The record-union., 1899-04-01
MORMONS HAVE HOT DEBATE.
FACTIONS DISCUSS POLYGAMY
ON THE STREET.
Latter Day Saints and Other Kinds
of Saints who Are Not in
Harmony.

A large and interested crowd gath
cred at the southeast corner OF Fourth
and K streets last night to hear dis
course by Rev. A. G. Bowman, assisted
by w. w. Lund and o. ]. Cobbey, ali
Simon-pure Morfnons, of the Salt Lake
| branch of the church that represents
half million souls in America; but
before the proceedings OF the evening
had gone far it was evident to the list
eners that there would be spirited
battle between the Salt Lakers and the
Mormon Eaters" represented by Mis-
sionary T. w. Chatburn of Independ-
ence, Mo.
To give a clear account of the go-as :
you-please row of the evening, 1T shouid
be stated at the outset that the hrst
speeches, by the Salt Lake Mormons'
were quite shorn of any reference 10
polygamy. The speakers preached what
seemed a good sort of orthodox rellg-
| ion; but the Missouri Mormons, VINO
were scattered through the crowd,
knew that polygamy was an unpopular
phase of the Salt Lake creed, SO they
waited for a chance to trap the speak
ers by a number of questions about
polygamy-and this resulted in a pretty
| lively row.
| When Rev. Bowman, a tall young
man of the Salt Lake branch, had mn
ished, Elder Chatburn, who said he rep
resented the reorganized branch of the
church, sprang into the arena and
asked the following questions:
DO you believe in the principles OF
polygamy, as taught by Brigham
Young? and did he or did he not have
nineteen wives?"
| A voice-Its none of your business
how many wives he had.
Then Elder Chatburn asked: do you
believe in the principles Of blood atone
ment, as taught by Brigham Young?
do you believe the Brigham Young
doctrine that Christ was not the Son
of the Holy Ghost?"
| These questions resulted in great con
fusion, during which the crowd was
much excited The Salt Lake speakers
withdrew in dignified manner with
out further comment than to say that
polygamy was practiced for ages by
Bible believers, under Bible teaching.
The adherents of the speakers for
Brigham Young remained and worried
the reorganized church orator by fire.
quent questions and Interruptions, but
he was quick at repartee and needed
them very little.
The Salt Lake speakers asserted the
| following as their articles of faith, and
their speeches were based on these
principles:
I'VE believe in God the Eternal Faith
er, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in
the Holy Ghost.
I'VE believe that men will be pun
ished for their own sins, and not for
Adams transgression.
I'VE believe that, through the atone
ment of Christ, all mankind may be
saved, by obedience to the Gospel.
1--WE believe that man must be
called Of God, by prophecy and by the
laying on of hands, by those who are
in authority, to preach the Gospel and
administer in the ordinances thereof.
I'VE believe in the same organization
that existed in the primitive church
namely: Apostles. prophets, pastors,
teachers, evangelists. etc.
I'VE believe in @the gift of tongues,
prophecy. revelation, vision, healing, in
depreciation of tongues, etc.
Eve believe the Bible to be the word
of God, as far as it is translated cor
rectly: we also believe the Book Of
Mormon to be the word of God
eve believe all that God has revealed,
all that He does now reveal, and we
believe that He will yet reveal many
great and important things pertaining
to the Kingdom of God.
I'VE believe in the literal gathering
of Israel and in the restoration of the
ten tribes; that Zion will he built upon
this (the American) continent; that
Christ will reign personally upon the
earth, and that the earth will be re =
newed and receive its paradisiacal
glory"
After all. the speaking upon the fore
going principles-and the speakers were
eloquent and elaborate = Elder Chat
burn asked his questions and proceeded
to throw his bombs.
Il say that these men have been
preaching Brighamism and false doc
trine," he exclaimed. "They believe in
adultery and polgyarny, and Brigham
Young had nineteen wives; they be-
lieve in blood atonement, and old
Brigham preached the unsheathing OF
bowie knives and the killing of the
apostates. If am lbeling the previous
speakers. they can sue me or have me
Il
arrested for libel I am here to teach
the true religion Of the Reorganized
Church of Latter-Day Saints, a rellg-
ion shorn of the God-Adam idea, OF
polygamy, and of the atrocious theory
of the blood atonement. We are at
Twenty-fourth and K streets, and that
is where true religion is taught These
young men are teaching pure polygamy,
and l am following them and teaching
the correct doctrine. They teach Nor
monism quietly. and I denounce 1t
openly as iniquitous. I hope Roberts
will be unseated in Congress. and i
hope this Government will never ac-
knowledge polygamy in any shape. L
claim that Brigham Young taught all
that I denounce, and if this is not so,
let these speakers produce their VOL
umes of discourses and prove me to be
in error"
The big. good d-natured crowd enjoyed
the discussion. now jeering. now laugh
ing at the speakers. but they tugged
at the question in apparent earnest
with little heed to the audience