The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-11-28
President Woodruff Of the Nor.
mon Church,
Claims Fealty to the United
States Government.
Kansas Irrigation Will be Laii
Before Congress.
AtchisOn Railroad Matters So
Other TeIegraphic Topics.
Efforts to Secure Legislation Against the Nor

Efforts to Secure Legislation Against the Nor
CHICAGO, III. Nov. 23.-In response
to a telegram from the associat-
cd Press, asking him for his statement
concerning the investigation now in
progress in Salt Lake City, Wexford
Woodruff, president of the Mormon
church, sends the following dispatch.
SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. % 1889.
This is the periodical anti-MOrmon
sensation, which we are accustomed to
expect in November. Congress meets
in December and it is presum ed that
the usual efforts will be made to
SECURE legislation against the Nor
mons. In addition to this I might
eve Of an important municipal election
in which the anti Mormon party by
preventing the naturalization of Nor
mons and other improper ways, hope to
be successful. can truthfully say
that there is absolutely nothing in the
Mormon religion that is not consistent
with the most patriotic devotion to the
government of the United States. The
revelations and commandments to the
church require that the constitution
and laws of the land shall be upheld.
1t Is also part of our belief that
time will come when this country will
be distracted by departures from the
spirit and letter of the constitution and
when general lawlessnesS will prevail,
aud that when that condition shall ar
rive the Mormon people will step for
ward and take an active part in rescu-
ing the nation from ruin. AS a people
the MormOnS have the highest venera-
tim for the institutions of the
republic. In regard to the claim that
the priesthood or the chief authorities
| of the church assert or usurp the right
to control the Mormon people in all
| their temporal, including political
affairs, 1 would say, represent the
head of the church, and do not make
any such claim. 1t would be imposSi-
bic to exercise it If l did. Concerning
the cry about blood atonement, we'll,
there is this: The foundation of our
religious faith is belief in the atoning
blood of Christ, through which the
resurrection will be brought about
| We believe in the scripture doctrine.
WHO so SheddeCh mans blood, by
man shall his blood be shed, >" but we
believe that all executions for murder
| should be under the law of the land and
i by its officers only. Statements made
by two or three apOState Mormon wit
nesses to the effect that the endow-
ment ceremonies involved the death
4 pOudlty upOIi IuOS0 WHO lOdV0 LuO
church and disobey the priesthood, are
simply untrue.
The MOrmons on the stand decline to
disclose the formula of the endowment
because secret religious rites and cere-
monies are the property of the individ-
ual citizen and do not belong to the
state. You might as well ask why
a Mason, if he were placed on the wit
i less stand, should refuse to reveal the
rites and signs Of that order. 1 myself
am the Master Mason and have been
informed that many Masons as well as
people not connected with the frater-
nifty have been indignant at the at
tempt that has been made during the
last few days to extort personal infor-
nation from MormOns. Members of
other benevolent societies can see
that their rights and organizations
would be endangered b!Cald such pro-
ceedingS carry.