The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-03-23

the laws were being obeyed when
polygamous cohabtation had contin-
ued since the manifesto of 1890 and
Chairman Burrows made the question
more personal He said: You have
said today that you were obeying the
laws in not teaching polygamy since
the manifesto was promulgated. DO
you think you were obeying the law
in having eleven children from differ
ent mothers since that time?"
Il obey the law so far as teaching is
concerned I have not said that have
obeyed the law in my practice. As 1
have said before I preferred to take
my chances with the law, rather than
to abandon my plural families. Polyg-
amy has not been taught in the church
by any Of the officials. The church has
obeyed the laws, even if l have not"
said Smith.
WOULD BE DESTROYED"
After replying to questions relating
to divine COMMAND Smith called for
copy of the book of doctrine and
covenants and read part of the rev.
elation which he said, has been ac-
cepted i'm the nature of permission to
take plural wives and was not manda-
tory upon the members of the church.
Other passages from the same revela-
ton were read, particularly the por-
lions which prescribe the manner Of
taking more than one wife. 1t was
set forth that if one wanted to es-
pouse a second virgin he could do so
by obtaining the consent of the first,
but that if the consent of the first
was withheld he was at liberty to pro-
coed withc 1t it. 1t is set forth also
that where the first refuses consent to
share her husband with another wo-
man she would be destroyed"
Pettus asked the meaning Of the
word destroyed" in that sense.
Smith answered that she would be
destroyed by the Lord, but that he
was not informed Just how the Lord
would go about it,"
Then it does not mean that the
husband could destroy herr" Pettus
asked.
mo, never"
81 take it, then, that the question
of getting a wife's consent to marry
again might just as we'll be eliminated
entirely" said Senator Beverage.
Gust as WELL" answered the wit
ness.
Overman asked Smith if he knew
whether any one of the six polyga-
mist apostles had disobeyed the law
| in regard to pOlygamous cohabitation
since the manifesto of 1890.
q do not know" answered Smith.
Il only know that they were in the
! same status of polygamy at the time
of the manifesto as I was myself. I
do not pry into their family affairs.
I am happy to say that I am not a
! 'spotter or an informer. l am not a
paid spy"
yet you might know without being
a paid spy" persisted Overman.
Il know nothing about it. AS I
have said before, I am not a spotter or
informer," answered the witness.
The words spotter and informer
We're Kissed rather than spoken.
WEIGHT OF REVELATIONS.
Senator Hoar asked a number OF
questions to determine the relative
weight of revelations and the law OF
the land when the two come into con-
flict, and asked particularly in regard
to the old revelations.
Smith said that with the old mem.
bers it was the effort to uphold the
? laws, but with the younger ones-well
, they We're a little hard to control.
Bringing the question up to the
, later periods, Hoar wanted to know
what Smith would do if the revela,
tons conflict with the law.
(Which would you obey?" he was
asked
with me- perhaps the revelation
would be uppermost," said Smith.
Can you say perhaps to such
IA question:" interrupted Hoar Sc,
verely.
Continuing he said: Suppose you
receive a revelation commanding youl
people to do something which would
conflict with the laws of the land
Which would they have to obey?"