ated their own
object by rousing up a most formidable and exasperated opposition. It
would have been argued by the Jews that they were reflecting on the
patriarchs; and it would have been said by the Roman governors that they
were interfering with matters which belonged to the province of the
civil magistrate. They were obliged, therefore, to proceed with extreme
caution. In the first place, they laid it down as a principle that every
bishop and deacon must be "the husband of one wife," [323:1] or, in
other words, that no polygamist could hold office in their society. They
thus, in the most pointed way, inculcated sound views respecting the
institution of marriage; for they intimated that whoever was the husband
of more than one wife was not, in every respect, "a pattern of good
works," and was consequently unfit for ecclesiastical promotion. In the
second place, in all their discourses they proceeded on the assumption
that the union of one man and one woman is the divine arrangement.
[323:2] Throughout the whole of the New Testament, wherever marriage is
mentioned, no other idea is entertained. It is easy to see what must
have been the effect of this method of procedure. It soon came to be
understood that no good Christian could have at one time more than one
wife; and at length the polygamist was excluded from communion by a
positive enactment. [323:3]

Every disciple who married a heathen was cut off from Church privileges.
The apostles had condemned such an alliance, [323:4] and it still
continued to be spoken of in terms of the strongest reprobation.
Nothing, it was said, but discomfort and danger could be anticipated
from the union; as parties related so closely, and yet differing so
widely on the all-important subject of religion, could not permanently
hold cordial intercourse. A writer of this period has given a vivid
description of the trials of the female who made such an ill-assorted
match. Whilst she is about to be engaged in spiritual exercises, her
husband will probably contrive some scheme for her annoyance; and her
zeal may be expected to awaken his jealousy, and provoke his opposition.
"If there be a prayer-meeting, the husband will devote this day to the
use of the bath; if a fast is to be observed, the husband has a feast at
which he entertains his friends; if a religious ceremony is to be
attended, never does household business fall more upon her hands. And
who would allow his wife, for the sake of v