CONCLUSION, Part 1 of Chapter 16 of Holy Priesthood Volume 4

CONCLUSION, Part 1 of Chapter 16 of Holy Priesthood Volume 4

Pages 229 to 247

A Principle, Ordinance, Covenant and Law

It has been very interesting and informative to see how many nations have benefited from their acceptance of a plural marriage lifestyle. Several non-Christian nations, such as China and India, and some in the Near East, such as Arabia, Syria, Persia and Africa, have, on the whole, had less immorality than the so-called Christian nations who have not accepted such a lifestyle.

The Bible records that for thousands of years prophets, patriarchs, priests, and kings obeyed and lived polygamy. All the tribes of Israel, including the Jews, accepted it; and God chose this polygamous lineage through which Jesus was born. Furthermore, the Savior always spoke respectfully of those prophets and people who lived plural marriage, never saying anything against that principle.

There is nothing in the Old or New Testament that enforces the law of monogamous marriages, neither is there anything opposing plural marriage. We have seen that the only ancient law enforcing monogamy came from a band of robbers who gradually extended it throughout the Roman Empire, and influenced other nations and religions, especially the Christians. What a tragic history, showing how the “Christian” nations have repeatedly neglected their surplus women–[230] leaving them with illegitimate children, prostitution, disease, or a life of celibacy!