The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-03
PRESIDENT Smith DOES
NOT DOUBT REVELATION


Continued from Page y
a revelation direct from God?y asked
Mr.. Tayler.
For his own guidance. yes" was til,
| answer"
Unchurched Themselves.
In response to direct questioning
Mr.. Smith said only those revelations
| to the president which had been pre-
scented to the church and accepted by
the members were binding upon them
Mr.. Overman wanted to know what
happened to those who did not believe
IN the inspired revelations. Were
they unchurched?i he asked.
They unchurched themselves" was
the response.
After more direct questioning con-
corning the rights OF the church mem
hers to reject revelations. Mr.. Tayler
put the situation in this form: MAY
the members Of the church say to you.
We deny that God has told YOU to tell
us what, and we will not receive your
revelation? Could that occur in the
church,
1T could" was the reply.
Has this ever been done?" asked
Mr. Hoar.
Not that I know of"
Now, that is just what I have been
calling attention TO-" said Mr. Hoar.
The witness says, Not that I know
Of Turning TO Mr.. Smith, he remarked
that the answer expressed doubt, and
more pointedly he asked the witness:
Has the church ever rejected any
of your revelations? Have any of the
revelations TO the presidents been re-
jected?''
May I say a word on that first?"
asked Mr.. Smith.
Mormons Not United.
He stood up and was noticeably con-
cerned at the trend OF the questioning
In an extended explanation of the re-
lations the members of the church bear
70 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 prin-
ciple of the church. They are not ex-
pected to be. They are entitled to
their own conception in regard TO the
principles Of their church, their con-
ception Of what appears to them to be
the right or the wrong So long as
IN conflict with the accepted standards
OF the church. he enjoys following in
the church. He who denies God. he
who commits adultery. or steals. or lies.
or bears false witness against his
helghbor in any way, or goes contrary
10 the cardinal principles of our Chris
tan religion, is compelled to withdraw.
But one who is honest, virtuous. be-
heves in God and has a little faith in
our religion. is nurtured, though he
may not believe in the church i'm all
that it teaches. In that book (AIr.
Smith pointed TO one of the volumes
that had been introduced earlier in the
proceedings) is a revelation on plural
marriages. Not or + per cent of the
entire membership of the church have
entered that state All the rest have
abstained from plural marriages and
many thousands have rejected the
principle entirely"
Dubois Puts Question.
Senator Dubois remarked. II noticed
that you say many thousands rejected
the doctrine of plural marriages. Do
you mean that they never practiCed pIu-
raj marriages or that they declared
against the doctrine?"
Mr.. Smith answered again that many
thousands in the church had declared
riRge as given to the church in a reve-
lation from Joseph Smith, jr. to bring
out the effect of refusing to subscribe
TO the teachings of the church Mr.
Hoar asked a number OF questions and
Mr.. Smith said:
The principle of revelation is the
fundamental principle of the church"
Have you ever received such a reve-
alton direct from God?@ asked Mr..
Tayler.
Il never said I had received a reve-
lation except that God has shown me
that MOrmOnism is Gods divine TRUTH
said Mr.. Smith.
How has God shown you that?"
asked Mr.. Burrows.
BY inspiration"
Angel in Black Appeared.
Mr.. Smith described the accepted
theory of the revelation Of the prin-
ciple of pOlygamy to Joseph Smith. IT,.
saying that an angel in black had ap-
peared unto him He said revelations
had not come To him in that form. but
that he had received direct revelations
from God by inspiration.
At this point Mr.. Bailey said he as
sumed that all of the testimony being
brought out in regard to the religion
OF MormOnism had some sound rela-
ton 10 the influence OF the church in
civil affairs and that unless he was as
sured of that he would object
For my part he said. II DO not
think congress has anything to do with
religious affairs and / would like to
know the purpose of the direction that
has been taken in the proceedings"
Mr.. Tayler answered that the prose-
cution would attempt 10 show that tn.
church directed affairs Of state. politics
and, in fact all matters. and conse-
quently the method of procedure was
necessary. No further objection was
made.
The committee adjourned until y.
m. and Mr.. Burrows announced that
hereafter the hearings would be held
every day. until concluded. beginning
at 1890 O'Clock. An executive session
Of the committee was ordered, TO de-
termine on certain lines of conducting
the case.
Had Their Saw.