The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-10-29
A Mormon Sermon,

A Salt Lake correspondent of the
Waterman end Reflector writes "The
preacher (Orson Pratt selected his text
for the benefit of the editorial party, and
for an hour and half we were ell
lightened upon the history, theol-
ogy and practice of the Latter Day
saints. This is the only religion since
the days OF the apostles that has been
founded on a direct revelation from God.
From about the year A. d. 100 to the
9th of April, 1880, there was no Christian
church on the earth but on the above
named day the word of the Lord came
to the prophet Joseph Smith, appoint
ing apostles, bishops and elders, COM
handing TO repentance, belief in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and baptism by i'm
mersion promising signs and wonders
by which if a serpent should bite saint
it should not hurt him, or if he should
eat any deadly thing no harm should
come from it and in Ephesians it is
promised that there should be gather
ing together of the saints of God. All
this is fulfilled in the church of the Lat
ter Day saints at Utah. There is no
Christian out of Utah who is not headed
toward the temple of the Lord in the
mountains. All Christians will at last be
gathered in this territory. Marriage
was from God. The first marriage cere-
mony was performed by God in the gar
den of Eden, and since then no one has
a right to solemnize a marriage but one
directly appointed of God by revelation
namely--an elder of the church of Lat
ter Day saints. There was not legal
marriage in II centuries, and none are
now living in the holy bonds of matri-
moDy who have not been sealed by
Mormon priest. A Protestant clergyman
has no more authority to marry than
heather prince. Marriage is for eter-
nifty. The Savior when he said that they
neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are like the angels of heaven, does
not refer to the saints, but to pious
Professionals, who, if good, will be made
bachelor angels with no seed to rule and
reign over. Marriage is for eternity
hence If ordinary marriages were legal
in Gods sight, every widower who mar
ried again would be polygamist in
Heaven, and it is no worse to be polyg
amist in time than in eternity. Marriage
is for the purpose of raising seed with
which to people heaven, and we shall
propagate our posterity much more rap
idly there than here. It is the duty,
then, of every man to have as many
wives as he can support with their chill
dren. 1t is not simply privilege, but
duty, for every lover of the church to
be polygamist. The question is asked,
why has not the woman as good
right to have three husbands as the man
to have three wivesl' Simply because
it would not tend to increase posterity.
Addressing himself to the visitors, evi.
IDENTIFY, he said the Mormons had as
many wives as they could support, that
it was n matter of religious duty, and
they desired to DE let alone in the per-
Torrance of their religious rites, of which
this was one. What right has the gov
eminent to- send troops to watch the re-
ligious life OF this people, more than
those who practice infant baptism. In
conclusion, he warned the Gentle gov
eminent to withhold its hand or God
would smite the nation with curse.
This is the true Israel of God, and to
these alone Gods aid is promised. Il
say, then, to the Gentle government, be-
ware.