Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-16

situation was In his hands. At the
general conference OF the Church. held
on October 4. 1890. the manifesto was
placed before the general assembly. at
which the whole communion was repre-
scented. II was there and then ratified
by unanimous vote. and thus became a
law binding upon every member OF the
Church throughout the world.
That obligation has been scrupulously
kept. President Woodruff had the love
and confidence OF his people. and the
respect OF the whole community. With
out regard to religious or other differ
enccs of opinion. While n man OF wide
experience. he was probably as incapa-
bic OF deceit rs any man that ever lived.
At his death. mt the age of nearly
ninety-two years, all classes OF the peo-
pie testified their respect to his mem
DRY. No one acquainted with him could
believe that he would act otherwise
than In good faith. especially In n mat
ter OF such magnitude and Importance
M the one under consideration.
After the manifesto came the initial
step In the magnanlmous policy OF the
general govcrnmcnt--thc issuance of
the amnesty proclamation by President
Cleveland. followed by another OF the
same character by President Harrison.
Those executive acts OF clemency wiped
out all past offences on condition OF u
future compliance with tho lazy.
Why, then. the present agitation on
the subject7 In attempting to answer
this interrogatory II In proper 20 state
that the source OF the disturbance In
local, with headquarters at Salt Lake
city. Its nctivc agents are clcrgymcn
and politicians. When any body OF men
enter upon such an undertaking IL IN
natural for the onlookcr to cast about
for motive. In this connection II liz
proper to say that the Mormon"
Church II one Of the most compact or
ganiza,ions In existence. In this re-
spcct II II marvel TO all intelligent
people who have studied II. Its MEM
beers are honest. clear headed. courage
Gus. and industrious. The evidences OF
these traits are 10 conspicuous that n
Mnyfaring man may run and read.
Their missionaries. mostly young men
able 10 endure the hardships incident
TO travelling over various parts OF the
world under adverse circumstances,
preach without salary. Many OF them
attend to this labor without purse or
script About 1880 OF ,hcm are thus
engaged In various nations at the pres
ent time. They meet with phenomenal
SUCCESS
This method OF conducting evangell-
cal work Involves constant seif-sacri-
flcc. and IL a standing reproach to men
Of other denominations, who have good
salaries ana an abundance OF the COM
clerical duties.
Ministers OF the denominations meet
with mcngcr success among the Nor
mons" OF whom II has been truly said.
once Mormon always Mormon "
The latter claim That they have all that
IN good In any other religion. and n
great deal more besides. Hence num-
Der OF clergymcn are anxious to see
the Mormon Church broken up: for this
cause they are hail-fellow- well-met
with designing politicians who desire to
have n certain class OF Mormons dis
frnnchised.
II IL only Just 10 say. however. that
there are numbcrs. OF ministers who re-
frnin from participation In this ques-
tlonnblc method OF saving souls. -
while others merely fall In with II half
henrtedly, TO protect themselves from
being ostracized by their lcss scrupu-
lous brethren.
The political wing OF the agitation IL
worked by combination which aims
at the control OF some Of the leading
municipal corporations OF the State.
This object IN perfectly clear to all In
telligant people who live In this part OF
the country. The clerical agitatora.
backed by the political wing Of the con-
apiracy, have sent out cmiasnrlcs To
Laying aside the book containing what
they claim to have accepted us divine
teaching. they go from city TO city
verifying the words OF the poet Burns:
Ev'n ministers. they hae been kenn'd
In holy rapture.
A rousing Wild. AT times TO vend.
And nall I wi Scripture.
rhcy assert that plural marriages
have been as numerous as before the
issuance and communal ratification OF
the manifesto, notwithstanding that
President Lorenzo Snow. successor to
the late President Woodruff. recently
published. az the request OF a leading
Eastern Journal. n direct statement on
this subject. The following is an ex-
cerpt:
in answer to you inquiries. I declare
most solemnly and cmphatically that
the statements which arc being pub
llshed to the effect that the Mormon
Church ls encouraging and teaching
polygamy are utterly untrue. Ever
since the Issuance OF the manifesto on
this subject by President MILFORD
Woodruff. my predecessor In office. po-
lygamous or plural marriages have en-
tlrely ceased In Utah. Since my access
sion to the presidency OF the Church OF
Jesus Christ OF I.attcr-day Saints l
have repeatedly asserted my intention
to stand by that manifesto, and my de-
termination not to permit any marriage
Church which IN contrary 10 the law OF
the state, and | now reafiirm that
| statement. Holding the keys OF this
authority In the Church over which
am called TO preside. no such ceremony
can be performed and recognized with
out my consent. wish this TO be clear
~ understood. ] make this declaration
uncqulvocally and without any mental
reservation. Polygamous marriages In
the Mormon Church have entirely
ceased, The implied understanding with
the nation when Utah entered the
Union as State has been sacredly OBJ
served. There In no intention or dis
position on the part Of the Church to
violate or depart from II In the future
President Snow IL In his eighty sixth
year, enjoys excellent health, ana "
possessed OF clear and vigorous mind.
lie Is a cultured gentleman In the true
sense OF the term, and when his word
II given on any subject there IL no
question as TO It's fuliilmcnt.
or late there have been two prosecu-
lions. melted by the anti-Mormon agI-
tntors, for unlawful cohabitation. one
was that OF Angus NJ. Cannon, presl-
dent of the Salt Lake Stake. and the
other that OF Heber j. Grant. one OF the
Apostles OF the Church. They are not
cases OF polygamy; these gentlemen
were charged with living with the wives
married by them before the Issuance Of
the manifesto Neither OF them makes
any denial OF the charge. Yet these
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