New-York tribune., 1870-08-22
POLYGAMY.
THE DEBATE AT SALT LAKE CITY.

| 'hEiNiiCED fOIYGAMY-HOW 1T WAS AN
| UP.
oALr LAKE CRY, Aug. 15.-After six days of
negotiation, the debate poygsmy. between the Rev.
mr. newman and Elder Orson Pratt agreed on at
noon OF the i2h the question to be, Does the Bble
sanction polygamy Elder Pratt 10 take the affirmative
M Newman tho negative. Three sessions OF two hours
eaeh' equally div ded between the disputants and TO
ehe Pace on three successive days. commencing on the
l2h' were agreed Elder Pratt chose Judge Snow
moderator; Mr.. Newman chose Judge Hswey, and they
together chose Marshal Patrick The preimnaries had
peen settled only two hours previous to the opening
OF the debate, and only about 20oO people were
present. Elder John Taylor opened the session with
prayer and then Elder Pratt commenced, citing Deut
XXI. 10, l6, II: "I man have two wives" &C.; Ex.
1A 7-lo: II man sell his daughter" 60; Deut XIV,
and onward. =" IL brethren dwell together" &c;
humb XXI, II, 49, concerning saving the Mdlanitish
virgins; Deut XXI I0-13: when thou goest forth to
war;" &C.. as sanctioning and commanding polygamy,
BECAUSE as nc affirmed the IL tribes OF Israel originated
In and practced down to the coming OF Christ
ooth homogeneous and poygamous marriage being
recognized among them and these texts were OF
general and not special application. II the contrary
could be shown, he would have to yield the point but
until 1t should be- they had the right to construe these
passages as not only sanconng, but absolutely COM
| manding polygamy. Neither could the Christians
clude them from the Church, because it would be ncon
sstent to cut them Off from the Gospel for their obed
ence to the law Of God He cited Exodus, xx 49, IT, re-
quiring man who should seduce maid to marry her;
ana Deut KILL 2 90 requiring the same In case OF rape,
ana claimed that there exception in these laws In
favor Of married persons forgetting apparently that
the cohabtation Of married man with woman other
than his wife was adultery punishable not by compul-
sorry marriage OF his victim, but by death.
His next point made in lid Chron. XIV O. g. Is, IS,
which relates that Jehoiada the priest two wives
to Joas the King and then says that JOash did right all
to ripe old age, died. and buried among the kings
because he had done right both toward God and toward
His house. Next referred to Hosea, chapters
H. and ILL.,, where it is said that God commanded Hosea
to take harot and adulteress to wife, and 1t
claimed that God commanded poygamy and also some
times suspended His own laws, andeven ordered them
to be broken, not for example and imitation,
said Mr.. Pratt but for a special purpose His
Jaw requiring q man TO espouse the widow
OF deceased brother which is in opposition TO the law
OF consanguiny, and his command to Abraham to slay
Isaac in contraventon Of the law against murder were
other instances OF the kind showing that the Lord
has right change His law II He please. And If He
30 command us, must obey. Suppose, said he, 1t
should proved that the Bible sanctioned polyga
That would be why we should practice it, We
must have a command OF The people In these
valleys do not practice poygamy because Moses au-
thorized it, because the eminent men Of Bible times
practiced it. They did it
met the expectations of his friends had presented his
texts and maintained their pertinency and force so far
he had time, In good deal OF the same style as the
minister did who argued against high headdresses from
the text atop not come down." from Let him that is
on the housetop not come down" His manner was
calm and courteous iu the superatiye degree.
SEwMAS's REPLY.
Mr.. Newman said he had desired nine hours for the
discussion OF this question but having been reduced to
three by mutual consent he would proceed at once to
define the question Does the Bblo sanction poygamyf
does 1t now not did II formeryf Does the Bible, in the
received English translation the Septuagent Greek
transations OF in the original Hebrew, sanctonsanc
ton-hat is command, not tolerate. not suffer or reg-
late, but command poygamyi Here followed an exposi-
ton OF the derivation and meaning OF the word being
plurality of wives husbands not Of wives only The
correct for that polygamy There was another
word closely connected with these-poygandry-
a plurality of husbands. 1t seemed to him
that might legally ndrghtfuy have many wives
q woman might have many husbands. tApplause from
the women-'sh-'sh-sh and Kisses from the men, Mr.
Newman maintained that the Bible a. 1t stands is
authentic the fact that the original manuscripts had
been being of consequence that was composed
of history biography, prophecy, law poetry instruc
ton &C., and that should not confound historical
statements with precept and nlunctlon' Inc New les
lament commentary ON the od; For example,
Christ commenting on tae m aw Sa 1i man pnt ony an
adulterer who marries more women than one nut VINO
pser that II any part of the Bible had been in effect
repealed, then it is not now of binding force;
established by God in the time OF mans innocency-be
tween one and one woman, in IT'S nature lts eie-
defenses-and maintained that poygamy invented Dy
man since his apostay struck down and destroyed TINS
its three fold object by lessening his capacity for com
panionshp and by causing Rrspohoerffbheo fbs EN- IN
tinction OF the race and defeating pro-creation by
giving man more license IN SEXUAL u e. anu hs oh
cations Of reciprocal love and mutual anectoni IL aug
tect woman In view Of the usual distributor Of goods
none kings nabobs and priests could aiord IT, ana
the course of this exposition OF the true and exposure OF
the spurious marriage, he drew picture OF the monoga
Compelled an involuntary burst of applause
He next turned his attention TO Elder Pratts texts
back TO he anteduvan after his OPPONENT and exposed
the absurdty Of attacking the assumption that Decause
therefore that the model for all subsequent mar
by such reasoning as 3st theme Sa ona Garden
TO till nobody should ever I'LL two gardens or because
ANYTHING else clothing In this there was failure
10 distinguish between the essentials and the ncdenta
Of marriage. He maintained that when Cain murdered
Abel he was not married and therefore his crime could
NOT have grown out of monogamy while, on the other
nan ssHmptisn that he had come to claim his rights
The first marriage In Eden was not hlstorlcaa iaet
refered to by Malachi Jesus and st. Paul as the ex-
preston of great law And so me S manner @ap Prs Is
much and the MormOns seemed to think Therefore that
he could @ a aSt m he Rad define the question and
I've bis idea OF Bible marriage contradistingished
from polygamous marriage first As the assembly dis-
nersed cheerful murmur OF conversation rose IRON the
crowd in anticipation suppose OF further victory Oh
Wiz SECOND DAY-AFFIRMATTyE.
There we're about 1900 people present After prayer,
Mr. Pratt began by insisting that the original manuscript
copy OF the Bible lost He, however accepted as
Il stands as conclusive evidence of polygamy He de-
id mot the Savior said that marrying more than one
,uoman constituted adultery, and challenged the proof
lie admitted Mr. Newman's definition OF the term sane
~ no In ia fall force. He had brought force
Yesterday passage after passage from King James James
RIsio In whch polygamy commanded under penalty
20 ~ heaviest curse OF the law. II this was not sane,