Orson Pratt

“ I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father, but by me, or by my word which is my law, saith the Lord; and everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God: for whatsoever things remaineth, are by me ”

“ And even if Congress should repeal them, there still would be no law in Utah, prohibiting the free exercise of that religious right: neither do the citizens of Utah feel disposed to pass such an unconstitutional act which would infringe upon the most sacred rights of conscience. Tradition and custom have great influence over nations. Long established customs, whether right or wrong, become sacred in the estimation of Mankind. ”

“ Those nations who practice the Plurality doctrine consider it as virtuous and as right for one man to have many wives, as to have one only. Therefore, they have enacted laws, not only giving this right to their citizens, but also protecting them in it, and punishing all those who infringe upon the chastity of the marriage covenant by committing adultery with any one of the wives of his neighbour. Those nations do not consider it possible for a man to commit adultery with any one of those women to whom he has been legally married according to their laws. ”

“ Indeed, we doubt very much whether any State or Territory has the constitutional right to make laws, prohibiting the Plurality doctrine in cases where it is practised by religious societies, as a matter of conscience or as a doctrine of their religious faith. ”

“ And that which is honourable before God should be honourable before men; and no one should be despised when he acts in all good conscience upon any principle of doctrine; neither should there be laws in any of these States or Territories to compel any individual to act in violation to the dictates of his own conscience; but every one should be left in all matters of religion to his own choice, and thus become accountable to God, and not to his fellow man. ”

“ And the more we examine that sacred instrument, framed by the wisdom of our illustrious fathers, the more we are compelled to believe that an invisible power controlled, dictated, and guided them in laying the foundation of liberty and freedom upon this great Western Hemisphere. ”

“ It is estimated by the most able historians of our day, that about four-fifths of the population of the globe believe and practice, according to their respective laws, the doctrine of a Plurality of Wives. If the popularity of a doctrine is in proportion to the numbers who believe in it, then it follows that the Plurality system is four times more popular among the inhabitants of the earth than the one wife system. ”

“ Neither God nor His Angels reproved Abraham for being a Polygamist, but on the contrary, the Almighty greatly blessed him and made promises unto him, concerning both Isaac and Ishmael, clearly showing that Abraham practised what is called Polygamy, under the sanction of the Almighty. Now if the father of the faithful was thus blessed, certainly it should not be considered irreligious for the faithful, who are called his children, to walk in the steps of their father Abraham. ”

“ From the foregoing Revelation, given through Joseph the Seer, it will be seen that God has actually commanded some of His servants to take more wives, and has pointed out certain duties In regard to the marriage ceremony, showing that they must be married for time and for all eternity, and showing the advantages to be derived in a future state by this eternal union, and showing still further, that, if they refused to obey this command, after having the law revealed to them, they should be damned. ”

“ PLURALITY OF WIVES is a doctrine very popular among most of mankind at the present day. It is practised by the most powerful nations of Asia and Africa, and by numerous nations inhabiting the islands of the sea, and by the Aboriginal nations of the great Western Hemisphere. The one wife system is confined principally to a few small nations inhabiting Europe, and to those who are of European origin inhabiting America. ”

“ Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was Aaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that sent me, and I have endowed him with the keys of the power of this priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law, and by my word, he will not commit sin, and I will justify him. ”

“ Those individuals who have strength of mind sufficient to divest themselves entirely from the influence of custom, and examine the doctrine of a Plurality of Wives, under the light of Reason and Revelation, will be forced to the conclusion that it is a doctrine of Divine origin ”

“ If the people of this country have generally formed different conclusions from us upon this subject; and if they have embraced religions which are more congenial to their minds than the religion of the Saints, we say to them, that they are welcome to their own religious views; the laws should not interfere with the exercise of their own religious views ”

“ Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. ”

“ Under the broad banner of the Constitution, he is protected in all his family associations; none have a right to tare any of his wives or his children from him. So likewise, under the broad folds of the Constitution, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah have the right to pass laws regulating their matrimonial relations, and protecting each of their citizens in the right of marrying one or many wives, as the case may be. ”

“ The posterity raised up unto the husband through each of his wives, are all considered to be legitimate, and provisions are made in their laws for those children, the same as if they were the children of one wife. ”

“ Therefore, those who are completely divested from the influence of national customs, and who judge concerning this matter by the word of God, are compelled to believe that the Plurality of Wives was once sanctioned, for many ages, by the Almighty ”