The Women of Mormondom

Name: The Women of Mormondom
Author: Tullidge, Edward W. (Edward William)

Tullidge, Edward W. (Edward William)

Latter Day Saint churches -- History; Latter Day Saints -- History; Polygamy

heavenly vision; a halo of light encircled us, and we were convinced in
our own bosoms that God heard and approved our prayers and intercedings
before him. Our hearts were comforted, and our faith made so perfect
that we were willing to give our eldest daughter, then seventeen years
of age, to Joseph, in the order of plural marriage. Laying aside all
our traditions and former notions in regard to marriage, we gave her
with our mutual consent. She was the first woman given in plural
marriage with the consent of both parents. Of course these things had
to be kept an inviolate secret; and as some were false to their vows
and pledges of secresy, persecution arose, and caused grievous sorrow
to those who had obeyed, in all purity and sincerity, the requirements
of this celestial order of marriage. The Lord commanded his servants;
they themselves did not comprehend what the ultimate course of action
would be, but were waiting further developments from heaven. Meantime,
the ordinances of the house of the Lord were given, to bless and
strengthen us in our future endeavors to promulgate the principles
of divine light and intelligence; but coming in contact with all
preconceived notions and principles heretofore taught as the articles
of religious faith, it was not strange that many could not receive it.
Others doubted; and only a few remained firm and immovable."

On the publication of the revelation on polygamy, the theological
writers of the Church issued pamphlets, promulgating and defending the
"peculiar institution," as the Gentiles styled it. Orson Spencer issued
_Patriarchal Marriage_; Parley P. Pratt issued _Marriage and Morals in
Utah_; and Orson Pratt was sent to Washington to proclaim, at the seat
of government, the great social innovation. This was the origin of the
_Seer_, a periodical there issued by him. Among the various writings of
the times, upon the subject, was a tract entitled _Defence of Polygamy
by a Lady of Utah, in a Letter to her Sister in New Hampshire_. The
following are extracts from it, in which is strikingly made manifest
the fact that the sisterhood accepted polygamy upon the examples of the
Hebrew Bible, rather than upon any portion of the Book of Mormon:

                                   "SALT LAKE CITY, January 12, 1854.

    "DEAR SISTER:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Women of MormondomTullidge, Edward W. (Edward William)

History

The Women of Mormondom

Tullidge, Edward W. (Edward William)

Latter Day Saint churches -- History; Latter Day Saints -- History; Polygamy

heavenly vision; a halo of light encircled us, and we were convinced in
our own bosoms that God heard and approved our prayers and intercedings
before him. Our hearts were comforted, and our faith made so perfect
that we were willing to give our eldest daughter, then seventeen years
of age, to Joseph, in the order of plural marriage. Laying aside all
our traditions and former notions in regard to marriage, we gave her
with our mutual consent. She was the first woman given in plural
marriage with the consent of both parents. Of course these things had
to be kept an inviolate secret; and as some were false to their vows
and pledges of secresy, persecution arose, and caused grievous sorrow
to those who had obeyed, in all purity and sincerity, the requirements
of this celestial order of marriage. The Lord commanded his servants;
they themselves did not comprehend what the ultimate course of action
would be, but were waiting further developments from heaven. Meantime,
the ordinances of the house of the Lord were given, to bless and
strengthen us in our future endeavors to promulgate the principles
of divine light and intelligence; but coming in contact with all
preconceived notions and principles heretofore taught as the articles
of religious faith, it was not strange that many could not receive it.
Others doubted; and only a few remained firm and immovable."

On the publication of the revelation on polygamy, the theological
writers of the Church issued pamphlets, promulgating and defending the
"peculiar institution," as the Gentiles styled it. Orson Spencer issued
_Patriarchal Marriage_; Parley P. Pratt issued _Marriage and Morals in
Utah_; and Orson Pratt was sent to Washington to proclaim, at the seat
of government, the great social innovation. This was the origin of the
_Seer_, a periodical there issued by him. Among the various writings of
the times, upon the subject, was a tract entitled _Defence of Polygamy
by a Lady of Utah, in a Letter to her Sister in New Hampshire_. The
following are extracts from it, in which is strikingly made manifest
the fact that the sisterhood accepted polygamy upon the examples of the
Hebrew Bible, rather than upon any portion of the Book of Mormon:

                                   "SALT LAKE CITY, January 12, 1854.

    "DEAR SISTER:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Women of Mormondom

The Women of Mormondom

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