The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-03

Whatever Tue lBbOAsACA "a WV
author of this law may have been,
tois il certain, the words, I'm Tx
,,orrja0e relation. are not part Of
the law. Ii the law, therefore, were
} striollv enforced according 10 its lit
ersl tenor, not only would those who
hsva obeved the dOctrIne OF celestial
marriage, a. a divine Command, be
excluded fro II voting and holding
office. but it is more than prob
sbl- that many persons who have
ureed legislation against the Latter.
day Saints, and made war upon this
feature OF their religion, would also
be disfranchiSed and disqualified for
holding Office
AS a church, we have repeatedly
testified in the most solemn manner
that the institution of marriage,
which this law is aimed 1T, has been
reve 4led to us by the Almighty,
and that It il a part of our religion |;
that it is interviewer with our dear
est and hottest hopes connected with
eternity; and that-nOt from any
luStful motives, but because we be-
lieve we should incur the eternal
displeasure Of our Heavenly Father
if we did not comply with its re-
quirementS-we have espOused this
doctrine. 1t has been argued by
those who are ignorant of the true
nature of this doctrine, and how in
separately connected it IS with all
| our hopes of eternal happiness in
that world beyond the tomb, that
this is not part Of our religion;
that this system of marriage
is not religion that it is an i'm
moral and an. odious practice; that it
is shocking to the religious sense of
the nation and to the civilization Of
our age; and that legislation,
framed for its repression and extir-
patton, should be enacted. The
federal legislature has, therefore,
passed this act, and the federal ex-
ecutiVe has affixed to it his sigma
ture.
If proof were needed respecting
the truth of our prOtestatlons and
testimonies, that this is a part Of
our religion, and that the OblecC Of
this law is not the erAdicatiOnsOf i'm
moral practices, but that it is in
tended as a direct blow at our reli-
giouS faith and practice, we have it
furnished in this oath prescribed
by the commissioners. 1t is mar
rage under the forms of religion,
and not immortality, which dis
franchises and disq Ialifies the citi-
zen under this OaLn- Every man
and woman, who, In faith, in all
solemnity, and in strict accOrd4n
with the require ments Of their holy
religion. have entered into sacred
covenants for time and all eternity,
according to the patriarchal order
of marriage, are excluded by this
oath from registration while those
of both sexes, who may be living the
vilest of lives, in adultery, fOrnica-
tion or the practice Of RIGHTEOUSNESS
of any kind, can take the oath and
be registered, vote and hold office!
This oath is expressly framed as
not to interfere with or disturb them
one class of citizens TO be stripped
Of citizenship for Obeying divine
law; while the violation of the most
sacred of divine laws on the part
of another class does not render
| them ineligible TO hold the highest
office in the Territory!
1t has been with feelings of pro-
found regret that we have seen the
Commissioners, men of high posi-
ton and bearing hOnOred names,
take this view of the law, and
frame such an oath as this to lie al
ministered unto the people, yet On
the other hand, it is with unmixed
satisfaction we perceive that the
oath draws the line so sharp
| " and distinctly between mar
rage and RIGHTEOUSNESS. By
| the attempt in the cOnstruc-
ton of this oath to shield from in
jury those who, by their illicit con-
nections with the other sex, might,
under the provisions of the Ed
munds law, be disfranchised, the
Latter-day Saints, who, in all sin
cerity and honor, have Obeyed re-
violation from God, are not reduced
to their degraded level.
Our counsel, then, is to the Lat
ter-day Saints, who can truthfully
| take UllS Odl1, GQSI0 10 uO I0dSOu
that we know of in the gospel, or in
any of the revelations of God, which
prevents you from doing so. You
owe it to yourselves; you owe it to
your posterity; you owe it to those
of your c0-rel glonists who. by this
law, are robbed worse than even
many of yourselves, Of their rights
under the Constitution; you owe
it to humanity everywhere; you owe
it to that free and cOnstitu-
tional form of government, which
has betn bequeathed to you through
the precious sacrifices Of many OF
YOUR forefal hers-tO do all in your
power to maintain religious liberty
and free, republican government in
these mountains, and TO preserve
every constitutional right intact,
and not to allow, either through
supineness OF indifference, or any
feeling of resentment or indigna-
ton because of wrongs inflicted
upon you, any right or privilege to
be wrested from you. Very many
of you can take this oath with con-
scientiousness and entire truthful
ness, as you could even if it were In
q form which many Of your ira
| duoarC oOuld not take without Der