Show VOICES FROM THE PEOPLE R presents the principles ofphy of plural marriage CONCLUDED again we find the fact existing in many countries that the tile female c portion of the population is far in excess of the male portion where such is the case polygamy polygamy gamy or prostitution tit ution must prevail the question is simply which shall it he be the mormons cormons Mor mons would say give P us the tile law of god and polygamy christian nations by their legal enactments say away with polygamy rather will we have prostitution and crime take for instance the empire of germany with moro more than females in excess of her male population ula tion under laws that now prevail that number of females aro arc forbidden marriage are deprived by law lav of their dearest and most sacred right if every male in the empire were to marry that number of feni females ales would be doomed still to celibacy toa to a state of single life deprived by law from ever entering into that condition for which they were made and created we say boldly and fearlessly that such a government has no right to anae enact t a law that will deprive any of its citizens of their god given rights that will prevent them from entering into the married relation and becoming honorable wives and mothers the highest aspiration of every virtuous woman who appreciates her true relation to man and her maker in our own country of these united states there are some sixteen states with an excess of jemale female population over that of the males ral ranging ing from to t more than respectively what provisions have those states made to meet this contingency they have enacted such laws as prevent not only this vast number of female s in excess but also a corres corresponding number to that of the hafl males es who refuse to marry from cherishing any iny hope of honorable married life A reflecting mind can oni only y contemplate this state of thin things with serious apprehensions germade god made male and female and the inspired apostle says that either one is is not in theford without the other this male and female clement element is the important part of mans being of his very existence without the union and association of the two there is no continuation of the lives of men there is no family no society no state or government the union of these elements of mans nature in the marria marriage e relation underlies the entire social social economy of man he is not only endowed with the th powers epowers reuis requisite te but is actually co commanded to exercise these powers to multiply ly and fill the earth on which he lie bells dwells who then shall dare to hinder to place obstacles in ill the way of its accomplishment the state has not given to men and find women this right it must not deprive any of them of it it only has the tile right to aid in the exercise of that right that its end it and nd purpose might bo realized the state or government whose female subjects or citizens arc are in in excess of the male population pu lation cannot enact enact a law prohibiting a plurality of f wives wives without depriving that number in excess of their natural and god given rights they must marry to fulfill the divine law to enact and enforce a law of that kind would necessarily necess necessarily aril compel that number to leave leav SUCK such state and search for the lawful awful exercise odthe of the rights elsewhere or be cut off from ever entering into Gods presence or par partaking of the fullness of his glo glory ry a and nd exaltation these blessings are not to be had outside the eternal covenant of marriage the law must be kept here to secure its bles blessings ings there no law on earth cd can justly bo be enforced against this right of marriage and if polygamy or a plurality of wives is is necessary to enable all women to become wives and mothers that condition should bo be approved it cannot be a constitutional law that will deprive men merr and women of their constitutional inalienable rights while woman may not bo be compelled to marry answerable to i at X wa god for the tile keeping or not keeping of tins this lawthers law there no luent placed ill in her way by I man she must be under no restraint nor under the necessity of rJ resorting sorting to dishonorable meana to secure the tile highest attainments and realization possible in the family relation so dear to lier her and so necessary unary to tile development of her nature human consciousness esil and human nature are as positive as the revelation of god upon alis subject odthe of the family the perpetuation of the race is made a natural appetite as its much as eating and this can call only be bc satisfied bi by a union of the sexes that union made strong and holy b by Y tile bonds of love and duty TI the lc affections w inch which grow out of this relation are the ornament and solace of life in the family circle and around around the tile domestic fireside all ill our hiir emotional nature natures natu reis is brought out all these natural but sacred conditions arc are forthe for the man and woman who were made for each other to perform the work of procreation howmann how many thousands of spiritual teachers there arc are in this enlightened christian nation who tell us the tile bible is tho the word of god given en by inspiration that its in inspired s p ired teachings and prop prophetic utterances te rances must all be fulfilled while at the same came time the assembled wisdom odthe of the nation are about oil enacting laws for the expressed purpose of prevent pro vent in g asu sell cli ell fulfillment have these spiritual teachers no in ill fluen ceover the nations councils can all the departments of government join in the determined opposition to gods word and purposes without a remonstrance from them tho the prophetic declarations odthe of the revered book inform us that the day would com ewhen even seven women would claim the right to lay hold of and bear the name of one in man ill not for any evil purpose but to take away reproach reproach the disgrace of not belonging to or being at the tile head of some sonic honored household they would be willing to provide for their own wants of food and r raiment could they only inherit a name that might be continued in the generations to come but our government sa says Ts no not under our jurisdiction n shall i such a prophecy be realized no po polygamy ider gamy no plurality of wives un under our administration although women do choose that condition and prefer an honorable name in honorable marriage t to a life of ignominy b and shame in which no honorable motherhood is known no government can afford to assume the fearful responsibility ar array r ll 11 y i ing 11 itself against gods decrees as r revealed e v 91 ed through those who spoke as they were moved upon by the holy ghost when by so doing they wrest from gods children their dearest rights and prevent the due due I observance by alic them i of his holy law wo we must deny any such right as this to any government man and woman mastbe must bo free to pursue the path that leads to glory exaltation and to god wo we claim this ri right t lit for woman the tile prophecies must be fulfilled though priests oppose the tile latter day saints believe in the fulfillment of prophecy and their life and practices r artices are in accord with their fulfillment ament even more I they will aid in bringing them to passi pass they will the right that truth may prevail and not one word which has been spoken by gods servants come to naught when this doctrine so offensive tu to the nation was accepted by the church it was not in Yio violation lation any law ap applicable ali cable to the church it came as gods law and was consistent with natures law laws enacted since since that time may bo be declared to be in force and applicable to individual cases but they are not competent to be enforced against the doctrine without being made retroactive no law can cari be made to apply to a persons belief in doctrine revealed under these circum stances without such a course becoming positive persecution for ones opinion the proposition in ill the nations council to divest citizens of their civil rights because of their belief is certain certainly lr a sentiment not to be endorsed in a republican for form in of gove government rement where free men rale it K |