The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-08

Chattanooga correspondence oi 'ht NeN 'V'N
Times.
The Elders spreading Mormonism in
the South are met on every hand, Of
course, with questions about polygamy.
What they tell converts is not easy to dis-
cover, but it is suspected that the question
is cvaded; indeed, few instances are
known Of Elder Morgan frankly telling in
quisitive new members that they were
yet too young in the faith to discuss such
weighty points. To the simply curious
they admit that polygamy is still one OF the
doctrines OF the church, and that 1t is be.
lieved in almost as strongly Us ever, but
that il is not practiced because the laws OF
the land are mightier than they, and it is
not healthy to possess more than one rec
ognized wife. Elder Stookey Of this city,
has no wife at all, and his conversation
gives rise TO the suspicion that he doesn't
want one, either.
Elder stookcy says that since the pas.
sage OF the Edmunds law in 1889, there
have been but ten eases OF plural mar
riages in Utah. He explains that the
prosecutions in the main are for marriages
contracted prior TO that time. Many men,
hc saws, who years ago took unto them
selves several wives still support them.
Contrary to what Is probably general
belief, Mormons having number Oi
wives do not keep them at one establish
mcnt Each wife has a house separate
from the Others, rarely in the same neigh
borhood, and often IN different parts Of
the Territory. Because OF this fact the
Law against polygamy is more easily
evaded than II "harems' werc kept mp
Although the subject of polygamy is not
talked about much In public II is sup.
posed that the MormOus not only believe
but teach that the future of n man depends
somewhat on his married life here, and
that, this being true, plural marriage Is en-
Outraged m n practice 10 be performed II
it seems at all possible TO do 30 and keep
from conflict with the law.
The new or reformed Church OF Latter
Day Saints, workcd-oycr Mormons whose
headquarters are at Plano, ILL.,, aud who
are commonly called Joscphilcs, discount
onanccs polygamy and claims that plural
marriage is an innovation TO the real faith
of the church; that 10 was embodied ia tho
doctrines Of the church by few schcming
men who sought thereby 10 Justify their
wickedncss. jos Smith, son of tile
founder OF Mormunism, established this
reformed church. nia mother still lives,
and although, the Mormons assert that her
husband had two wives, she insists that
he had but her.
In this city lives gentleman who con
fcsscs that lac WIS once Mormon, having
been baptized IN the faith. lie Is quito
we'll known, and would be at once rrcog-
nizcd 10y u large class Of church people
were his name mentioned. lie * now ia
middle life and has wife aud three inter.
osling children. lie has delivered one
lecture against Mormonsm. aud talks
against II at every opportunity, but lac
says that lac has 80 studiously avoided
mention ol hs early connection with the
church that ho rarely recalls the fact now.
lie consented to talk with Tho linus cor
respondent, but asked that his name be-
not mentioned, iur he said lac didn't care
10 become a mark Tor the spitciulncss Of
the Mormuns iy the nature ol his pro-
fcssion lac h necessarily ia direct conflict
with the evils oi Murmunism, aud yet IL
was evident FROM his manner that he
knew something about the sect that he
didn't feel NJ liberty a. disclose. In re-
sponsc To a question ~ 10 whether lac did
not consider II the duty Of ptuicsscd
Christian Ia do and SAY al Ia his power
against such Hn enormous evil, hc replied.
"Oh' I'm afraid YOU gather q wrong i'm.
preston from my remark. ! have taken
no obligation not 10 tell, aud | really know
nothing M startling ~ you may suspect.
Besides. the newspapers don't want In
formation about MOunonism in order tu
fight II. They want II lor sensation, and
don't know that ! ana called upon 10 con-
tribute to the scnsatiunali,m OF the press
The speaker Is a minister Vi the GOSPEL
j. ...I a.. a
IN all probability has never before been
given the public was learned The Nor
mon Church is set M young aud has
grown ~ last, the recruits coming from 20
many religious, or rather denominations ul
one religion, that its doctrines have multi
piled M rapidly that they present the most
wonderful incongruity. Thor articles 81
faith "bciicvc Va the Lord Jesus Chris"
and necessarily iu tho institutions Ul the
religion established by Him. liut another
doctrine ia direct opposition is that Adam
h God. Indeed, Brigham Young Is known
30 have said repeatedly Ia public that
adam Is our father aud our God, thc only
God with whom We have 10 do"
still another belief In this connection b.
that the heads Ut the families themselves
become gods after death. This doctrine
Is that upon the death OF a Mormon head
oi family hc at once h transported to a
world that becomes all his own, aud over
which hu has absolute aud unlimited
power. There lac " a god. Ills wives
and children, " they have bvrn true IL
the faith, follow him thithrr as they die,
or, II they have died hut, await him
there, and they become q royal family ior
eternity. Any ol the family that have
rrnounccd Murmonism and as many Gen.
tiles ~ may be- needed, become, finally,
servants Ia this royal family II the s6u
or iather or other member ul q GvutI,
family becomes a Mormon hv ~ assured o
situation as goi In some world W other
and his sister ur Wlic ur mother. ~ whom
EOeNcr ol the family have not hrcum,
Mornons. must az death enter upon 90
eternity Of scryiludo 90 the converted
one. IL must be- pleasing thought thu
mother or n sister of loving wife shll
do mental service to a son or brother NJ
husband for all cicrnityl
This idea is IN positive conflict with nn
other belief now strongly ST forth by lhO
Momous They teach that the Mormon
Eldem who have hvrn killvt by Gentle
80 directly 10 heaven, this time a HEAVIER
such ~ b believed iu by orthodoxy. nu,
at once begin 10 preach their faith io th,
uncovered 10 Mormuuism thrr. ii
wife u converted, that ilct rs r1mmuui
Gated 30 her Moumonizcd husband here
aud the husband can then, by getting sum
woman 10 answer a. his dead WHO'S namp
or, IN other words, to become her pruNy
luVa fIu MprulYu fsHfft.s.s l.F - ......r,