Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-07-05

sweet will In the matter Of polygamy.
Since then the Edmunds act and its Sc
qpel, the Edmunds-Tueker law, have
done their work and done It we'll.
Polygamy has been formally aban-
doned by the Mormon church, and 70
all iutents and purposes, has ceased to
exist or this there can be no doubt;
the fact Is admitted alike by Mornons
and Gentiles, In bus enc thing has
the Edmunds-TuclEe law failed In its
purpose, and thet is In tho condscation
Of tha property Of the church. 1t was
sought BY this to seriously cripple she
resources Of the Mormon church, but
thus far 1t has accomplished no pereep-
tible gooh Leading Gentlles do not
hesitate to pronounce Ii lamentable
mistake, for while not Yisibly impair
ing the power Of the priesthood, 1t has
aroused sympathy for the saints
among people whose sense Of fair play
causes them to protest quickly against
the blundering Of a weaker body by a
stronger, apd has created a precedent
which many thoughtful men, not Nor
mons, believe to bo fragght with tho
gravest dangers.
0ne thing however. confsoation haA
ldone--this oDsorvant Gentiles claim
and the lEornons Reluctantly admit it
has tended 70 diminish in a measure
ltbe sithos wbich tba faishful pny into
tbe oofers og tsle church, and which
have Ions bagn the bplwarlz of the
prtegthood Wtsb thiy excoption, and
aside from ms direct financial loss i'm
piled conascafion has in no manner In
liured Mormoni5DY
The tithinq aystgtn was borrowed by
Joseph Smith from The customs Of the
ancient Hebrews and revised and per-
lfected bv snYtth,s saccessor Brigbarn
4 Young. Even iii the early Nanyoo, days
4 II p|aced a vast reyenpe AZ tho dEFposal
iof tbe church authorities, and this roy.
enue has ovev 8snoa continued con
tstantly inoreaaIpg source of profk AN
the present el,na tile money derived
4 from tithiuqa exclusive 81 the larger
sums spent iep Charitable nurposes Ia
reputed to amount 10 several hundred
thousand dollsrs d Yesr.
The tithiaq system has rendered pos
abba the bagIding sof the four rroat
tomploa which are d source ot wonder
and admiration to e4ary granger WHO
4 Visits Utah Tho temnle al Logan,
fwaich cost nearly three-quarters Il 4
million ana was aegen wears III build,
inr. its c6untarpart gt st. Goorge
which was nearlysas long III building
ana cost $500. 00o. she tonDle at Manti.
ana the crowaing pioce of Mormon
architecture the great temple in salt
LAKE City, begun forty years aro and
dedicated but RECENTLY, the walls d
4 which are. ls4 feet long, sa vide, los
4 high and thick. and upoa which near.
bly four millions hove aigoadg been ex
pended, have all boon built. from d Dor
4 tton OF the church tithes set apart fol
Ethe purpose. The Gantigas claim thu
d p6odly part Of ths money receiyel
fr9Ta tithes instaad 81 being appended
as ths Mormon authorities would hayt
us believe for charitable and othaj
Legitimate shurch purposes, ID used d,
Il corruption fund la lie accomplish
Emeut ofobieets whose character dobar
them from the hight q Day just hoY
much truth 4 any t9ere is n thi
I claim IS, q eoarBe, d1ipeSlt. to deter
nine.
I II is curious g ohsarvo how little th'
Sims and .naebhods Of the Mormon
church have changed since tho dealt
Eofits founder Ihe entoeracy retain
almost Without modification the fdrn
Igivan II by Joseph aHatdh ha4f centnr,
aud more ago Iha priesthood no7
Enumpers o9i Q2o men, 2 gfr9as arm,
whose every Ia9'atper i1ss Ais aeanlfel,
assigned goaiaion aad clearly detne'
n arot,, a.,s 80 ~ s-,.a,,a ,9,.,tsjo,,s I