The Washington times., 1904-12-15
j. w. LundStrom Says
That He Recognized
Authority.
HE ACCEPTED P0LYGAMY
John Nicholson, Recorder of
Salt Lake Temple, Has
a Bad Memory.
Q. DID You 90 into polygamy?

q. Did You go into pOlygamy?
A. Yes. but only TO a certain ex-
tent. l had another wife scaled u
me In the Temple for eternity, but
/ only had one wife in this life She
was sealed 10 me for life and ali
eternity. although as a matter of
fact she was dead when l married
her.
This apparently contradictory state
ment regarding practices Of the Nor
mon Church was made N the Smoot in
quiry today by J. u. LUndstrOm. OF
Salt Lake City. who said he had been
for a time a good Mormon. but with
drew from the church in 1901 when he
became in doubt as 10 the truthfuiness
of the ehurch's doctrines.
The witness. who was recalled today
after being on the stand late yesterday
afternoon, is a SWede and after re-
nounciug AIormonism delivered anti
Mormon lectures in the Swedish Luther
an Church in Sale Lake. These were
printed and circslated there ana in
Sweden in his native tongue.
Church Against God.
Describing how he came TO renOunce
Mormonism, witness said he had accept
ed the church doctrine on he rightful-
ness OF polygamy as ordained by COD,
but that later, when the manifesto was
issued, he could not reconcile the two.
Either Wiford Woodruff had been
wrong in interpreting the win of God or
else was setting himself above the Deity
IN proclaiming views directly opposite 10
what mad previously been declared the
law Of the church. In all reverence the
witness continued, that he could nOt
bring himself 20 believe the Deity had
changed His mind" consequently he
determined to reaounce all allegiance 70
a religious body not In harmony with
God
Wiln.ss made further references to the
Endowment House oaths: declared that
while a good Mormon he had recognized
the temporal as well as the spiritual
power Of the church officials and that
if Democrat had addressed a Mormon
meeting and urged political course of
action witaess. although a Republican,
would have felt constrained 10 sink his
personal views and vote with mis- Demo-
cratic Mormon brothers.
Witness went at length into the oaths
taken by him, emphasizing the foet that
each person requests, with every
oath. the iufiiction of all the dreadful
penalties for revealing them.
Chairman Burrows inquired whether
or not the witness regarded these cere-
monies as a joke.
For my part, I took il as sacred, so
long as l believed the doctrines TO be
true" he replied.
Not Killed Yet.
Some laughter was caused by the wit
ness description Of his experiences af-
ter he had renounced MOrmOnism and
delivered his lectures in the winter OF
Is0l-igO2 in Salt Lake. He was asked
how the Mormons treated him after
that. and replied, in mournful tone;
They used TO call me a liar.'
Attorney WOrthilgton obtained from
witness the explanation that he was not
referring 10 high officials Of the church
in this connection. He then asked:
Has your throat ever been cut?'
Not yet" was the laconic reply.
Had a Rib Broken.
Another witness mad another tale tc
tell about his experience after renouncing
the Mormon Church. He was J. H.
Wallis who had described in detail the
Endowment House Oaths, as printed IN
full i'm The Times yesterday When re-
called today ard asked the same ques-
tion bv Mr.. WorthingtOn. he replied;
NO. l never had my throat cut, but !
had one rib broken by being knocked
down by a man. with his clenched fist
i'm broad daylight on the main street
OF Salt Lake City.
Asked further how this incident had
affected him. he said:
- got out Of shape in my phy s!ognomy
for some time.
Witness said he had given verbal nc
lice 10 the bishop of his ward that he
rcnounced the church. lie supposed his
name was still on the church books
however To Mr.. McCOmas, who ir-
quired whether he still paid tribute TO
the church. witness replied:
NO l once paid two dollars and seV-
entv-fVe Cceutsl to the bishops wife
and never could get an" account of IT,
and so never paid any more
Witness Bad Memory.
John Nicholson, chief recorder OF the
temple at Salt lake was next called,
and told of the work done under his Of
fetal direction. including marriages. en-
dowments. bapusms. He testified that
The endowment ceremony was 10 in
woke blessings on those who took il and
observed IL thereafter The Mormon TAX
ing II was regarded as better equipped
from that time on, he said
- Because OF additional knowledge o.
OF the spiritual benefit" inquired At
torney Tavler.
Because Of the blessings" replied
witness.
With continual lapses Of memory about
things. the witness told OF the keeping
of Mormon records in the temple. not
only for Salt Lake. but sometimes from
other sections He was no, the custod-
ian of the records, he said, although he
supposed he was held responsible for
them and declared none Of his assist
ants did anything without his order The
records from the old Endowment House
uOrn down some years ago.. are now
CONTINUED on Second Page)