Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-15
Deposed for His Sins.

Deposed for His Sins.
A correspondent of the Washington
Star at Salt Lake City thus describes
remarkable scene which took place dur
ing the service In the great Mormon
Temple on Sunday, Sept. 10:
tall, spare man, with Drowned face
and bristling gray moustache, entered
and took seat near the pulpit. Then
some one whispered to Mr.. Nicholson, who
was preaching, to sit down, which he did,
observing rather awkwardlythat he would
have TO stop-something had occurred.
He stepped back into his seat, and
young fellow of about 26, of
rather prepossessing appearance
| and neatly dressed in suit
OF gray, stepped into the
pulpit and distinctly addressed the throng
| to the effect that he ''had disgraced his
position In the church; that he had COM
mltted a crime second only to that OF
shedding blood, and that he asked to be
deposed from his riesthood-hopng that
when Judgment had been passed on him
he might be heard in his case" He then
sat down amid profound sensation.
Some of the gentler sex cried softly, and
the men looked surprised. The elders
buried their faces in their hands and were
deeply overcome. The young man himself
leaned his head forward and covered his
face with his hands. in the meantime
the wiry, elderly man mounted the ros-
trum and referred with emotion to his
sorrow that such disgrace should have
betallen the church and his own family.
But, he said, as in ancient Israel the
nearest kin were those who cast the first
stone at culprit, so he did demand of
the church that his nephew, John o. Can
non, should be cut off from all his digni-
ties and all connection with the Latter
Day Saints. ''ThOse in favor of this will
raise their right hands," he exclaimed.
The auditorium became bristling sur
face of upralsed arms. 1t was the "po-
lice verso" OF Deseret. Those opposed
to it will raise their right hands" Not
hand appeared Young Cannon was con-
demned in his confusion,
Angus Cannon, the uncle, straIghtway
walked out of the building. Mr.. Nichol-
son then rose again. He eXtolled the
l saintliness of'the father of the young man,
George Q. Cannon, and his spotiess puri-
ties in his domestlcities. he Mr.. Mich
olson could not have been more aston
ished if thunderbolt had fallen from
| heaven than by this young mans confess
sion OF his crime. elf George Cannon
could have had his CHOICE he continued,
"between following this young man to
his grave and seeing him in this fallen
| state, ne would rather have seen the clods
| falling upon his breast" He con-
tinued IL this strain for some mo-
ments and then sat down. John
Q. Cannon, cut off from all ecclesiastical
union with the Latter Day Saints, waited
till he was done, and then rose, rather red
| in the face, and followed the footsteps of
his uncle. / suppose he felt in no humor
for the hymn which followed and in which
| the Mormon prima donna sang as sweetly
| and as gayly as if she had not been as
| sistipg at a spiritual tragedy. Then the
! vast crowd surged out. / was amazed TO
see that beyond the women's tears and
| the elders temporary prostration the de-
position OF this brilliant young Mormon
seemed to have stirred no depths. They
| quietly went home as if nothing had hap
pened.
The correspondent subsequently inter-
viewed Mr.. Nicholson, and he reports his
interview as follows:
81 came to see what the full signifi-
canoe of this afternoons episode was" |
| remarked. "Was the ceremony a final
cutting off from the church of Mr.. Can
nonp'
Eyes. He is fully communicated"
said MIR. Nicholson politely, Though the
Bishop may formally sit on his case"
| els there no hope of his being forgiven
and returned to the churchr' l cOntin-
ued.
"No, l think not. He was so far ad-
vanced in the inducements of the church
that his case is very aggravated He vas
one of the two councillors to the presld-
| ing Bishop"
THAT is pretty hard on the young
man." | returned.
"Well, that is what the church SAYS,
and there is no going back on that"
"Was it an entire surprise to every
bodyT ' | asked.
| "Perfectp said Mr.. Nicholson. "When
l was told to stop l thought at first that
perhaps President John Taylor had been
taken and they were going to tell the peo-
| pie and try and make them resigned to it.
| l hardly knew which was the worst" He
| added, "Well, that would only be a
physical evil and this is a moral one"
Mr.. Nicholson has served six months in
the penitentiary-"with cutthroats and
blackguards," he said bitterly-for
polygamy. "Why, if man speaks to his
plural wife Oil the street the local
| judiciary condemn him for violating the
Edmunds bill by cohabitlng."
| Such was the episode / was 80 unex-
pectedly let in for on my first visit to the
Mormon tabernacle. 1t was an example
of how they judge impurity. The Young
mans offense, should have said, was
! adultery. He was q married man. sis
it a very rare occurrenceW / had asked
Mr.. Nicholson. Eyes; pretty rare" he
replied, "tbough some one was deposed
for 1t fortnight ago, and twelve months
| ago one OF the twelve apostles was de-
posed for it. That shows you how we
| Judge of impurity. | felt myself inspired
to speak on that subject to-day, though
know nothing of this matter"