The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-11
c2ss he had achieved. The address in
full IS as follows:
MORMON PHILOSOPHICAL SPECU-
LATIONS.

The views to be expressed here, the
deductions TO be made. are the result
OF some familiarity with what may be
termed the higher doctrines of the
Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter-day
Saints, Mormon philosophical specula-
tons" they might be called, save that
it would be unjust to have them ac-
cepted as orthodox. it must be under
stood that ] do not claim either the
statements or the conclusions to be
acceptable TO those of the Mormon
church possessing the right to deter
mine what is and what is not doctrine
of the Mormon church.
To my mind the sta Elements and con-
illusions give a not unfavorable aspect
to a religion that has been greatly
abused as TO doctrine with but little
real knowledge as to the spirit of its
theology. And l am free to confess,
despite the strong prejudice generally
existing against the utteranceS of those
that speak even in friendly terms Of
the Mormon faith. that behind its the
ology, when taken and considered as
an entirety, there is more to satisfy a
mind religiOusly bent, yet swayed by
unconQuerable doubts, than in any re
ligious creed my searching has shown
to exist among Christian peoples.
The Latter-day Saint who bears his
religion in mind, does all things
consciousness that the acts of this life
are but the sowing of seeds the fruition
of which is essentially to be enjoyed in
the life to come.
The spoken word may not be re-
called. Whether for good or for i'll,
its mission is an eternal one, and the
endless chain of effects from seemingly
Slight causes viii meet their author
either for commentator or condemna-
ton on that solemn day when all shall
be known as they are and when all are
to be judged for the deeds done in the
flesh. Our thoughts are effective for
good or for i'll, and that man may be
held blameless his thoughts should he
pure so that their fruits may make for
good.
No Norman Joined to woman by
church rites is married for time alone.
The union is for eternity. His children
are an eternal heritage. No man is per-
feet who does not marry-who does not
become a father-while the woman
who knows not a husbands love and
mothers anguish and JOY has failed in
the great purpose for which she was
given life and a body.
Apart from their belief in a direct
revelation making marriage a sacra-
ment of the church-plural marriage
to the pure Mormon mind. is only ne
cessary because of the unWillingness
husbands and fathers. Granted that
the sexes are equal in numbers, the
union of one man 10 more than one
woman would be great wrong-one
essentially opposed TO right. If, how
ever men blessed with life refuse to
perform that first duty Of life-to
multiply and replenish the earth with
their kind-it is held that this remiss-
ness Of the man should not operate TO
punish the woman and force her to a
life unblessed by children of her own.
Why should the true woman be pre-
vented from doing her duty in life
because some man Is unwilling to
perform the duty which his existence /
involves? This is the argument for
plural marriage when considered apart /
from the revelation of God accepted by (
NIofmons as authentic in which the /
duty of fatherhood and motherhood /
is made absolute as to all of proper /
age.
The cardinal doctrine of the church /
is the absolute free agency of man
the right of electiOn-of individual re-
airy who has preached among peoples +
prone to lean upon their ministers for .
faith knows this 20 be true.
This responsibility is not confined to /
IN observance of stipulated rules: The I
accounting OF the individual, as al /
ready stated, Is IOE every act, every Z
thought every emotion. These must
oe answered for on the day of judg-
nent. Yes, and the failure to act and
% think is less censurable. This re-
is specific. 1t can be placed
lpon no one else. No man, however
1ious or pure or thorough disciplin-
srian. no matter what his desires may
De, can relieve another of the duty
hat life has placed upon him.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Direct revelation is also funda-
mental doctrine OF the Latter-day
saint. This, with the doctrine of a
rec agency, dominates all the rest
Nan has a right communication with
Tod through constituted agencies, and
,e can so conduct himself that he may
now for himself whether all that is
aid to come from God is really of
hat source
Another evidence in support of the
ectrine of individual responsibility is
0 be found in the motto at the head
( that church publication, The Con-