Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-06-02
THE MORMON IN POLITICS.


THE Mormon in Politics-the danger
and ren1 say," was the subject of the
last lect,..e of Prof. Coyper, delivered
last Sunday 4 P. NJ. in the Y. NJ. c. A.
This subject has become one of the inn
portant ones of the day. Reed Smoot,
senator elect from Utah, was admitted
to his seat in Congress at the late called
session of the Senate; protest was filed
against his admission which will be
considered by the Senate at It's opening
in December next when there will be
a vigorous effort to unseat him in view
of the fact that be is one of the twelve
apostles of the Mormon priesthood and
as such is bound by such oathsand obli-
cations to that priesthood as TO render
it impossible for him to discharge his
duties faithfully as an American citizen.
The professor read from the official
statements of the Mormon leaders as to
the nature of the priesthood and its
authority: The twelve apostles are
travelling presiding high council and
have the power to officiate in the name
of the Lord under the direction of the
First Presidency of the church and to
regulate all the affairs of the same in
all nations. These twelve apostles fora
the second general presiding quorum
in the church and are equal in authority
and power to the quorum of the First
Presidency" Therefore Reed Smoot
as one of the twelve apostles stands at
the head of the Mormon priesthood as a
part of its chief controlling power and
to give him a seat in the Senate but be
the same as giving the Mormon church
controlling power in Congress. AS a
member of the Mormon apostoiate,
apostle Smcot cannot make an import
ant move, and as a member of the Sen
ate, could not cast an important vote
without getting permission or taking
council of the quorum of Mormon
High Priests to which he belongs. The
claims of the Mormon priesthood are
thoroughly disloyal.
1.-The priesthood hold the power and
right to give laws and commands to in
dividual churches, rulers and the ma
tons of the world; to appoint, ordain
establish constitutions and kingdoms
to appoint kings, presidents and
judges. key to Theology, page 20.
1.-The Kingdom of God as represented
by the priesthood is an order of govern
ment as established by Divine authority
1t is the only legal government that ex-
lists in any part of the universe. All
other governments are illegal and I'M
authorized Apostle Pratts King
dom of God.
The professor quot,d many other
passages showing that unuvr the Nor
mon regime, any member of the Nor
mon priesthood cannot be loyal citi-
zen of the United States. The professor
also urged the speedy adoption of the
anti-polygamy amendment to the con-
stitution of the United States, so that
be tried in the United States court
rather than in the states court. He also
read the actions of the General Assem-
bly, of the Presbyterian church now in
session at Los Angeles, Cal, which is
as follows:
Whereas, This hierarchy, the church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
persists in the active encouragement
nd ,oYsa nf tho orip1a of f1nlUnonlV
In disregard of their own pledges and
oaths to the contrary, in contempt of
the ethical convictions of the American
people and in defiance of the laws and
constitutions of the state and the United
States.
Whereas, This hierarchy recently,
Jan 20, 1908, through the Utah legisla-
ture, has had elected to the United
States Senate high ecclesiastic, one of
its chief authorities, the Apostle, Reed
Smoot, in direct violation of its pledges
to the nation to refrain from interior
ence with the affairs of states, and
Whereas, This apostle, Senator Reed
Smoot, is a direct representative of
polygamy, born of its system and in
cordial sympathy with it as divine in
stitution, revealed as law of primary
obligation and made mandatory by the
most solemn sanctions, and has en-
couraged its perpetuation and practice
by his personal influence as an apostle,
and
Whereas, In thus doing this the apos-
tie senator aids and abets criminals,
menaces the American people, is I'M
faithful to the laws and Constitution of
the United States, pays his first allegi-
ance to the first presidency and apostol-
.al, bo halAnnrc g
proach to the honor and dignity of the
American Senate, therefore,
Resolved, That this assembly most
respectfully but earnestly calls upon
the people of the United States to use
their utmost endeavor, employing all
honorable means, to secure the eXpul-
sion of Apostle Reed Smoot from the
halls of the national Senate, and urges
the Senate itself and each member
thereof to exhaust all legal means to
this end and in accordance with the
provisions of the federal Constitution.
PENALTY FOR PoLYGAMY.
This assembly also calls upon the peo-
pie and Congress of the United States
in both houses and each member of
each house to employ and exhaust all
legal means to secure such an amend
ment to the federal Constitution as
shall define legal marriage as monoga-
mic and make polygamy, under every
guise and practice, a crime against the
United States, punishable by adequate
penalties, including disenfranchiSe-
ment and disqualification to vote or
hold Office ia the United States or in
any state or territory under the juris-
dictioa of the United States.