Orson Pratt

“ A voice is heard form Utah, saying, Come over and help us; teach us of our errors; convince us of our delusions, if we have any; set us in the good old paths of ancient Christianity, if we are not already walking therein; take us by the hand and lead us into the light, if you consider us in darkness; prove to us that the Book of Mormon is an imposition, that we may be justified in rejecting it; convince us that a plurality of wives is contrary to the Gospel ”

“ There are many tens of thousands of honest, upright men who, in despite of priestcraft, will investigate for themselves, and in so doing, they find that “Mormonism,” which is called by editors and ministers a “bare-faced imposition,” has never as yet been proved to be such—they find that the cry of delusion is one thing, and the proof of delusion is another—they reason within themselves, that if “Mormonism” is such a “base imposition,” why has not some giant theologian been able, after a score of years, to prove it to be such? ”

“ The devils, knowing the eternal ruin which would necessarily come upon mankind, could they be persuaded to abolish marriage, used every art of seduction to accomplish their evil designs. When they could not succeed in one way they would try another; if they could not persuade all the church to forsake the practice of marriage, they would then try their skill upon the apostate priesthood, endeavouring to enforce them into a life of perpetual celibacy. ”

“ So it is in regard to Utah; she asks not the interference of any state of the Union to dictate to her what kind of policy she must adopt in her legislative enactments; if she choose to adopt slavery in her midst, the organic law of the Territory give her the privilege; if she choose to practise a pluarility of wives, she has the most unbounded right to do so, until prohibited by law; if she choose to pass laws authorizing her citizens to marry a hundred or seven hundred wives, it would be a violation of now law or Constitution of the General Government. ”

“ We should be pleased to have some of the wise theologians of our day bring forward even one passage from either the Old or New Testament to prove that the plurality of wives is an evil. Let them produce some passage, if they can, to show that such a practice was sinful either under the Patriarchal, Mosaic, or Christian dispensations. Let them show that the practice was not continued under the Christian dis-pensation. ”

“ The inhabitants of that dark and benighted land are so far sunk in the depts. Of barbarism, that they will not suffer a public prostitute to live in the Territory: an adulterer or seducer is not considered fit to live in that barbarous land. These ornaments of civilized and Christian nations, do not yet adorn the cities and towns of Utah. Cursing, swearing, gambling, drunkenness, stealing, brother going to law with brother, fighting, quarrelling, and such like specimens of civilized society, have not yet been introduced to polish and refine the manners of that deluded, benighted people. ”

“ He had already succeeded in abolishing marriage among priests and nuns, and the next step was to forbid the plurality of wives—that divine institution which had, in all previous ages of the world, been so successful among holy Patriarchs, Prophets, and righteous men, in greatly multiplying the people of God, and spreading them abroad like the sands of the seashore. ”

“ Before you blot their names out from under Heaven, give them one chance of repentance and reformation, by sending wise men, and judges, and lawyers, to point out to them what law of the United States they have violated, or what law of Utah territory they have transgressed. If it be contrary to the laws of the United States, for the citizens of Utah to have a plurality of wives, they are certainly ignorant of the existence of such laws. ”

“ Neither Paul nor any of the other apostles has ever represented the plurality of wives to be sinful or evil in the sight of God. We do not find the principle condemned either in the Old or in the New Testament. When Paul recommended Timothy to select from among the Saints those that had but one wife, he does not give the most distant intimation that those officers were thus limited, because to have more than one would be sinful. ”

“ The people of Utah hear and then judge; they think for themselves, and do not hire ministers and editors to think for them. Come, then, you missionary societies whose bosoms yearn over the dark and benighted heathen in foreign climes, awake to the awful condition of the poor and outcast Latter Day Saints in your own land ”

“ Let missionaries be sent among them; they shall be treated with the highest respect; meeting houses shall be opened to them free of all expense; the people will turn out by tens of thousands to hear their strong reasonings, and if they are able to prove “Mormonism” a delusion, they will convert the great majority of the Territory. Here, then, is a splendid field for missionary enterprize. But let us notify you to send men who are not afraid of the Word of God. Let men be sent who will make no denunciations, only such as they are able to prove ”

“ Curses, denunciations, and ridicule, are poured out like a flood upon their heads. The whole English vocabulary is exhausted to find epithets and reproaches sufficiently expressive of their holy horror. ”

“ Yet Paul, for some reason, considered it best to select such as the world spake well of. His object might have been to allay the spirit of persecution which was then raging among those who were without. His instructions were suited to surrounding circumstances in regard to this, as in relation to their being the husbands of one wife. It was no more sinful to be the husband of a plurality of wives, than it was to be reproached and have an evil report from them who were without. ”

“ If there were no such practice prevailing in the Christian Church, instead of confining these officers to one wife, he would have required them to receive no person into the Church who had more than one. The very expression, “The bishop must be the husband of one wife,” is a strong indication that there were many in the Church who were the husbands of more than one; and on this account it was necessary that Timothy and Titus should receive instructions in regard to their selections for ordination. Any person can see, that if there were no such practice allowed in the Church. ”

“ Denunciations are not arguments—curses and vile reproaches will not convince the judgment nor enlighten mankind. Editors and ministers will find some wise men yet left on the earth, who are not afraid of the Bible nor of Bible truths ”

“ The devil and his angels, having forfeited, in their first estate, all right to enter a second with bodies of flesh and bones, and having lost the privilege of marrying and propagating their species, feel maliciously wicked and envious against the sons of men who kept their first estate and are now in the enjoyment of the second, marrying and increasing their families or kingdoms. ”

“ These arch seducers know full well the blessings which theyhave lost, and which they see mankind in possession of, namely, the blessings of wives and children. Could they seduce mankind and forbid them to marry, it would greatly gratify their hellish revenge ”