Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-03-11


>, aries. This book, he said, contains a
chapter on polygamy, declaring tina,
practice to be divine. He said he did
not know whether or not the mission
aries take with them copies of the
manifesto of 1890 suspending
! polygamy as an order of the church,
In answer to questions concerning
revelations, Smith reiterated former
statements that such revelations We're
accepted or rejected at will: that there
is no restraint upon any member ex-
cept his or her voluntary wish. He
SAID he did not always obey the reve-
lations from God. zone can obey or
disobey with impunity." he added.
In answer to a question from Sena-
tor Hoar Friday March 4, Mr. Smith
said that women in the church are re-
garded as equals of the men in all
matters of voting, but that in holding
'priestly authority" they are not on
the same plane.
Mr.. Smith admitted that in 4 speech
he had said that the doctrine of plural
marriages was a revelation of God to
Joseph Smith, jr., and to reject that |
would be equivalent to a rejection of
God Himself. He regretted that the
article had been published because he |
was under injunction not to teach the |
Irightfulness of polygamy, and that he |
had refrained from so doing in public |
and that his statement on this occa-
sion was merely to set right matter
OF history in regard to the president
who inaugurated the system of plural
marriages. Some persons had held
that Brigham Young was the first"
he said, "and I knew 1t was Joseph
Smith, and 1 brought forward my
aunt, Bethsheba w. Smith, who had
received the endowment from Joseph
Smith at Nauvoo She was the last
living witness and / took that occasion ]
to refute false statement !
Mr. Smith said he had avoided
teaching polygamy, but that the mani
festo had not in any manner changed ,
his convictions on the question of !
plural marriages. Senator Hoar asked ;
why he had avoided practising what Z
had been held to be divine command. :
and the witness answered that 1t was +
because of the more recent manifesto q
stopping the practice. i
Senator Beveridge desired to know q
whether the church considered that
he laws were being obeyed when
oolygamous cohabitation had con-
inued since the manifesto of 1890. Il =
,bey the law so far as teaching is con- =
'erned. I have not said that | have v
'besed the law in my practice. As q
AVE said before, | preferred to take y
ny chances with the law rather than u
o abandon my plural family. Polyga- ~ =,
ny has not been taught in the church q
y any of the officials. The church has te
beyed the laws, even if I have not"
9id Mr.. Smith.
Mr.. Smith called for a copy Of the in
look Of Doctrine and Covenants and bl
cad part of the revelation, which he SO
aid, had been accepted in the nature ar
I permission to take plural wives and ri,
as not mandatory upon the men, he
ers of the church. Other passages til
ON the same revelation were read Al
articularly the portions which pres ga
'ibe the manner Of taking more than
he wife. 1t was set forth that IL one
anted to espouse a second virgin he ar,
'uld do so by obtaining the consent liv
the first, but that IL the consent of oe
e first was withheld he was at lib ciS
ty to proceed without it. 1t is set tor
rth also, that where the first refus- ole
consent to share her husband with did
lother woman she would be de GO,
royed" Pc,
President Smith testified Monday. ~
arch s, that he has AZ children-2l
ms and 81 daughters and that he is
oud of every one of them Thirteen L
re born of his five wives since 1890. zee
answer to a question. he said that IN
: church teaches that Jesus Christ per
s descended through a long line of g 9rh