The legitimacy of polygamy according to Christian scholars and church fathers
We are still continuing with the wonderful book “WOMAN, CHURCH AND STATE” page “402:403”:
Quote:The number of prominent Protestants , both lay and clerical, who approved of polygamy was not small. In the sixteenth century , the Capuchin monk , a convert to the Protestant faith, published a work entitled Dialogues in Favor of Polygamy . In the latter part of the seventeenth century , John Lyser , another Reformed priest, defended polygamy forcefully in a work entitled Polygamia Triumphatrix , or The Triumphant Defense of Polygamy . The Rev. Dr. Madden , still a Protestant minister, in a treatise called Thalypthora , "claimed that the teaching of St. Paul , that bishops should be the husbands of one wife ( 1 ), shows that all other men, the laymen ( other than priests or deacons ) , were permitted to marry more than one wife. The scholar William Ellery Channing found no prohibition of polygamy inthe New Testament. In his "Observations on the Person and Writings ofJohn Milton"hesays, " We hold it to be an admitted fact that although Christianity was first preached in Asia,whichfrom the earliest days was the seatof polygamy, whiletheApostlesitas a crime, nor did they ever require believers to divorce all their other wives and remain single." On one wife only. There is no clear prohibition (ban) on polygamy in the New Testament. Page "404" Quote:
It is not clear from the teachings of " St. Paul " except about the qualifications of the bishop, viz., that " the bishop or deacon must be the husband of one wife" ( 1 ), and thus " polygamy " was permitted in the " early church " ( primitive church ) ( among the laity "other than priests or deacons" ) under the " apostles " ( disciples of Christ ) , and also in circumstances similar to those churches gathered among the pagans at the present time. If this is the case, why is a standard set contrary to that of the apostles ( who permitted polygamy and did not prohibit it )?!
Polygamy was not considered to be contrary to the principles of Christianity, so it was once again strongly presented and approved by the missionaries of those countries ( in which polygamy existed ) as a reality where this custom prevailed.
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(1) : (The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy 3:2) - ( A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlling, of good behavior, hospitable, apt to teach) - (The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy 3:12) - ( Let deacons be the husband of one wife, ruling their children and their own households well )
( 2 ): This book was written "WOMAN , CHURCH AND STATE " ( 1893 )in the " nineteenth "
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The number of eminent Protestants both lay and clerical who have sanctioned polygamy has not been small. In the sixteenth century a former Capuchin monk, a general of that order who had been converted to the Protestant faith, published a work entitled “Dialogues in favor of Polygamy.” In the latter part of the seventeenth century, John Lyser, another divine of the reformed church strongly defended it in a work entitled “Polygamia Triumphatrix” or the triumphant defender of polygamy. Rev. Dr. Madden, still another Protestant divine, in a treatise called "Thalypthora," maintained that Paul's injunction that bishops should be the husbands of one wife, signified that laymen were permitted to marry more than one. The scholarly William Ellery Channing could find no prohibition of polygamy in the New Testament. In his "Remarks on the Character and Writings of John Milton" he says, "We believe it to be an indisputable fact that although Christianity was first preached in Asia which had been from the earliest days the seat of polygamy, the apostles never denounced it as a crime and never required their conversions to put away all wives but one. No express prohibition of polygamy is found in the New Testament.
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Is it not evident from Paul's instruction respecting the qualifications of a bishop, viz., that he "should be the husband of one wife" that polygamy was permitted in the primitive church under the apostles, and that too in circumstances precisely similar to those in which churches are gathered among the heathen at the present day. If so, why should a different standard be set up than that set up by the apostles?"
It is not clear from the teachings of " St. Paul " except about the qualifications of the bishop, viz., that " the bishop or deacon must be the husband of one wife" ( 1 ), and thus " polygamy " was permitted in the " early church " ( primitive church ) ( among the laity "other than priests or deacons" ) under the " apostles " ( disciples of Christ ) , and also in circumstances similar to those churches gathered among the pagans at the present time. If this is the case, why is a standard set contrary to that of the apostles ( who permitted polygamy and did not prohibit it )?!
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That polygamy is not regarded as contrary to the principles of Christianity was again most forcibly shown in its endorsement by missionaries located in those countries where this custom prevails. One of the most notable instances of recent church action in recognizing polygamy as sustained by Christianity, occurred a few years ago in Calcutta during a Conference upon the question. This body was convened by the missionaries of England and America located in India. Its immediate cause was the application of Indian conversions, the husbands of several wives, for admission to the church. A missionary conference of the several Christian denominations was therefore called for the purpose of deciding upon this grave request. It included representatives of the Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches. Taking the Bible as authority full consideration was given to the subject. Quotations from that “holy book” proved to the satisfaction of the conference that not alone did the Bible favor polygamy, but that God Himself supported, regulated and sustained the institution. In addition it was declared that these converted polygamists "had given credible evidence of their personal piety." The conference therefore unanimously rendered favorable decision for retention of the polygamous members within the respective churches to which they belonged, upon the ground that as both the Jews and the early Christians had practiced polygamy, it was allowable to the new conversions.
If a convert before becoming a Christian, has married more wives than one, in accordance with the practice of the Jews and primitive Christian churches, he shall be permitted to keep them all.
If a convert before becoming a Christian, has married more wives than one, in accordance with the practice of the Jews and primitive Christian churches, he shall be permitted to keep them all.
Polygamy was not considered to be contrary to the principles of Christianity, so it was once again strongly presented and approved by the missionaries of those countries ( in which polygamy existed ) as a reality where this custom prevailed.
One of the most conspicuous instances of the present Church ( 2 ) in its recognition of polygamy as a fixed matter in Christianity, occurred a few years ago in Calcutta during a church council on this question. This council was held by missionaries from England and America based in India . Its immediate cause was regarding the " Indian converts ", who were married to several wives, regarding joining the Church. A missionary council was held, consisting of " several Christian denominations ", called upon to decide on this serious request. This council included representatives from the Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches , arbitrating to the Holy Scriptures as the final and decisive authority on this subject . Based on the " Holy Scripture " it has been proven to the convincing end of the Church Council that it is not only the " Holy Scripture " that supports polygamy, but that "God" himself has supported, organized and established this system. In addition, it has been declared that these " converted polygamists " have given true evidence of their piety.
The synod unanimously ruled that polygamists could keep their wives within their own churches, as both Jews and early Christians had practiced polygamy , and it was permissible for new converts. If a convert had had more than one wife before becoming a Christian,under Jewish practice and early Christian churches, he would be permitted to keep them all.=*=*=*=
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(1) : (The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy 3:2) - ( A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlling, of good behavior, hospitable, apt to teach) - (The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy 3:12) - ( Let deacons be the husband of one wife, ruling their children and their own households well )
( 2 ): This book was written "WOMAN , CHURCH AND STATE " ( 1893 )in the " nineteenth "
And with the last quote from the book " WOMAN , CHURCH AND STATE " by Matilda Joslyn Gage and Chapter VII : POLYGAMY :
We continue on page "406"
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Translation: Rev. David O. Allen , DD , missionary of the American Board in India for twenty-five years, from his report at the Missionary Conference the following results were obtained:
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Rev. David O. Allen, DD, missionary of the American Board in India for twenty-five years and from whose report of the action of the missionary conference the above facts were gained, said: If polygamy was unlawful, then Leah was the only wife of Jacob and none but her children were legitimate. Rachel as well as Bilhah and Zilpah were merely mistresses and their children, six in number, were bastards, the offspring of adulterous connection. And yet there is no intimation of any such views and feelings in Laban's family, or in Jacob's family, or in Jewish history. Bilhah and Zilpah are called Jacob's wives (Genesis xxxvii: 2.). God honored the sons of Rachael, Bilhah and Zilpah equally with the sons of Leah, made them patriarchs of seven of the tribes of the nation and gave them equal inheritances in Canaan
Translation: Rev. David O. Allen , DD , missionary of the American Board in India for twenty-five years, from his report at the Missionary Conference the following results were obtained:
If polygamy were illegal, then Leah ( 1 ) was Jacob's only wife and he had no legitimate children other than her. Rachel , along with Bilhah and Zilpah , would be regarded as mere mistresses and their children, six in number, would be mere bastards, the offspring of an illegitimate relationship ( 2 ). Yet there was no warning against any of these views and feelings in Laban's family , in Jacob's family, or in Jewish history .
But Bilhah and Zilpah were also called " the wives of Jacob " ( Genesis xxxvii:2 ) . " Genesis 37:2 " ( 3 ) . God honored the sons of Rachel , Bilhah , and Zilpah, as well as the sons of Leah , by making them priests for seven of the tribes of the nations and giving them the same inheritance as Canaan ( 2 ) .
We continue on page "407:406"
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Nor is this judgment at all strange as we find polygamy endorsed by the majority of Christian sects. Nor can we be surprised that the Mormons of Utah and the adjoining states should look upon the opposition of the United States to their practice of polygamy, as an unjust interference with an established custom of the Christian church, recognized and indorsed through the ages, as not alone part of the Jewish and early Christian practice, but permitted as allowable at the present day.
We should not be surprised at the position of the Mormons ( 4 ) of Utah ( 5 ) and the neighboring states, who must regard the opposition of the United States to their practice of polygamy as an unjust interference with a custom recognized and sanctioned by the religious establishment and the Christian Church, throughout the ages, not only as part of early Jewish and Christian practice, but as something that is permitted to this day.
=*=*=*= ( 1 ): (Leah): A Hebrew name meaning (( wild cow )) and she is the eldest daughter of “ Laban ”. “ And the first wife of the prophet Jacob ”. She was less beautiful than her younger sister “ Rachel ” ( the second wife of the prophet Jacob ) because her eyes were weak. By a trick, her father married her to “ Jacob ” after he had served seven years for “ Rachel ”. She bore him six sons: “ Reuben ”, “ Simeon ”, “ Levi ”, “ Judah ”, “ Issachar ”, and “ Zebulun ”, and a daughter named “ Dinah ”.
(2): Clear evidence that the Lord did not consider “ polygamy ” as a forbidden or unrecognized relationship, as Jacob ’s children from his “ other three wives ” were considered part of the congregation of the Lord, which is evidence that they were legitimate children through a legitimate path , as the children of an illegitimate relationship cannot enter the “congregation of the Lord” according to what is stated in : (Deuteronomy 23:2
) - [ A bastard shall not enter the congregation of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of them shall enter the congregation of the Lord. ] But all the sons of Jacob were leaders over the tribes of the nations and inherited the inheritance of Canaan without distinction or discrimination between the sons of "Leah" or "Rachel" or "Bilhah" or "Zilphah."
(3): (Genesis 37:2 )-[These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, when he was seventeen years old, was tending the flock with his brothers, and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought their evil slander to their father.]
( 4 ): Mormons is a term given to followers of the “ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ” (LDS Church), a church with more than “ 12 million members worldwide .” This religious sect was founded in 1830 by “ Joseph Smith .” The church practices “ polygamy ,” and this was practiced by an elite group of its followers. Some fundamentalist Mormon minorities who broke away from the Mormon majority still practice this custom in the western United States, Canada, and Mexico.
( 5 ): "Utah State": It is a state of the United States. It is located in the west of the country, bordered by " Arizona " to the south, " Nevada " to the west, " Idaho " and " Wyoming " to the north, and " Colorado " to the east. Its capital is " Salt Lake City " andits most important cities as well. The " Mormon " sect practices " polygamy " there after a long dispute with the American government.
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