The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-01-20
MoRMoNs AND poLYGAMY.
Elder Butterworth RoundIy Denounces the
Utah rlormons for their Polygamous
Practices. He Shows What Joseph
Smith Taught.
Carroll Herald.)

Editor Carroll Herald: The enclosed
clipping from your paper OF January 4,
1899, was sent to me by Elder Benan
Salisbury, who is one OF your subscrib-
ers, with the request that write up an
answer and send it to you for publica-
ton.
1.-The article referred to is given here
in full.-ED.
New York, Dec. 31.--A Salt Lake special to
the Evening World says Congressman Elect
b. ii. Roberts has made the following state-f
ment to the Evening World correspondent:
IT a time comes when il is necessary to
defend myself shall be there, right ON the
spot, and appreciate that the members of
liberal, broad minded and generous than a
few bigoted and contracted preachers of the
Presbyterian church, whose training, mode
of life and trend of thought tend to unfit
them for practical life.
Joseph Smith received a commandment
from the Lord to introduce our order Of
marriage into the church and on the strength
| of that revelation and not by reason of any,
thing that is written in the Jewish scriptures
the Latter Day Saints practice plural mar
so considered, then Abraham, Jacob and the
prophets who practiced it would not be al
lowed a heritage in the kingdom of hea ven
and :if polygamy is mot adultry it can not
be classed u sin at all. 1t appears to me the
modern christians must either learn totoler-
ate polygamy or give up forever the glorious
which God approves. must not only be bad,
but positively good. pure and holy.
"Notwithstanding this, however the hand
of the Gentiles was laid so heavy upon the
people of the Lord that in his mercy, God
permitted them to cease therefrom from ex-
p PEI and true a. to the pledges given no
DRAFTED by the church. But not even the
church can take away from man the wives it
aa se gs and thk a the sres
broad minded and just American people will
not require a man to cast off the wives he
has, with whom he has lived, nor abandon
his Children
At the most Mr.. Roberts says his offense is
unlawful .i cohabitation, and he remarked:
II am here and the courts are Open Ii any
want 10 test the case the way is clear"
AS ministers of the Re. organized
Church OF Jesus Christ of L. u. s.. we
wish to state that as the reading public
is aware of the fact that there IS no af-
tiliatlOn between the Utah Norman
church and the reorganization with its
headquarters at Lamont, Iowa, it is not
necessary to make a lengthy reply. Pc.
lygamy is no where taught in any of
Joseph Smiths writings or revelations
which were received or endorsed by the
church up to the time of his death June
II, 1854. The revelation referred to by
Mr.. b. III. Roberts was not made known
or presented to the church until eight
years after Smiths death, which was
August. 1852. Said revelation never
was presented to the church and exam.
lned and endorsed as the law Of the
church requires. Brigham Young only
claimed to have had copy of said rev.
elation. In the book of Mormon we
read as follows: Wherefore, nv breth-
rem, hear me and hearken to the word
Of the Lord; For there shall not any
man among you have save it be one
wife; and cohcubines he shall have
none; for l, the Lord God, dellghteth
in the chastity of women" - Jacob.
chap. %, L. =: In the book of Doctrine
and Covenants, sec. 42:7, we read:
''Thou shalt love thy wife with an thv
heart. and shall cleave unto her and
none else." The law of the church re-
cures parties contracting marriages ia
agree to the following: "You both mn.
tually agree to be each others compan-
ion husband and wife, observing the
legal rights belonging to this condition:
that is, keeping yourselves wholly for
each other, and from all Others. during
your lives Gen. Donephan in speak.
ing of the history of the Saints "a late
AS 1852, said: ''Polyg nv. at thai; time
had not been heard Of. "-Kansas Civ
JOnrnal-He Herald, June Is, 1881.
Joseph Smiths widow, who after
wards married Majol Bidaman said to
her son Joseph during her last illness.
mo such thing as polygamy. or spirit.
ual wlfery. was taught, publicly, priv
ately. before my husband IS death, that
have now, or ever had any knowledce
Of"
!, 9. Ibid he he not have other wives
A. HE had no other wife but me-
nor did he to my knowledge ever have. $
q. Ibid he not hold marital rela-
tions with women other than than YOUR
A. "Fle did not have improper rela.
tions with any woman that ever came
to nv knowledge.n
There is much more that would like
to say but not wishing to trespass on
your valuable space will close,
Respectfully.
G. c. BUT'rERwoRTH. p. ID.
Auburn, Jan. II, 1899.