The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-11-04
la norman Sermon.

A Salt Lake correspondent Of the
Watchnadn and Reflector writes "The
preacher (Orson Pratt selected his text
Tor the beneitof the editorial part, and
for an hour and o half we were en-
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 AVA no Christian
church on the earth but on the above
named day the word of the Lord came
to thu ProphetL Joseph Smith, appoints
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 Il a.serpent should bite q saint
eat any deadly thing mo- harm should
come from il; and in Ephesians it Is
promised that there should be a 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 a legal
marriage in IT centuries, and none are
now living IN the holy bonds of matri-
mony who have not been sealed bya
Mormon priest. A Protestant Clergyman
has no more authority to marry than q
heather prince. Marriage is for eter-
nifty. The Savior when he said that they
neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are like theCangels 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 q polygamist II
Heaven, and it is no worse to be O polyg
amist in time than ineternity9 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 IS many
wives as he can support with their chill
,tdren, It is not simply q privilege, but
duty, for every lover of the church tx
be a polygamist. The question is asked
Why has not the woman as good :,
}, right to nave three husbands as the mai
to have three wives2' Simply becaus,
it would not tend to increase posterity
Addressing himself to the visitors, eyi
IDENTIFY, he saidathe Mormonss had a
many wives as they could support, tina
it was a matter of religious duty, an,
| they desired to be let alone in the per
4 Torrance of their religious rites, of whicl
: this was one. What right has the gov
eminent to send troops to watch the re
igious life OF this people, more thai
| those who practice infant baptism2 I
I conclusion, he warned the Gentle lgo1
!. eminent to withhold its hand or, Go
would smite the nation with a curse
! This is the true Israel OF God, and t
these alone Gods aid is promised.
! tsay, then, to the Gentle government, bt
ware