ANTI-MORMONISM.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3094, 17 January 1879, Page 1

ANTI-MORMONISM.

, The following appeal «' To Mrs B. B. Hayes and the Women of the United States" was adopted at a meeting of women held at Salt Lake City, November 7th:- -V

' "It is more than thirty years since polygaj!iy f was planted on the shores of the Great Balt Lake. Daring theie years Congress .has utterly failed to enact efficient or enforce existing' laws for the abolition of this great crime, iasLwe believe that more of these umVtttdired alliancea hare been consummated daring the past year than ever before in the Mormon Church. Endowment Jiouses nnder the name of templet are being erected in different parts of/the country costing millions. It<if,inip^stiUat to ascertain the exact nuaber of porrgaaous marria«eiiJortheraj»eonaßar«tedJiitbe« tendowftent hoteMn itfttitation no Gentile is permitted^euitft wher§ brotherhood' and sisterhood are sealed and bound by oaths so strong that eren apostates will not reveal them, and to mention which witnesses on the witness cstand aubluahingly perjure themselves, and on the jury of late all considerations of oath aii lily are disregarded. Considering'all our surroundings, polygamy has nerer taken such degrading and debasing form in any nation or among any people above the condition of barbarism as in Utah. It ii degrading to man and woman, a curse to children and destruction to the sacred relation of family, upon which the civilisation of nations depend; and there are things that cannot be printed or repeated that reduce the system to the lowest form of indecency. That it should be practiced in the name and under the cloak of religion, and that an apostle polygamist with four acknowledged wires is permitted to sit in Congress only adds to the enormity of the crime, and makes it more revolting to our common Christian principles. Our Legislature is composed almost entir-ely of, polygamists and memhereof the Mormon priesthood, and they ihave thrown around polygamy every poo-. ; sible safeguard in their power. The right jof dower has been abolished, to break I down the distinction between the lawful ;wife and concubine. The Mormons are rapidly extending their settlements into Ariiona, Idaho, New Mezioo, and Wyoming. They hare the balance of power in two Territories, aid are without doubt plotting for it in others. We call upon Christian women of the United States to join ua in urging Congress to empower the Court! to arrest further progress of this eril, and to delay the admittance of Utah into Statehood until this is accomplished ; and we ask you to circulate and publish our appeal in order to arouse the priblic sentiment, which should be against an abomination that peculiarly- oppresses and stigmatises women."