The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and ChildrenWaite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
History
The Mormon Prophet and His Harem: Or, An Authentic History of Brigham Young, His Numerous Wives and Children
Waite, C. V. (Catherine Van Valkenburg)
Latter Day Saint churches; Young, Brigham, 1801-1877
The Danites are also expected to act as spies upon the federal officers
and other gentiles; to watch the feelings and spirits of the saints, and
to report the first indications of disaffection. Such cases are at once
attended to, and if they are deemed of a dangerous character, are
summarily disposed of.
The spoil is divided, one half going to the Grand Archees, and the other
half to the Archees and Danites who are employed in the commission of
the crime.
When Judge Cradlebaugh attempted to bring to justice the perpetrators of
the Mountain-Meadow Massacre, and various other crimes, several bishops
and many other leading Mormons fled to the mountains, where they
remained several weeks. Their place of refuge they named "Mount Kolob,"
which means "the residence of the Gods."
The remark is frequently made in Utah,--"Brigham is the only God I care
a d-- about." The deep meaning of this is only to be explained by
reference to this organized system of crime, taken in connection with
the organization of the "celestial kingdom."
The theory is, that Brigham Young is a God in embryo. That he is laying
the foundation here for a celestial kingdom. That there will be created
for him a world, which his posterity will inhabit, and of which he will
be the King and God.
His kingdom will be constituted as follows:--
1st. Himself as God.
2d. His wives as Goddesses and Queens, each ruling her own posterity,
with Brigham as husband and God.
3d. His sons and their families.
4th. The daughters, by the celestial law, would, when married, pass out
of their father's kingdom, and be added to the husbands'. To obviate
this difficulty, every man who marries one of the President's daughters,
is obliged to be adopted by and sealed to his father-in-law. The
daughter is thus retained to augment her father's kingdom, by the
addition of her family. This is one reason why female children are so
lightly esteemed in Utah. They cannot add to the father's glory, but
must go to glorify others.
5th. Many young men who have no families, and therefore no kingdoms, are
sealed to Brigham, to add to his celestial glory,--in some instances,
also, men of families, who have not ambition enough to aspire to
kingdoms of their own. This relationship pertains to this world as well
as to the next. Brigham becomes a father to them here, supports them if
necessary, and demands their respect and obedience.
A case recently occurred in Salt Lake, which fully illustrates the power
which Young exercises over this class of his subjects.
Dr. Sprague, an Eastern man, has been at Salt Lake about twelve years.
During most of that time he has officiated in the Endowment House, in
the washings and anointings. He has also had charge of the Tabernacle,
and acted as family physician to the inmates of the Harem.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account