The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-12

outside of Utah, by being at variance
with the facts, then it is impossible to
frame a misleading statement. Those
who live in Utah and are well informed
know that it is a misleading statement.
For, in what other way could the Nor
mon church more effectively encourage
polygamy than it is doing now, when
the church officials are setting before
young and old the example of living In
polygamy, in violation Of law?
1t is difficult to find a Mormon COM
munity in Utah where the church Of
f1cials are not setting that kind of an
example. And even if there were no
direct teaching of polygamy, what
more effective teaching is possible than
the teaching of such example?
But we know equally we'll that there
is direct teaching of polygamy by
church officials in various parts Of the
state. We know the bishops and other
officials in the smaller towns are con-
stantly eXhorting the people, since
statehood, to live their religion" And
we know what that means in Utah.
But, to be specific, only last May, Ell
der Roberts was setting before the
young people, in the magazine which
he edits, which is the organ of the
Young Mems Mutual Improvement
association" the rightfulness of palyg-
amy as a. divine institution, in an elab-
crate article of nearly eleven pages.
And since the 1st of June, the papers
have reported addresses by two apos-
ties of the church for two young peo-
pies conventions, in which the right
fulness of polygamy was advocated
and impressed upon the young people,
The simple fact is that there has not
been, to our knowledge, SO much en-
couragement and teaching of polygamy
by church officials for the past twelve
years as there is now. And if Presi-
dent Snow doesn't know these things,
how useless is his sweeping denial. Or
is he hiding behind the technical mean
ing of the term polygamy as distin-
guished from plural marriage for etef-
nifty?
If so, his statement that polygamy
is not being encouraged nor taught in
Utah is still misleading, for it has no
such technical meaning outside of
Utah, nor does it have a technical
meaning here, except when polyga-
mist is driven into a tight place by
facts or arguments.
The second statement about pelyga-
my is that there have been no polyga-
nous marriages in Utah since Presi-
dent Woodruff's manifesto in Septem-
Der, 1890. And President Snow declares
it to be his intention to stand by that
manifesto, and not permit any polyga-
NOUS IldTTldSeS 70 take place unQer
the sanction of the church. He says:
Holding the keys of this authority in
the church over which l am called to
preside, no such ceremony can be per-
formed and recognized without my con-
sent. PolygamouS marriages in
the Mormon church have entirely
ceased
Now, we are glad to hear that Presi-
dent Snow intends to stand by the
manifesto of 1890, and to permit no
plural marriage with the sanction of
the church. And we are not disposed
to call in question this statement that
the church is not giving its formal and
official sanction to plural marriages in
the church through the president But
here is a serious difficulty which we
should like to have cleared up. Presi-
dent Snow conveys the Impression
that plural marriages can take place
only in temples and places which arc
under his official control, and hence
must have his sanction.
But President John Taylor, who is
equally good authority, in his sworn
testimony before the Third district
court, on Oct. II, 1884, told US just the
contrary. Here are his reported state
ments:
There is no place set apart specif-
cally fo-'s performing plural marriages;
the church recognizes other
places where plural marriages may be
performed outside of endowment
houses and temples, under certain cir
cumstances; 1 give the au-
thority to marry in all cases; persons
that 1 might appoint might also confer
that authority"
And in testifying about the number
Of persons having the authority to per-