The New York herald., 1870-05-25
Brigham Yeung's Challenge To rnc Rev.
DIR. Newman.

DIR. Newman.
The challenge offered by the adipose Nor
mon chief and patriarch, Brigham Young-the
man Of many wives, much hopes and great
faith--to meet the Rev. DR.. Newman in fair
controversy on the question Of polygamy in
the centre of Mormonism, at Salt Lake City, is
an event in the history Of that remarkable
people both novel and startling. DIR. New
man, it will be remembered, delivered very
able discourse In Washington not many weeks
ago against polygamy. 1t was able because 1t
was almost exhaustive Of Scriptural authorl-
ties against the system. The preacher showed
that, although the patriarchs Of old practised
the system, there was really no authority In
law to sustain them; In fact, that the prece-
dent which they established was no precedent
at all except as a violation Of law and morals
as laid down by divine precept. 1t Is
not admitted by the learned preacher
that because Abraham and David and
Solomon. and the other prominent prac-
titi0ners, in the science of p0lygamy
pursued the bent of their inclinations in this
respect that they were acting within the limits
of the divine law as given by Noses. but
rather that they were outside the line and had
no dogma dc .Jlze to justify them. Polygamy
was custom Of those days, it is true; but DR..
Newman contends that it was a custom which
would have been in the ancient patriarchal
days, as it would be now, ''more honored in
the breach than the observance" In short,
that there is no authority in the Scriptures to
sanction the system of multitude of wives,
and that it, was as much violation of divine
law and as great social evil in the days Of
Abraham and Solomon as in these latter day
sanity days.of Brigham Young and family
Now all these arguments-new indeed, but
cogent as they are-which DR.. Newman urged,
were faithfully recorded in the HERALD, and
the Apostle of Salt Lake, who, no doubt, is a
regular reader of this journal, found in
our columns, all the way out in the
Salt Desert, this challenge to- meet,
upon logical and Scriptural grounds,
the objections to the Mormon system. Brig
ham Young has met DR.. Newman with bold
challenge to argue the question in the Taber-
Iu3Clc ~ OIcoS Cuis A4uh0 Oi8, ohu LIZ ASOV
man has feariessly consented to join issue with
the Mormons ON their own ground--in the
midst of all their wives and children, their full
congregation, Danites included.
It will no doubt be an interesting debate.
The modern patriarchs of the desert will of
course endeavor to show that they are only
following in the footsteps of the patriarchs of
old. But they will have to meet the argument
Of DR.. Newman. that practice does not make
law in the matter Of polygamy any more than
it does in the matter of burglary or petty lar
ceny. We shall watch, with the prospect of
some enjoyment how the saints and prophets
and orators will expand themselves upon this
new biblical view. They will have to take
issue with Moses as against Father abraham,
or with Abraham as the model Of their system
against the thunders of Sinai--a position
which DR.. Newman denies him. If the disputa'
ton should occur in Brigham's temple, al
arranged, it may effect very curious and
perhaps, important revolution in Mormonisn
and in our relations with the Mormon territory