvoo, July 18th, 1913,
in TWENTY-FIVE verses. The twentieth verse is
10 the following words:
80. Verify | say unto you, command
ment | give unto my handmaid, Emma Smith
your wife, whom have given unto you, that
she stay herself and partake not OF that which
command you to offer unto her; for did it,
saith the Lord, to prove you all. as L did
Abraham, and that might require an offer
ing of your hand by covenant and sacrifice; and
let mine handmade, Emma Smith, receive all
those e(wives)that have been given to my servant
Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before
ne; and those who are not pure, and have SAID
:hey are pure, shall be destroyed, saith the
Lord God; for l am the Lord thy God, and ye
9hall obey my voice; and give unto my SER
Vant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over
many things &c.
The twenty-fir verse tells the gentle Emma
hat 81 am the Lord thy God, and will destroy
'her if she abide not in my Law" and that
Joseph will be multiplied hundred fold In
houses and lands, and wives and children. The
,yenty. fourth verse is In the following words:
''24. And again, as pertaining to the law OF
priest t-hood If any man espOuse vlrgln,and
desire to espouse another, and the hrst give
ner consent; and if he eSpOuses the seconG, and
.hey are virgins, and have vowed to no other
man. then he is justified, he cannot commit
adultery, for they are gwen unto him; ana II
he have ten virgins given unto HIM by this
law, he cannot commit adultery, for they be-
long to him, and are given to him; therefore
he is justified. But If one or either OF the ten
virgins, alter she is espOused, shall go with
another man, she has committed adultery aud
shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him
10 multiply and replenish the earth, according
20 my commandments, and TO fulfil the prom
ise which was given by my Father before the
foundation Of the world, and tor the exaltatlon
OF the external worlds, that they may bear the
souls OF men; Tor herein Is the work OF my
Father continued, that he my be glorihed,
These two verses gives the foundation and
inception of the Mormon doctrine OF Celestial
Marriage, in the form ofa revelation from God.
there can be no doubt, however, that this ad-
illion to the Mormon faith was really occasloned
u the fact that large proportion OF the con-
'ertS were females. The other motive for pol
gyamy in Utah Is economy. Servants are rare
end costly, and 1t is found to be cheaper and
md more comfortable to marry: them. Many
converts are also attracted by the prospect OF
becoming wives, especially from some such
places as Clifton, in England, where there are
Two females to one male. They also contend
that single woman cannot perform the mani
;Old duties of housekeeping, cooking, washing,
2cruhbing, darning, and nursing family OF
ohildren--that division of labor is necessary,
Gnd she finds it by acquiring slsterhood. The
arst wife is, however, the lady of the house,
md the others are mere servants, and ii hu-
nan nature in Utah is the same as elsewhere,
hey must have a warm time OF 1t.
1t is historical fact that Emma, the wltc
Of the Prophet Joseph, rebeled against the
quently became the wife of Mr.. Bridemann. -
She was strong minded woman, and Joseph
said OF her, that she could not be contented
10 Heaven without rule" A few OF the Nor
mon females, we are told, mostly from the old
country, lament that Mr. Joseph Smith ever
asked of the Creator that question which they
all believe to have been answered in the affirm
ative. The many are, however, as might
be exl ected, of the easily moulded weaker yes
sci, which proves it's interior position by the
delicate hattery OF imitation, more IN favor OF
pOlygamy than the stronger For the attach
Inent of the women of the Saints to the doc
lrlne OF plurality many reasons are gwen. The
Mormon prophets have expended all theirs arts
upon this end, well-knowing that without the
aesrty Co operation of mothers and wives, SIS
iers and daughters. no institution can live long.
they have bribed them with promises OF Para