The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-06

of these women half so well as their
own State Legislature can deal with
them. Moreover, if we GLOW an aver.
age of i've children to each plural wife.
which is the right average, we have
10000 children of all ages, from 40
down to 5. born of such marriages. The
State Legislature. if Utah is admitted
as State, can provide all the necessary
legislation respecting these children
much better than Congress can, if Utah
shall continue to be governed as Ter
Tory until all the present generations
are dead and gone"
"Can you say anything respecting the
Mormon religion?"
II could say a great ceal if your
space permits, for l have studied their
religion very closely and have con-
versed q great deal with many intel
ligent Mormons of both sexes, educated
people, of American birth, and | think
l understand them and their faith. 1t is
a religion that exercises great power
over the lives of the believers, not by
priest-craft or ecclesiastical tyranny of
most democratic (using the word in its
primary signi6cation) of any elaborate
religious system of which have any
knowledge. Nothing is done without
being periodically submitted to the
whole body of the believers. The
church system is undoubtedly very
elaborate. They believe that they have
restored the organization of the earliest
Christian churches; they believe in the
revelation recorded in the New Testa-
ment; they believe in and practice all
the important Christian sacraments;
but they hold that there was a supple
mentary and subsequent revelation that
came through Joseph Smith. When
you ask the most intelligent of them
why the revelation that came
through Christ is not to be regarded
as final and as the last special COM
munication from the Almighty to the
human race as long as the race should
continue on earth, they will answer you
that Ged reveals Himself in many ways,
and that there is no solid reason WAY
we should not expect other revelations
and many of them.
1t seems very strange to US that in
talligent and educated people born as
many of the Mormons were in the
Jlder States, and educated in the
schools of New England, Pennsylvania
and Ohio. should have embraced re-
Iigion said to have come through man
who was told by the angel of the Lord
to dig in certain, place in The ground
where he would End some gold plates
on which were inscribed ia an ancient
character new religion. But if we
undertake to set bounds to what the
human mind can accept honestly and
sincerely IN the way of new religion,
we shall undertake to do something
that is beyond our power. 1t also ap-
pears very strange to US, and to many
persons 1t is very difficult of belief,
how there can be dignity and
purify of life and domestic peace
and harmony among people whei
several women stand III the relation of |
wives. to the same husband But |
strange as all this appears, il is I'M
polyga in Utah has not been at
tended with the domestic tyranny r
brutality or want of refinement that |
the people OF the United States have |
been made to believe is the necessary |
Of that state Of society. |
The truth is. the Mcrmons have bt en- |
very much mlsrepresen,ed and belied |
BIZ lecturers and writers who make a |
profit by msrepresenting them. All |
this constitutes no reason why palyg- |
amy should cot be brought to an end |
in the easiest least irritating and mo t |
succe sful mode. It can be entirely |
from the social condl-
ton of Utah and the Mormtn
teligion will continue live and fio1r-
ish for it has great deal in it that is
valuable and its hold upon its believers |
does not depend on the practice of
polygamy.
If you have no objection will you
state what you suppose will be the po-
Iitical character of the State if is admit
ted into the Union7"
~ earnestly hope that it will not be-
come political question at all. My
own interest in it Begins and ends in
the apPiness and welfare of an iute est.
ing people, to whom 40 objection can
be made excepting their polyeamy.
it is to be Democratic or a
State .does not influence
any one who is concerned in this move
nent. dorchester IN. " Onion and
Advertiser.
DIED