Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-05

teachings and practices; hostile to the
government of the United States; DISC
bedient to its laws and seeking It's over
throw; that the oath administered to its
members IN the endowment house binds
them under penalty of death to implicit
obedience In all things, temporal as well
as spiritual to the priesthood
and to always avenge the death
of the prophets, Joseph and Hiram Smith,
upon the government and people of the
United States. The judge reviewed at
length the evidence submitted by the
government regarding the endowment
house ceremonies, the teachings of the
church, etc. Referring to the testimony
of witnesses for the Mormons, he said that
all of them testified concerning the endow-
ment ceremonies but declined to state what
oaths were taken or obligations
entered into or the penalties attached to
the violation, while some stated that they
had forgotten what was said about the
average blood of the prophets. These eva
sions, the Judge says, rendered the testi-
mody of little value and tended to confirm
the evidence offered by the directors
to the applicants. The evidence
establishes beyond any reasonable
doubt that the endowment ceremonies are
inconsistent with the oath of citizenship
The application of John Moore and Wal
ter Edgar, both of whom went through
the endowment house, is denied As to
the admission of the other applicants upon
the ground of their being society members
of the Mormon church, a large mass of ev-
idence was introduced consisting mostly
of sermons and writings of Mormon rulers
and leaders, published under the direction
of the church. The Judge continues: Il
think there can be no question but that
the church claims and exercises the right
to control It's members in temporal as well
also shows that blood atonement
is one of the doctrines of the church.
The judge quotes Brigam Young at con-
siderable length and refers especially to
his denunciation of the government when
in 1857 the United States troops were sent
to Salt Lake City. In summing w he
says whether the language of Brigam
Young, Kimball, Orson, Hyde and others
instigated the Mountain Meadow massacre
or whether that horrible butchery was
done by the direct command of Brigham
Young will probably never be
known. The evidence Judge Anderson
says does not sustain the claim of the
counsel; the feelings of the people toward
the government have undergone a change
and that In later years the feeling of hos
Utility has disappeared or become greatly
modified. The evidence shows that the
church has In a most determined manner
and With all the means at It's command,
opposed the enforcement of the laws of the
United States against polygamy and I'M
lawful cohabltatlon. Not a word of evil
dence was introduced showing that
any preacher of that church ever in
single instance advised obedience
OF the laws against polygamy.
On the contrary, the evidence showed that
it has persistently refused obedience to at
least a portion of the laws of this govern
ment; it has insulted and driven United
States officers from the territory; it has
denied the authority of the United States to
pass laws prohibiting polygamy as an I'M
warranted interference with the Mormon
religion. Undoubtedly there are many
members of this church who feel friendly
to the government and would gladly break
the shackles that bind them if
they dared but with an organization
the most thorough that can be imagined,
which can be welded against them, they
remain in the church rather than take the
risk of financial ruin and social ostracism.
After reciting the teachings of the church
at length, the Judge says: at has always
beed and still is the policy of this govern
ment, to encourage aliens who, in good
faith, come to reside in this country to be-
come citizens But when man of foreign
births'comes tojoin an organization which is
professedly religious; requires of him alleg
lance paramount to his allegiance to the
government, an organization that i'm
piously claims to be the Kingdom of God,
to control its members under its immedi-
ate direction and yet teaches and pra tees
a system of morals shocking to christian
people everywhere, it IS time for
the courts to pause and inquire
whether such men should be
admitted to citizenship. The evidence in
this case established unquestionably that
the teachings, practices and purposes of
the Mormon church are antagonistic to the
government, utterly subserlvant of good
morals and well being of society and that
the members are animated by a feeling of
hostility toward the government and its
laws; therefore an alien, who is member
of said church, is not a fit person to be
made citizen of the United States.