| Show V T PL PLURALITY L c constitutionality u uhl uil fi IY OF WIVES ITS the he fathers of our country count rvin in framing the declaration of independence and the constitution were inspired with breadth of thought and liberality of yiew view e fo to an unparalleled extent they did not confine their action alone to the inhabitants of the thirteen thi iteen States which formed the infant republic and to their own time but designed its influence should extend to unborn ages and people of every nationality and clime who M might ight come to partake of the blessings of freedom hero here offered to them in no instruments ever framed are the inalienable rights of men more definitely stated and provided for the declaration avers as a self evident truth that life liberty and the pul pursuit sult suit of happiness are the unalienable rights of all men and the constitution secures their possession to all who place themselves under the shelter of its broad provisions in the language of an intelligent opponent of plurality of wives our civil and political institutions admit juda ism and all other iams isms 11 hence tha the weary and tyrant cursed of other lands could here look for a refuge of liberty whether fleeing from the despotisms despotis ms of europe or tho emmete effete governments ocasia whether claiming to worship the true god or bringing with them their self L made deities and pantheistic idols the ble can enact his religious mum IM emenes files flies which are sacred to him in the metropolis of the golden S state tate and though his neighbors may ridicule him faith the constitution protects him in his worship however repugnant it may beo be to more enlightened minds in rii we the very teeth of common sense and reason mormonism has been declared ine ike lared to be no religion bv by some of its pretensions but bigoted and ignorant exie exle enemies mies religion is a system of faith arid an id worship lp and whether the world look upon mormonism as true or ifal rf alse alee sc we have calmly rationally and 1 whole adopted it believing that in it and it only can we obtain ae celestial salvation in that religion the principle of pre sent and continued revelation occupies the first position As children chil chii dreu dren of god the same right to expect and receive revelation from him that any I 1 corhon of his children ever had in l 14 pi any 1 age agor ngor or dispensation if we accept and abide tha conditions which secure that blessing to mankind wo we have received and a n d continue contin ue to receive revelations guiding us in matters pertaining ito to our present and eternal welfare and one oile of these revelations enjoins upon us the doctrine of plurality of wives chis was not given as a permission be certain circumstances existing taa to fihe fahe tl the time it was received but it came as a a command under divine regulations rd guhl i which cannot bo be trifled with w tb nor treated re aad as a thing of no moment we do not look upon a part apart of the commandments of god as imperative and essential to salvation and another part as nonessential non essential we receive everything every eiery thing from that divine source which comes to us as a commando command as imperative and ind essential necessary to be observed by ua us that we may obtain pai pal salvation the doctrine of plurality allty of wives which we have found pound sanctioned ana and commanded in the bibla and sustained by it comes to us as a command in the die revelation Be published at the commencement of this series of articles that Be aelon says for all those who have this law revealed unto them must 4 obey the same for behold I 1 reveal unto you a new and everlasting covenant and if ye abide not that covenant then are ye damned while we will not stop to discuss the incorrect meaning gener ally received as conveyed in the word damned what we have quoted is enough to prove that the command there given is binding upon us and that we cannot cast if it aside without abjuring our entire faith when the subject is examined in c connection on with the civil polity of our country and the extent to which the constitution shields or repudiates it the question is not Is that revelation true but have the people adopted it as a part of their religion Vy with the truth or falsity of any persons religious belief the framers trainers of the conati constitution loution wisely refused to interfere the section which covers the ground distinctly says that congress shall make no law respecting an establishment lish ment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof this was demanded by the admittedly self evident truth that life liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the unalienable rights of all men let the tile point be once conceded that any man or number of men have the right to dictate to their fellows what they must believe and reject as a s religious feith faith and the very foundation of our constitutional rights is swept away for no tyranny has been so intolerant as spiritual tyranny no persecutions eions have been so barbarous mg religious persecutions no wars have been so devoid of everything human and so fiendishly cruel as those waged in the sacred name of religion in congress there are most likely infidels who regard the bible as a fable shall they have the right to impugn the bibie bible believer for his falt fait naith faith I 1 there may be jews in it the there is sat at least one in the British parliament are aro who look upon the savior as an imposter impostor to claim the power of legislating for the christian as to what he must believe Is it not glaringly evident to td what this would lead the rigid boman roman catholic would if possible compel all to be of the same bame faith falth as himself he looks the upon protestant as a heretic who will pass from earth to hell denied even the probationary pains of purgatory with bissin bliss in a prospective future the intolerant protestant would sweep roman catholicism cath from tha thai nation but hut ettlie the constitution ution does not give either oither or any of them the authority to act out their narrow bigoted views and desires does docs it authorize them tv iff unite and say what the mormon shall believe so long as he be respects the rights and liberties of his fellow citizens no most emphatically no it does not that instrument protects us in stabling a horse in our parlor and worshipping wor shipping it every day as burgod our oun god ilidio feilso disposed and wisely so protects us for the faith of the most ignorant savage that prostrates prostrated pro strates himself before a sack or a stone may be as dear to him as that of the most enlightened philosopher on the earth who adopts a creed that will exalt and ennoble him yo man can be the censor cc n sor of his fellow mans faith that the creator of man is alone qualified tp t 9 be these views are partly admitted by our enemies even when treating upon our doctrines and faith filth the strongest points which they try to maleare ma keare keire that plurality of wives is not an essential point in our faith and that many of our people do not believe bellee in the doctrine iii in seeking to maintain these points they concede all that we can claim in a with regard to the doctrine though tho 1 chwe we are inclined i fo to think that they do so unwittingly witti angly they tacitly a and nd many of the more intelligent definitely admit that if it is an essential part of our fifth faith it cannot be interfered with constitutionally tio nally and that if the mormons Mor mons as ad a people do believe it the doctrine is not foice forced dupon upon them but is 13 understandingly stan accepted by them and embraced in their theli religion this latter would force the bame same conclusion as the former that constitutionally their right to practice that part of their religious faith could not be interfered with wo we have advanced sufficient to ito show that it is an essential part of our religion in asmuth as it is a command from god to us with regard r to the bulk of tile the people rejecting an essentiality of their faith we can simply say the supposition ia is absurd all religious organizations claim and exercise the prerogative of expelling members who refuse to subscribe to any or all of their articles of belief which is universally conceded asa as aga a right and this prerogative is claimed and exercised by the church of jesus christ of latter day saints proceeding on the principle that a man may be entitled to all his rights as a citizen who yet getmay may not be deemed worthy of communion in a particular church organization it is not likely then that rejection of and disbelief in a command of god would not bo be followed by a loss of membership the latter day saints as a people do most sincerely and honestly believe the doctrine of plurality of wives recognizing in it a divine injunction and a means of raising the physical and mental status of the human race when practiced in righteousness it it is argued that by the same reasoning murder 1 theft and other otiler crimes j might be ad adopted opted as part of a religious fait falt faithana faith hand and claim constitutional protection on similar grounds this is a Bli sil shallow allow sophistry and betrays a great lack of thought and ordinary sense the actions resulting resul resulting tin g fro from m such hypothetical thet le a 1 fa naith faith 1 th w would ouid directly interfere with the rights ghis ri 1 of others and if admitted would render nugatory the con provisions which secure to all life liberty and the pursuit of happiness the tho athenian man who would embrace murder theft thelt and similar crimes in his faith falth would seek to claim as his right that which would rob his fellow follow citizen citizens ns of their rights the right t to 0 live the right to 16 possess their own property the right to claim every blessing which would not infringe upon the privileges and rights of others wo we are re j looking at this simply in a social and i civil point of view apart from morality plurality of wives does none of these things it deprives no man of of his jils rights it robs no woman of her liberty she is a free agent in refusing or choosing ho he is a free agent in accepting or declining men bleu and women are not lot compelled to be 11 mormons cormons Mor mons they are not compelled to practice plurality of wives they are free agents and in matters of religious faith they are responsible pon sible to god but for murder and theft to claim immunity because bec use of an assumed religiousness would be to set fundamental truths of the declaration in opposition to the constitution and claim for one party under that instrument menttie the right corob to rob others of its p protection r 0 tec tion in a religious and moral point of view god has emphatically stamped these of fences as crimes by his own voice plurality of wives he has sanctioned and approved are our enemies aware that in pursuing the course they have entered upon against us and our religion they seek not only to violate the constitution but to trample upon the tho declaration which preceded it they would prohibit the free exercise of our religion and they would rob us of that Inalle inalienable nabie right tiie tile ithe 1 9 pur spit oli a 1 esq srn arn irrl iril acord acco f rd an ance anee c e with obrown our own honest views not only in time but for abr eternity furthermore in in our failing to accede to their unjust and unconstitutional demands they would proscribe us and rob us of liberty and line life itself they thes strike at the til roots of all that as american citizens we have the right to der demand nand and enjoy they would continue to tax us ant ani and deny us the right tight of representation they would rob iob us s of all au our hopes of heaven and und future happiness they would take from us all that makes life endurable to man anit finish the work i of I 1 spoliation P olia olla foliation tion by robbing bobbing 0 us of ev eva 1 all alj the miserable existence thus left to usi us perhaps shouting to our departing spirits the cold blooded language of the coward hearted politician martin van buren gentlemen your cause is juav 1 but I 1 cn can do nothing for you if we have exaggerated their 0 evil desires and designs tho iho blame does not rest with us th the e languay language 0 in alch which they speak bleir intentions s 16 pen to a much more severe cons construction trupti on than we have placed upon it ButtEe end ignot yet A |
