Despised by herself and shunned by society, the desolate, heart broken and abandoned daughter of Eve too often ends her hopeless and dreary existence by committing suicide. But what of the innocent offspring of the guilty paramour? If not murdered outright, they often meet a fate that is still worse; they are cast into the streets, where they must beg, steal or starve. They have no friends and their only home is in the dark allies and loathsome dens of filth and degradation, where, exposed to every low vice, they soon become corrupted and hardened in sin. Who, let me ask, will have to answer for this life-long degredation of human beings, when the day of reckoning comes and the great book of accounts is opened?

But are these wicked and soul-destroying crimes confined to the lower classes? No; the very worst iniquities are practiced among the rich, the educated and exalted professors of Christianity, and are hidden with such a thin covering that it scarcely needs to be lifted in order to disclose the hell-brewed hypocrisy of these modern Christians.

The crime of infanticide has lost its horrors and has become very fashionable in the high life and boasted civilization of this age, but it is nothing more nor less than murder in the sight of God, for His first great commandment was, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth." Every woman was designed to be the glory of some man instead of being prostituted to administer to his wanton pleasures and to be bought and sold like goods and chattels. Those who have no regard for virtue and keep not the laws of God, fail to answer the end of their creation. It is useless to try to shut our eyes to the fact that "real men are rare," especially such as have souls sufficiently large to take upon themselves the responsibility of families. This being the case there are thousands of good women, among whom are those who have been born and nursed in the lap of luxury, who, under the present system of monogamy are denied the blessings of matrimony. They are deprived of their birthright and forced by this tyrannical and unjust law to live and die "old maids."

Under such circumstances should those who are so fortunate as to obtain true and honorable husbands be altogether selfish and unmindful of the wants of others? Unless there are those among the more favored ones who are able and generous enough to allow their husbands to take a plurality of wives, thousands of our sisters must remain single and thus "waste their sweetness on the desert air." Could this system of plurality of wives be adopted and practiced as it should be, it would give opportunity for every good woman to marry, and there are thousands who would gladly embrace it. Even a small share in the affection, care and attention of a good husband would be far better than no husband or family at all. It is a woman's right to become an honorable wife and mother, but only through the adoption of plural marriage can this right be extended to all. Were this permitted and recognized the present wicked and licentious practices, that monogamy only feeds and encourages, would find fewer victims.

The Latter-day Saints would not enter into this holy order of matrimony unless they had received some stronger and more convincing proofs of its correctness than the testimony of a man, for in obeying this law it has cost them a sacrifice nearly equal to that of Abraham. The promise attached thereto is the object for which they are struggling; without sacrifice no person can gain a glory in the celestial kingdom. For my part there is nothing that would induce me to go back to the pit from which I was dug or to lose my hold upon that crown which awaits all those who have laid their willing but bleeding hearts upon the altar.

. . .

This system is the only panacea that can eradicate and cure the great evils that prevail in Christendom, which are to-day poisoning and eating at the very heart-strings of our nation. Our opposers talk about virtue, Christianity and freedom from priestcraft; they howl about "Mormon" hierarchy, trammeled consciences and women in thraldom, etc., but who are in the greater bondage? those women who are fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it in obedience to the great command of our Maker, or those who, thinking to preserve their beauty and feminine attractions, take drugs, etc., to prevent fruitfulness and extra burdens, in order that they may be free to go and come as they desire, hoping by this means to retain a hold upon their husbands' affections?

If the destruction of offspring was such a sin in the sight of God in ancient times, why should it not be the same now? and if to have a plurality of wives was not a sin then, how can it be now, when we read in the holy Bible that He is the same yesterday, to day and forever?