The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-05-31
A LETTER FROM UTAH.

We cheerfully comply with the
request to make room in our paper
for the following interesting letter
TO one of our citizens, concerning
Mormonism.-ED.l
SALT LAKE, May y, 1872.
MY DEAR BROTHER: AS 1 am
laid up with a broken shoulder,
thought 1 would while away few
of the tedious hours in giving a
sketch of Mormonism, as 1 have
seen it as all of my dealings have
been with Mormons, and l have had
chance to look into their houses
and into the hearts of many of the
women and children, the innocent
victims of this hydra-headed mons
frosty. Innocent, 1 say, for there
are hundreds, and don't doubt
there are thousands, of women,
second, third, and may be seventh
wives, who will tell you that at II,
IA, or 16, whatever their age when
made wives, (and let me here state,
that in nine cases out of ten the VIC
tim had about as much voice in the
matter as the slave used to have as
to whom his master should be,)
they thought that pOlygamy was
the universal practice of the world,
with the exception of few fanati-
cal outside barbarians, who reject
the teachings of the patriarchs and
prophets, and will not receive the
commands of the Almighty as re-
vealed to his Prophet Joseph, and
his successor Brigham-for such is
the gist of every sermon 1 have
heard in the Tabernacle. But as age
and expert ence ripens their under
standing, the scales fall from their
eyes. The fact that many q woman
has been driven to insanity and self
destruction, tells how fearful that
awakening must have been. There
are volumes in the fact, that in the
goth ward graveyard, there is an
overwhelming majority of little
graves. They tell of the drudgery,
the hardships, jealousies, heart
burnings, and the semi-conscious,
self-humiliating reflections that
weigh down the spirit of the moth
er, and trample out the life of her
unborn offspring. But sealed wives
are not the only victims. The first
wife of prominent Elder (Mrs.
Sievenson) who is woman of re-
finement and apparent culture,
whom 1 was questioning i'll order
to see if she really believed in this
abomination, said: "Why, Mr.
Hurlburt, do you think for mo-
ment, that if l did not know thai
this is an institution of the Lord, 1
who love my husband better than
my own life, would or could live
and give him up to another woman
Poor, weak human nature would
never endure that, but for thC
knowledge that it is from God, and
that His grace is sufficient to hell
me to bear this CT oss."
There are men here married t.
their own half-sisters; mothers ani
daughters married to the same man
and numerous instances where two
or more sisters are married to tn,
same man. There are hundreds o
the first wives cast OF, and left Il
take care of themselves. Disobe
dieDce to husbands is the unpardon
, able sin, and is denounced from tn
pulpit every Sunday, and disobedi
ence to the church is punishable, i
need be, with death. Yet never i
there q word of reproof uttere,
against the man who heartIessI,
breaks his most sacred of all hi
marriage vows. Three years ag,
the Liberal Institute undertook {,
hold q meeting to nominate cit,
officers, but the church bounced Il
upon it and nominated aud carrie,
everything their own way, and tn,
poor GENTLE and an apostate Norm
!, on had to bear it. But this year a.
independent ticket was gotten up
and men dared TO go to the poll
and vote, the first time in the his
tory of Utah. And what wrough
this change? A U. S. bayons
stands between the big dog with
brass collar and the stray sheer
But the work has but just CON
= menced, for in the LIE, towns in Ii
territory, there are not more tina
four or i've where q Gentle ca
:, speak his sentiments, or an apostal
can live. Since 1 came here, tt
remains of young man wei
J. brought in from one of the settll
ments, shot and mHngled go tn
his friends could scarcely recoI
nize him. Cause: Why he,
Gentle, had taken . Mormon gi