The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-03
AN ADDRESS.
To THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY
SAINTS.
Dear Brethren and Sisters.

ter day Saints to give plain ant
pointed counsel to the people ovel
whom, in :the providence OF God
they are called to preside. A con-
dition OF affairs exists at the present
time, which makes it eUlnently
proper that we, as the first presl'
Idenoy of the church, should address
you this epistle.
We hear from many quarters, tn4'
many 0i you are not Clear IN YOU
mn d. as to the course you snou'u
take In view of the extraordinary
circumstances in which you are
placed b. the action of Congress anu
the axec tive at Washington, ano o.
,issioners created by the
Law since their arrival In
,r.s oI,v- ONE Viewing the require
rnonts which are proposed as lnlquIt-
or. Tiers having scruples about
,akInr an oath which embodles all
the odium OF religious test; and, Sill
7tbere, who feel SO indignant that
4 ey would rather suffer the loss OF
~ nsbip than to seek to maintain
srtt a method as has been pro-
4 ne commissioners. 1t is as
community that We are
a. is your religious belief
M ices that are the objects OF
a tack: because you belong to a re-
liqious body. Nearly nine-tenths OF
Won who have never been guilty OF
even ;alIeged crime, whose only
offense ia q belief in a doctrine which
the prophets and holy men of God
prscticed, and the fruits of which
was the Redeemer of toe world him.
self. are deprived of the most prec-
ious rights of freemen; therefore, 1t
becomes your duty, as believers IN re-
ligion, to defend yourselves by exer-
cising to the proper extent the few
lett tolyou, among which are
those Of registration and voting. and
and not yourselves and your own
rights alone; but the right OF every
man, woman and child In this
broad land to believe and prac-
lice their religion, as their consCien
yes may dictate, so long as such
practice shall not interfere with the
rights of their neighbors.
The Edmuuds law, designed for
the repression and destruction of q
portion of your religion, oy distran
chising all persons IN the territories
or other place over which the United
States have exclusive jurisdiction,
who had adopted, in obedience to the
requirements of their religion, the
principle of celestial msrriage-be-
came the law of the land on March
22d, 1882. As that law required,
five commissioners, selected by the
President and confirmed by the SEN
q 9. were sent to this territory to en-
trrce It's provisions. These commits
s:uners reached Salt Lake City on
the 18Th Of this present month.
Since their arrival they have, In In.
terviews with prominent citizens,
given assurances of their Int antion to
carry out the law, line by line,
strictly and fairly. Their first pub
lie announcement was that, in &C
cordance with the law of Congress,
an election Of a delegate to Congress
would be held on the 9TH OF Rovem-
Der next. Following this announce
ment, the commissioners have pub
lisbed nine rules which they have
edopted for the appointment and
government OF registrars. judges OF
elections, etc., for inst November
election. The second Of these rules
contains the following oath or sttir'
nation, which The registration OIL
Ger Of each precinct is r, qnired to ad-
minister to everyone who applies to
have his name placed Or retained
on the registration lis':
TERRITORY OF UTAH,