The Delaware ledger., 1883-08-18
What a Mormon Says,

"a. u,
a Mans Chance for Salvation III |
Proportion to the Number OF
His Wives--A Bachelor Sure
of Damnatlon.
The most interesting man have met
to-day was one who had wooed and won
three women simultaneously. He had
justsrrived with them from England,
and intended to marry them collective
ly as soon as he got to safe place.
The only one within the limits of civili-
zation where that kind of thing is allow
ed being Utah, it is hardly necessary for
me to add that he was on his way to
that territory of polygamy. He was an
elder, named Ephriam Measor, and had
spent four years on the other side of the
world as Mormon missionary. He
was only one of party of twenty
two of these evangelists who arrived
in the steamer Nevada, bringing 672
converts. He had selected his three
spouses with sentiment and utility in
view.
'When l went away on my mission
for the church, 4" he said, 81 left my
five motherless children to the care of a
relative. | had never practiced our
doctrine of conjugal plurality, though
believing and preaching it, and my one
wife had recently died, leaving me to
realize that, il had done my duty, the
youngsters would not have been left
half-orphaned. Well, l made up my
mind, if the Lord should prosper my
mission, to return prepared to set up
such household as our church contem-
plates for every faithful saint. have
done So"
lie introduced me to the three women
whom his religious courtship had cap.
tured. 1t was not necessary for him
to explain that he had picked them out
with that discretion which l have al
ready mentioned. | could see it with
out being told. Emeline wasa brawny
: ignorant, hard-handed widow of forty
. or over, and her lot was to be that o.
f drudge in the admirably balanced
: family which Elder Measor contem
: plated. She was to ''loOk after the do
e mestic economy" as he expressed it
! Sarah was neither handsome no
f young woman, but some reinment wa
discernible, and he told me that sh
4 had been schoolma 'am in Wales. Sh
/ was for practical use, too, his plal
:, being to make her governess for hi
d children. Lottie was blooming Ian
) cashire lass Of twenty or so, quiet pret
e ty in her coarse way, and l did no
r. ask the elder why he had chosen hei
is They were evidently in love with eac
l. other. That was not surprising i
If him, though marvellous in her, consider
d ing that he was sixty and ugly. She wa
d to be the queen of the reorganized estal
10 lishment.
" evil there be a triple wedding ~
ID inquired.
YES" the elder replied. 1--WE ca
ir the ceremony sealing, and is pc
e, formed in secret, Thereafter, l sha
e. hold a more approved position befol
n, the church, for we maintain that poly
r amy is not only privilege, but also
Ell duty which no saint can be entire
is excused from fulfilling. There WI
some hesitation about sending me OF
=" as missionary, because ! had take
IN but one wife, and | don't suppose
he should have received the appointmel
lie if | had not given assurance of my i
e- tentiOn to bring back two or mo
tn wives.''
H. Then your church does more thu
ne to merely contenance polygamy ?"
us said.
ar ITO be sure" was the reply, ST
.e. examples of the patriarchs are all th
le, way, and there stands the injuncti,
of st. Paul "A bishop, then, must
rs blameless, the husband of one wife.
or 81 should take that to mean that mo
,c- than one wife wouldn't do for bish
mt in Paul's days"
,ss You make common mistake, S
Paul enjoined bishops to take at lea
ng one wife, and we believe that they h
~, several. We also know, by divine re
th elation to us, that mans chances 1
ler salvation are greatly increased by the
nd creasing number of his wives. A bacl
th, lor assure of damnation. Are you mi
I'd. ried ?"