History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

THE CHRISTIAN MONOGAMIST. 383
laws of nature. Man's passions are not. Taking
this charge of beastliness as it is meant, the polygamist
is less beastly than the monogamist, who in
the majority of cases is more beastly in his sexual
intercourse than the beast, being less obedient to the
laws of nature, less considerate for the health and
strength of his one only wife. Millions of gentle, uncomplaining
women have been killed by beastly husbands
putting upon them more children than they
should bear, not to mention innumerable cruelties of
other kinds. In so far as any system is not in accordance
with the laws of nature, nature will in due time
assert her rights and put it down. It is said that the
Mormon women are martyrs: so are other women;
part of them because they are married, and part because
they are not.
The readers must bear in mind that these are the
assertions and arguments of polygamy, and must be
prepared to take them for what they are worth, and
answer them each according to the light of his own
reason. I have already presented the current arguments
against polygamy; these are the opinions and
dogmas of the Mormons themselves, the doctrines they
everywhere preach and print, teaching them to their
children, inculcating them into the minds of young
men and women, until they have fully imbibed them.
And thus they continue. How many husbandless women
there are who drag out a miserable existence in the
effort to sustain themselves without sin! how many
fall into shame under the effort! Society lays no
heavier burden on any of its members than on its
poverty-stricken single women, reared in luxury, and
unable to support themselves by work.
If you are so tender of woman, her position and
morals, why not turn your batteries against the ten
thousand of your own people of all classes, including
preachers and legislators, who tamper with other men's
wives, seduce and abandon innocent girls, keep mis-
tresses, and frequent the haunts of prostitution?