Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-21


ried me to my second wife"
Mr.. Pettus asked if the church had
ever reprimanded him or the high Off
Roberts said nothing had been said to
him.
Mr.. Taylor asked Mr.. Roberts why he
thought it incumbent upon him 10 take
plural wives. From boyhood." replied
the witness. Il had been taught the
rightfuiness of plural marriages and
believed this practice to be the law OF
God. knew that this practice was con-
trary to the mandates of Congress, put
believed that the law of God was the
highest rule and felt impeiled to obey
it,
Chairman Burrows asked number
of pointed questions which brought out
the confession from Mr.. Roberts thit
he still believes in, and Is pfactl'i!S
polygany. He said that ne believes thlL
the Woodruff manifesto was dlvlieiy
inspired and that now in practlclliS
DOlygany he knows he is diSObeylhs
both the laws Of the land and the laws
of God. He was asked why he contihc-
ed to disobey the laws of God II he DC
lieved them to be the highest laws anu
with a resigned air he said
well. the manifesto left me IN lhe
midst OF obligations to these wives.
am irving To do the best | can to i've
within thu. laws but these obligations
cannot Shirk.'
At the afternoon session Mr.. Tayle.
asked concerning Mr.. Roberts coiiVic-
ton in 1889 of the crime OF polysaihs'
In reply Mr.. Roberts SAID no ac'ioi'
had ever been taken by the chur'h.
| Questions were asked respecting MT.
Roberts views regarding the manifesto
of 1890 against plural marriages ana
living in polygamouS consolidation.
Witness said he regarded the MANIFEST"
as an administrative act OF the church
and of binding force upon all members.
He admitted that to disobey any OF
| these laws would subject the member
to liability to church discipline.
| The witness WAS then asked in re-
gard to the polygamous Capitalization,
and said that he and many others We're
living in polygamy ut the time the rule
| was made against such cOhabitatiOn.
and that they considered themselves
under moral obligation to live with the
wives they had married.
| The witness was then turned over to
the defence ana VII. van oott opeiieo
the cross-eXamihatloh-
nc >a;,,;fo af ~,
,,I;,;. 49,, a., VIE
| ,1.. -,;, -, ,,o,,,,,l,,, :. , ,,,oro,, ,
leave of absence from church official
, mo
oii'N'
| II ""S pi""s 1T "u' 'ii''' III ms III 81
canvass Tor once Wheh he mao not inc
consent or ltiNe ol absence he WIS ue
feated. In ms second canvass he op-
tt'i'e'' 'he ie''Ne vi 'pseilce anu was
eve W"
| senator h"lley chilc' a''eil'ioI " 'h'
'i"' 'ii "'' w h'e" ~ p,uH an oiii'i'i :,
"''eP' an 'iiioe "i,ii'u' .iie eoii9eiit vi
tle chufch uilieSS ne resigns nj" ONCE
in the church or is reduced to the
ranks,
| .r a., : , .,,
- ~ +" 'ii''', N'i
the witness, Il thlnk one would nave
to rely ON the Individuals PATRIOTISM
.,.ut ,,t,ioti.n, an, r..,i.i.n in ,u,t
| "' P"' ''''iii ''''' i'''Sioii III H"'
a cas-" would b" in conflict. said Sena-
tor BAILEY. AT ON. time Won d.ti.d
INT
| -, ,;,.,
III
| And YOU Were, drfeatelo"
| ..y.e
| Mr. Roberts said that both he and AMOS
II. Thatcher had ctnod out ,g,ioet ,h
| ah,,r,,t, INV
'h"''i' r,i' ana thit II" had "lthhrawi
his opposition to the rule and was riectri
to office Tbatch., voc dafoot.d
| ,.h.i.,,o,, p,,,,.I,,.,. ;,,,.
'H''ir ihah BUTTONS inquired:
| IF you Were invited to accept 4 polit
| ical office wolIld Won fee, ,t lih.rtv +,
| ,ao,,,., .. ,,,,, -. .:., y
'''''i' 10 'i't request without hrSt getting
consent from the church,
| II think not
| -, 70
| an" II YOU dt'lu'd the church Shoulo
be considered first?'
| "Then | should decline tba ofioa,
| ..yy.u ir ,,,
| N'h' IL the chufch should refuse con
sent and you should still accept the of
| nee what action would be taken by tn.
| rhhfch!
| II would probably be called upon foi
| an explanation.
| what if you should inform the churcl
that you regarded your duty to the stat.
above That to the church,?
| cannot believe there would be any &C
| non taken POLITICALLY.
| The witness said he had been through
| the endowment house, that the endow-
mrnt house oath or ceremony was now
performed in the temples.
can you not tell us in regard to this