Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-04
SMITH AGAIN HEARD
Testi6es Regarding Mormon
Church Doctrines.
PLURAL MARRIAGES
REVELATION PERMIssIvE, BUT
NOT MANDATORY ON MEMBERS.
Senators Hoar and Foraker Engage in
Warm Colloquy During the Progress
of the Smoot Inquiry.

|
on privileges and elections. in the invesi-
| cation of protests against Senator Reed
Smoot of Utah. Senator Hoar desired in
! formation on the subject of the rights OF
women in the church. and whether they
| hold ary priestly authority.
| Mr. Smith said the women regarded
as the equals of the men in all matters OF
voting, but that in holding "priestly author
| ity' women are not regarded on the same
plane. He explained that the women have
a charitable association known the
Woman's Relief Society, in which they
| have authority to perform certain pre-
scribed duties. This authority is confined
to the relieving of distress. but women are
not ordained high priests, apostles or
| elders
| one of the apostles, and Cowley's talks on
doctrine, and in answer to question from
| Senator Dubois Mr. Smith said Mr.. Cowley
| was elected as an apostle in 1897.
Smiths Alleged Revelation.
Reading from the Deseret News of June
| o, 1903, regarding speech by Mr.. Smith
at the Webber state reunion Mr.. Tayler
asked Mr.. Smith If he was correctly re-
ported in saying that the doctrine of plural
marriages was a revelation by God to
Joseph Smith, Jr., and to reject that would
|
| self.
Mr. Smith said he believed he was cor
rectly reported, ana when list of names
of those present. including Senator Smoot.
| was read Mr.. Smith said the list was cor
rect. He declared that he would not have
had the article published if he had been
| consulted. Pressed for a reason, he said
he was under injunction not to teach the
| rightfutness of polygamy. and that he had
| refrained from so doing in public.
Senator Hoar called attention to the fact
that he speech was teaching polygamy in
private to the important and influential
| gathering at the reunion.
| Mr.. Smith said his statement was nlere-
| -ly to set right a matter of history in
gard to the president who inaugurated tho
system of plural marriages. Some per-
sons had held that Brigham Young was
the first" he said. '.and 1 knew it was
Joseph Smith, and I brought forward my
aunt. Rethsheba w. Smith who had re-
/ ceived the endowment from Joseph Smith
| at Nauvoo. She was the last living wibs
| ness and I took that occasion to refutA
| a false statement. 1t was matter Of
| history and not a teaching
| Mr.. Smith said he had avoided teaching
| polygamy, but that the manifesto had not
/ in any manner changed his convictions on
the question of plural marriages.
An Exhibition of Feeling
Senator Hoar asked why he had avoided
| practicing what had been held to be .
divine command, and the witness answered
| that it was because of the more recent
manifesto stopping the practice.
| Senator Hoar persisted that according
| to the witness own statements the prac-
| tice had not been stopped, and Senator
| Foraker interposed abruptly that the wit
ness had gone over that matter fifty times.
| and he could see no purpose of the con-
| tinued questioning along that line.
Senator Hoar resented the Interruption.
| and said Senator Foraker's statement sng-
gested that he had asked one question
! fifty times and had received fifty answe1.
! He objected to the inference, and when
| Senator Foraker arose to answer, he, too.
| stood up. The two senators faced each
! other in what threatened to be serious
clash. Senator Foraker said the senator
| from Massac chusetts could say what he
| pleased, of course, but l have not said
| he asked fifty questions"
II accept the disclaimer from the sen1-
| tor from Ohio" responded Senator Hoars
but the aggressive manner In which 1t was
said failed to relieve the situation. Aftef
more heated words Senator Beveridge. who
occupied a position directly between tb4-
two. requested permission to ask question.
He said he wanted to address Mr.. Smoot"
| and Immediately substituted the naMs
Smith"
| In the laugh that was provoked, both
| senators sat down and the hearing con-
tinued.
| Senator Beveridge desired to know wheth-
er the church considered that the laws were
| being obeyed when polygamous cohabtatou
and Chairman Burrows made the questida
more personal He said: You have said to-
day that you were obeying the laws in not
teaching polygamy since the manifesto. HS
you think you were obeying the law in haxS
ing eleven children from different mothen
since that timer"
Admits Violation of the Law.
.I obey the law so far as teaching is con,
cerned have not said that have obeyei
| the law in my practice. AS / have said be,
fore l preferred to take my chances witt
the law rather than to abandon my plural
family Polygamy has not been taught m
the church by any of the officials. ThG
church has obeyed the laws, even IL hayS
| not said Mr.. Smith
Reference had been made many times a.
the revelation commanding plural marriagsA
and Senator Foraker said that although thA
ground may have been covered before ID
would like to have go IN the record an sns
swer to this question: when, where a7A
how was the injunction in favor of posFS
| gamy received by the church, What want
to know is whether the practice is arbitrary
or merely permissive.
Mr. smith explained that the revelat0u
was made TO Joseph Smith. jr.. at NauvGot
in 1S43, but was not publicly proclaimed On
account of the disturbance against Smitns
which had made him martyr
The doctrine, he said, had been taught sy
Joseph Smith to Brigham Young and his "a
sociates and preserved by Young. 1t vz8
taken to the salt Lake Valiey III iof'. sao
in 1852 was proclaimed by Young and re-
cepted as a revelation.
sDoes that answer your question:" asksd
Mr.. Smith.
ut answers as to when and where. eae
not how said Mr.. Foraker. What wSrsk
tn know is whether the members of dka,
church were compelled to practice the pesy-
gamous marriages, and If that is true why
It Is that only 8 or per cent of the NiAz-
mons have practiced what has been declares
to be a divine command
Permissive, Not Mandatory.
Mr. Smith called for a copy of the book q
doctrine and covenants and read part o2
the revelation, which, he said. had beMa
accepted in the nature of permission to talse
plural wives and was not mandatory upan
the members OF the church. Other passasA
from the same revelation were read. H03