Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-12
SECRETS OF MORM0NS
Revelations of the Endowment
House.
THEHEARINGSRESUMED
OPPOSITION TO yHEguN1oH SEN
AToR from Utah.
Witnesses for the Protestants Against
Senator Shoots Retention Of
His Seat in Congress.
rHEHEARINGS RESUMED

Senator Shoots Retention Of
His Seat in Congress.
Opposition to Senator Shoots
retention of his seat in Congress
was heard in the Senate committee
on privileges and elections today.
Rev. DR.. Buckly testified to an adj
dress of President Smith of the Nor
mon Church in favor of polygamy,
and George Reynolds told OF en-
dowment house methods.
Hearings of the protests against Reed
Smoot, junior senator from Utah, retaining
his seat in the United States Senate, were
resumed today before the committee on
privileges and elections. The room was
| crowded, women predominating among the
| spectators, as was the case last session.
| Senator SmOot arrived early, accompanied
| by Waldemar Van Colt, a Salt Lake, Utah.
| attorney, who is assisting A. S. Worthng-
| ton of this city in the conduct of the de-
| Tense. Judge Franklin s. Richards OF Salt
Lake, adviser to Mormon witnesses, and
Mr.. Worthington also were present. For
mer Representative R. w. Tayler of Ohio
| acted again, as the counsel for the pro-
| testants When the hearing opened the
| members of the committee present were
| Senators Burrows, chairman; Foraker, Du-
| bois, Pettus and Overman.
Rev. DR.. Buckley Heard.
The first witness called by Mr.. Tayler
was Rev. ]. NJ. Buckley, D. D., of Norris
town, N. j., editor of the Christian Advo-
cate of New York.
DR.. Buckley told of visits to Utah in 1901,
| and again last June. At that time he at
| tended a joint convention of the Young
| Mems and Young Women's Unions of Nor
| monism. Those who spoke were Brigham
! H. Roberts, Elmira S. Taylor and President
| Smith. The audience was estimated by the
| witness at 11,000 persons.
| This line of inquiry, introduced by Attor
ney Tayler, concerning the meeting was
! in reference to what had been said at the
| convention about polygamous cohabitation.
The witness said this subject had not been
discussed by Mr.. Roberts or Miss Taylor,
| but the former told of president Smiths
unequal conflict with the government in
| connection with the testimony given last
winter before the privileges and elections
| committee. DR.. Buckley read from an artl-
| Gle he had written concerning the conven-
! tion and quoted from the speech of Presf-
dent Smith on the subject OF marriage
! The witness said that for ten or fifteen
| minutes PRESIDENT Sfrhtn ndQ talked Vi tilS
responsibilities of marriage and how the
| contract is regarded by many persons
Then said DIR. Buckley, president Smith
drew himself up to- his full height and
! spoke on the subject of divorce. He said
| that the mothers of his own children had
been given him by God and were saints of
| God He deplored the mother-in-law jokes
| and said that his own mothers-in-law were
| the best friends he ever had; that they were
! true women, worthy, of their daughters.
| Dr. Buckley read from another article on
| this meeting, which said that President
| Smiths voice rang out as 'strong as Will
| lam ]. Bryan's'' as he defended the Nor
mon marriage, and declared that polygdmy
| was not adultery, but was system of mar
! riage President Smith was quoted by the
| witness as saying that he could not give up
| any of his wives; that it meant eternal
damnation to abandon multiplicity Of
| wives
Senators Burrows and Foraker questioned
| the witness about President Smiths state
ment concerning the abandonment Of wives,
| and the testimony was repeated. DR.. Buck
| ley said he had made inquiries concerning
| Senator Smoot and that he had found no
one who said one word against him. Ev-
| erywhere, the witness said Senator Smoot
was given an excellent character.
On cross-examination Mr.. Worthington
| brought out that the statements quoted
! from President Smiths speech had not been
| reduced to writing until a day or two later,
| but the witness declared himself able to
remember SO perfectly that he can make
| three weeks after they are delivered.
Endowment House Methods.
George Reynolds, Mormon living in Salt
| Lake, testified that he is the first assistant
superintendent of the Mormon Church Sun
| day school and secretary of the missionary
committee of the apostles and formerly
| clerk or recorder of the endowment house.
| This relation was severed many years ago.
| in about 1871. The endowment house was
| torn down in 1893, but the temple is now
| used for the same purposes. Mr.. Reynolds
| told the committee that he has given GER
| tificates Of marriages. since he ceased to
| be recorder of the endowment house, in
cases where widows sought to obtain pen
| sions. He made the certificates from rec
| ords in his possession, but these records,
| he said, had since been removed to the
temple and that he has not access to them
| now
| In answer to questions by Senator Over
man Mr.. Reynolds said marriages were
| performed with dead persons in the en-
| dowment house.
Mr.. Taylor then asked If divorces were
| granted in the endowment house.
1.-The church grants divorces to those
! who have been married for time and
| eternity, but does not divorce legal mar
riages until the courts have acted" said
Mr. Reynolds. Plural marriages are not
! recognized by courts. and therefore the
| church does not consult the court in grant
ing divorces in cases of such marriages"
| are granted from dead persons.
I'm few instances only, 1 should say"
said the witness
For something done after death or be-
| fore?" the senator asked.
I'm lifetime"
Us the dead person given an opportunity
| to be heard?" the senator asked.
| mo, sir; 1t is because such cases are held
| to be unjust to the dead accused. that SO
few divorces of this kind are granted"
| said the witness. %
rs any one appointed to defend the &C
| cused?"
Never, but the complainant is given
| hearing if satisfactory evidence is furnished
| to the church"
Then 1t is purely ex parte?"
Purely So" II
Senator Overman was attempting to bring
| out what assurance man may have Of
meeting his several MfvesAin heaven If d.
| vorces are granted after%his death, when
| the noon recess of the committee was
taken.