The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-12
DEAD MORMONS.
ARE DIVORCED
Hearings Of Protest Against Seat
ing smoot of Utah Begun
by Senate.

Washington, Dec. l2.-Hearings of
1 the protest against Reed Smoot, junior
i senator from Utah, retaining his seat
4 in the United States senate, were re-
sumed today on the committee on PRIV
{ ileges and elections. The room was
i crowded, women predominating among
( the spectators, as was the case last ses-
Z sion.
Rev. J. M. Buckley, DID,, Of Norris
! town, N. j., editor of the Christian Ad-
/ yocate of New York, told OF visits to
Utah in 1901, and again last June, w4 4ea
!; Young Mems and Young Women s
unions of Mormonism:. Those who
I gpoko were Brigham Roberts, Elmira s..
s{Taylor and President Smith.
/ DR.. Buckley quoted from the speech
/ of President Smith on the subject OF
q Preesident Mt Smith drew himself up
I to his full height and spoke on the sub
z iect of divorce. He said that the
l mothers Of his own children had been
4 given him by God and were saints OF
i God. He deplored the mother law
I Jokes and said that his own mothers-ln-
law were the best friends he ever had
y that they were true women, worthy OF
5 their daughters.
s Defended Mormonism.
DR.. Buckley read from his article on
this meeting which said that President
y Smith g voice rang out "as strong as
4 William J. Bryan 's' as ne defended
V polygamy was not adultery, but was a
& system Of marriage. President Smith
Il was quoted by the witness as saying
I that he could not give up any OF MS
4 wives; that it meant eternal damnation
10 abandon multiplicity Of wives.
IL DR.. Buckley said he had made IN,
go SYon
he had found no one who said one word
against him. Everywhere, the witness
said, Senator Smoot was given an ex'
cellent character.
The Endowment House.
George Reynolds. a Mormon living In
Bait Lake, testified that he is the first
! assistant Superintendent of the Mormon
i church Sunday school and secretary OF
I the missionary committee of the apos
ties and formerly clerk or recorder OF
the Endowment house. This relation
was severed in about 1871. The Endow,
ment house was torn down IN 1871, pu'
- the temple is now used Tor the same
purposes.
In answer to questions by Senator
Overman, Mr.. Reynolds said marriages
were performed with dead persons II
the Endowment house. Asked If di
divorces were granted in the Endowment
4 mousse, MT. Ne uO1OS Sdlu'
/ "The church grants divorces to those
who have been married for time ane
4 eternity, but does not divorce lega
marriages until the courts have acted
Z Plural marriages are not recognized by
{ the courts, and therefore the church
I does not consult the courts in granting
I divorces in cases of such marriages.
H. Divorces After Death.
( Senator Foraker asked if such Iii
L .vorces are granted from dead persons
i * In a few instances only, shoult
1 ssay,'' said the witness.
HI HFor something done after death O.
E8before9'' the senator asked:
Gin lifetime.' ;......
RN els the dead person given an oppor
5tunity to be heard9'' the senator asked
NNo, sir,it is because such cases ar
4 held to be unjust to the dead accused
'sHthat so few divorces of this kind ar
granted,' said the witness.
4 els anyone appointed to defend tn
d accused? :.
&"Never, but the complainant is give1
sSa hearing if satisfactory evidence i
furnished to the church,
- Then it is purely ex parte9"
ss Purely 500
81 Senator Overman was attempting t.
bring out what assurance a man ma,
4 have Of meeting his several wives il
heaven if divorces are granted after hi
death, when the noon recess of thu
committee was taken.