Year: 1862




most servie and wreched condition. within their own
households and children neglected, grow to mature
years, with affections blighed-and early fitted for q
career OF narrow and selfish if vicious purposes
or, sensitive and loving, in spite of untoward circum-
stances, decline under their accumulated grefs and i'll
fortunes either into state of helpless lunacy, an
unumely grave. SO, too, many pleasant tempered
women grow sour, or Indifferent and ndOent, and at
length yield TO q dependency which, in the end
amounts TO total imbecility-whie others droop and
Wither away-so lying down beneath the peaceful
shadows of the Lone Mountain many alas weary
and over-wOrn by long suffering Offices of patient love-
which have brought hope or loving recognition
with an intense wish for peace at any sacrifice last
accept the severe relief urged upon them by such un
faithful and cruel husbands having taste for we'd
lock- feel disposed to indulge in pleasing variety of
wives and, to give the affair the best eOoring it is
possible to exhibit it in, the injured woman. menaced
with defamation and persecution unless she consents
weakened in intellect, haldemented by jealousy and
bitter wrong, asks her part to be relieved from the
bonds of matrimOny Thus the law relieves the false
hearted from the weight Of his miserable burden
once the beautiful, youthful and innocent creature
which he proudly casped by the hand and before God
promised to love honor and CHERISH in sickness and in
heath for BETTER for for richer for poorer until
Death-aDd society generously relieves the strong man
(bOasng of his strength, of his social freedom of has
bOdeSS of his ability do that which others fear to
dO) OF the mpuation of injustice extends him the
right hand of cOmplacent acceptanee-whie the poor
dvorcee assumes with the condition of wdowhood, all





Of having disturbed the peace of the social circle.
Others, STILL albeit they be wives of good men-for
there such in Californa-and mothers of children
bat OF rrepressbe temperaments and weak moral prn
ciples, defective education in evil hour fall VIC
tins to this wicked spirit and become accomplices with
him, and candidates for his disgracefu favors and
thus-and thus families which were onee happy, and
pure, and prosperous, are broken the household
tered its Lares and Penates trOdden under foot and
the seeds of disorder and ruin sown broadcast all
our beautiful land


Oh, Paul, help US You. who are so strong, help US
who are 50 ,ceak! Put away from this plague of
unceanness you who control the morals of the people
much in you lies. help these feeble women and
but also our husbands, fathers and sons-from
the rapid deterioration which will inevitably follow in
the footsteps of this scarlet SIN -


at this point should very likely burst into q pas
sion Of weepng-and Paul would bid me not cry-and
then, speaking very slowly and without exhibiting any
particular emotion sympathy, he might say to me


have observed the works of the maefcent spirit of
whom you speak, and am also that his success
ful fame in our midst has gone abroad a reproach
upon US throughout all Christendom, wherever our
name is known feel the necessity of doing sonaethiaq
But what the eftectual means That is the aues-
ton. If We endeavor to put him out by force from
among US, and our attacks prove too weak, and we
from whatever cause are overpowered. he will but
gather strength for renewed mschiefs and open
and shameless triumphs and in the premises perhaps
is as well, or best TO let him alone, and society,
she becomes refined and conventional, will by
andby adjust these matters and thus peaceaby banish
him without any interference on our part We are
wholly inefficient to apply remedies in those Cases of
distress and crime already evolved you very well
know, FulVia the wrong is rreparabe when the wish
intention is discovered or avowed and Christian
Charity, and the ultimate welfare of all parties, prompt
to make the best of each individual case and submit
complacently possible those ills which inev-
table from ohatever Consider, Fulvia, ,rhat
changes hare come the corld since UrOte my epis-
ties 10 the churches


Whereupon Paul. rising from his chair, proceeds to
button his coat by way of ntimatng that interview
Is at an end but turning quickly toward me and
speaking with eagerness, if pleasant thought had
suddenly relieved his perpexy, he might say " Ap-
peal to your egsativs, just assembled they have
the power to cast down and to raise up


Then rising also and speaking earnestly, [ should
say "Oh, Paul. suffer me again to speak. You can do
more by single effort of your will than all the egisa-
tive assemblies of all the States in this Confederacy
They hold such power you hold. in word or deed
Ia good and great once said Laws cannot avail
in place of good morals u


90 Brother, when there cometh to your door a mes
seuger, bearing in his hand q silken purse-and
through It's dainty meshes you perceive the glitter Of
golden dollars, less, bidding You to this
that divorced party, soemny to unite by virtue of
your clerical office, such party, parties-n pecious
marriage; then say ye to him Nay, nay; cannot
do this thing, which ye bid me for it is written, and
the Lord Christ hath declared it, whosoever putteth
away his wife, and marreth another, commteth adul-
terry and if woman put away her husband and be
married TO another. she eOmmtteth adultery Hov
then do hS thing and not against God Shall
Ia servant of Christ, ordained to minister in holy
things-shal be partaker with the adulterous' God
forbid Go your ways, and tell them which sent you,
these words which have said.''


Then Paul, willing to test my sincerity, would say
' Fulvia, suppose the to be your own, and one
and gained your affection, and you comfort
ed for the loss OF your early love- what would you do
if he should press his suit and you could find it in
your heart to say him, nay;''


would answer I" If ever could thus forget the
respect due to myself and to all decent oomanhood if
ever could thus consent to ALLEVIATE the love of my
children, could thus outrage all family relationships and
overshadoW with disgrace the grdres Of my dead-coud
thus forget my duty TO God and my neighbor-by ac-
cepting the hand of man, and living beneath his
roof, while be who had once been my husband yet
walked above the green earth, would never insult q
minister of the blessed Gospel of Christ by a request to
Join me in alliance with his Master in a private
conversation well public occasions to others,
plainly denominated adIitay-and nothing else! I
should consider that the offices Of the civil magistrate
all tn Il my purposes required, and all that my
condition justified me demanding and / certainly
would not add The sun Of basphsmy to that Of canness,
by asking the blessing Of God upon union gross as
we'll as disobedent and unnatural; and having formed
such an alliance, should feel that thus renounced
Christ and His service, and should be by no means
worthy to associate with any who called themselves
Christians-in the elevated meaning of that erm-and
if should hear the of God, while administering
the of the Lords SUPPER all those who
induging in any known (recognized) sin, not to
appear at the table of our Lord should say to my
soul, tits thou for who bring eleanness out Of
cleanness what fellowship hath light with dark
ness





Rev AND DEAR SIRs To you, therefore, in these
latter times is committed the wefre Of His church
which is involved in the conversion of souls and
the purity of Christian morals; for which Paul also
labored and in due time finished his work. Again, I
say, think of these things. Thus when you called
join such parties herein mentioned, in q
diton which primarily instituted BY the Creator for
the comfort and perpetuity of the human family, sd-
ministering covenant so solemn only to be lawfully
dissolved by DEATH least ye may be sustained in your
labor by good conscience-which is held by be