Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-19
a single instance advised obedience to the

laws against polygamy.
On the contrary. the evidence in this case
and the whole history of the ,ccormon
Church in Utah, shows that 1t has persist
emily refused o edtence to at least portion
of the laws of the government has insuitad
and driven United States officers from the
territory, has denied the authority of the
United States to pass laws prohibiting 20
lygamy as an unwarrantable interference
with their religion, and generally has an
tagonized and denounced the government
In almost every possible way. Undoubtedly
there are many members of this church who
1eel friendly to the government, and would
gladly break the shackles that bind them to
the Mormon priesthood If they felt that
they dared do 50; but with an organization
the most thorough that can be imagined.
Whlch can be welded against them, they
remain in the church rather than take the
risk of financial ruin and social ostracism
What the Mormon Church Teaches.
First. That it Is the actual and verI-
table kingdom Of God on earth, not In its
fullness. because Christ has not yet come
to rule in person. but for the present He
rules through the priesthood Of the church.
who are His vice regents on earth
Second. That this kingdom Is both a
temporal and spiritual kingdom and should
rightfully control and is entitled to the
highest allegiance Of men in ali their
affairs.
mat THIS Kingdom VIII over
throw the United States and all other gov
ernr:ents. after which Christ will reign in
person.
Fourth. That the doctrine of blood
atonement is of God, and that under it
certain sins which the blood of Christ can
not atone for may be RENTED by shedding
the blood of the transgressor.
Fifth. That polygamy is a command Of
God, which If member obeys he will be
exalted in the future life above those who
do not.
Sixth. That the Congress of the United
States has no right under the Constitution
to pass any law in any manner interfering
with the practices of the Mormon religion
and that the acts of Congress against
polygamy and DISTINGUISHING those who
practice 1t are unwarrantable interferences
with their religion.
Can men be made true and loyal cit
liens by such teachings or are they likely
to remain so surrounded by such Influences
VIII men become attached to the principles
or the Constitution Of the United States
when they hear the government constantly
denounced as tyrannical and oppressive?
1t would be as unreasonable to expect such
result as it would be to gather grapes
from thorns or figs from thistles.
1T has always been and still is the policy
of this government to encourage aliens,
who in good faith come to reside in this
country to become citizens. But when
man of foreign birth comes here and joins
an organization although professedly re-
ligious, which requires of him an allegiance
paramount to his allegiance to the govern
ment; an organization that impiously and
blasphemously claims to be the kingdom
of God, to control its members under His
immediate direction and yet breaches and
practices a system of morals shocking to
Christian people everywhere, and under
which the marriage of man to two or
more sisters or to q mother and daughter
Is sanctioned; an organization that sane
tons blood atonement as a means of grace
and murder as a penalty for revealing the
secrets of it's ceremonies and which for
nearly half century has refused to &C.
knowledge the supremacy of the United
States or render obedience to it's laws-it is
time for the courts to pause and inquire
whether such an applicant should be per-
mitted to citizenship.
THE evidence in this case establishes
unquestionabiy that the teachings. prac
tees and aims Of the Mormon Church are
antagonistic to the government of the
United States, utterly subversive of good
morals and the we'll being of society, and
that it's members are animated by feeling
Of hostility toward the government and Its
laws and therefore an alien who is n en-
Der of said church is not fit person to be
a citizen of the United States"