Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-24
MORMON MARRIAGE.
POLYGAMY AS A PART OF THE
SAINTS REVEALED RELIGION.

SAiN D htVERlcO h6GiS1iON.
A Third Wife to Take Down the Airs of
the second-The Married Mormon Al
ways in Society Looking for Another
Partner.
Mormon plural marriage is both oyerrated
and moderated as part of the Mormon
polity. It is overrated as the whole Of the
system, and without which it will dissolve
or will be unobjectionable. 1t is moderated
as a practice not essentially belonging to
their system, aud which they will easily
abandon In the first place, if polygamy
were to cease, all the objections would re
main to the Mormon system as a theocratic |
dominion of absolute powers, hostile to all |
other people, and by its very nature in an
tagonism TO the national government. In
the second place, plurality of wives has been
given to the saints by revelation through the
prophet and founder of their church, cor
roborated by the Jewish Scriptures. exem-
plilied by the patriarchs of the chosen race,
whose daily wal was close with God, made
Mormon duty by giving higher being in
heaven to the saint and his wives in proper
ing Of persecution, and strongly worked iltol
the social life
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD.
II they would give up poygamy, all objec-
tions TO n Mormon state would remain But
they will not give il up. 1t is so much apart
of their revealed religion that the first wife
cannot refuse consent to another without re-
nouncing the church The system makes
/ Il 81 H..
husband in the secret rites of the Endowment
house. And she finds it good TO bring in a
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 re-
ligious duty. watched over by the church
authorities in ease he can support another
wife and does not gather her, and promised a
higher being in the next world, where his
wives are counted to his glory, finds also more
social pleasures i'll plurality of wives in this
world than Is generally thought.
The common Gentle idea of the state of
polygamous marriage is Of the Bible
patriarchs, and it is elevated above the social
part 1t thinks not of the difference between
the homogeneous marriage, by which the
man settles down." and the polygamous
marriage in which the man still continues a
marrying man-is more in the market than a
single man. and IS soon looking for new loves
instead of patriarchally presiding over his
household Thus it is that the married Nor
mon is a society buck, and that he continue.
buck in society as long as he lives The so
ciety customs are formed to promote this
The theater and the Social hall'' for bali
and other parties, are regular means. Dane
ing is means of polygamous grace. Ell
quette requires the saint to dance once with
each wife and then he is free TO go for tn,
maidens leaving the wives TO believer tn
wall.
ALWAYS A MARRYING MAN.
1t is difficult 10 conceive the social differ
ence made by a system in which the marie,
man continues marrying man and is al
WAYS on the lookout for another Withou
any conjunction he goes about as a gallan
or lover He runs a courtship to any lengt
and heat, while his wives are ''enjoyin
themselves at home This liberty ha
evolved the custom of long courtships. How
pleasant to the wives when the man dresse
in his best and goes abroad seeking to d.
YOUR. They cannot ask him where he ha
spent the evening. He is doing a saints re
ligious duty. and is thereby exalting thei
state of being in the next world And tn
good man makes religious duty a carna
pleasure. This works great deal of cOur
ing and many marrying chances to the girl
The old bucks and the young bachelors con
pete for them. And they accept the situi
ton with alacrity, each thinking she will /
the favorite wife and enjoying her trump
over the rest
This is of polygamy at Salt Lake Cit