MONOGAMY VS. POLYGAMY.
Since the opening of the Pacific railroad brought the indecent practices of the Utah saints into more direct contact with mod-ern civilization, the anti-polygamy senti-ment, which existed for years previous has rapidly increased in intensity and vigor, and has now clothed itself in the form, and assumed all the prerogatives, of law.
The question with which this new enact-ment has to deal is one by no means easy of solution. Screened from sight, by the almost impassable barrier of the Rocky Mountains, VIormonism has. increased with almost unprecedented rapidiiy. Although but little more than thirty-four years have passed since Brigham Young, with Ins tour thousand followers, looked down from the Wasatch range upon the peaceful val-ley of the great Salt Lake—destined to be their future home—this singular community has so rapidly increased in numbers, that, it is quite probable, within the limits of the United States alone, it can claim a membership not far from one hundred thousand. Remarkable as the career of this people has been since they sought, in the wilderness of Utah, safety from the iron hand of persecution, their career pre-vious to that event was no less so. Fifty-one years ago Joseph Smith commenced preaching "his new religion.'' The palpa-ble absurdity and falsehood of his preten-tions, engendered in the outset a feeling of strong opposition; from which, owing to its exceeding bitterness, he and his then insignificant band of followers found it convenient to fly. From Fayette, in this state, the first remove was to Kirkland, Ohio, and thence in a few weeks to Jack-son county, Mo. Here, persecution still assailing, another flight became necessary: this time to Nauvoo, Ill. At this place arrangements were made for permanently locating. A temple was built, schools es-tablished, a paper founded, and mission-aries sent forth "into all the world.'' The society now numbered not far from 15,000. It was here that Joe Smith lost his life at the hands of an infuriated mob, and that Brigham Young succeeded to the leader-ship. From Nauvoo, in 1846, they were again driven forth; this time at the point of the bayonet; and so scattered were they, that but 4,000 accompanied Young across the plains and the Rocky mountains to Utah. Such, in brief, is the history of this peculiar sect.
In doctrine the Mormons are in many points thoroughly orthodox. They be-lieve in the Trinity, that all mankind may be saved by Christ's atonement, and by the use of the sacraments and ordinances of the Mormon church. These ordinances they hold to be faith, repentance, baptism by emersion, laying on of hands, and the Lord's supper; that the scriptures are in-spired and the book of Mormon equally so. In one respect they are in advance of the prevailing orthodoxy of the day—denying that man will be punished for Adam's sin, or that he fell in conse-quence of Adam's transgression.
The practice of polygamy was not orig-inally enjoined by the Mormon creed. It was first proposed by Sidney Rigdon, one of the twelve apostles, while sojourning at Nauvoo. The foisting of this practice upon the church was opposed by Smith; and not until after his death did it be-come fully recognized as a religious duty.
Senator Edmunds' bill is probably but the initiatory step to a more vigorous anti-polygamy policy than has heretofore been adopted. Those who look for a speedy abolition of this practice will doubtless be disappointed. The evil is too deeply rooted to be successfully plucked up in a day. That the practice will eventually be overthrown, there is no room for doubt; its total eradication, however, will take much time and effort. Although of comparatively recent origin, polygamy is now so interwoven with the polity of the Mormon church that it has become to those who accept its teachings a matter of religious faith and duty; hence all efforts to overthrow it will necessarily meet with stout resistance.
When the discovery was made that for Adam to be alone was not good, a help, meet for him was created. It is worthy of remark that this creative power was but once exercised in this direction. Whether this resulted from the inability of Adam's newly-created physique to un-dergo further spoliation to the extent of another rib, is a matter involved in some uncertainty. That but one woman was created, and that Adam, whatever may have been his wishes in the matter, was forced therewith to be content, is a mat-ter of record. One woman for the one man was the original arrangement; modern civilization is emphatic in its assertion that one is enough.
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
