Abraham is constantly cited as the great exemplar and pattern. It is urged that the family order observed by him is the order established among celestial beings, in the celestial world. That God sanctioned the practice, and is himself a polygamist.
That many virtuous and high-minded women should infinitely prefer to unite their fortunes to one good man, rather than to have each a wicked husband who could bring her no exaltation in another world. "Shall such virtuous and innocent females, though they may be poor, and low in the scale
of fortune's partial smiles,—shall they be denied the right to choose the objects of their love? Must they, through the operation of hideously contracted laws, be virtually doomed to resort to infamous prostitution, entailing disease, infamy, and death upon themselves and their offspring, or to marry an inferior grade of corrupt, vicious men,—debauchees, gluttons, drunkards, and idlers,—or remain in perpetual celibacy, and frustrate the designs of their creation, and violate the first and foremost command of God,—to multiply and replenish the earth?"
They are pointed to Jacob, also, who had several wives, and who was the father of the twelve patriarchs, after whom all the tribes of Israel were named. From one of these wives, Christ himself lineally descended. Various other instances are cited from the Jewish Scriptures,—especially the fact that the Lord gave unto David some of the wives of Saul. "Hereby we learn that God himself gives many wives to those who are faithful, and takes them away from transgressors." The faith of Abraham was indorsed by Christ and his Apostles, and those who have the same faith are called heirs of the promise. Hence an effort is made to bring the New Testament also to the support of polygamy, notwithstanding it is so plainly condemned in that volume. Indeed, it is unblushingly asserted that not only the Apostles but Christ himself practised polygamy! "The grand reason," said J. M. Grant, one of the First Presidency, in a discourse delivered in the Tabernacle in Great Salt Lake City, "why the gentiles and philosophers of that school persecuted Jesus Christ, was because he had so many wives. There were Elizabeth and Mary, and a host of others, who followed him."
To Abraham and Sarah was the promise made—"In thee and in thy seed, shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." The sisters are called upon to follow the example of Sarah, and to give plural wives to their husbands, even as Sarah gave Hagar unto Abraham. "If you suffer with her (Sarah)
you shall reign with her. You shall be heirs of the same promise, and crowned with glory in the celestial world."
By these specious arguments and falsehoods, are thousands lured on to their destruction. Oh! could this volume reach the eye of all such,—as it surely will of many,—to them I appeal to examine carefully the foundation of the system to which they are committing themselves. To them I respectfully and earnestly submit some considerations and facts worthy of their serious attention, before they enter irretrievably upon their own ruin.
Polygamy, or plurality, so called, is not only contrary to the laws of our country, which we are all in duty bound to uphold and obey, but it is adverse to the genius of our free institutions, and is, moreover, contrary to the laws and instincts of our nature, and to the suggestions of a sound reason.
In the first place, is polygamy reasonable or natural?
In pursuing this inquiry, the first fact that stares us in the face is the equality in the numbers of the male and female sexes, in all countries, and in all ages of the world. If polygamy were the natural relation between the sexes, the number of females born into the world would far exceed the number of males. So far from that being the case, there is a larger number of males, and the excess about equal to the greater loss of life, among males, by wars and accidents; thus leaving a substantial equality in the numbers of those living.