John the Revelator thus tells the story of the Church of the First Born, in the New Jerusalem, which shall come down out of heaven:
"And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto God, by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and nation:
"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
Joseph the Revelator has given a grand supplement to this. He also saw that vast assembly of the New Jerusalem, and heard that song. There was the blessed woman-half of that redeemed throng. The sisters sang unto the honor of the Lamb:
"And thou hast made us unto our God queens and priestesses: and we shall reign on the earth!"
"But this is lowering the theme," says the Gentile Christian; "the theme descends from man—the paragon of excellence—to woman. Enough that she should be implied—her identity and glory absorbed in man's august splendor! Enough, that, for man, woman was created.
Not so the grand economy of Mormonism. In the Mormon temple, woman is not merely implied, but well defined and named. There the theme of the song of the New Jerusalem is faithfully rendered in her personality. If man is anointed priest unto God, woman is anointed priestess; if symboled in his heavenly estate as king, she is also symboled as queen.
Gentile publishers, making a sensational convenience of apostate sisters, have turned this to the popular amusement; but to the faithful Mormon woman it is a very sacred and exalted subject.
But not presuming to more than cross the threshold of the temple, return we now to the Mormon woman in her social sphere and dignity. The grand organization of fifty thousand Mormon women, under the name of "Relief Societies," will sufficiently illustrate woman in the Mormon economy.
The Female Relief Society was organized by the prophet Joseph, at Nauvoo. Here is a minute from his own history:
"Thursday, March 24.—I attended by request the Female Relief Society, whose object is, the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow, and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes. Its organization was completed this day. Mrs. Emma Smith takes the presidential chair; Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Whitney and Mrs. Sarah M. Cleveland are her councilors; Miss Elvira Cole is treasuress, and our well-known and talented poetess, Miss Eliza R. Snow, secretary. * * * * Our ladies have always been signalized for their acts of benevolence and kindness; but the cruel usage that they have received from the barbarians of Missouri, has hitherto prevented their extending the hand of charity in a conspicuous manner."