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

Oann anu his eA ApulSlOu HOLl SuS
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 ot
the great Tabernacle, when Gods sun
lign ole in in myriads of rays through
the g.o1m OF that meeting, no ray of the
heavenly light fell upon one man OF
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 yoD will, after pronouncing
Judgment at leas give me chance to show
that there Is 't' some good in me-"
The uncie ID. ne confessed adulterer,
in proposing nephew's excommuni-
cation, is said to nave moved the audience
to tears a the knowledge of his suferings
from the sins of h nephew, and editor
tally, the Church prgan, in speaking OF
the matter, says:
Take the entire incident and it will be
observed to incorporate the element of
grandeur as well as be deepest pathos.
After the first shook upon the assemblage
and the arouslng 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 fail
of son OF brilliant promise, on whom he
iavlshed 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 as follows:
Let Israel behold the spectacle of yester-
day and receive the full force of the moral
it conveys
If such should be done, what a 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 solitude,
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? L am guiltless in thy sight, vet 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 a crime? Is not
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 of
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
adyersity, 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 anv
burdens an unnatural husband might see
fit to intlict them with. Jesus, whom the
Christian world loves and worships, lifted
mp the Magdalen and sent her on her way
rejoicing, but who in this whole crew of
blasphemous men, will take the partner
OF Cannon's crime by the hand and do
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 sentiment
fashioned in the Tabernacle on Sunday
Who is her father?
Who 10 her mother?
Has she sister?
Has she brother?
Or is there dearer one
Still, and nearer one
fet than all other2
Alas for the rarity
Of Christian charity
Under the sum-
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 fallen
one, just as Jesus Of Nazareth did for
Mary Magdalen, and yet these self-con-
stituted and blasphemous priests can see
no ray OF pity or love for the woman who
was partner in the lust OF one of their
number; only pity Tor him and a plea
that he be not ostracised from the COM
panionship OF his fellows. In all the de-
vious paths of unchristian acts, trod by
the men who lead the Mormon Church
no act, since the birth of Smith, calls So
loudly to all classes of mankind for con-
demnation, as this selfish, unmanly, and
unchristian act, of covering the crimes
Of one of their number with the mantle
OF charity, consigning the heart-broken
wife TO oblivion, and irretrievably damn
ing the unhappy woman who pandered /