The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-19
NO PLURAL MARRIAGES
President Shows Emphatic State
ment at st. George.
MANIFESTO IS OBEYED
JOSEPH F. SMITH SAYS DOC
TRINE WAS REJECTED.
Quotes the Small Percentage Who
Went Into Polygamy as Proof of
His Position-Impressive Scene
When President Snow Greeted
the Sunday School Children.
Especial to The Herald.)

st. George, May 1S-President Loren
1900 people at the special conference
today on the subject of plural marriage
He made complete denial of the as
sertions and differences that plural mar
riages are being performed in the Nor
mon church. President Joseph F. Smith
gave reasons for the doctrine being re-
voked or suspended.
Woman has a better knowledge of
the purity and holiness of this doctrine
than L. said President Snow. 1T was
revealed to me before Joseph Smith
explained it to me, which he afterwards
did. The principles are true, pure and
sacred, and / want everyone assem-
bled here to know it. But God has seen
fit to suspend its practice. He has COM
manded us to withhold, and 1 want to
say, if / never address you again, that
plural marriage is not being practiced
in this state, and has not been since
the manifesto was issued. We have noe
allowed it. No plural marriage has been
performed in the Salt Lake temple or
any other temple since l succeeded to
the presidency of the church. l want
this distinctly understood. 1 want to
correct an impression that has pre-
parts of the country
President Snow went on to say that
the manifesto concerning plural mar
riage was issued by the Lords COM
mand, and that many thought the
church was going to pieces at that
time; that the Saints were breaking
covenants. I'VE but obeyed the COM
mand," he continued I'VE made the
sacrifice, and it was right that we did
so. We rejoiced to obey, and we have
been blessed ever since. 1t has given
us influence in congress and the world
has looked upon us in honor for the
act"
Principal Rejected.
President Smith followed. He bore
testimony to the truth of President
Shows remarks, and added: Plural
marriages are not being practiced, for
the doctrine has never been restored.
At the risk of being corrected by my
president who is here, / want to say
that the law of plural marriage was
given to this people and was rejected.
They did not accept it, and out of
mercy Good took it from us. In taking
the matter to the supreme tribunals.
it was found that only about or per
cent of the people had ever received the
principle, and that the remaining SO
per cent had never gone into it. That
is a practical rejection. l am ashamed
TO say that some of us did not live by
the covenant, but sought an excuse and
were glad to turn our backs upon our
wives. ] have my opinion of a man
who would do this, and 1 should hate
to express it here
The feature of this forenoon was
President Shows greeting to the Sun
day school children, whom he addressed
before the regular meeting convened.
AT the close the revered leader stood
near the stand, shaking hands with
each child in line, and imprinting kisses
upon hundreds of babes brought to him
in their mothers arms. The number
Of school children received by the pres
ident was S35.
The party visited the temple today.
and will so on to Toquerville tomorrow