Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-20
MORMON NARRIAGE.
rhe Married Mormon Aiyas IN society
Looking 20. a Partner

Looking fo- Partner.
Mormon plural marriage is both over
rated and underrated as a part of the
Mormon policy. 1t Is oyerrated as the
whole Of the system, and without which ii
viii dissolve or viii be unobjectiouable. 1t
Is underrated as practice not essentially
belonging to their system, aud which they
will easily abandon. In the first place, if
pOlygomy were to cease, all the objections
would remain to the Mormon system as
theocratic dominion of absolute powers,
hostile to all other people, and by It's very
nature in antagonism to the National Gov
ernment. In the second place, plurality
of wives has been given to the Saints by
revelation through the prophet and founder
of their Church, corroborated by the jew
ish scriptures, exemplifed by the patri-
archs of the chosen race, whose daily walk
was close with God, made a Mormon duty
by giving higher being in heaven to the
Saint and his wives in proportion to their
number, elevated by the suffering Of per-
secution, and strongly worked into the So
cial life.
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD.
If they would give up polygamy, all ob-
.iections to Mormon State would remain.
But they win not give it up. 1t is 50
much part of their revealed religion
that the first wife cannot refuse consent to
another without renouncing the church.
The system makes her give the second and
the following TO her husband in the secret
rites of the Endowment House And she
finds 1t good to bring in third to take
down the airs Of the second, and so on.
Having had her turn in the mans love.
she takes her turn in intrigue of spite and
revenge. And the man, obliged by religious
duty, watched over by the church authori-
ties in case he can support another wife
and does not gather her and promi ed a
higher being in the next world. where his
wives are counted to his glory, finds also
more social pleasure in plurality OF wives
in this world than is generally thought.
The common Gentle idea of the state of
polygamous marriage is Of the Bible pa
triarchs, and it is elevated above the social
part. 1t thinks not of the difference be-
tween the homogeneous marriage, by which
the man Settles down." and the polyga-
nous marriage in which the man still
continues marrying man-is more in The
market than a single man, and is soon
looking for new loves, instead of ofpatriarch-
ally presiding over his hosehold Thus it
is that the married Mormon is a society
buck, and that he continues buck in Sc
ciety as long as he lives. The society chs
toms are found to promote this. The
theatre and the social halP' for balls and
other parties, are regular means. Dane
ing is means Of polygamous grace. Eli
quette requires the saint to dance once
!. oh fo nd =
for the maidens, leaving the wives to be-
flower the wall.
ALWAYS a MARRYING MAN.
1t is difficult to conceive the social diff
ference made by system m which the
married man continues marrying man,
and is always on the lookout for another.
Without any conjunction he goes about
as a gallant or lover. He runs courtship
to any length and heat, while his wives
are enjoying themselves" at home. This
liberty has evolved the custom of long
courtships. How pleasant to the wives
when The man dresses in his best and goes
abroad seeking to devour. They cannot
ask him where he has spent the evening.
He is doing a saints religious duty, and is
thereby exalting their state of being in
the next world. And the good man makes
religious duty a carnal pleasure This
works great deal of courting and many
marring chances to the girls. The old
bucks aud the young bachelors compete for
them. And they accept the situation with
alacrity, each thinking she will be the fay-
orite wife and enjoying her triumph over
the rest.
This is Of polygamy at Salt Lake City,
and among the rich and well-to-do. But
it has all degrees and phases, according to
human conditions and human nature, down
to that in which the taking Of another
wife is the addition of another servant to
support the man. Nor Is this limited to
the poor Naturally it hardens the heart
of the man toward his wives, makes him
insensible to their feelings, and puts them
into lower sphere. But besides being
made a religious duty, it engages the pride,
pleasure, passion and interest of the man.
And they have no doubt of its righteous
ness. In conversation with one of the
pioneers on their religion, the remark that
polygamy did not seem essential, and that
the dropping of it might promote peace
and their welfare, brought the impree-
nable answer: Do you believe the Bible?'
They are fearfully biblical people. Nor
monism is a bigger problem than is thought.
It has come to stay.-CfnciRaati CONNER
cial Gazette.
"The great objection | have to the
house" said the new tenant, IS that l can
always hear vague murmuring caused by
the people talking next door," Well,
ma'am," replied the agent, "we can have
the walls made thicker for you" Thick
er p she exclaimed, "why, then I couldn't
hear thing "-Tfme