The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-09-07
A nIORsit)

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Urging the State to O.
Their Religion and u
SALT LAKE Cry, September -
lowing extracts are taken from an adN
the Latter Day Saints, signed by JoS
Taylor, George @. Conner, and Joseph II.
Smith, published in the church last even
ing:
There have been many times in our past
| history when great exigencies have arisen,
and IL has been the imperative duty OF the
first presidency of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints to give plain
and pointed counsel TO the people over
whom, in the providence Of God, they have
| been called TO preside. A condition oil al
| fairs exists at the present time which makes
| it eminently proper that we, as the nrst
presidency of the Church, should address
YOU this epistle. The Edmunds law de-
signed for the repression and destruction OF
n portion of your religion by disfran-
chising all persons in the territory, or other
places over which the United States have
exclusive jurisdiction, who had adopted IN
obedience to the requirements OF their re-
igion, the principle OF celestial marriage,
had become the law of the land on March
%, 1882. AS the law required, five COM
missioners, selected by the president and
confirmed by the senate, were sent TO TINS
territory to enforce its provisions. AS
church, we have repeatedly testified in the
most solemn manner that the institution OF
marriage at which the law is aimed, has
been revealed to us by the Almighty, ana
that it is a part of our religion; that it is
interviewer with our dearest and hottest
hopes connected with eternity, and that, not
from any lustful motives, but because we |
believe we should incur the eternal dis |
pleasure of our heavenly Father if We did |
not comply with its requirements, we nave
espoused this doctrine. 1t has been argued
by those who areignorant OF the true nature
OF this doctrine and how insepa ably con-
nected it is with all our hopes of eternal |
happiness in the world beyond the tomb,
tina, this is not a part of our religion; that !
this system of marriage IS not religion;
that it is an immoral and odious practice;
that it is shocking to the religious sense OF
the nation and to the clviiization
framed for its repression and extirpation
should be enacted The fe !eral legislature
has therefore passed this act, and the feder-
al executive has affixed to it his signature:
In regard to our religion or our eternal
covenants we have no compromise TO make I
nor principles to barter away. Ihey ema-
nate from God, and are founded upon the
exist when empires, powers and nations
shall crumble and decay; and with the help
of the Almighty we will guard sacredly
our covenants, and maintain onr integrity
and be true to our God, while time
exists or eternity endures. Let us
guard well our franchise, and in one
unbroken phalanx maintain and sus-
tain our political status, and as patriots
and freemen operate together in defence OF
what few liberties are left to us; in the de-
fence of the constitution and in the defence
of the inalienable rights of man-which
rights always exist and are above and be-
fore all constitutions-and thus to perpetu-
ate to posterity the inestimable blessings
of freedom, including the right to live, the
right to be free, and the right to pursue
happiness, unmolested by any influence,
power, or combination.
All this eloquence is due to the fact that
the commissioners have prescribed an oath,
which concludes as follows:
| do further soemly swear Tor afiirm) |
that | am not bigamist nor polygacc
mist; that / am not violater OF the laws OF
the United States prohibiting bigamy or
polygamy; that do not live or cohabit with |
more than one woman in the marriage rela-
ton, nor does any relation exist between |
me and any woman which has been entered |
into or continued in violation of said laws
of the United States prohibiting bigamy or
polygamy; and [if womanl that am not |
the wife Of polygamist, nor have entered
into relations with any man in violation Of
the laws of the United States concerning |
polygamy or bigamy.