Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-24
LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
An Interview With Elder
Joseph Smith.
MORMON MATTERS DISCUSSED.
The Question of Polygamy-His
tory of the Church-Brigham
Young's Followers.

Roorganized Church OF Latter-Day
Saints, is in the city, and was inter
viewed by HERALD reporter yester
day at Mr.. Schnell's residence on
Bunker Hill avenue. Mr.. Smith is a
venerable-looking gentleman, and
carries his Sc sss yssrs with patri-
afchal style that at once conveys to
the observer an impression OF his
clerical dignity. He is visiting Cali
fornia with two.fold purpose-to re-
eruit his health and TO look into the
condition of affairs at the various
churches in the West. On being in
formed of the mission of his visitor,
Mr.. smith READILY consented to give
any information in his power, and on
being requested to point out the
difference between his church and
the one that prevails throughout
Utah, stated:
"The most essential point is as re-
cards polygamy. We do not acknowl-
edse it, and we deny the authority of
Of the revelation to Joseph Smith,
which Brigham Young published as
his authority for departing from mono
Ramy. Joseph Smith, the founder of
Che Mormon Church, was my father"
said Mr.. Smith, "and during his life,
his teachings were invariab opposed
to polygamy, and as for this revela-
ton that Young announced, he was
never known to have made any refer
ence to it. Probably the best and
most explanatory method of hand
ling this subject will be
to give brief resume Of the
history Of the Mormon Church. In
1923 my father received revelations
from heaven that in part of New
York State were to be found tablets
buried by prophets of old, that indi-
Gated the true lines Of religion. These
revelations were continued during the
next three years, and in 1927 he dis
covered the records in New York
State, and with Divine aid translated
them. This translation forms what
is at present known as the
book of Mormon-Mormon be-
ing the name of the original
collector of the records. In the mean
time similar revelations had been
made to Oliver Cowdery, Marin Har-
ris and David Whitmer, and these
three with my father organized the
6rst meeting of what was afterwards
to be known as the "Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints" The
lirst services were held in Manchester,
n. Y, and were attended by about
thirty persons most of whom were
baptized the same evening. The new
religion was then preached through
out the Unite States and made rapid
progress, at the time of my
lather's death in 1874, numbering
about 100000 souls in its ranks. 1t
can not justly be called
NEW RELIGION
Though, for it was simply return to
primitive Christianity as explained in
the Bible, 1--WE use a King James trans
lation of the ordinary scriptures).
The main points of difference were in
the organization, not in the doctrine.
The church was established on identi-
cally the same lines as the ones
preached by the Christ, cpn-
sisting of elders, apostles, disciples,
ETC., but the main rock of
contention was and always has BEEN
divine revelation. Mormonism claims
toreceive revelationsfrom an Almighty
source Just as much now as it did in
the days recorded in the Bible, and
this is what is always pooh-poohed at
by disbelievers. This early church,
~ / have before intimated, did not
advocate polygamy, and this l will
prove by reading you one of the cove.
nants from this official book, published
by my father in 1846."
Mr.. Smith then took small
black book from the table and
read the following extract:
"Wherefore my brethren hear me,
and hearken to the word of the Lord:
For there shall not any man among
you have more than one wife and
concubines he shall have none for 1,
the Lord God, delighteth in the
chastity of women"
"This," said the elder, "is the orig
inal doctrine taught by my father and
preached as one of the tenets of Nor
mvnism until after his death in 1874.
About eighteen months after he passed
away, Brigham Young announced
that he had in his possession reve-
lation given to my father in which
polygamy was advocated and
although the genuineness of this state.
ment could not be supported by any
convincing evidence, the new creed
soon became popular and thousands
docked in the train of Young to Salt
Lake City, where he get up his head
quarters. Polygamy was publicly pro-
claimed on August 20, 1852, and a
host OF members of the church took
advantage Of it accordingly. A num-
Der OF the members refused to accept
this new doctrine, however, and on the
18th of June, 1852, was held the first
conference of what is known as tie
Reorganized Church of Latter-Day
Saints became publicly identified
with it in 1860 as it's President, which
office have since held. At the pres
ent time we have
FOUR HUNDRED CHURCHES
In various parts of the world, and a
membership of about 20 ,0OO."
The fact that you are anti-poly ga
mists is, l suppose, not the only diff
ference between you and the Utah
Mormons?" ?" queried the reporter.
"No, we differ on q number of
other grounds, one of which is organ
ization. Their bishops, for instance,
claim to have spiritual authority,
ours have only temporal. There
are q number of other points also on
which we do not agree, though, of
course, the principal tenets OF faith
are similar.
"What do you think of the present
Government crusade against Nor
monism ?" asked the scribe.
II think, }" was the reply, "that it
will have no effect at all as regards
the breaking up of the religion, for