The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-10
BorHEKsomE MORMON woMES.


s&&84 ~ IL 1n - 80 kk1E = VIM
New York Sun.
SALT LAKE. March MANY OF the
older and more conservative Mormons
are disposed 70 grunslle because the
wholesale prosecuting now in progress
is bringing into Zion hundreds OF men
and women who are thought TO be
altogether too worldly for association
with the saints. The old-timers hold
that in the case Of women, in particl-
lar. great efrcumspectiUn is needed
and that il would be better 10 have
fewer converts than 70 be annsyeI by
the scanGalous performances and the
stsff-nec1sssness OF so many who,
clearly enough, do not have the good
OF Mormond0m at heart One or two
OF the elders have ventured 10 hint at
this IN their sermons. but il is IN pri-
yate conversation that most OF the
conaplainings are heard.
4 few days ago great scandal was
created by the elopefnsnt Of three OF
the wives OF q prominent Mormon
with one man, 4 reckless fellow. who
had been a brakeman on the railroad.
Ali OF these women were newcomers,
and had been sealed 70 the elder only
recently. The brakeman had been
noticed about the premises occupied
By one of the wives, bat as he was sup
posed To be q relative. who thought
well OF MorfnoniSns, his movements
caused no suspicion. When il was
discovered that the three new wives
had taken their departure there was
delefui wailing and gnashing OF teeth,
particularly on the part OF the elder
wives, for the escapade proved the as
sertion that many of them had been
making. that the eagerness of prose-
lytes To secure recruits was bringing
into the fold very undesirable class
OF women. To make this elopement
more offensive. two of the women left
letters to their lord reyiling him. and
one of them said in her note that she
had never intended 10 stay more than
a few months anyway. When last
heard of the brakeman and his three
companions were en- route to Tacoma,
where il was announced that he in
tended to make one of the women his
wife.
Besides several other cases OF elope-
ment the peace of Zion has been
broken of late by Numerous exhibit
tons OF temper on see part of newly
received wives. Gpedience by women
is fundamental precept in Mormon
dom. and n truly religious woman,
.mh~ther the first or the twentieth
wife. ese.F thinks of questioning the
will of her master. Ii may be imag-
ined, then,wi what awe the perform
ances OF some OF the younger women
are viewed, more particularly when it
Is understood that in some cases the
newcomers have locked their houses
against their husbands, have smashed
washboards on their heads, and have
set other wives by the ears over tri-
fling matters. Few of these scandals
have reached the newspapers. but that
they exist and are increasing in num-
Der is evident to the most casual OBJ
server
More than one-haif of the recruits
now coming into Mormondom are
from various American states, and il
is against the policy of enlistment that
the aore conservative of the saints
are now protesting. The average
American-bred woman comes. it has
been found, without sufficient re-
ligious bias. She is prepared to be-
lieve as much as she is compelled to,
provided she likes her situation. Fail
ing to find things to her satisfaction,
the terrors of the bishops. the aveng-
ing angels and the judgment'are moth.
ing to her. While the church is in
creasing in numbers in this manner,
It Il believed by many that it is intro
ducing an intractable element which
may weaken the organization more
than any other cause that has yet
manifested itself.