to flee out from the corruptions of the more go down; and God will be unto Gentiles, and to obtain for yourselves an them an everlasting light which shall everlasting inheritance among the peo- shine for evermore. With the most ple of God; for the day of the wicked earnest desire for your salvation, both is far spent their sun will soon go down temporally and spiritually, I subscribe in the midst of clouds and thick dark-myself your most humble servant in ness-a long and dreary night awaits the kingdom of God,

them but upon such as fear the Lord and keep his commandments, the sun of righteousness will arise, and their day will be glorious; for their sun shall no

ORSON PRATT.

Washington D, C.,
OCTOBER 1st., 1853.

CELESTIAL MARRIAGE:

(Continued.)

Notwithstanding the Queen is numbered among the "honorable Wives" of the Son of God, yet she is called upon to Worship Him as her Lord. If her husband were a mere man, she would not be exhorted to Worship him; this therefore, is another evidence that He was truly, as Paul says, the Son of God.

this short life: such are not worthy to be called kings. Some of the daughters of those kings who are to reign on the earth for ever and ever, and who are in reality kings, will be among His "honorable wives," one being chosen to stand as Queen at His right hand and worship Him, unto whom is made the following promise: "Instead Inasmuch as the Messiah was to have of thy fathers shall be thy children, a "plurality of Wives" will they not all whom thou mayest make Princes in be Queens? Yes: but there will be all the earth. I will make thy name an order among them. One seems to be remembered in all generations: to be chosen to stand at his right therefore shall the people praise thee hand: Perhaps she may have merited for ever and ever." (verses 16, 17.) that high station by her righteous We are not informed at what time acts, or by the position she had previ- Jesus was to be married to this king's ously occupied. It seems that she daughter or to any of the rest of His was one of the daughters of a king: wives. But from what John the Bapfor in the same Psalm it says, "The tist says, He may have been married king's daughter is all glorious within: to some of them previous to that prophher clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raimant of needle work: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto Thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the King's palace." (verses 13-15.) It must be recollected that "kings' daughters were among Thine honorable Wives." The Kis here spoken of were no doubt those who through obedience to the gospel became kings and priests for ever: for we cannot suppose that Christ would marry the daughters of the kings of this world who only reign under the pretended name of kings for

ets martyrdom: The passage is as follows; "He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom: but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3: 29, 30.) And again, "Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast." (Mathew 9: 15.) John represents Jesus as already in the possession of the Bride; while the Saviour confirms

what John says, by calling Himself was furnished with guests." The "the Bridegroom," and the disciples Bridegroom, the servants, and the "the children of the Bridechamber," guests are all mentioned; but the but who the Bride was neither of them parable does not inform us who the informs us. Whether Jesus had mar- Bride is. John the Revelator desried any of His wives at that time or cribes the greatness, the glory, and not, it is very evident that there will the magnificence of this marriage celbe a marriage of the Son of God at ebration. He says, “And I heard as the time of His second coming: for it were the voice of a great multitude, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven and as the voice of many waters, and is like unto a certain king, which made as the voice of mighty thunderings, a marriage for his son, and sent forth saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God his servants to call them that were Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad, bidden to the wedding and they and rejoice and give honor to him: for would not come. Again, he sent forth the Marriage of the Lamb is come, other servants, saying, Tell them which and His Wife hath made herself reaare bidden, Behold I have prepared dy. And to her was granted that she my dinner my oxen and fatlings are should be arrayed in fine linen, clean killed, and all things are ready: come and white: for the fine linen is the unto the marriage. But they made righteousness of saints, And he saith light of it, and went their ways, one to unto me, Write, Blessed are they his farm, another to his merchandise: which are called unto the marriage supand the remnant took his servants, and per of the Lamb." (Rev. 19: 6-9.) entreated them spitefully and slew That the wife was to be a very good them. But when the king heard and holy woman, is very clearly indithereof, he was wroth and he sent cated by her being clothed with "the forth his armies, and destroyed those righteousness of the saints." compared murderers, and burned up their city. to fine linen, clean and white. Her raiThen saith he to his servants, The ment is more fully described in the wedding is ready, but they which Psalm already quoted, being composed were bidden were not worthy. Go ye of fine needle work of wrought gold, therefore into the highways, and as while many virgins were to be her many as ye shall find bid them to the attendants. marriage. So those servants went out That the Bride will continue to be into the highways, and gathered to- the Wife of the Son of God in Eternity gether all as many as they found, both as well as time, is most clearly revealed bad and good and the wedding was in the twenty-first chapter of the Revfurnished with guests. And when the elations, where St. John beheld the king came in to see the guests, he saw New Earth, and the angel said unto there a man which had not on a wed- him, "Come hither, I will shew thee ding garment and he saith unto him, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife;" and he Friend how camest thou in hither not was carried in the spirit to a great and having a wedding garment? And he high mountain, and saw a great city was speechless. Then said the king to called the holy Jerusalem, descending his servants, Bind him hand and foot, from the heavens upon the New Earth. and take him away and cast him into This city contained the throne of God outer darkness; there shall be weeping and the Lamb, and was inhabited by a and gnashing of teeth. For many are great nation of kings who were to called, but few are chosen." (Matthew"reign for ever and ever," being Gods, 22: 1-14.) All will admit that the as is evident from the name of God king's son, here spoken of, is Jesus being written on each of their foreChrist, and that the last servants who heads. The inscription upon their are sent forth have a commission to foreheads was not intended as a mere gather together from the highways sham or mockery, but was in reality and hedges both bad and good: and the name given to each, that all the that by this gathering, "the wedding | inhabitants of eternity, when they saw

GOD conspicuously inscribed upon all lamps, and took no oil with them: but their foreheads, might know most as- the wise took oil in their vessels with suredly that each one was a God, as the their lamps. While the Bridegroom written title or name expressly declar- taried, they all slumbered and slept. ed. The grandeur and glory of this And at midnight there was a cry made, city are still further described; the ci- Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ty and the streets thereof were of pure ye out to meet him. Then all those gold, clear as glass, while the walls Virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. and the gates were of the most pre- And the foolish said unto the wise, cious stones; and the glory of God en- Give us of your oil; for our lamps are lightened the city, so that they had no gone out. But the wise answered, need of the light of the sun or moon. saying, Not so; lest there be not This light was so great that all the na- enough for us and you: but go ye tions that were saved that dwelt upon rather to them that sell, and buy for all the face of the New Earth, walked yourselves. And while they went to in the light of it. There was no night buy, the Bridegroom came; and they there, but the whole Earth was clothed that were ready went in with Him to in one eternal day. It was in the the marriage: and the door was shut. midst of this city that the King Afterward came also the other virgins, of kings and Lord of lords sat saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But upon His throne, while upon His He answered and said, Verily I say "right hand did stand the Queen," ar- unto you, I know you not. Watch rayed in the most costly apparel. In therefore, for you know neither the order that John might see the glory of day nor the hour wherein the Son of God, the glory of His kingdom, and the Man cometh." (Mathew 25: 1-13.) glory of His Bride, it was necesary to This parable, like that of the marriage show him, the Palace, the place of of the King's son which we have althe Throne, and the city in which the ready quoted, plainly shows that there Bride resided. It is expressly said, will be a gathering out from among concerning this Queen, that her name the nations-a going forth to meet should be remembered in all gene. a- the Bridegroom; but among those tions, and that the people should praise who gather, there will be some withher for ever and ever, (Psalm 45: 17.) out a wedding garment-without oil As John saw in vision the Bride, the in their lamps. But the five wise virLamb's Wife more than a thousand gins who are ready, will go in with years after her marriage-after she and the Bridegroom to the marriage, and all the rest of the inhabitants of the the door will be shut. And here let earth had been raised from the dead us ask the following questions: Are and become immortal-it is quite cer- these five wise virgins, to be married tain that she was in reality a Wife af- unto the Bridegroom, or are they only ter the resurrection as well as before, the invited guests? And if they are and that she will be the Lamb's Wife guests who constitutes the Bride? In forever and ever; and in that capacity the parable of the marriage of the she will, as the Psalmist has said, be King's son, it is said, " And the wedrespected and praised by all the peo-ding was furnished with guests;" the ple for ever and ever. guests being those who received the That the marriage will be celebra- invitation of the servants and gathted at the second coming of the Mes-ered together. If the five wise virgins siah, is also clearly expressed in the constitute the guests, then the Bride parable of the ten Virgins: for Jesus must be some wise holy virgin, chosen aid, "Then shall the kingdom of to be the royal consort or Queen. On heaven be likened unto ten Virgins, the other hand, if the five wise virgins which took their lamps, and went forth represent all the saints, both male and to meet the Bridegroom. And five of female, and if they all constitute the them were wise, and five were foolish. Bride, then where will the guests come They that were foolish took their from, or who will they be? Again, if

the five virgins are actually virgins or and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall females who are to be married to the see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, Bridegroom, then all the rest of the and all the prophets in the kingdom of saints would constitute the guests. God, and you yourselves thrust out." Are not these five wise virgins the (Luke 13: 28.) There are many in "honorable Wives" which the Psalm- this generation so pious that they ist represents the Son of God as hav- would consider themselves greatly dising taken from among king's daughters? graced to be obliged to associate with From the passage in the forty-fifth a man having a plurality of wives; Psalm, it will be seen that the great would it not be well for such to desire Messiah who was the founder of the a place separate from the kingdom of Christian religion, was a Polygamist, God, that they may not be contaminaas well as the Patriarch Jacob and the ted with the society of these old Poprophet David from whom He descen- lygamists? And then it would be so ded according to the flesh. Paul says shocking to the modesty of the very concerning Jesus, "Verily he took not pious ladies of Christendom to see on him the nature of angels; but he took Abraham and his wives, Jacob and on him the seed of Abraham." (Heb. his wives, Jesus and his honorable 2: 16.) Abraham the Polygamist, wives, all eating occasionally at the being a friend of God, the Messiah same table, and visiting one another, chose to take upon himself his seed; and by marrying many honorable wives himself, show to all future generations that he approbated the plurality of Wives under the Christian dispensation, as well as under the dispensations in which His Polygamist ancestors lived.

and conversing about their numerous children and their kingdoms. Oh, ye delicate ladies of Christendom, how can you endure such a scene as this? Oh, what will you do, when you behold on the very gates of the holy Jerusalem the names of the Twelve sons of the four wives of the Polygamist Jacob? If you do not want your morals corrupted, and your delicate ears shocked, and your pious modesty put to the blush by the society of polygamists and their wives, do not venture near the holy Jerusalem, nor come near the New Earth; for Polygamists will be honored there, and will be among the chief rulers in that Kingdom.

*

We have now clearly shown that God the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His First Born, and another being upon the earth by whom He begat the tabernacle of Jesus, as His Only Begotten in this world. We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the ex- Peter says, Likewise ye wives be in ample of his Father, and became the subjection to your own husbands, great Bridegroom to whom kings' * even as Sarah obeyed daughters and many honorable Wives Abraham, calling him Lord: whose were to be married. We have also daughters ye are, as long as ye proved that both God the Father and do well." (1 Peter 3: 1, 6.) The our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their females in the first age of Christianity wives in eternity as well as in time; considered it a great honor to become and that God the Father has already the daughters of Abraham, but now begotten many thousand millions of they have become so righteous that sons and daughters and sent them into they think it a disgrace to be found this world to take tabernacles; and in the society of a Polygamist; and that God the Son has the promise no doubt they would think their charthat "of the increase of his government acters ruined for ever, if any one should there shall be no end;" it being express- be so immodest as to call them the ly declared that the children of one of daughters of the Polygamist Abraham. His Queens show' be made Princes in But we will tell them how to avoid this all the earth. (Se: Psalm 45: 16.) deep disgrace; they can cease to do Jesus says there shall be weeping well; for Peter says that it is only on

this condition that they become the she dies to be carried to his bosom aldaughters of Abraham. It will be ne- so. I wonder if there will not be some cessary for you to reject Christianity and great gulf or some other barrier to not obey the gospel; for in so doing you keep such disgraceful characters from might very much endanger your rep- intruding upon the society and corutation by becoming the daughters of rupting the morals of the good pious that noted Polygamist. To become people who die in the nineteenth centhe daughters of a Polygamist by tury! I wonder if the angels will have voluntarily embracing Christianity the impudence to drag us away as soon would be at once sanctioning father as we die to the bosom of such a noAbraham's deeds. Only think how ted Polygamist as Abraham!" If you awfully shocking it would be, to have do not want to suffer such deep disyour neighbors point the finger of scorn grace, you must keep out of Abraham's at you, and say, "There goes a daugh- family by neglecting the Gospel; and ter of Abraham-she has been adopt- when you die, the angels will not troued into the family of that old Polyga-ble you with his society, but there will mist-she must be a very immodest be a great gulf intervening between you woman to want to get into his family," and his family over which there will be among his wives and concubines-who no passage. would have ever thought, that she Inasmuch as the saints in Utah conwould have embraced the faith of sider it moral, virtuous, and scriptural, Abraham, and thus consent to be adopt- to practice the plurality system, they ed as one of his daughters, when she should seek by every means to irradivery well knew his character! O what cate, not only from their own minds, a disgrace! I wonder if she will not but from the minds of their children, want to go and sit down with her every erroneous improper prejudice adopted father and with all his wives which they have formerly imbibed, by in the kingdom of God. I dare say their associations with the nations of she will; for there is no telling how far modern Christendom. Parents who Christianity will lead them, when they have daughters should seek to instil get so far gone as to be adopted into into their minds, that it is just as honAbraham's family. The doctrine that orable for them to be united in marrishe has embraced tells her that many age to a good man who is already a shall come from the east, and from the husband, as to one that is single: they west, and from the north, and from the should be taught to reject the society south, and shall sit down with Abra- and proposals for marriage of all wickham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom ed men, whether single or not. of God. O how shameful! I wonder father should be impartial to all his chilwhy the law dont put a stop to Chris-dren, and cultivate the same love for tianity when it produces such an im- them all; while each wife should instil moral influence as to cause so many not only to be adopted into these disgraceful families, but to pretend that such characters are going to be in the kingdom of God, and that all their adopted children will go there too. She not only disgraces herself by coming into such a family, but according to her doctrine she will have to associate with beggars, for her book says, that the angels laid hold of a poor beggar named Lazarus and carried him off to Abraham's bosom. Oh what a family! Polygamists and beggars all together! and that poor silly woman is one of his daughters, and expects when

A

into the minds of her own children the necessity of loving the children of each of the others, as brothers and sisters. Each wife should, not only care for the welfare of her husband and her own children, but should also seek the happiness of each of his other wives and children. And likewise, the children of each wife should not only respect, honor, and love their own mother, but also the mothers of all their brothers and sisters. By observing these precepts, peace and tranquility will reign throughout every department of the family, and the spirit of God will flow freely from heart to heart.