The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-08
HAS she ever told you that she was

has she ever TOLD you That she was
married to Johnson then?'
She has not; never asked her.
These questions were put by Mr..
Taylor. When he concluded, Mr..
Worthington asked a number Of ques-
tions, by which the fact was brought
out that Apostle Tesdale had advised
her against allowing her daughter to
become a plural wife on the ground
that it was against the law Of the
church.
Merrill Recalled.
Mr., Merrill was temporarily recalled
and questioned by Senator Dubois,
who said:
"Mr. Merrill, do you still uphold the
doctrine Of polygamy %
No, sir" was the reply.
But you practice tt?''
ST do
How do you reconcile the two
statements?" one Of the members Of
the committee asked.
The witness did not reply, but a
| member of the committee illustrated
by saying that he was like the man
| 'who was for prohibition but against
the enforcement of It,"
Francis M. Lyman, an apostle of the
Mormon church and the< prospective
successor of Mr.. Smith as president
of the church, was. the next witness.
|
| had been an apostle since 1880. t3
Are you a polygamist?" Mr.. Tay-
1 Tor asked, and the witness replied
/ frankly, YES He said that he had
had three wives and that two of them
are still living.
By his second wife, to whom he
was married in 1884, he had had five
i Lyman said that he had been one. OF
the signers Of the prayer for amnes-
/. ty, pledg1ng himself to all that it CON
tanned. He did not, however, recall
i just what it did contain.
Several questions by members OF
the committee followed, and Mr.. Ly-
man admitted that he. knew that in
1 both Tie liz law 81 tie land and the rule
Iof his church. n ssf 35.
1 He said in reply to one of these
4 questions that he was not only nov
living in polygamous Capitalization
but that he expected to continue SO tt
I live.
4 Mr.. Hoar at last took the witness
in hand and brought out succinct
!, statement from him, which was Of 9
character to interest all present.
Referring to the rule Of which you
!. have spoken" Mr.. Hoar said, ..Yor
understood the rule or law of the
church to be the law of God, do yoy
not 90
Mr.. lyman replied that such wa
his understanding.
.Then you are living and intend t,
live in violation Of the law Of Got
: land MANI"
II WANT. he said,
to make: a brief explanation If you vii
permit. My; case is different from tina
|;of most other men. I was born in 1874
and 7 can hardly remember when M
father was not polygamist. He wa
: a friend and an advisor Of Prophet josef
Smith and was taught by him the impor
tance and the truth Of the principle Q
polygamy. He accepted tho teaching an
entered into the practice, marrying ST
i wives in the years 1845 and 1886 s
: my earliest recollection embraces the lf
!. Of polygamy.
IS I remember all my fathers wives a
:. I do my own mother, and I lived in ]
7 Ifamily thus constituted until grew u
Land became the head. OF a family of m
: : own. Consequently / have known moth
: Ting else and have felt that it was cor
. Erect. ., sst 5# .s -
. | Il have always felt in my soul and hear
. that it was correct. married first in 1885,
Eagain in 1869 and once more in 1854. Th
Esituation has been very painful to me an
+, I have; been greatly panied to find myse1
: in opposition to the law of the country an
; the church. But I had made a covenan
!, with my wives to love, respect and endea
: them and could not And 1t In my hear
: to separate from them as long as the
lwere true to me. g
4 f. Senator Hoar-So you, an apostl
Of your church, expecting to succee
) Mr.. Smith in the presidency, and i
r that capacity to receive divine revela
, tons yourself, confess that you ar
!. Inow living, and expect to continue
: live, in disobed1ence to the law Q
I Eyour country, the law of your churc
/ land the law of G Cd 2"
! # The witness replied with a simpl
yes" He added, In reply to "a ques
j ton from Senator Dubois, that he con
. sidered 1t his duty to live with an
i protect his wives.