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Show "WHAT IF?" From the Christian Herald. 1 "Yes, I was born a Mormon. My father had four wives. But"- and here tho SDSaker drew herself up with an nlr of pride, and said with assurance, "I was the daughter of the llrst wife " ' What If you had been the daughter of . ithi i of the others?" said L "Wt.ui.i you have spoken with the same sense of a jp. rlorlty?" "No," she admitted; "but of this I am i rt.iin I am glad my mother was the tirst wife." This conversation occurred ln Suit Lake City, on a recent date. It has haunted the writer ever sine Thre arc children l.li.K born today In Utah who. twenty rears from now. will have that same question to answer. "What If you had I ii born of th- others." and who In BhamS will be compelled to admit that they were born of the "others." Polygamy han not ceased among th Mormons. The leaders of the church both .i ... (,. and teach I. l th I" ople ever so thriftv. or possessed of all the virtues Claimed for them by their admirers, still the) aro being misled by the powerful hierarchy of the church, which dictates th policy of their lives. I'urlng ii'V OMl. last w.-.-k, hi Salt Lake City, the bead of the church, Joseph F Smith, started on a Journey with one of his wives. Tho newspapers commented freely on the fact that he had taken Ills "wile V." i Marv with him. and .p.estlone.l Why It had not been his favorite "wifc,'(?) Edna, Think of It. oh. my sisters ye who hold the name of wife os the sacred crown of ur womanhood that there are men and women claiming the privileges of cltlsen-hlp cltlsen-hlp under the Stars nnd Stripes, who dare thus defv ail law. Tonight, as you "cuddle doon" the precious pre-cious bairns of your own household, look into their faces nnd a-k tho question. "What if"" As the hot blood Surges through vo ir being at th very thought Of the shame Of It. VOW then and there, by tho power of your love for your own. never t rest until this blot upon child-life, child-life, perpetrated In the name of religion, b- foi .-ver done a w a hnt effort can you make? Write to th" Christian Herald. Tell them ou want to help. Send to tho gr.-ut l,eau.- of Women's Organization. any in ... rial aid you can ihat th-y may mora frtely distribute, literature. Fray for th- work, those who are leading In l need your praysrS There are m.-n and women out in Utah who have laid down everything every-thing that life counts dear. In the hope that conditions may be better for the children now and In the future. Pray for ii.. m Hhull we not care because our lives are free, that theirs, forsooth, are gray-tinted with this wretched blight? Rather let us prove our sisterhood, and rising as a unit, demand for these, our own race and Nation, the high moral ground wo claim foi ourselves. Not any one woman can accomplish this n.r any ?t of women. But when Ui. womanhood .. Am-r. a speaks as one Volet then thS Nation must listen. In this beautiful mountain town surrounded sur-rounded by nature's fastnesses, set round by thu very lavlshness of beauty, ll doen not seem possible that an evil so insidious Is menacing our dear land. As I walked from church this morning, with eyes uplifted up-lifted to the "hills" and spirit attuned to tli "peace Which paSSStb understanding." it was hard to believe that less than a day's Journey there lay a land under S moral blight that wa sapping the very Absr Of Its people, where men were In a death grapple with a mighty io Will their vision of a better dy always bi b fai "if dream? Will America forever hear this blot among her stars? Will children chil-dren forever bear this Mtlgma of shame.' Like th. sound of mighty waters, the united voice of American womanhood on-swers, on-swers, n..'" MAR? V. lsrice. c..r Secretary National Congress of Mothi 1 1 ManltoUj -'..io. |
