The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-22
.SMOOT RESPECTS
COUNTRYS LAWS
Gods Laws and Nations Laws
A. in Accord
S5
SENlzy$5s, ALL TAKE PART
oS
S Says Revelations From God
>uIG Not Command Him to Do
Anything Dislcyal to His
Country.


Gus examination concerning his belief in
divine revelations Senator Smoot to-day,
in the investigation of the Senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections, said
that If he should receive a revelation
from God commanding him to disobey the
laws of the land he would leave his
country and go to some country where
the laws of the land were not in conflict
with the laws of God. He was asked
what he would do If the revelations COM
manded him to remain in his country and
violate the laws but he would not sup
pose the case, saying: THE God I wor-
ship is not such God
Nearly every member of the Senate
committee took part in the examination
of the Senator on the subject Of revela-
tions and the witness views proved
highly interesting He declared that rev.
elations may come to any great man.
but it was those that come to the pres
ident of the church that were of binding
force, and only when they were sus-
tanned by the people at one of the church
conferences.
Still Sl.'ers From Indigestion.
Senator Smoot was still suffering from
an attack of indigestion which was re-
sponsible for an early adjournment yes
terday The Senator took the witness
stand at 10:3O, and before proceeding he
made a correction in his testimony con-
cerning trials of apostles He said the
quorum of apostles has the right TO de-
pose one of it's members, and the twelve
apostles is the only quorum which has
that right. Several other minor correc-
tions were made. In carrying out the
decisions of the quor1m the senator said
he does not understand that the minor
ity must join with the majority
The first time ihc Eear@ ~ lhe plural
marriage Of Renjamin CHif presideht -
the Brigham university, sad the Sen
ator. was in 1902, when he vas told by
Jesse Knight. The Senator said he heard
from Mr.. Knight that Cuffs new plural
wife was the daughter of George Rey-
nolds. Except for the investigation of the
subject looking to the dropping of Cluff
from the university presidency. which was
explained at the hearing yesterday, he
said he had made no further inquiry.
He said Cluff was removed a year later
and was succeeded by George Brimhall.
whom The Senator admitted was then
living with a plural wife, He said he was
Brimhall If he had been at the meeting.
"You consider the position of presidency
of the university purely ecclesiastical
then?" asked Mr. Taylor.
IT think 1t is
Then the rule laid down by you which
would have controlled your vote for Apos-
tie Penrose. a poygamist, would apply
to the election of Brimhall?'
"I think the same rul- would apply.
I don't think 1 would vote for him for
a federal office. There are some polyga-
mists that | would not vote for, and some
that 1 would / would vote for a man
like Brimhall for state office answered
the Senator
First Wife Was Insane.
The distinction he mate was that Brim-
hall had taken no plural wives since the
manifesto, but was living with a plural
wife for the reason that his lawful wife
was in an insane asylum. He admtted
first that he believed Mr.. Brimhall was
violating the spirit of the law and pressed
by Chairman Burrows said that Brimhall
was also violating the letter of the
law" However, the condition of the first
wife was an extenuating circumstance.
What" again asked Chairman Bur
rows, do you think 1t Is an extenuating
circumstance for a man to marry another
woman and have children by her because
his legal wife is in an insane asylumY'
NO / hardly think that"
Have you any doubt about 1t? Do you
think it was an extenuating circumstance
because the first wife was insane?"
Perhaps l could put 1t as broad as
that think 1t would be-
Attorney Vancott interjected that man
could not get a divorce in Utah because
his wife was insane.
Senator Knox took up the query here.
"Do you say this would be an extenu-
ating circustance in all cases of polyga-
mists, or only in cases before the mani
festo?"
only before the manifesto. For a man
to marry a wife In that way since the
manifesto would be polygamy.''
Mr.. Smoot said he knew Mr.. Brimhall,
who was trustee of the state asylum
board. He was of the opinion that the
first Brimhall had two children.
Mr.. Tayler read from a biographical
sketch to show that Brimhall had six chill
dren. The witness was under the impress
sion that Brimhall did not marry his sec
ond wife until after his first wife was
sent to the asylum, but the biography
seemed to dispute the statement. The in
quiry on this subject was not brought to
a definite conclusion.
Voted to Sustain Him.
The elevation of Joseph y. smith 10 the
presidency Of the church as brought up
by Mr.. Tayler and the witness said he
voted to sustain him and lad so voted at
other conferences to sustain smith as
president.
do you believe the church Will receive
revelations from God?" asked Senator
Overman
II believe the church can receive revela-
tions."
"Who receives them?
'I believe any good man can receive
| revelations, but President Smith is the
only man who can receive revelations
| that would be binding upon the peo-
| ple"
do you believe that any revelations
which might be given could be superior
| to the law Of the land?' asked Senator
Cserman.
NO"
"Then IL you got revelation from
heaven yourself. would you have to
obey it?''
| II believe If it was from God 1t would
| --->------~------
fPaux;o,sd an Fourth Paoe.1