The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-17
SAYS POLYGAMY
is LIVE ISSUE
The Rev. Mr.. Huntington of Ad-
ventiSt Church breaches on
Much Discussed Subject.
FALSE REASONING BLAMED
BIBLE DOES NOT coUNTENANcE
PRACTICE.

That polygamy is a live issue was
declared to be a fact by Rev. S. H.
Huntington of the Adventists' church in
a sermon delivered last evening. The
speaker also said that this and all kim
dfed doctrines are founded upon a
wrong conception and misinterpreta-
ton of the Scripture,
In discussing the question, ] wish
To be understood said Mr.. Hunting
ton. that if is the principle involved
and not people against which 1 find
myself arrayed. That the doctrine of
polygamy is a live question there can
be no doubt. The recent controversy
between the Ministerial association of
this city and the Mormon church is
evidence sufficient to establish that
point.
''As a virtue or moral obligation of a
church l am fully convinced that the
doctrine of polygamy issthe outgrOwth
or fruitage of long drawn-Out process
of reasoning based upon false prem
ise. The object Of polygamy, accord
ing to its advocates, is to fulfill the
command of God to multiply and this
in turn, as we are told. comprehends
the incarnation of disembodied spirits,
the offspring Of God, which are contin-
ually lowering over those who are al
ready tabernacled in tho flesh, anx-
iOusly awaiting their turn TO be lalso
clothed upon with flesh. Thus the rea-
SOning, the more wives the more chill
dTen, the more children the more spirits
favored with bodies and the more
spirits favored with bodies the more
rapid the fulillment of the purposes
of God in the creation of man and the
advancement Of the spirits in their evo-
lutionary progress toward their final
and celestial eXaltation-
Due to Misconception.
Therefore. it is my conviction that
polygamy and all kindred doctrines
growing out of it, as a religious tenet,
is founded upon a wrong conception
and misinterpTetation of the scripture
relative to its teachings on the origin
and nature of man. Accept the inspired
record of the creation of man, that
mans existence began with the first
week of time, that he is mortal and
that his future existence rests exclu-
sively upon the great fundamental doc
trine of a resurrection from the dead.
and pOlygamy as a religious teaching
falls to the ground. Contrary to the
declaration OF God it was the Devil
who said, Thou shalt not surely die"
Every doctrine or teaching, therefore,
that involves a belief in the natural
Immortality OF the soul as thus pro-
pounded by Satan owes it's origin to the
enemy of all righteousness. Polygamy
involves just such a premise and be-
lief, hence is as contrary to sound doc
tTine as truth is to error.
Example Not Sufficient.
1t is claimed that Abraham, Jacob,
David. Solomon and other men of God
in ancient times were polygamists and
therefore in view of their practice God
justified polygamy. We reply that toll
Grafton is not justification; also that
example alone is not sufficient to es-
tablish 4 doctrine, the precept must
also he produced. But as every bible
student knows. there is no such pre-
cept between the two lids of the bible.
on the hypothesis of example alone the
doctrine of falsehOod could be taught
with equal prOpriety, for the record
shows that Abraham also Tlis-stated
the truth on at least two occasions; also
that Moses murdered a man, that
Joseph was a supplanter. that David
was both a murderer and adultereT and
that Solomon wOTshiped idols, but
what sane man would be SO foolhardy
as TO assume such a position and build
. upon it as genuine and true? Why then
take the example of pOlygamy, a sin
equally heinous in the sight of God as
others committed by the same men, and
declare in favor of it? The aIlegOry
presented by Paul in Galatians The
sixth chapter shows conclusiYely that
God recognized Sarah only as Abra-
hams legitimate wife The bible, in
Lev. 1918 and Deut. 17:17, declares
most emphatically against polygamy.
Throughout the teachings of both Christ
and the Apostles the one great truth
of hut one wife in every instance is
most forceably taught
''Polygamy, therefore, is not of God.
It has no place in the code of morals
of the Christian church and thus In
nOWise should be believed or pTactiCed
by those who follow in the path of
righteousness and truth"
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