Smyrna times., 1884-07-16
For the smyrna Times
POlygamy,
4 Reply to Henry Ward Beecher.
BY REV. I. o. AYREs.
For the Smyrna Times.
Polygamy,
BY REV. I. o. AYREs.

BY REV. I. o. AYRES.
MIR. BEECHER:-If we are not mis- /
taken, then we have both read it and |
heard it from your own lips, that you
are opposed to using force Of arms to
suppress Mormonism, or that part of it
known as pOlygamy. You stated your
theory of how the question should be
dealt with, which was to send more
preachers Of the Gospel among them to
enlighten them; that the church relies
upon the Gospel in China and India to
convert the poligamists, and asked,
why not trust in the gospel to do the
same work in Utah?
was much impressed, at the time,
by the apparent force of your argu-
ment, but think | now see the error
of your position. 'Tis true that we do
as you say we do in China and India,
but we do it not Of choice but of neces-
sity. We have no power to make, en-
force or repeal laws in those countries.
So must of necessity act as we do.
Where we have the power to do we
should do as the Bible teaching re-
quires. Now if we as a Christian peo-
pie were permitted to make laws for
China and India, would we allow
/ polygamy to exist under the sanction
of law, or without its sanction? If we
were to, then we would be in violation
of the law of God Now we are in
/ possession i'll the Territories, to enact
laws making pOlygamy crime against
the law of the land That being the
case, we are bound by the law of God
to do so, and are more guilty il we fail
to do so than the heather are, because
more enlightened If we understand
your position it is just this: That it is
wrong for christian people to make
and enforce laws against immortality.
That the church has discharged its
whole duty when it. tells men that
they are doing wrong and that they
should cease to do evil and learn to
do WE'LL But, sir, is not Beecher
against Beechcr in this case? Did YOU
so act in the question Of slavery? We
know that you did not. Are you act
ing so on the question OF intemperance ?
We think not. five understand your
past and present position in relation to
slavery and rum, then you were and
are in favor of enacting prOhibitory
laws with severe penalties Now, how
does it happen that you have gone
back on your anteccdence? And want
all gospel and no law in dealing with
the question of polygamy?
In the first case you were in har-
mony with the will OF God as revealed
in the Bible. In the second case you
are in opposition to the Bible. The
plan Of God as found in the Bible is tC
first, make or declare His law, and the
: penalty of violation. Second, proclaim
said law and teach it to the people
2 Third, visit its penalties on all who re
fuse to obey it. The Bible is full o.
r this fact from Genesis to Revelation
But suppose we take up your plan anC
60 to the polygamists with the gospel
! what shall we say to them? Shal
2 we tell them to quit polygamy? Yol
f answer, Yes. Now suppose they were
l to ask us why they should quit it
What answer would you give them
| What could yOu do other than to say
: the lar of God is against it. And hov
, would you get them to quit polygamy
f BY convincing them that the penalt,
5 Of the law of God will be visited upol
g them if they die pOlygamists. Nothing
e else will arrest them save law of tn,
! land whose penalties Overtake then
+ here.
+, In dealing with the high crime @
, p0lygamy we should first make Law
+, against it in the territories as we hav
5 done in the States, we should enforc
NAlttl law uJOll All hlOldlOISs .luob us W.
1 do the law against murder Then wit
= the law to start with, and as a founda
1 ton to stand upon, we should preacl
l the gospel of Christ and the law of tn
5 land as the law of God. The violation
= of the law of the land we should cal
l.. crime and punish the transgressOrs
e The violation of the law of God W
/, should call sin, and leave the execu
+ ton of spiritual punishment to God.
!, If there remain any doubt about ou
y meaning, we will try to make it plail
5 by saying Congress should tax
charge of the Territory where polyga
my exists and put governor there t
# execute the laws Of Congress. An
y send an army, if need be, and enforc
the laws at the point of the bayonet
h And never admit the Territory as
: State until constitution has bee
II adopted .torerer obolishing poiyg0m
=, from the State.