The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
prtusea ~ Special Aranssmsst sia as Asltey.
MORMONISM REVIEWED.
BY KATE FIELD.
Copyrighted 1885, by the Author-Aii Rights
Reserved.

Many months ] tarried in Salt Lake City.
where Jews are Gentles and the majority Of
Sinner are Saints" where ''oneman power1 is
acknowledged by special revelation as the will of
Almighty God There in that city of anomalies
of antagonisms of houses divided against thorn
selves, endeavored to get at the true inward.
ness" of Mormonism. No one can know the
truth about Utah who has not lived there, who
has not associated with high and low, Mormon,
Apostate, and Gentle, who has not read Mormon
literature. attended Mormon ward meetings
watched Mormon legislation. visited Mormon
schools and carefully read Mormon journals
Few travellers have either time or patience to
drink deep of the Mormon spring. A little learn
ing is indeed dangerous thing; for this Repub-
lie, age and humanity generally can no longer
afford to be led astray regarding polygamons
theocracy that defes law and degrades woman.
Mormon leaders are shrewd They make it their
business to treat strangers with marked atten-
ton, particularly those who come from 1.-The old
country" John Taylor, president Of the Nor
mon Church. himself British born. rarely fails
to kill the fatted calf as o peaceoffering to his
distinguished compatriots. His people are still
more hospitabie to those whom they think are
likely to affect public opinion. Salt Lake valley
is certainly beautiful; the city seems prosperous
the climate is fine; the Tabernacla is densely
crowded on Sunday with decently clad, obedient
Saints fairly intelligent women declare their
faith in polygamy, and practice what they
preach. Polygamous children often play am
icably with the offspring of first wives. Poly
gamists themselves, with Old Testament In
hand, insist upon the divinity of the plural order
of marriage, and the unwary traveller. not look
ing beneath the surface, concludes that the
Mormons are sadly maligned, and sympathetic
ally applies whitewash wherever occasion pre-
sents. That have not been caught is dre 20
my sex and to prolonged study. Women will
bare their hearts to women, and to Mormon
wives / owe much of my knowledge of Mormon
institutions.
Respecting polygamy,' writes one of the
latest English travellers, Mr.. Barclay, NJ. p,
''the Mormon Confession of Faith merely de-
clares, That marriage, whether monogamic or
polygamic. is honorable in all, when such
marriage is contracted and carried out in accord
ance with the law of God The prae-
tice could only have been introduced under such
special circumstances as existed when the Nor
mons settled Utah, and perhaps the drafting Of
500 men to form the Mexican battalion from the
small community at Council Bluffs may have
had something to do with its origin" This
''perhaps"is delightfully."- naive. y "Womans
nature is not different in Utah from what it is
elsewhere, and with votes and perfect freedom it
is not to be supposed that anything short of ne
cessity will induce woman to be content with
less than the exclusive right to husband. 1t is
absurd to suppose that any compulsion can be
exercised over any woman whether native-born
or immigrant" Then Mr.. Barclay, Member of
Parliament quotes Geo. @. Cannon, nephew of and
Counsellor to President John Taylor, to prove
that in patriarchal marriage women, not men,
have the liberty ''The latter take upon them
selves lifelong obligations TO carefor their wives
and children, and the men to seek for divorce
are almost unheard of" For Mr.. Barclay to cite
George @. Cannon is very like taking a crirni-
nails testimony as to his own innocence and
Judging the case therefrom Mr. Cannon is
what, in Utah, is called ''fourply polygamist,H
having had four wives three of whom are now
living. AS matter of fact, comparatively few
polygamists support their wives or families
The majority of Mormons are poor. When they
take new wife they take new worker, who
frequently adds thereby not only to the progeny
but to the wealth of her lord and master. Not
long since visited polygamst endowed with
thirteen wives, every one of whom is beast of
burden. All have their allotted duties. Several
live on different farms, the care of which is
confded to them. One cooks another sews. a
third is dressmaker and tailor, fourth weayes
cloth, fifth makes butter and cares for the
milk. The youngest bears children, and between
her and the brute to whom she looks up there
must be difference of at least thirty years.
Though the man is we'll TODD, all live like pigs,
and when l sat down to lunch, expecting of
course to meet the whole family, / had for COM
panion the master only. The first wife waited
upon the table and the 'plurals" ate in the kitch-
en-. This scene occurred not many miles from
Salt Lake. The man is Danish So are his
wives They are not women; they are COWS"
In designating them as 'cows" l am simply using
the term that Heber G. Kimball applied to his
twenty wives. Brother Heber' was for years
counsellor to Brigham Young and is to-day re-
garded most noble Saint" His memory is
kept green by the faithful, and / hear his opin-
ions quoted as often as those of his beloved
President. What he thought of himself and
what he thought of women is best shown liz his
public addresses, from one of which quote:
"All who have the Spirit of the Gospel and
live their religion will admit that Brother Brig
ham is our head, to use the figure which / did
three Sundays ago; and our head has two eoun-
sellers, and together they are an independent
quorum. Still they are attached to the vine that
runs through the veil. The veil is let down, and
that throws Brother Joseph Smith on the other
side of it. while stand on this side; that's -
the difference. The nearer you apps,.sra that
of God. If you take this course you
will live and he (Brigham) will live and will
dwell with US great many years. but if you do
not you have no assurance that he will be per
mitted to tarry with you for many years. nor
that will, nor that several other good men
whom could name will. How does
my heart feel towards Brother Brighams have
felt, time and again, as though was good
ind foIa ho, ,1o. 4.