The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-03
REVELATIONS
 TO MIR. SMITH Mormon Says God Has
 Directed Him. THE REED SHOOT INQUIRY Widest Latitude VIII Be Per- mitted by the Committee. President of the Sect Occupies wit ness Chair Throughout the Day
 and Explains Belief of .4 His Followers.
THE REED SHOOT INQUIRY

Washington. March 2.--An effort to air the tnnermost secrets of the Mormon Church was manifested in the first day s proceedings before the Senate Comniil- tee on Privileges and Elections, which IS Investigating the proceedings against Reed Shoot retaining his seat as Sem ator from Utah.
 President Joseph D. Smith, the high est official of the church, was on the stand all day. He was questioned close- ly in regard to the principles of Divine revelations. He said he adhered absolutely 10 all the teachings of the church in that regard, and that he himself had becn visited with Divine inspirations from God directing him as to details in matters pertaining to the welfare of the church, though no angels had come to him as Tn the case of the revelation to his uncie, Joseph Smith, IT,. the founder of the church.
 An Angel in Black. He subscribed to the standard of au- thority for the church relation to the revelation commanding poiygamy as made known to the first president in a visit from Ian angel in black" He also said that he still believed in poiygamy. The testimony was directed in a slight degree at Senator Smoot and no attempt was made by tho defense to curtail the admission of testimony until President Smith was questioned In relation to pc,y- gamous cohabitation of certain officisl's of the church before the manifesto of 1900. The attorneys then objected and much time was devoted to the relevancy of such testimony.
 The committee went into executive ses- sion and after a full discussion decided to allow the utmost latitude to the hear tngs, which means that court practices will be avoided The protestants said they regarded this as victory for them. The Investigation which ia 10 decide wisstter Need SnaeUk .o& utf&g fs to xe' tain his seat in the United States senA ate and incidentally define the pplitical status of the Mormon Church, was for mally begun today by the Senate Com mittee' on Privileges and Elections.
 Great interest Attaches to the hearings because of the dual purposes of the in- uuiry. Other Investigations have been directed at the rights of certain contest ants to seats in Congress, but never be- fore has there been inaugurated an in- quiry into creeds or political factors to determine whether an unlawful influence Is being exerted in the political affairs of the nation. Such is the nature of the Shoot inquiry and at the opening session today 1t was conceded that the hearings would extend over several weeks.
 President Smith Witness.
 Interest increased with the announce ment that Joseph F. Smith. President of the Mormon Church. would be the first witness and in all probability occupy the attention of the committee for two or thYse days. The attorneys for the de- feuse. A. 8. worthington of this city, and waldemar vancott of Salt Lake, ar rived early and engaged in consultation with their client.
 Judge Carlisle, former Secretary of. the Treasury, and R. W. Taylor. formerly representative in Congress and the at- torney who prosecuted the successful pro- test against Brigham Roberts against re- taininR his seat in Congress, are counsel for the contestants.
 ssIIas the church ever rejected any of your revelations? Have any of the reve- lations been rejected?'
 Defense of Mormons.
 May I say a word on that flrst?" asked Mir. Smith. He stood up and was noticeably concerned at the trend of the question. Tn an extended explanation of the relations the members of the church bear to those in high authority among other things. he said:
 'The members of the Mormon church are among the freest, most independent people of all the Christian denominations. They have freedom of speech. freedom of thought They are not all united on every principle Of the church. They are not expected to be- They are entitled to their own idea in regar dto the prin- cll les uF the church; their own concep- ton of what appears to them to be the right or the wrong. So long as one ac- cpets God and his opinion Is not in con- flict with the accepted standards of the church, he enjoys following in the church.
 He who denies God. he who commits aduletry, or steals, or lies. or bears false witness against his neighbor in any way or goes contrary to the cardinal prin- ciples of our Christian religion Is com pelled to withdraw. But one who is honest, virtuous, believes in God and has a little faith in our religion. is nurtured though he may not believe in the church in all that 1t teaches. In that book
 (Mr. Smith pointed to one of the volumes that had been identified earlier In the proceedlngs) Is a revelation of plural
 marriages Not more than 3 or per cent of the entire membership of the church have entered that State. All the
 rest have abstained from plural mar riages and many thousands have rejected the principle entirely"
 MT, smith said that the law ques- tion was finally passed on 1S99 and that since that time he had no knowledge of any plural marriages taking place. Be- fore that time and since the Reynolds de- cision. he said. he probably knew of some such marriages.
 Had Practiced Po'ygamy. Tn answer to a question, Mir. Smith | said that prior to 1862, when the plural marriage in the church were declared bv the church to be constitutional, pol ygamy had been practiced fin limited way"
 Mir. Beverldge inquired concerning the i reasons for the line of questions con- corning polygamy, as he said he under stood Mir. Shoot was not charged with heinz a polygamist. MT. Taylor explain | cd that he wanted to show that the de- mands of the church are such th5t it might affect MT. Shoots allegiance to the United States.
 Mir Worthington. said the line of aues- t,oning was following matters on which