Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-24
ANTIPoLYcAMous MoRMoNs.
Reasons for the Reorganization of tbs
Church of Latter-day Saints.

Reasons for the Reorganization of the
Church of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Jason W Briggs, President Of the
Twelve Apostles of the Reorganized
Church Of Latter-day Saints. commonly
called Mormons, says the Philadelphia
Press Of July 81, addressed a little gather
ing in the meeting room at 2244 Ridge
avenue yesterday morning. His subject
was the Reasons for the Reorganiza-
ton" Of the church, which occurred in
1858. The speaker was one Of the prime
movers In the work Of seeding from the
parent or polygamous body. He spoke
substantially as follows:
''POlygamy was not adopted at auy
stated time in the history of the church.
but 1t grew gradually and was the result
Of an attempt to initiate the patrlarchal
age and the customs incident thereto. 1t
was an evil. Polygamy is a crime against
the laws of God and the laws of man.
What is legal in one age may be a crime
in another. SO it is with any attempt to
Initiate the patriarchs in this way. / do
not, for moment, question the founda-
ton OF MOrmOnism. 1t was right. The
church sank gradually into the darkness
OF ignorance until now the Latter Day
saints, as represented in Utah, and not of
it shuns the light. 1t resists the law at
any and all times, and he who Tesists
human laws resists the laws of God, in a
sense. according to Scripture.
''The reorganization was compelled by
the growing sins of the church. POlvgamy
was not a doctrine of Joseph Smiths.
The Polygamous Church will adopt any
and all means to effect it's ends. Such a
pernlclous theory is not cOnsOnant with
the teachings of the Bible nor the dictates
of enlightened reason. We are sending
out missionaries, and the day will come
when polygamy shall be abolished"
The elder subsequently told reporter
that he thought the government was too
lax on the growing evil in Utah. Gre
peated efforts to bring offenders to justice
are foiled," he continued. "Then the
miscarriages of justice are quoted in the
pulpit every Sunday, and the preachers
insist that il is the hand of God interpOsed
TO save his beloved church. Any attempts
to enforce the law against the MormOns
prove abortive. The United States Gov
eminent is laughing-stock among them.
L think it very foolish to enact laws for
the reorganization of the jury system in
one territory. / may be wrong. 1 think
it would be unjust; yet it is plain to me
that nothing can be done, unless it be by
change in the jury system. That, you
know, would practically be martial law.
Then they would hold the United States
Government up before the world, and
claim that they were prosecuted people.
How to remedy the evil of polygamy is a
knOtty question. / think that the only
way is to begin and punish the leaders to
the full extent of the law, and not to
Wreak vengeance upon their ignorant
dupes. Then the evil would be broken
up.''
every Mormon of the old church takes
solemn oath to resist the United States
Government" said Rev. w. o. Owen,
President of the Philadelphia district of
the Reorganized Church. 'sAIso that he
will teach his children from the cradle to
resist it, and in every possible way to
overthrow it. l have been member of
the Polygamous Church. / twas born in it.
lived in Utah for years, and know from ex-
perience the oaths and the awful penalties
thereto which every Mormon is obliged to
take when he is admitted to the fold. He
is also obliged to take an oath to never
betray one of the faith into the hands of
the Gentiles, no matter what his offense.
Consequently a member can kill, burn
and destroy, knowing that his church will
shield him.