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Women of Mormonism

Chapter 2 - The Origin of Polygamy

THE WOMEN OF MORMONISM:
or
THE STORY OF POLYGAMY
As Told by the Victims Themselves.
Edited By
JENNIE ANDERSON FROISETH
Editor of the Anti-Polygamy Standard, Salt Lake City,
PUBLISHED BY
C.G.G. PAINE, DETROIT, MICH.
1886

Copyright, 1881 and 1882
By Jennie Anderson Froiseth

Mormon Policy. - Joseph Smith. - Crusade against Women. - Special Revelation. - Treatment of Those Who Rebelled Against the Doctrine. - Polygamy a Curse.

[29]THE true secret of the anomalous condition of woman among the Mormons, is that it has been Mormon policy to degrade her to degrade her to the position she occupied among barbaric nations in the dark ages, before the light of civilization raised her to be what God intended at the creation,-man's equal, companion, and helpmate. If this doctrine of woman's inferiority had not been rigidly enforced, polygamy would never have gained its present strength, nor even nave been established as an essential doctrine of the church. But in order to give the innovation a permanent place among the dogmas of the new religion, it was necessary to make woman believe that she was an inferior being, a lower creation than man, that her only chance of salvation, her only opportunity of entering the gates of Heaven, was as a satellite, to add glory to some male Saint. It was also taught, and is still, that a woman cannot be raised from the dead except through some man, and [30] in fact, the entire spirit of Mormon teachings so far as the relations of the sexes are concerned, is man's superiority to woman, mentally and morally, as well as physically.

We do not know how we can better describe the estimation in which woman is held among the Mormons, than by quoting from one of their prophets, the late Heber C. Kimball. His common expression for them was his cows; and when exhorting the brethren "to live their religion," as they sacrilegiously term going into polygamy, he would say, "I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow, and if you want to build up the kingdom you must take more wives." The expression " build up the kingdom " has a dual meaning, one referring to the temporal welfare of the church, the other to personal celestial glory. The more wives and children a man has, the greater will be his glory in the celestial kingdom; and the larger his family, the greater power and strength he adds to the organization here Hence, men are constantly being urged by the leaders "to build up the kingdom."

But to return to the early history of polygamy. Any unfortunate or rebellious star, who declined the honor of being one of these satellites, and attached to the illustrious train of one of Israel's chosen kings, -all good Mormons are going to be kings in the next world, and the Gentiles their subjects,-was destined to roam forever through realms of darkness or as the prophet tersely and less poetically [31] expressed it:

"If the women would not submit to polygamy, they should be eternally damned." These are Brigham Young's own words, often repeated in council and sometimes in the public Tabernacle. Old Mormons do not hesitate to say that the word " damned " may be interpreted as a synonym for murdered, and that the threat has frequently been carried into execution. There are also many instances on record where the destined victim has anticipated her doom, and precipitated it by her own hand, preferring death to shame and dishonor. Verily it is not exaggeration to declare that the annals of this horrible system can never be truly transcribed until they are written in letters of blood.

During the first few years after the religion of Joseph Smith had begun to spread and gain disciples, theocracy was not so firmly established, neither was there any difference manifest between men and women. Both were earnest, sincere seekers for  truth; determined, if possible, to find in the new religion what they fancied was denied them in the old. The principles taught, appeared to be pure and good,-belief in the divinity of the Saviour, equality, brotherly love, and other tenets of revealed religion. One old Mormon said to the writer: " The Saints were all they professed to be in early days. They fed the hungry, clothed the poor, feared God, and loved their neighbors as themselves. Of course, they had the utmost confidence in and reverence for their prophet, and like all innovators and impostors, he labored to exert the greatest possible [32] influence over his dupes. And never did impostor succeed better. Men who were intelligent and otherwise strong-minded became as submissive as children under his powerful hand.

People often say that they now look back with the utmost amazement to those days, and marvel at the strange magnetic influence which this illiterate, wicked man possessed over men and women of intelligence and education. That he was of loose and immoral character is conceded by his warmest friends, as well as his bitterest enemies. Even his successor, Brigham Young, said that Joseph was of mean birth, wild, intemperate, dishonest, and tricky; but for all that he was a prophet of the Lord. These inconsistencies may seem strange to outsiders, but they are understood by those who are acquainted with the inner workings of Mormonism. Brigham further said that these " trifling faults " were nothing against the religion which he had founded. The following are Brigham's exact words in this reference: " I care not if he (Joseph) gamble, lie, swear, run horses, and marry women every day; for I embrace no man in my faith."

But the followers of Joseph were not all so blinded by his influence, neither had they become so corrupt, nor so lost to all principles of truth and honor as to sanction his unblushing wickedness; so, in order to screen himself from the consequences of his iniquity, and at the same time retain his influence over his followers, he conceived the idea of obtaining the revelation on polygamy.

[33] Those who have studied closely the early history of Mormonism declare that polygamy was latent in it from its very conception, and that the practice and the revelation were no mere accident or afterthoughts on the part of the natural-born libertine who propagated them. Stenhouse, in the "Rocky Mountain Saints," speaking of the early days of Mormonism, says that “all through the history of the Church, during the lifetime of Joseph, may be noticed a disposition to free-loveisrn;" and Brigham Young is on record as having said that " the principle of celestial marriage was one of the first things the angel showed to Joseph,"-and this before Mormonism started.

It is not our purpose at present to discuss any of these theories, nor to enter into any particulars regarding its original conception. We will simply state what is an indisputable fact, that Joseph Smith, while in Nauvoo had entered into criminal relations with a number of his female disciples, and the scandal became so notorious as to threaten his influence and compromise him as a leader and teacher of religion, when he pretended to have had a revelation from heaven commanding the Saints to adopt what is termed, " The order of celestial or plural wives." the wife of an apostle who lived in Nauvoo at that time, and who is still living in Salt Lake City had repeatedly affirmed that she was aware that such a revelation was contemplated several weeks before the date on which Joseph avowed he had received it from Heaven. It is only simple [34] justice to those women whom Joseph deceived so shamefully, to state that he evident]y taught the doctrine to them privately, telling them that it was a true principle, but that the time had not yet arrived for its public announcement or practice. It is also only an act of simple justice to say that Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, never believed in the revelation, and her life was a constant martyrdom on account of her husband’s “celestializing" propensities. Her sons are to-day the leaders of the "Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints," or, as they are familiarly called, the "Josephites,”  a party who profess adherence to the original principles of Mormonism, as first taught by Joseph Smith, without the debasing doctrine of polygamy, which they condemn as severely as do the Gentiles.

Whatever the origin of the revelation, it is certain that it did not meet with a very enthusiastic reception at first, and by very many it was viewed with abhorrence; for there were men among them who dearly loved their wives, and who were jealous of the honor of their mothers and sisters. These men, notwithstanding their devotion to their leader and their religion, could not readily believe that Heaven could either command or sanction the practice of a system so dishonoring to the sex, and so contrary to every principle of morality and the usages of civilization. Some of  the stronger minded, and of purer hearts, made a brave resistance, and a large number apostatized, and left the church forever. Before long, those who remained succumbed [35] to the authority of the church, and if they did not in reality believe in the revelation, they pretended to. And when once the downward path is entered upon, descent is easy.

Then it was that the crusade commenced against women. From the very first the majority of the women had considered the "revelation" in its true light-a cloak to cover immorality-and in many cases they were strongly supported by their husbands. But the authority of the church was so complete, and the influence of Joseph so great, that the infatuation soon became uncontrollable,-a few fanatical women assumed to believe in the divinity of the revelation, and these being in high standing in the church, the rest were not long in perceiving that the struggle would be a terrible one, and almost sure to end in their defeat.

The maidens were as adverse to becoming plural wives, as were the first wives to have their rights invaded and their homes desecrated; but where flattery failed to cajole or threats to intimidate, special revelations were obtained to suit special cases. The history of .Joseph Smith's revelations would prove interesting reading, and would make a volume of no mean dimensions, as he claimed to have received thirty-seven distinct communications from Heaven in the year 1831 alone. It was a great habit with him, after he had committed some particular breach of decorum, to obtain a revelation assuring him that " the Lord forgave his servant Joseph " his special sins.

[36] We are acquainted with the facts in one case, which was not a solitary one of its kind. A prominent apostle in Nauvoo, a bosom friend of the prophet and a strenuous supporter of the new doctrine, became infatuated with a young, girl who had left her family in an Eastern State to become a Mormon. He was determined to have her for a plural wife, but she was as determined in her refusal. Wearied by his importunities, she told him once day, half in jest, that she would never marry him unless she was

specially commanded to do so by Heaven. A few days afterward she was summoned to attend a private meeting of the prophet and several of the high priests, and was there informed that a special revelation had been sent from Heaven, ordering her to become the plural wife of the apostle. The poor girl was astonished enough, but still she had firm belief in the honesty of her religious teachers; and although she did it reluctantly, she married him being afraid to disobey what she thought was a direct command from God. A friend questioned as to how the revelation came, and to whom it was given; but the girl acknowledged that she had such implicit faith in the church authorities, she would not have dared make those inquiries, even had they occurred to her mind.

This blind devotion and unquestioning faith has been the great means of giving the Mormon church its present strength and power. Years afterward, when this child-for she was but seventeen years of age when the event happened-[37] had outgrown her delusion, she said to her friend "How could I have been so blind and foolish! How could I have let those wicked men dispose of me body and soul, as if I had been a calf or a dog? Whenever I think of it, I hate and despise myself for my folly, for, in my case, folly was worse than crime." This poor girl's experience in polygamy was just what might have been expected, for she was soon discarded for another favorite, who did not need any special revelation in her case. It may be imagined what kind of a life she had, when she said these words in speaking of her husband: "The happiest day I spent for twenty years was the day I saw him laid in the grave." Truly this doctrine of polygamy is a damnable one for women !

During this crusade against woman, referred to above, nothing was left undone to compel them to accept the revelation on polygamy. Husbands were commanded to resort to all manner of severity if their wives would not consent to their taking more women, and those who objected to being taken were subjected to every conceivable persecution. Their reputations were blasted, and their souls threatened with eternal condemnation. If a woman declined to be divorced from her husband to become the concubine of the prophet, if he happened to fancy her, she was branded as an infamous character, and the Saints were warned not to associate with her thereafter. There are women living in Salt Lake City in this year of grace, 1882, who were secret plural wives to Joseph Smith or Brigham Young [38] deceiving their own husbands, because they dared not brave the prophet's anger and its consequences. For then, as today, the Mormon weapon against its antagonists was slander. The man or woman who has the moral courage to apostatize, becomes a target for the vilest kind of abuse and falsehood. Of this more will be said hereafter.

And yet all this persecution was conducted in the most secret manner possible. In public, the Saints denied that they either advocated or practiced polygamy, though it was the one important and all absorbing theme of their counsels in private. Those who would not sanction or follow the revelation were denounced  as traitors to their faith, whose portion should be the lake of fire and brimstone forever. One old lady who had passed through that terrible ordeal, said: "A person can scarcely form the slightest conception of what we suffered during that dreadful time; poverty, sickness, distress, or death would have been nothing compared to what we endured. Indeed, death would have been gladly welcomed by many of us; but, alas, we cried in vain; he would not come!

"Our husbands were enjoined to treat us with the utmost severity if we objected to their “living their religion” not alone to withdraw all marks of esteem and affection, but also to deprive us of the necessaries as well as the comforts and luxuries of life. ‘Starve them and beat them, if necessary, to bring them to submission,” was the counsel; “better crucify the body than let the soul go to perdition.’

[39] “If, by chance, the men were rebellious, they were dispatched on missions, and their wives commanded to receive the attentions of other men during their absence. I dare not repeat the counsel given on this point, it is so grossly indelicate and immoral. If a wife fell a victim to the snare, and her husband found more children in his home when he returned than when he left, it was all 'religion' If .she remained true and loyal, her reputation was ruined among the Saints. And when the Mormons came to Utah, and were so completely isolated from the influences of the outside world, there was no help or redress for the women. Those of us who rebelled against the doctrine were treated without tenderness, or even respect. In fact, we were regarded as simply brood animals. Brigham Young frequently told the women that they must not expect their husbands to love them, it was enough honor to be allowed to bear children to a Saint. Then when that reign of terror known as the ‘Reformation' was inaugurated, thousands were compelled to enter polygamy in order to save themselves from being 'blood-atoned.' Then a single woman could scarcely be found in the length and breadth of the Territory; and when the supply of marriageable girls had given out, others were recruited from the ranks of the children. It was a very common affair for a little girl of thirteen or fourteen years to be forced into polygamy with some wretch old enough to be her grandfather! After long years of such tyranny and inhuman treatment, is it any wonder that our [40] women became reduced to the lowest depths of degradation? "

The same lady ,said upon another occasion: "Polygamy is the direst curse with which a people or a nation could be afflicted. I could tell you stories enough to fill volumes, of its vile workings, its unholy influences, its horrible results. It completely demoralizes good men, and makes bad men correspondingly worse. As for the women-well, God help them ! First wives it renders desperate, or else heartbroken, mean-spirited creatures; and it almost unsexes some of the other women, but not all of them, for plural wives have their sorrows too. An elder once said to me, ‘Sister Sarah, you are a regular Satan.’ I had been giving my views in regard to polygamy and polygamists. I answered him, ‘There are only two classes of Mormon women, devils and fools.’

“Talk about the lost women of the outside world! Are any of them so lost to all sense of shame that they will parade themselves before the wife, and rob her unblushingly not only of the affections of her husband, but of every particle of his substance, even the bread out of her children's mouths? They at least have shame enough to keep themselves hidden from the women they may happen to wrong. But I have known my husband's concubines to enter my house, after I would not have them in the house with me any longer, and deliberately take away the food and clothing I had caned with my own hands, and my husband stand by without a word of expostulation or reproof. He was not in a position at that time to give them what they desired or needed, he did not care if they robbed me of my last penny, even if my little children went hungry or naked in consequence. Yet before he became a polygamist he was as kind and tender a husband as ever lived."

But alas for the consistency of the Latter-day religion!  A husband like this will often descant for hour upon the advantages of the "divine ordinance," especially for the benefit of distinguished strangers. There is one apostle in particular who is frequently chosen to fill this office, who, as the Mormons say, becomes completely lifted out of himself in expatiating upon the benefits of the divine order of marriage, and its ennobling influences upon the women. This holy apostle has never provided properly for any of his wives, two or three have left him, he has deserted as many more, one of whom died of sheer destitution under the most heart-rending circumstances; and yet he is perfectly fanatical on the subject of polygamy.

Is it any wonder that those who have suffered, or seen others suffer, from the horrors of their system, should wish it "blotted out so completely that even its foul memory should die?"

Next: CHAPTER III. POLYGAMY PROPAGATED
Polygamy Denied Abroad While Practiced at Home. - Ingenious Liars. - Danger of Admitting Utah as a State. - Relief Societies.  

Back: CHAPTER I. THE CASE STATED
Polygamy as a Religion. - As a Social System. - Address of the Gentile Women of Utah. - Appeal of Mrs. Ann Eliza Young. - Design of this Work. - Degrading Influence of Polygamy.

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