The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-06-15


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.MARTYRDOMs0F
M|0RMOAEW0MEN
The Mormon woman has suffered
for her religion. The Mormon woman
to-day Is suffering for herS religion
and the young women and the young
girls will doubtless suffer In: the re:
ligion which has made tragedies Sof
the lives otStheir mothers, BY this I
do not mean that every Mormon wo-.
man suffers neglect and prlvation.i
But that the great mass OF Mormon
women suffer 4 believe and know
suffer in the degraded place they
are assigned in their religlon;f suffer.
in their slavery to their husbands
heirSchureh; suffer physically In
The rearing OF large families, which
.sSlhelr prlEcipal means liberalization
| In the life toFcome, writer u, Miriam
Bonsall for$thcF liousekeeper.
The majority Of the women Of tho
Iisattcr.dRy Saints, rs members OF the
church usually speak Of themselves
|are plain industrious people OF tho
Woodworking class. IL Isl these plain,
sincere people. mostly. who llyeinfthe.
small towns and villages. There Isl,
however, . belonging chiefly to-
the families ofttloseof inluenccSand
power in$the Mormon church, women
OF education and culture, who have
Travelled and. studied and are we'll read
and accomplished. Many, possibly,
most, Gof these women also IRE sincere
in their religion.
Ardent champions Of polygnmy are
TO be found in both classes. It Is
true, also that there are SOME women
In both classes who do not believe in
polygamy IN so far MS they do not
they are not good and consistent
Mormons,a and 1t is not. likely they
would feel free to discuss their at,
iitule Miththe bishop Of thelriward,
for instance. II VI
Marian Bonsall explains Why the
Intelligent women Of Utah do not$re:
| fuse TO submit to the unspeakable
degradation Of polygamy.
Second, because polygamy isiR their
blood.
Second because polygamy Is in their
religion.
Third, because to denounco polyg
amy would be to cast reflections of}the
most horrible character upon the wiz
tue Of the mothers and tho honor; Of
tie fathers
X a certain young woman; and a Gen
tile man We're friends filong stand
Ing: The girl, attractive, vol edu
Gated, fond OF pleasure, was tic
{ daughter Of the FIRST wife OF 4 mar
who$had two wives. Both Of these
women, who were educated and &c
complished, we're exceptionally well
cared for, and though they lived III
different homes their families were
bound together by ties Of genuine az
lection as we'll as Of relationship. The
Gentle man, who was SO Intimate d
friend that he was a member Of. the
family camping party at the time Of
this conversation, asked the father II
he was not glad that his daughter was
1 not Obliged 10 be a plural wife. Tho
father, who loved the girl dearly,tr re
piled that, for four reasons he pre- pr,
ferred that when she married she
should marry Mormon WHO ."'liyed
his religion First, he said, because
she would be happier with thereligior
Of the Saints. Second, because such
q man would never apostatlze. Third
because his character would have been cen
proved. and that he, tie father, would
be certain from the happy condition
Of the mans former family, that he
was a good husband in every way
: Fourth. because, as d wife In a home
where the celestial order was obeyed
his daughter would find her greatesi
happiness. ~ III; If.
! During a confidential conversation
the girl herself was asked ii frankly
: and truly in her lnmost soul, she was vas
not not glad that It was not required Z, ii
her that she be a plural wife. The
girl answered thoughtfully, no, thai
she thought the Mormon women 81