Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-11-24

OtneT WOIIleIl. Arc yOu "AilIiS W di-
low your husband to have more wives
than one. All those that are in favor
Of that says AYE" contrary, mo"
They were all ayes.
Martin D. Wardell testified that he
had seen the penalty for breaking the
endowment oath inflicted. He testi-
fed:
It was in the latter part Of 1862,
about twenty miles this side Of Green
river, upon a man by the name of
Green. They were coming to Salt
Lake City, returning from the states;
they had been here once. 1t was the
last Of the church train. w. H. Dame
was captain of the train.
Well, when we got about twenty
miles this side Of Green river, Capt
Dame came and took me by the shoul-
der and he says:
I'VE didn't do much last night the
brethren hasn't got cleaned up; will
take an early sit tonight, and let them
have time to finish up"
He took me by the shoulder and led
me outside of the train and pointed
over, and l seed eleven men, dressed
In buckskin clothes. In a circle, and
the horses outside.
Now" he says, these are mountain
eers."
And finally about o'clock three
men comes up and they call on this
man Green; he was in his wagon and
didn't come out. He was little
afeard. They called him once or twice.
l got up. I was in the wagon with
my family. and just as I got out they
took the man, and there was two or
three around, these men that I men
ton now-and they pulled the man out
of the wagon by the coat and he stood
on his feet, and he hadn't stood more
than about three minutes-maybe three
minutes-until a man took him by the
hair of the head, and the other cut
his throat, and when he laid down they
opened his clothes and took belt
from him with $4,000.
When we commenced to make trou-
BILE about it John w. Young told us
If we didn't shut our mouths they
would serve us the same and leave us
for the wolves to eat.
Capt. Dame said that he had apos-
talized from the church once, and he
had apostatized again and gone to hell
now.
Andrew Cahoon, who came to Utah
in 1848, and was eighteen years q
Mormon bishop, was sworn and testi-
fled that he had taken the endowment
house oath. He gave this testimony:
=. Was there any portion of the
obligation relating to obedience to the
priesthood?
A. Yes, sir; the idea was that they
were to yield implicit obedience at al
times, in every respect to obey the
priesthood. It was considered no crime
to take from those who opposed the
church, because they were the enemies
of the Kingdom Of God.
@. Did you ever hear that doctrine
taught?
A. Oh, yes; oh, yes. All Of those
that pretended sto lead and guide anc
govern the church taught that 1t was
lawful to take anything from our foes
from those that were enemies to the
Kingdom. The teachings Of the lead
ers of the people was that the King
dom of God was set up on earth ano
that they were bound and pledged tc
sustain and build it up in conflict with
all other powers and governments
The king Of that kingdom that was sci
up on the earth was the head Of the
church. Brigham Young proclaimed
himself king here in Salt Lake Valley
before there was a house built, in 1S47
Mr.. Dickson: Have you ever heard
the leaders of the Mormon church
pray for the overthrow Of the govern
ment.
A. have, many times.
Joseph Silver, who was baptized
into the Mormon church in 1S4S, who
afterward held the Office Of the Melch'
izedek priesthood and was ordained
seventy" gave substantially tht
same testimony with reference to the
endowment house oath. He also ex'
planned that there was slit in the en-
dowment garment over the heart, sig
nifying that If the oath was broken by
the recipient his heart would be taker
out Under cross examination he tes'
titled:
@. How was the blood Of the
prophets to be avenged? Was any
thing said about that, or was 1t just
merely stated that they should avenge
the blood of the prophets?
A. Why, as 1 understood it then, BY
the destruction as far as possible OF the
entire government Of the Unitet
States; and let me here state, If may
be allowed. that that has been the
whole gist of the thing.
James McGuffle, who went through
the endowment house in 1865, testified:
After We got our washings anc
anointings they began to instruct US
and they required us to take oath Wltr
uplifted hands to do all in our power
and to teach our children and oul
children's children to do all in tfeil
power, TO destroy or uproot the Amer
lean government, for the reason they
hadn't punished the murderers OF Jo'
.o,b o,5 uyr11po Smith
q. What was the substance or the
oath that you took by which yot
agreed to yield obedience to the priest.
hood2