The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-19

| decree by the Mormon officials that it was
| prohibited. 1t has been taken for granted
| that the practice was discontinued. AS q
result, there was little agitation.
las matter of sober and demonstrable
| fact, polygamy was not discontinued. 1t is
in force today 1t is even admitted that
| nearly all the high officials in the Mormon
church are now living in polygamy.
Those who have obtained a certain rank
| in the church may be married in the Temple,
and then the ceremonies are very elaborate.
The secrets of the Temple have been closely
guarded None but Mormons of high rank
are admitted to any but the outer apart
ments Of this building, which Is one of the
most beautiful in America, and which cost
SIS, GOO, 600 Gentiles are never admitted to it
at all.
Mrs. T. H. B. Stenhouse, an English
woman who passed through the ceremony.
has described them in detail She was first
attired in the Temple robe, made of white
linen and reaching to the ankles and veil
Of muslin. The men wear the same dress.
except that their head is covered by linen
fashioned like Scotch cap. She and her
husband were directed to provide themselves
with bottle Of olive oil. They had been
regularly married in England before they
went to Salt Lake City.
After their records pedigree they call it in
police COURT were taken they were told to
remove their shoes and were then conducted
to a large bathroom divided by muslin
tain. One side was for men, the other for
Mrs Stenhouse was then placed in a tub
and was washed from head to foot, the at
tendants repeating various formulas to the eff
feet that she NOW washed clean from
the blood of this generation and should never,
If she remained faithful. know the plaques
and miseries that were about to come upon
the earth.
Then she was wiped dry and anointed with
a huge horn of olive oil. Her eyes were
anointed that they might be quick to see
her ears that they might be apt at hearing
her mouth that she might speak the words
of eternal life. and her feet that they might
be swift to run in the ways of eternal life
'She was then given garment peculiar to
the Mormon people, which envelops the whole
body and is worn night and day. She was
told that she must never put 1t wholly off
before putting on another, but should change
it one-hah at a time. and that il she did SO
she would be protected wholly from disease
and even from death itself.
Thus arrayed she proceeded to put a
white night dress, skirt. stockings and white
linen shoes
"A new name was whispered to her which
husband in the Endowment house. It was the
name by which she should be admitted into
the celestial kingdom. The nqame was Sarah,
and Mrs. Stenhouse learned that it was tie
name given to the other women passing
through the same ceremony. There were
about fifteen couples in all
The curtain was drawn aside and the
women stood face to face with the men who
had been put through the same ordeal. The
men wore white unions over that white
linen shirt. such men always wear, white
stockings and canvas shoes. They sat oppo-
site each other for several minutes. Then
Mrs. Stenhouse and her husband were in
structed to come forward and kpee at the
altar while the others remained standing.
when in this position words of a weird
ceremony were uttered by unseen persons,
supposed to be divine. After this all knseled
down and with right hands uplifted, took
solemn oath OF obedience and secrecy.
Mrs. Stenhouse says that this oath was ad-
ministered in the most startling and i'm
pressive way and the penalty was then ex-
planned. He who violated it would, while yet
living have his bowels torn from him, his
tongue cut out, his throat cut from to
ear, his heart cut out, and in the world to
come everlasting damnation would be his
portion.
They were then taken to another room for