The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-07
SUNDAY. DECEMHEE :. 1851
4 pOlysumic Revival.

IL seems. according to the report OF tho
Utah Commission. that. DESPITE acts of Con-
Ei"Ss directed against the practice. polyg-
amy Is more earnestly advocated than ever
among tn" MormOns. and, instead Of dimin-
ishnE. poygnmous marriages are Oh the
Increase in C;ah. During the present year.
says the report, there appears TO have been
n rolygamic revival, and 1.-THE institution is
boldly, dr.iantiv defended and commended
by HE spiritual teachers"
This Is n very natural result of what the
Mormon fanatics regard a. persecution. As
one Mormon. who WAS convicted Of unlawful
Capitalization under the EDMrNps net. said to
tho Court before receiving sentence of fine
and imprisonment: Il very much regret
that the laws of my country should be in
conflict with the laws of Cop, but whenever
th"yarc shall invariably choose the latter"
And, as he truly said, he represented the
feelings and convictions Of his coreliyionists
who look upon him rs q hero of the faith.
with tn" exception of tine small scot of
Jos"phitcs. who are regarded As sch,matics
every Mormon believes in polygamy, and
yet. rs matter Of fact, three fourths Of the
Mormon adults. male and female, do not
carry their fifth into practice. Accordingly,
the preachers who are defending and urging
polygamy and whose fanatica efforts are
assisted by the EDMuNDs act. do not lack
Tor material to work among. Men and
women who would instinctively avoid
plural marriages or refrain from them
from prudential motives, can be driven into
polygamy by appeals to their passionate
religious devotion Because they invite the
punishment OF the earthly law they will be
all the more eager to attest their subsection
to what they are taught to regard as the
higher law of Cop. Moreover, the Mormon
Church surrounds the plural marriage rites
with greater and greater secrecy, and, as
this report says, the courts find that even the
Immediate relatives OF the parties and the
high officers Of the Church are read v to swear
that they know nothing in regard to their
occurrence.
Polvgamy is likely, therefore. to receive n
new and strong impulse from such act, rs
TINT drawn bv Mr.. EDMuNDs. An institution
which seemed to he falling into decad.nce
gains new life and makes new Roadway when
1t is attacked by the State. The Mormon
fanaticism originally thrived under assault.
AMI po!ygamy, once kept in the background.
Is now, because OF the attacks of Congress.
c'A'tN lhSf'l iHlo lllf l'jTt front DN APOSTLES
81 IN" mnnstrouS d"luSon who are nmb-
tlouI " wearing the crown of martyrdom.
II l. II most difficult and dangerous mani
f"S'a'ion of religious madness for the civil
Government 70 deal with. Meantime the
Mormon missionaries in this country and
abroad Ar" working NOR" successfully than
ever and Utah is steadily getting foreign
additions To its fanatical population. Tn.
Efforts Of tn" Government To roprcss polvy-
amy and weaken tn" Mormon mower arc. so
lar. utterly fu' lie, and tend to increase rather
than diminish the number Of converts, for
they s"rv" 10 attract attention To Mormon
Ism, which Offers much that i, seductive to
mon and women who are oppressed by the
Il r!~hips of lf..
Nor do IN" Mormons seem TO he at all fear
IN o.! Io~rg thcr hold on Utah. which their
Wl-sionArl"I "Xtul as the promised land
The" ~" layin. on vast sums Of money on
their iour temples. "dIiicos to which they NJ
tacn Il peculiar sanctity. and to which their
ordinary meeting houses and tabcrnacics
~" only subsidiary. Already two millions
hnN' hr'n spru. un the temple at Salt Lake
C,y, AID yet it vii! Lc five years before i,
l. completed T.ry ar" digging their social
al" religious foundations deep. and rs if
'A"y meant them To- last FOR S"ucrutuns
la difficulties of the U.nh Mormon prob.
l'.A an greater than ever, III spite OF our
fIi"v.s !" oppose religious, tanaticisn with
tie irAa,ir, II civil! law, II not brcauso of
th';n. W. seem to-day to bc further than
ever i."n successful! result. and the vi.
ti'l1'E ii the sy-tcm perfected 10y BRIGHAM
1"'&" "'r"'A"o mor" an! more WONDERFUL