The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-12-23

-iltt gfftg1fa9t oHz 70 gtl1 IL saEt4S kHf
esna .na NO. 49,
tMormen Elder ia the Nov York world =
THE POET PRIESTEsS OF SALT
goGmse LAKE. 80 ~ a'iI
Here is the womun who, from the
beginning, hos led in all the repre-
sentative female movements Of the
church, She is, in fact, the type Of
Mormon civilization in its prophetic
and priestly character on tho woman e 3 q
side; and being also ttZionts Poetesso1
as well % High Priestess, she is, more
over. the type Of the idealities of Nor
mondom. !,
There is religious romance in the
life OF this woman. In her Young
womanhood she worshipped the Nor
mon prophet, and religious idolatry OF
the man drew her into the tenderest
relationship with him. Nature. as
well as destiny. had made them spirit
ual mates, and she became Joseph's
bride Of eternity. From that day the
Saints have looked upon Eliza B.
Snow as the celestial queen OF the
church.
The young poetess wrote talented
eulogiss on the prophet, which par
took much OF the quality OF psalms to
Q deity. Undoubtedly. this charmed
Joseph, for he was Of strong, affec.
tionate nature, and he loved his dis
ciples as much as they adored hip,.-
Unlike the self-conscious Brigham
Young, who cares but little about the
lapprobation Of others, but everything
for his own viii and purposes, Joseph
was raptured by the praise Of his dis
ciples, either male or female. Tender
or ardent words completely conquered
him; and sometimes his weakness in
this placed him in the hands Of false
friends. How, then, could he resist
the religious idolatry Of this beautiful
and gifted daughter of Zion" Her
head was finely organized; her fore
head classical, but not broad her
nose Of the artist tyr e; her mouth ele-
CANT and worshipful in its expression.
rather than powerful or masculine r :
her neck swan-like; her hair lnxnriant
and dark as the ravens plume; her
eyebrows and lashes plentiful and
isoft, and within the eyes which they
shaded burned the FIRE Of prophecy.
i Sister Eliza" was the prophets q
kindred spirit-his other half-his
second self. Who could doubt it?-
Certainly not young seer, who
though married to the masculine EN-.
ma Hale, was now, for the first time,
raptured with an ideal love. Emma
Joseph's first wife, was the most mark.
ed woman of the church at that time
but she represented strength of char
} actsr, not the gentle, clinging wife
She was, however, as rod Of iror
upon which Joseph could lean, but as
, q rod OF iron to smite him TO the
earth and divide his kingdom agains,
him, as she has since done in raising
!, up the rival monogamic church, under
, the leadership of Joseph, her frs,
born. Joseph was Eliza's God, and
, it was delightful for him to retire from
, the strong-minded, iron-willed first
wife into the heart of lions high
!, lpriestess-this woman Of plastic gen.
, ius and hero-worshippiDg nature.
1t is scarcely wonderful that out o.
the romance Of the young prophet.
D life-for Joseph was not yet forty q
his martyrdom-there should hays
3 grown up polygamic relations.
OIL On one side there were adoring wo
! men, like Eliza B. Snow, young, gift
. led and beautiful; on the other hand
masterful first wife, who saw not il
her prophet husband her idol, neithel
!. as woman or disciple. Indeed,
believe Emma, the first wife, rather
: despised her husband than worshipet
him, while Eliza, the poetess, and tn,
two handsome daughters of Bishol
: Edward Partridge, .worshiped at th'
I prophets shrine, and they became hi
wives. ,..
These women are still among tn,
female leaders of Mormondom, ant
Emmaline Partridge and Eliza B
Snow are now numbered among tn
wives of Brigham Young. who stand
: as the great proxy of,Joseph Smith. =
eUndoubtedly Brigham would have ta
}. ken Emma Hale as well, but the FRS
!. .Iwife of the Prophet hated Brigham
u Young even more than she despise,
= her husband, i and so the celestia
. elqueenship of the church fell upol
= Eliza B. Snow.
III But Elias love for Joseph, and hi
Z love for her was .Platonic. They ney
i er were actually husband and wife,
o neither has she, in this sense, been th
: wife of any man. She is still anon
= the Virgins of Israel" and in he
y life she has been more of nun, wed
D ded to her Lord, than the wife of
y mortal. This is the reason why sh
= has always been called in the Church
ai Miss Eliza B. Snow" i1 3zssaisse
The Hebraic constitution of th
mind of Eliza B. Snow is well illus
II trated in the poem of her opening lii
y as o s'saint.ridagsa 8 SAgfA na9h ta4
"My heart is hxed-I know in whom I trust Z
* Sister Eliza scars to . higher sphez
= than that of earth, and God, not cs
= ture, is the source of her inspiration
!, tShe is well illustrated in her celebrs
ted Invocation to the Eternal1F Fathe
4 and acknowledgements: i
Il o, my father. thou that dwsllest
!" xal In thy, high and holy place., 1l:i =
let When shall regain thy presence,
mi. .ili'u When again behold thy face f'e-
- Ls*sHes4ng* ens esass o.
,et 49,. In the heavens are psrsnts singlsia, q
9TI A1A ANoI tha thuu ghf m kea ronaon staro.