Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-09-07
"JUST THINK OF IT. >.

of the self-confessed adulterer, John Q.
Cannon, and his expulsion from the
Mormon Church, it is singular
that among it cannot be found one word
OF sympathy or tender feeling for the
woman who is his wife, and the mother
OF his children. In all the solemnity OF
the great Tabernacle, when Gods sun
light stole in in myriads Of rays through
the gloom OF that meeting, no ray of the
heavenly light fell upon one man or
woman who thought OF the wife of the
man who acknowledged his crime to
them, and who ended his confession say
ing:
'As you, my brethren and sisters, will be
called upon to pronounce Judgment upon
me, ask that you will, after pronounoing
Judgment, at least give me chance to show
that there is still some good in me-"
The uncle of the confessed adulterer,
in proposing his nephew's excommuni-
cation, is said to have moved the audience
TO tears at the knowledge of his sufferings
from the sins OF his nephew, and editor
tally, the Church organ, in speaking Of
the matter, says:
Take the entire incident and it will be
observed to incorporate the element of
grandeur as we'll as the deepest pathos.
After the first shock upon the assemblage
and the arousing of profound sorrow for the
young man himself, the minds of the people
necessarily reverted to the afflicted father.
No tongue can tell the depth of the grief
into which he has been plunged by the fall
of n son of brilliant promise, on whom he
lavished an inexpressible fondness.
No allusion is made from any source to
the stricken woman who is the wife of
the culprit, nor among the tears shed
over the solemn proceedings was one
drop produced by a memory OF her wrongs
and humiliation. The Church organ
winds up its notice rs follows:
LET Israel behold the spectacle of yester-
day and receive the full force of the moral
il conveys
Ii such should be done, what rever-
sal OF the teachings OF Mormonism would
result therefrom. The great love OF which
they preach would be held lie, and the
real sufferer condemned to seek soltu lie,
feeling that by no act OF hers, she had
been forsaken by mankind. Well might
she seek her prayer stool, and shifting
her breast in agony cry aloud, go Christ,
in thy boundless pentecost OF love and
mercy to mankind, is there no part for
me? | am guiltless in thy sight, yet mnst
bear this grievous burden, and the pity
and love OF my people are given to the au-
thor OF my wrong and am desolate." Is
this the lesson the organ would teach ?
And yet it is the only one truthfully con-
veyed by the whole proceedings. Does
it not show to all the wives and mothers
there assembled, that pity and mercy are
for the man and none for the woman
he wrongs by such crime? Is not 9
plea made for the man, and none for his
wife who is shamed by his acts? Out
upon such cursed creed as would thus
belle the teachings of the Christ ol
Nazareth, and pervert christianized
human feelings to such selfish actions.
Even the lowest denizens OF unknown
lands will shield their women, right or
wrong, and keep them from the stroke OF
adversely, but this teaching OF the Church
organ would leave the women OF Mormon
ism entirely out side the pale OF pity, and
doom them to be patient bearers OF any
burdens an unnatural husband might see
fit to intlict them with. Jesus, whom the
Christian world loves and worships, lifted
up the Magdalen and sent her on her way
rejoicing, but who in this whole crew o
blasphemous men, will take the partner
OF Cannon's crime by the hand and dc
likewise? No one! Ii, by Gods provi
dence, the poem which made Tom HOOD
immortal in the hearts of men could be
distributed and taught to this people who
claim to be so near Christ, what revolu
ton there would be in the sentimen
fashioned in the Tabernacle on SUNDAY
Who is her father?
Who is her mother!
Has she a sister,
Has she brother!
Or is there dearer one
Still, and nearer one
Yet, than all other?
AlhS Tor tn6 rarity
OF Christian charity
Under the sun!
Oh! it is pitiful
In this whole city full
Friends she has none.
How grandly does Hood picture the
want Of love and mercy for the ialler
one, just as Jesus OF Nazareth did fo
Mary Magdalen, and yet these seli-con
stituted and blasphemous priests can SCI
no ray OF pity or love for the woman who
was u partner in the lust OF one OF thei
number; only pity for him and IL Pile
that he be not ostracised from the com
panionship OF his fellows. In all the do
vious paths OF unchristian acts, trod by
the men who lead the Mormon Church
no act, since the birth Of Smith, calls 81
loudly to all classes oil mankind for con
demnation, as this selfish, unmanly, anC
unchristian act, OF covering the crime
OF one OF their number with the mantl
OF charity, consigning the heart-broke
wife to oblivion, and irretrieyably damn
ing tho InhonpV woman who non1ara