Orson Pratt

“ But the government of this nation is not a theocracy; it is intended to give religious freedom to all; to carry out these views, the various religions among pagan nations should be tolerated here, and their followers receive the same protection by law as the Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, or any other society. If any religion which does not conflict with the Constitution of the country is to be prohibited, the same rule will prohibit all others. So long, therefore, as the present form of this Republican Government is our standard, let the religions of all nations be equally protected. ”

“ If the people of Utah are the people of God, then there is no possible chance of their being deceived upon any subject of as great importance as that of the plurality of wives; for no man has a right to these blessings unless God shall give them to him through His servant the prophet. But, on the other hand, if the people of Utah have no prophet, then they are not the people of god, but are deceived like all the rest of Christendom who are without prophets. ”

“ A wicked man is totally unqualified to govern a family according to the law of righteousness; for though he deliver righteous precepts, his wicked examples preach louder in the ears of his family than his precepts. ”

“ Under a theocratical form of government an idolater would be punished with death; for idolatry is a great crime in the sight of God. A theocracy would consider all religions, except one, criminal, and would limit and circumscribe all but one. ”

“ Laws are intended to prevent crime, and the revealed law of God, and the light of conscience, are abundantly sufficient to determine what is crime. A well instructed conscience will not determine anything to be crime which is not inconsistent with the revealed law. As plurality of wives is perfectly consistent with the revealed law, it is not a crime; and therefore no human laws should denounce it as such; but every man should be left perfectly free in regard to this thing, so far as human laws are concerned. ”

“ If, then, God is now just as much displeased with a family reared in wickedness, and if there is the same danger of destroying the immortal souls of the offspring now, as under the Mosaic dispensation, then why should it be through strange that God should use the same preventatives now that He did anciently, to check the increase of the wicked, and the same facilities to greatly increase the families of the righteous? ”

“ Now, two and one-half millions of people must have all been included in fifty thousand families, which would be an average of just fifty to a family. As one wife could not be the mother of forty-eight children, it shows most conclusively that nearly every family in Israel must have practised polygamy. As each man’s family consisted, at least, of fifty persons, and if five children be allowed as an average to each wife, then each man’s family must have consisted of about eight wives and forty children. ”

“ Parents cannot train children in the proper path, unless they walk therein themselves. Therefore no individuals or nations are divinely authorized to marry, and multiply their species, unless they are qualified to govern them according to the law of God, and to teach them both by example and precept the way that leads to eternal life and happiness. ”

“ They would be connected in marriage with good men, to whom they would be subject, and their children also; and the man being at the head of the family, would, by his good examples and precepts, save all his wives and children. Hence we see the wisdom of God in destroying the males, and saving the women for his people, that they, by having a great number of wives, might multiply the chosen seed as the stars of Heaven.
The number of the children of Israel compared with the number of families, shows that polygamy must have been practised to a very great extent while they were in the wilderness. ”

“ Should God deal with the Saints in Utah upon the same principle now, that He did in ancient times, it would be nothing strange if He should give to many of His faithful servants a hundred fold of wives and children; while others, less faithful, would be limited to one, and others still have none at all, like the great majority of Israel in the wilderness. ”

“ But would it be right for the Latter-day Saints to marry a plurality of wives in any of the states, or territories, or nations, where such practices are prohibited by the laws of man? We answer no: it would not be right; for we are commanded to be subject to the powers that be. So long as we live under their jurisdiction, we are commanded to keep their laws, unless their laws are unrighteous, like those given by Nebuchadnezzar, commanding all people to fall down and worship a golden image which he had caused to be set up ”

“ The salvation or damnation of a family depends, in a very great degree, upon the nature of the government exercised in that family. If the head of a family be a righteous man, his influence is continually exercised in every department of his house; his wife or wives are continually instructed in every good and useful and upright principle ”

“ But the question may be asked, Who is to decide upon the worthiness or unworthiness of the people? We answer, the same Being who always decided all matters of importance among His people. But is there not great danger of being deceived? Yes; there is very great danger, indeed, of being deceived, unless you believe in a God who gives revelation now as He did in ancient times. ”

“ Every enlightened conscience, as well as the word of God, will tell us that lying, stealing, robbing, false swearing, committing adultery, trespassing, murdering, and many other similar acts, are crimes; and therefore the legislative departments should enact wise and judicious laws for their punishment. ”

“ The multiplication of human beings is not the only object of marriage, but connected with this is the righteous government of those beings. If increase alone were the design, then it could be accomplished through the wicked, as well as the righteous ”

“ What is the secret of the Lord’s being so anxious for David to have so many wives? Because he, being a man after God’s own heart, was more likely to save his wives and children, than many others of Israel who were less faithful. ”

“ All the nations of the earth have always been deceived when they got so far from God that He would not speak to them; they are then left to follow their own imaginations, which are sure to deceive them. ”

“ Contrast such an order of family government with the unrighteousness and disorder in the families of the wicked; and then tell me, if such a man is not more worthy of a hundred wives and a thousand children, than the wicked are to be entrusted with one? Tell me if such a man would not glorify God more, in the salvation of a large and numerous family, than the wicked man who is the instrument of bringing damnation upon his family? Hear what issaid concerning Abraham. ”

“ But when God speaks there is no chance of deception. His sheep know His voice and will follow Him; hence it is not possible for the elect to be deceived; because they converse with God, and He never deceives any one. ”

“ Such a man is worthy of a family; he has a divine right to marry, and multiply his offspring; for he thus, in training up a family, glorifies God; he prepares them to associate with a higher order of beings in the Heavens ”

“ But if they wish to enjoy the privileges granted by the word of God, and by the glorious Constitution of our National Republic, let them depart from under the jurisdiction of these illiberal State laws, and go to Utah where religious liberty is tolerated, and where every people and sect have the right to worship as they please, and marry as many wives as they please, and be accountable to God and not to man. ”

“ Must we shut up our consciences in a nut shell, and be compelled to submit to the bigoted notions, and whims, and customs of the dark ages of popery, transferred to us through the superstitions of our fathers. ”

“ If the male children of these nations had been spared alive, they would have remembered their fathers, and as they grew up they would have turned away to the idolatry and abominations of their fathers; and if they had married wives among Israel, they would have been instruments not only in ruining themselves, but their families also. ”

“ A wise king having many sons would confer authority and power upon such only as would use the same for the benefit of the people.Those who would not be subject to good laws themselves, he would not entrust to govern others. ”

“ Children are susceptible of influences; those whom they esteem most they will be the most likely to imitate. And as children generally suppose their parents to be superior to all others, they are very apt to be controlled by their influence, either for good or for bad. ”

“ Have we not reason to believe that only this small proportion of the men were worthy of wives or children? Why were fifty thousand men blessed with some three or four hundred thousand wives, while upwards of five hundred and fifty thousand had none at all? We cannot answer this question, only upon the principle that God gives wives and children in great abundance to his faithful servants, and withholds them from the unfaithful, for fear that they would increase an unrighteous posterityupon the earth. ”

“ If parents will not repent of their sins, and call upon the Lord, and be baptized into the Church of Christ, and receive the Holy Ghost, and be diligent in obeying every requirement of Heaven, the children will be very likely to harden their hears also. ”

“ Those who made a proper use of what was entrusted to them, gained more: those who made an improper use of their blessings, lost all they had: their blessings were taken from them and given to others, who had more abundantly. ”

“ In the latter case, we would not be worthy of even one wife, much less a plurality. A people that have no prophets or inspired men among them, never were worthy of wives or children in any age of the world. ”

“ This explains the mystery why the Lord in ancient times gave more wives to one than what he did to another, when to all appearance the numbers of males and females were about equal.
And when the most of his people were righteous, and worthy to be entrusted with numerous families, and there were not a sufficient number of females to supply them with a plurality of wives, the Lord provided for them, by commanding them to spare the female captives of certain nations taken in war. Hence when the Israelites made war against Midian they slew all the men, and took the women and children captives. ”

“ Here the Hindoo or the Chinese should be permitted to bow down and worship the idolatrous Gods of their fathers, unmolested and unharmed, so long as they are guilty of no crimes, and do nothing calculated to injure society. ”

“ Our Heavenly Father acts upon the same principle. He is willing that all should enjoy equal rights and privileges, upon the ground of equal obedience. We have this illustrated in the parable of the talents ”