| OCR Text |
Show 151 the high-priests and officers of the church. There are thousands of the Mormons, however, who reprobate, and disapprove of it. The following questions seem to suggest themselves as bearing upon the polygamy practised by the Mormons. What is their rational plea from revelation as true believers ? Is such a system in conformity thereto-with right reason, and with the requirements of civilized society? Will it improve the physical powers of man; impart additional mental energy, and increase the period of human existence ? Is it calculated as a wise providence intended, to perpetuate his species ? Does it harmonize with the requisites of peace and justice, and the good order essential to -the happiness of all ? In my limited reading of. the Scriptures, I find nothing to sanction such a course ; on the contrary, there stands at the offset of the creation a negative prohibition in Gen. ii. 22: "And the rib* which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man." Yerse 23d of same chap.-" And Adam said, this is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man." 24th: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they" (the two) "shall be one flesh." It is plain, that if more had been required for the purposes of true Connubial love and happiness, and of procreation, it would have been given him, or so advised. Let us look at the 13th verse, 6th chap, of Gen.-" In the self same day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, * Let them give a rib for every additional wife. |
