Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-11-20
HIDEous { GRIMES.

secrets Of the Endowment House Dis
closed By Ap0state Mormons Brutal
Butcheries Committed by Leaders OF the.
Church-Members Required Under Pain
OF Frightful Penalties to Avenge Joe
smith, and sworn to Hostility to the
8 United States Government.
. SALT LAKE Cry, u. T., Nov. l5.
Many applications for naturalization
have been made to the court here in an
ticipation OF the municipal election,
and, objection having been made to the
naturalization Of polygamists and other
Mormons on the ground that no Nor
mon who has taken the oaths in the en-
dowment house can be loyal citizen,
the court heard testimony in regard to
the charge. 7: %iz *s
John Bond swore that he had to 20
through the endowment house in order
to be married in 1868. He was required
to take the obligations of the Aaronic
priesthood, by which he coyenanted to
obey every doctrine of the church, es-
pccially those in opposition to the
United States, under penalty of having
his throat cut and his tongue torn out
Then he was required to take an oath to
avenge the blood of Joseph Smith on
this Nation, and to teach this doctrine
of revenge to his children and his chill
dren's children to the latest generation.
Martin B. Wardell swore that he went
through the endowment house in 1853
or 1854 and again year later. He took
an oath that he would avenge the
death of Joseph Smith on this Ma
ton from the President down. If he
revealed any of the secrets of the
endowment house he was told that his
throat would be cut and his bowels torn
out. Witness saw the death penalty
enforced on man named Green
In 1862, twenty miles west of
Green river. "W. H. Dame,'' he said,
"the captain of the train, described the
murder. and said that they got about
$4,000 from Green. When some began
to,murmur John w. Young said if we
did not shut up we would be served the
same way. The next day Dame said
Green had apostatized once and now he
had apostatized and gone to hell"
Andrew Cahoon swore to the same OBJ
legations of avenging tho blood of the
prophets and to the penalty for divulg-
ing secrets. He said the highest al
legiance of the Mormons was to the
Mormon church or Kingdom of God"
Nothing was said in the endowment house
of obedience to the laws OF the United
States. All were instructed that polyg-
amy was the command of God,
and all must indorse it or be
damned. He considered that the gen.
eral teaching of the church was in
hostility to the laws of the land. The
Mormons regard civil marriage as un-
authorized. 1t is taught that the king
dom of God will be established and all
other governments overthrown, and
that the United States Will be the first
togo.
1T was understood" he said, s'that we
had to sustain the kingdom of God
against all other powers-the king
dom of God on earth. The head of
the church was it's king. Brig
ham Young proclaimed himself king
to the pioneers. I have heard leaders
of the church pray for the overthrow of
the United States Government It is so
common that every child knows it.
have heard MILFORD Woodruff, the
present head of the church, do it. 1t is
very common for him to do that
James McGuffie swore to the same
facts as to the endowment oaths and
hostility to this Nation. All spoke of
murders they had either seen or heard
OF from persons who knew of them,
which were committed in consequence
of these oaths.
James Fl. Moyle. the church attorney,
swore that there were oaths in the en-
dowment-house ceremonies, but he re-
fused to tell their nature.