The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-07-02
LET THEM REST


who are agitated over the polyg-
amy question. Unfortunately, we
cannot assume the high moral tone
so natural and becoming to men
like Senator Dubois and Judge
Flenner and LATE Pence. 1t would,
of course, be the popular thing to
do, and possibly enable us to pass
with strangers as something quite
angelical. But let us talk about
polygamy.
It takes at least three to make
polygamous combination, two OF
whom must be women. Under ex-
listing conditions, the combination.
on the part of the women at least,
must be voluntarily, and to contin-
ne must be satisfactory. Then, in
dealing with this question, the wo-
men must be reckoned with.
Amy movement against polyg-
amy, at this time, must have for its
real purpose the breaking up of
polygamous families already estab-
lished and Of long standing. These
'polygamous relations on the part
OF women were contracted in obed-
fence to deep-seated religious
faith. Whatever motives inspired
man to take more than one wife,
we must admit that nothing short
of firm belief in the divinity of po-
lygamous families could induce any
woman to be content with the frac-
tion of a husband. Take it home
to yourselves, We homogeneous wo-
men of Idaho, look into your own
hearts and tell us if anything less
than a commandment from God
would induce you to willingly share
your husbands with other women.
Some of you will hastily protest
that not even such a commandment
would suffice; but, on reflection,
you know that If God should so
command, and rest your salvation
on obedience. with promise OF great
and eternal glory to all who cheer
fully obeyed-You know that you
would comply, and the greater your
spiritual development, the greater
would be your eagerness to fulfill
the commandment. But, you say,
this il blasphemous supposition.
1t supposes monstrous, impossi-
bic God, We think so too; but
there are thousands of Mormon wo-
men far wiser and nobler and more
virtuous than we, who do not think
so. They testify that God has so
commanded, not only in a general
way. but specifically to them as in
dividuals. We personally know
Mormon women who solemnly aver
that they have been commanded Of
God to enter into polygamous mar
riage. Now, you cry delusion, in
sincerity, hypocrisy, and that is
what we think about it, but who
can tell? Who dares say that he
knows the will of the Infinite? In
the vanity of our human Ignorance
and littleness, we set up a certain
standard Of divinity and establish
rules to conform to that standard.
In other words, we first make q
god that we can understand and
then set him to making laws that
we can approve. However, the
fact remains that there are women
In the Mormon Church who have
an unquestlonlng belief in the di'
vinity of polygamy. We may reas
on about it as we please; we may
ridicule it or scott it, the faith o.
those women remains mistaken
Study it out and study it well, yor
who look upon polygamy as 6
great moral crime, and tell us how
this faith that seems to outrage the
hottest emotions of womanhood car
live and flourish in women's breasts
You cannot put it on the low plane
of mere animal passion. There is
little in its manifestations to differ,
entiate it from other religious faiths
Women accept it because they be-
lieve that God decreed it. They
live it because Of the assurance il