The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-10-25
PRESENT ASPECTS
MORMONISM
REV. K. q. McNIECE, D. D.

The writer of the following pages
has been engaged in Christian work
in Utah for about twenty years. and
has, therefore, had ample opportunity
TO know what Mormonism is, both in
its peculiar doctrines and its peculiar
fruits
Now in order that those living at a
distance from Utah may have a clear
er understanding of the character and
danger of polygamous system
which leads the people of a whole
State to trample law, and morality, and
solemn pledges under foot, by elect
ing notorious polygamist to Con-
gress, it is proposed to consider the
present aspects of Mormonism by
looking at these four things:D its
position in regard to polygamy; ~
its present strength; 90 some of its
fruits (i)the significance of the re-
cent election of polygamist to Con-
gress.
|. The American people have re-
Gently discovered that they were sadly
deceived by the solemn pledges of the
Mormon officials in order to secure
Statehood. They supposed that the
troublesome Mormon question was
forever settled when those definite
pledges We're given that all polyga-
nous relations should at once aban-
doned and that the laws should be
faithfully obeyed But the constant
violation of thes pledges since State
hood, eliminating in the recent cleo
ton TO Congress of notorious cham
pion of polygamy, known to be living
with at least three wives, has thrust
the Mormon question back again in
to national politics, and polygamy
again becomes disturbing issue in
elections to Congress, in at least
three States, Utah, Idaho, aud Wy
oming.
The question, therefore, as to the
position of the Mormon Church on
the subject of polygamy is anew in
vested with special Importance to the
American people. Now we great
ly regret that the facts compel us TO
declare that the position of the Nor
mon officials, in regard TO polygamy,
is two-faced and deceiving. They tell
the people outside of Utah, over their
that they are neither en-
nor teaching polygamy,
while among their own people here
in Utah we know they are doing both.
They tell the outside world that they
are not living in polygamy, while we
know that since Statehood the old po-
lygamous relations have been resum-
eli all over the State.
One of the obstacles in the way of
accepting their statements is that
there has been so much prevaricatiug
and decelving and classifying about
polygamy since 1910 We know now
that tor about ten years after polyg-
amy had been accepted and put IN
practice by the chief men of the
church, they were constantly making
official denlals that there was any
such doctrine or practice. In 1850,
when Apostle John Taylor was hold
ing a discussion with some Protes-
tant Ministers at Boulogne in France,
and way denying that there was any
in the church, he himself
was living with six wives, as is shown
in his biography by Elder b. IL. Rob
erts. Ii seems next to impossible for
them TO make an honest and truthful
statement on the subject to the out
side world. There is almost sure to
be some evasion, or equivocation, or
deception about it. For example,
when they deny that polygamy is
practiced in Utah, as President Snow
did last September, they are simply
hiding behind a deceiying TECHNICAL
Iy, For by polygamy people in gen
sral understand tiving with two or
more wives, which is the right mean