The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-19
spreading rapidly and they have mission
aries all over the country.
POLYGAMY is INCREASING.

Inc cnurcn claims 10 nave TWO ltOu-
sand of these 'heralds' who live off the
bounty Of the people to whom they 80. If
one of these 'heralds,' however, is not able
to maintain himself while in the field, lie
can draw from the home fund, or a dance
is given for his bereit III the home church
or ward from which he has gone out These
missionaries teach faith, repentance, bap-
tsm by immersion for the forgiveness of
sins by one having authority and the inn
position Of hands, when they go out. The
stronger doctrines of Adam god, immediate
revelation, infallibility of the present priest
hood, divinity of the Book of Mormon,
celestial order of marriage God as polyg-
amist, Christ the husband of three wives,
and like doctrines are reserved until the
digestion of the convert is stronger. To-
people to live their religion In Utah one
only lives his religion who has entered
the celestial order of marriage and CO.
habits with all his wives OF the two thou
sand cases of polygamy which know, the
result has been that more than one thou
sand children have been born since Utah
has the temerity to call attention to the
present state of affairs, he is denounced as
an enemy Of this people, and the church
influence is so strong that he is thrown out
or employment his business is ruined, and
he is compelled to leave. For that reason
all who hope to do business there find it CT
advantage to discuss other topics than these
we are discussing. This same church infiu-
ence so affects men that those who could
testify TO the state of affairs do not do so.
Juries will not convict and no arrests
are made. Polygamy is increasing and
control.
THE impossibiity of Furnishing polygamy
can only be understood when you consider
that Utah is now a State, and that the
general government has no right to step in
under the present laws and Constitution.
The state and local officers must deal with
1t: These are nearly all Mormons and
While they may not practice polygamy, yet
they all believe in it. Believing in it, they
will not take steps to suppress it. In Salt
Lake City the Mormons have the mayor.
Council, treasurer, auditor, recorder and
two out of the three commissioners In the
state government the Mormons have the
Governor, secretary of state, auditor of
state treasurer of state the superintendent
of public instruction, half of the judges of
the state, all the congressman, and both
senators are sons of Mormons. There was
one judge who instructed the grand jury to
investigate case of supposed polygamy
which had been brought to his attention
1t was an instance where the man was
openly living with more than one wife, but
the Mormon jury instead of calling wit
nesses from the immediate neighborhood.
VINO could Lave told all about it, called wit
nesses from the far ends of the town, who
said that while they had heard the man had
more than one wife, yet they had no per-
sonal knowledge of it, and so the jury re-
ported its inability to return an indictment
against him.
CHURCH CONTROLS POLITICS.
1.-THE organization of the church is such
that it can control the elections and follow
its members closely. The head Of the church
is called the prophet, seer and revelator,'
and at present that Office is held by Lorenzo
Snow He has to assist him first coun-
selor, George Q. Cannon, father of Senator
cannon, and second counselor, Joseph f.
smith, nephew of the great Joseph Smith.
Iilese three constitute what is known as
the first presidency When there is a rev.
e enS IL is submitted to the. conference,
ton, it then becomes a SCRIPTURE or in
SEPARATION. Or if the conference votes an
proVal on any book or other publication,
ity come the twelve apostles of which
there is president and two counselors.
Ihen come the seventies, which has its
them. Congressman Roberts is one of them
ana dndt is called led elder Next comes the pres
church, and this position is equivalent to a
pastor. Then they divide the cities into
ecclesiastical wards, the same as your city
is divided into civil wards bishop has
charge of each ward and he has two coun-
Selors. In addition to this force, each ward
mas several teachers. All Of these officers
very wealthy. Suppose a Mormon attends
one one OF our meetings. He is first remon-
strated with by the teachers of his ward
and II they do not succeed in keeping him
away away he is reported to the bishop and his
are not successful, he goes up the line. All
the officers of the church are believed to
De part OF Cod and are so held. With
such an organization they can control ev-
Formerly the bishops stood at the
voting places in the wards and handed the
folded 70 o ballots to the voters, who put. them
ing for whom they voted. The new Consti-
tuition has In 1t clause which fOrbids the
and that was inserted to remedy this evil.
1t has not done So however, and the Nor
mon Church has returned to politics.
A manifesto was issued on April 6, 1885,
lnstrucdng all MormonS to take COUNSEL
This manifesto was adopted by the church
soon after, and thus became a Scripture
or an inspired document, and as binding on
the conscience as the Decalogue. This man
ifesto gives the priesthood the right to say
who of its members may aspire to political
office and who may not. 1t is thus made
clear to the voter who Is to be elected and
who defeated. UnQuestioning obedience is
a cardinal virtue with them, and disobedi-
ence is a mortal sin; thus the voice of God
carries the election. The magnificent polit-
ical machine formed by the organization of
the church, the close touch which is kept
between the officers and the members and
the influence Of the church also have some
decided to take charge of the elections, but
it has also assumed control of the state
only Mormons are elected to serve as
trustees and teachers, and many nonmor-
mons have been notified that they must seek
employment elsewhere, since they cannot
teach what parents wish, or the Mormon
doctrine.
1.-The church, having become so bold in
these matters since statehood was conferred,
will next become equally as bold in regard
to polygamy, and the election of Roberts
to Congress was the first step In this direc-
ton. If Roberts is seated the harm done
will be incalculable. 1t will stimulate them
and cause them to throw off the mask. but
if he is refused his seat it will be a rebuke
to Them and, while polygamy will continue
it will be done quietly and comparatively
as now. The only way that polyg-
amy can be wiped out is by constitutional
and we Of Utah are asking the
united support Of all people that Congress
a
amendment to the Legislatures defining legal
marriage as monoganlic and forbidding po-
lygamy under whatever guise it may exist. |
The first duty is to keep Roberts out of the
House of Representatives, and the second
is 20 secure the constitutional amendment"
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