AMONG THE MORMONS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 955, 6 August 1880, Page 3

AMONG THE MORMONS.

“An Englishwoman in Utah ” is the title of a new book by Mrs Stenhousc, the, daughter of a Baptist minister resident in Southampton, and who has herself resided f"r 25 years as the wife of a Mormon elder in Salt Lake City. She has gone through all the agonising experiences of giving away, with he: own hand, a second wife to her husband. But she has been more fortunate than most of her fellow-victims. Mr btenhoiiso, after living in polygamy for some years, saw the error ol his ways, arid, not without difficulty, detached himself from the unholy society. The hook is published at the suggestion of Mrs Beecher Stowe, and bears the impress of truthfulness. The most interesting portion is the beginning, widen shows how women of tolerable education like Mrs Stenhouse, wore inveigled into joining the Latter Day Saints. Men came and preached that angels had again revisited the earth, with a fervency that found ready proselytes amongst the Methodist congregations of the south of England. But in these early days the doetri' cof pel ygainy v, as not mooted. Young women were married to these fervid elders, believing that they thus devoted them-

selves to a life of religious activity. It was only when they were decoyed away to the Latter Day Refuge, far removed from their friends, that the doctrine of a celestial marriage, or a plurality of wives, was promulgated. The revelation was given to Joseph Smith in 1 STI, lint Mrs Stciilrouse only learned of it ten years later.

“ft is quite a common thing in Utah (Nirs Stollhouse tells us) for a man to marry two or even tlneo sisters. I was well acquainted with one man who married his half-sister, and I know several who have married mother and daughter. I know also another man who married a widow with several .Children j and when one of the girls had grown into her teens, he insisted upon marrying her also, havin'* first by some means won her affections,”

It is true, perhaps, that in the present day there is little fear tint educated women will fall into their toils ; yet enough is here shown to warrant Mrs Stowe’s hope that the hour is come to loose the bonds of a cruel slavery which debases and degrades womanhood, and whoso claims have cut into the hearts of thousands of oar sisters. Home New's.