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Show 156 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. pointing to its end, be expected long to exist. This effort of the pulpit, press and legislature to bolster up the church may be a dernier resort when they see ruin impending. Those specially urgent in the maintenance of the " institu tion" have their " entangling alliances" therewith, and it is but natural that they should act as they do. The cloud they see rising in the church has already reached dimensions larger than a man's hand, and will rise as certainly as did Elijah's, and soon be pouring out in this case its destructive element. Intestine trouble is likely to arise from incredulity as to the correctness of doctrine and practice ; and if skepticism should spread as to the truth of the doctrines of polygamy, it would not only endanger the standing of Brigham and his polygamists, but seal for ever the fate of the sect. A rigid enforcement of law would only increase the fanaticism of the people, which they would construe to be persecution for religious opinions, and would bind them the more strongly together; but a growing unbelief in and abandonment of polygamy, without it being renounced by authority, would knock out the keystone of the arch, and the whole super structure of Mormonism would fall. Polygamy is not so general in Utah as many suppose. There are probably more polygamists in Salt Lake City and the Bishops of the settlements than in the whole of the territory besides. The number of women, probably, very slightly exceeds the number of men in Utah. In 1860, there were 20,178 men and 19,947 women, but the pro portion has been increased in favor of the women since that time. The very large majority of these are wives of mono gamists ; and when we consider the number in the harems of the prominent in Salt Lake City and other large settle ments, it leaves not very many who can be polygamists, even supposing there is a preponderance in favor of the men among the unmarried. Having so many in the church who are not restrained in their religious views by selfish considerations, and with a schism already, and with all the Christian world discoun- |