Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-03
THE MORMON PROBLEM.
Spiritual wives-The spinster's Fate
A Conservative View.

Spiritual Wives-The Spinster's Fate
Conservative View.
From, the Graphite.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, April 25.-The
Hon. Joseph Rich obtained his title by
virtue of holding a seat in the Legislature
of the Territory Of Idaho. He was dis
tinguished as the ablest debater in that
body, as a man Of infinite jest and ready
resource, and as the most persistent pa
tron of the Boise saloons known to the
public annals. l asked him the other day
knowing his attachment to the Church
of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints-it
he were a polygamist. He replied: "No-
and yes. That is, have never had but
one living wife in the ordinary use Of the
term. But there were two young ladies
who desired to be my spiritual wives in
the world to come, who were sealed to
me as such while upon their dying beds"
The Mormon doctrine of celestial mar
riage is the most peculiar feature Of pc
culiar faith, and in its thorough heaihen-
ism excels the Hindoos. There is moth
ing so debasing, 50 far as my knowledge
extends, among the doctrines Of the Chi
nese. A woman, under the Mormon sys-
TEN, can only be eternally saved through
marriage to "A male saint. Through bap-
tism and belief in Mormonism she may
be snatched from hell, Dub if unmarried
at her decease she becomes ''hewer of
wood and drawer OF water to her more
fortunate sisters. During the progress of
a trial for Illegal registration, Bishop
Cluh, of Provo, testified to the different
kinds of marriage. "A woman may be
married to a man for time and not for.
eternity; this is the common marriage of
those VINO are not saints, or where but
one of the pair is a saint; or saints may
marry for time and eternity; or they may
marry for eternity and not for time. This
latter kind of marriage enables a saint
married to an unbeliever for time to be
also spiritually married to a saint for
eternity. A living male sal mt may be
spiritually married to a deceased unmar-
rIed woman To procure for her spiritual
exaltatioD. MARRIAGES to the dead
must be ratified by them in the eternal
world
Human beings will bear any suff ring
in time il thereby they can secure f-l city
when this mortal shall put on immOr-
tally. Every kind OF mental anguish
which thoughtful wife would predict
as likely to grow out Of pOlygamy actu-
ally does appear in its practice, and yet
heroic women bear this horrible life ia
the unhesitating belief that thereby they
will be enabled TO ''reign queens in Heav-
en-" the strongest supporters of polyg-
amy are women who expect thereby to
gain felicity in the world 10 come. Men
may tire Of the burden of maintaining the
large families growing up as the sure re-
su of this poly gamOus system, and de-
eide that it does not pay; but the larger
religious natures of women make them
unflInching in its support.
1t is claimed that the children of polyg-
amOus families would be superior in
every way 10 other children, but my OBJ
serYatiCns in Salt Lake City fails to find
any support TO this theory. The a her
Of the Hon. Joe Rich had seven wives
and forty-two children, but the volatile
Joe would not claim for himself even
moderate moral supremacy.
The whole system would doubtless fall
to the ground approached as every other
error is or should be. The spirit with
which an enlightened Christianity at
tacks error is the spirit of gentlenass and
charity, DIt Gsltttts assails Mormon
ism in Utah with violence, anger and
hatred. The general government is not
represented in Utah by a Governor, whose
life is a support to the Christian protest
against MormOnism. He is Kentuck-
ian, but not the best product of Ken
tucky-rather that kind of Kentuckian
who figures in novelties, embellished
with pocket flask and euchre deck.
Gentle journalism here does not lack in
ability, but 1t fails to be clean in language
or accurate in statement. The prison
convict is thought to have sufficient moral
basis on which to build something better
than life OF continued crime; but the
Mormon is considered beyond redemption.
and general opinion hesitates between
Imprisonment and expatriation. The
churches OF the country nave expended
much money in Utah with small result,
because there has been no consistency
between the spirit with which they have
labOred and that which has governed
Utah Gentiles generally. POlOgamy might
and probably would be abandOned-at
least in practice If not as an article OF
faith-if thereafter the Mormon church
and its creed could be left TO the Judgment
OF time.
am in no sense an apolOgist for Nor
m0nism, but heartily believe in every
mans right TO hold TO any religious faith
which commends itself 10 his judgment.
The non-Mormons OF Utah demand not
only the suppression OF polygamy but also
the abolition OF religious freedom. Ii the
general government will send us a Gov
ernor and commission who are deter.
mined not only 10 exact obedience 10 tn
law from the Mormpns but 10 maintain
them in their rights-men who will NOT
only ask justice but give iustice-Utah
Will soon be at peace, and enter the Union
prosperous and loyal State.
The argument against "A course at once
honorable, reasonable and patriotic Is the
same unreasOning appeal TO prejudice
which 80 long marked our dealings with
the Southern States. Ii was said then
that when the Southern States were re-
stored 10 power they would Cypress the
negro and drive out Northern emigrants.
and IL is said now that the MormOns
would use power TO expel the Gentiles
and practically restore polygamy. /
believe that constitutional guarantees
voluntarily given by American citizens
viii be upheld by the higher sense OF JUS
tice 10 which we have always been able
70 safely appeal. We need 10 administer
the affairs OF Utah upon a foundation Of
moderation and equity, and displace from
power the political Adventures VINO
steadily nOurish enmity aud division.
those complaining
OF Sore Throat or Hoarseness should use
HUDWNfg RuoNrurAT Tporuru pha