OCR Text |
Show i ANTI-POLYGAM- 58 Woman as a Benefactress. HENRIETTA FELLER. Art. III. The subject of the following brief sketch was born in Lausanne, SwitHer family was one of zerland. the most respectable in the place, and her education and accomplishments such as to entitle her to hold a prominent pisition in a society where literature and the refinements of social intercourse are greatly valued, . The husband, M. Feller, was one of the magistrates of the city, a man highly esteemed, and whose independent circumstances surrounded her with all the elegancies of life. Madame Feller had been brought up a Protestant, and was always of a religious turn of mind. Losing her only child, a lovely and cher ished little girl, and shortly afterward her husband also, made her devote her time to the good of others. Every mortal creature seemed to have a special claim upon her sympathy. Iler strong and ardent mind could not be satisfied with that passive goodness, in which most of her sex wdio call themselves Christians are content to pass their lives. She wTanted to work for humanity, she felt that laborers were needed in this field, and she determined to devote herself to the cause. In 1835 she joined at Montreal two of her friends, a M. and Madame Oliver, who had gone out to Canada to open a mission school. Here she commenced her labors among a people who were described a degraded race, wanting the as common necessaries of life, without instruction, living in the most stupid indifference. and dying with scarcely a hope ora thought of eternal life. Partly on account of ill health, but chiefly from the opposition he met with, M. Oliver and his wife were compelled to leave Montreal soon after Madame Feller joined them. Hut she remained, strong in the hope of doing good. Switzerland, Madame Feller provided, as she thought, ample funds to support herself for life in America, for she intended all her missionary labors to be at her On leaving own expense. Iler money was invested in what was considered safe hands, but the gentleman failed and was so completely ruined that she could not recover one dollar of her deposit To add to her distress she was prevented from getting up a school at Montreal by the prejudices of those who had persecuted M. Oliver, and after struggling in vain against the tide, she was compelled to take refuge in St.Johns. Means of support from her friends in Switzerland soon reached her, and in spite of great opposition she began to teach all the pupils she could obtain, adults as well as children, to read the Bible. That was her mission. The necessity of her labors may be somewhat understood from the fact that there then was not more than one in twenty of the French colonists in Canada who could read, and scarcely a copy of the Bible to be found among the Catholic ppuation. STANDAKD. Y IIow Wives are Coerced into Giving lot with the Saints of God. We did not have very much of this siderable influence at St. Johns. So Consent for their Husbands to worlds goods, but my husband was conciliatory were her mariners, so Enter (Polygamy . a superior mechanic, besides having devoted her heart to the cause of doa good knowledge of bookeeping, ing good to the wretched, and inNo. 1. acquired in leisure hours, and I was structing the ignorant, that many an excellent needlewoman, consewho regarded her as a heretic could A remarked not Gentile lady long not but admire her zeal and bless quently we had no fears of not bein womseveral of the presence her charity. But when the first re- ago ing able to make a living in any who been had en that she Mormons, bellion in Lower Canada broke out place. We sold our little home, no had with wives first patience and the proceeds were more than she was driven by violent outrages who consent hus for their gave sufficient to comfortably defray the from the country, and with about to bands take other women, they expenses of our journey, and leave sixty of her pupils and supporters deserved suffer for to being so weak, a little surplus for our maintenance took shelter in our Republic. She was received at Champlain with the and if they had been determined until my husband should be able to might have prevented it. This get into some business. The misgreatest kindness, and as soon as or- they had been in Utah a few months, der was in some measure restored lady sionary offered to take charge of knew all and she the work thought in the Province, the British authorGeorges extra funds, but he was of but she when Mormonism, not sufficiently blinded or bigoted ities invited Madame Feller to re- ings lived here has seven or eight years, to trust the elder so implicity, beturn, promising her protection for the future, and urging her to appear perhaps she will discover that she sides, in those days he was very inhas not then found out the real independent. and thought himself fully against those who had injured her, ner of It polygamy. machinery be and they should able to take care of himself, and punished. She has who lived in a takes it, person accepted with gratitude the offer to everything belonging to him. A to in suffered and understand it, return to her mission labors, but course of Mormon dietetics someand what it one who takes it has is, what modified this characteristic, steadfastly refused to be a witness been Mormon to a comherself fully but for years it was prominent against those who had injured her. the the organized enough to cause both of us pressure, I came to Canada, said she to prehend many is of that tyranny brought to troubles and heartaches. I often do good to all, so far as I have the system bear upon people to compel them to think that if we both had been blood ability, to those who injure and to the dictates submit of the priest- atoned and been buried persecute, as well as to those who together in hood Years this regard. ago, a side by side in one grave, we would love and aid me. What these poor woman had no choice but to submit have had people did, they did in ignorance. experienced fewer heartwould have or it been die, happier burns, and been more glad to meet I pity and forgive them, and only the latter if for been each other in the had many, desire an opportunity to do them resurrection day their but were there ties that fate, favors. than we shall be now. But regrets bound to 'them earth their little Her resolution soon became are vain, and what is done can nevlived so children thev on, suffering er be undone. known, and the true Christian spirtorments eternal every day of their We had heard in our New York it of lier conduct subdued her eneis lives. not so bad It now, quite mies. From that time she was comhome that polygamy was practised leave can women for their perhaps, paratively unmolested, her school husbands among the Saints, and we had also more now and can easily, read the revelation, as it is termincreased, her influence augmented, from Utah without away get being and her character respected even by ed, but which was only, as I have in murdered Indians bv nounthe those who still opposed her mission. proved to my own satisfaction, a or tains anothon the in but Plains, In the autumn of 1830, she removed base fabrication that originated in is for it er now men worse, visrespect to Grand Ligne, where she was the depraved brain of a lustful tywill women other without marry ited by the Rev. Air. Gilman, pastor rant, to cover his own iniquities and consent of even their wives, asking of a Baptist church in Montreal. He at the same time retain his influence which deemed was necessary some over his dupes. We were also asfound her with her school in a sured by the elder that the practise barn, open to wind and rain, and years ago. will I relate my own experience, of polygamy was she herself living in a small garret. entirely optional Impressed with her devotion, he de- and then let any cam id person de- witli the people themselves, and if termined to obtain a house for the cide if I could have done otherwise a mans religious convictions did not Mission. In Montreal, and in va- than have given consent for. my prompt him to enter it, or if a wife rious towns of the United States, husband to take a plural wife. thought she was not fitted to carry he met with a ready response to his What I have suffered through the out the principles of the celestial calls for aid, and sufficient funds to doctrine of polygamy can never be doctrine, that there was no compuln build a Mission house were soon half told, and indeed it is not sion used whatever. Of course, he tq declare what was said in depicted in glowing colors the adraised. This institution and its branches have now over three hun- a former article published in the vantages of the system when lived Standard, that the horrors of the sys- aright, that the' women who emdred pupils. Madame Fellerrs character has tem to be truly written ought to be braced it were perfectly happy even in this life, and were perfectly asbeen purified in the fiery furnace of transcribed in letters of blood. adversity. She lives for others, and My husband and I emigrated to sured of highest bliss in the word to in devotion of heart and soul to the Utah nearly twenty years ago. We come. I did not trouble myself cause of benevolence, her powers of had been married about three years, very much about the matter, after mind have acquired such strength, and had been converted to Mormon-isi- n he had so positively stated that pocomprehensiveness and discernby a travelling missionary in lygamy w as not compulsory, for I ment, as few of either sex can hope New York State some three months felt assured that George would to evei attain. By her wisdom and previous. We had been in haste to never go into it against my wishes, she has overcome gather to Zion, not so much to be and I was so anxious to get to perseverance, what before seemed impossibilities, with Gods people, for we had many Utah that I was willing to assume I was not a fanand has planted the most extensive friends .from whom it was hard to almost any risks. and important educational and mis- part, and besides, rumors had reach- atic or religious enthusiast by any sionary establishment that the Pro- ed us that the promised land was means, but I had an irresislable testants have ever had in British not exactly as the missionaries rep- longing to experience the joys of Amorica. resented, but because my health motherhood, and I had faith in a' was rather delicate and a change change of climate asapnedium to We had accomplish this much desired end. Douglas Jerrold said of a man was deemed beneficial. who had proved himself a thorough heard ot the glorious climate cf A First Wife. scoundrel: lie would sharpen a these valleys, and their health-givinknife upon his fathers tombstone to An American girl says that Engproperties, and were anxious to kill his mother. secure their benefits, especially for lish maids and matrons playfully " me. As I said, we had been married call men horrid, nasty, greedy If Jones undertakes to pull my three years, but no little child had things; that wedded people address fellow on been sent us, and the Mormon mis- each other as you stupid, old darlears, said a he will just have sionary had assured us that this ing, and that girls friends call each a street corner, The crowd looked blessing would be ours if we would other you nasty little pet. his hands full. That leave wicked Babylon and cast our is boarding-housat the mans cars and smiled. English. Madame Feller soon obtained con- v 4 I exag-geratio- g " loud-mouth- ed e |