Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-11

Impression / had at the time that |
i1ade that vow with my Heavenly
. Father
Mr. Tayler--l am not dealing with
this IN any even suggestively sacre-
/ liglous way, Senator but l want 70
| get the process, mental or moral, ~
which this thing occurred. You DO
not understand, do you, that God re-
| vcaled himself to you at the time that
| you took this obligation?
Senator SmOot-No. | do not.
Mr. Taylcrz-You do not know that
| God required that obligation, do youY
Senator Smoot--l do not
Mr. Tayler-Or that He called for it
! I'm any way either upon you or any
| body ese2
Senator Smoot- He may have by IN
stituting the endowment through His
Prophet, Joseph smith, Jr
Mr. Tavler-When did God institute
! these endowments. Senator
Senator Smoot--I understood 1t was
! through the Prophet, Joseph Smith lr
Mr. Tayler--But have we not got all
| the law OF the Church bound up in the
! covers OF these books?
Senator Smoot-As to the doctrine,
! perhaps so.
Mr. Then, are there other
revelations, not promulgated?
Senator Smoot--Not that | know OF.
! Mr.. Tayler,
Mr. Tayler-Weli, what do you say
| about this endowment ceremony? DO
! you understand that that proceeded
| from God?
Senator Smooth have heard 1t so
| taught.
Mr.. Taylcr--so taught?
/ Senator SmoOt--Yes.
Mr. Tayler--Has II been approved
! /" the Church In conference?
Senator Smoot-That | can rot say
MIR. 1uyler--Do you understand that
| IL ever WASP
Senator Smoot-Well, they were
started in the early days of the Church.
| do not know. Mr.. Tayler.
Mr. Tayler-ls II not your under
standing, Senator, that the obligation
| Of secrecy, by whatever name YOU
| describe Il, Is mere voluntary offer
made by the person who takes i?
Senator SmOot--I did not so UNDER
stand II. | understood, as | stated,
| that II was an obligation that | made
| TO my Heavenly Father to keep the
endowment secret.
Mr.. Tayler-Exactly. Now, what
want TO be certain about Senator is
whether or how the duty was laid
up)l anybody to make any such obi
/ CATION to God.
Senator Smoot--I think the person
takes the obligation upon himself
Mr.. fayler--Yes; exactly. But wheth-
err God demanded that or not is quite
important.
Senator smoot-He never demanded
II of me.
Mr., Tayler-He had not demanded II
Of you. IL the endowment ceremony
proceeded from God, did II proceed
III II.
because one of His mouthpieces order
ed that method?
Senator Smoot--I can not say whether
IT was direct revelation or not.
Mr., Tayler-So that when YOU say
YOU made that obligation with God
II Is, after all, only that II was In your
mind that you were promising God
you would not reveal It?
Senator Smooth was in my mind
and | believed that that was proper
10 do, and l promised,
Mr., Tayler--Why did you believe God
would be unwilling that YOU should
reveal that?
Senator SmoOt---I thought that was an
entirely religious ordinance, and |
thought that was the mode and the
rule and the law of the Church and ac-
Ccpted II as such.
Mr.. Tayler-Dld you fear persecution
II II should be known?
Senator Smoot-Oh. no; not NJ al.
Mr., Tayler--Then what reason would
there be for secrecy In II religious vow
OF worship To Almighty God il there
was no fear of persecution?
Senator Smooth is an ordinance
the. deals entirely with things spirit
unl and herea fter.
Mr., Tayler--EXactly.
Senator Smoot-And | 10 not know
that II would be necessary & reveal
IL, nor Wisp, nor prudent.
Mr.. Tayler-What harm could result
from revealing the method of religion
in times when people were not perse-
cuted for their beliefs?
Senator Smoot-I do not think there
would be any special harm, Mr.. Tay-
ler I'm revealing II, but l think II is an
ordinance Of the Church, as | have
stated, that they believe should be kept
sacred and secret,
Mr.. Tayler-so that having taken
the obligation with God you would not
reveal II, would you?
Senator Smoot-I do not feel like II
would be proper for me to do so.
Mr.. Tayler-Well, would you reveal
IT,
Senator smoot-No; l do not think
would.
Mr.. Tayler-Nothing could induce you
to reveal that which, under the obli-
cation you made to God you said you
would not reveal? IL that right?
Senator Smoot--Not anything that |
could think Of now.
Mr. Tayler-That Is what / meant,
of course. That Is all,
The Chalrman-Senator, | wish TO
know II you agree, as to the meaning
Of this manifesto, with the President
Of your Church, who testified In 1891,
when the question Of Church property
was Involved, at hearing before Judge
G. r. I,oofbourow?
Mr.. Worthington-What page are you
reading from, Mr.. Chairman?
The Chalrman-Page %, Mr. Worth
ington-Joseph Smiths testimony
"Q.--Do you understand that 7he
manifesto applies to cohabtation OF
men and women In plural marriage
where II had already existed?
Al cannot say whether Is does or
not.
"Q.--It does not In terms say 80, does
IT.
"A.--No; ] think. however, the effect
Of 1t ls so. ] don't see how the effect OF
It can be otherwise"
DO you agree with the President of
the Church In that Interpretation of
III
Senator SmoOt-l remember the Pres
ldent OF the Church making that inter-
probation Of It, but | do not agree that
every member Of the Church could be
bound by that until 1t was presented to
them as the manifesto was, and ac-
cepted by them. | believe that was
his Interpretation.
b. ihu trtpu Than Won do NOT uprpn
with him I'm that Interpretation?
Senator Smoot--I can not tell what
his Interpretation may be.
The Chalrman-He has stated what
his Interpretation II; The effect Of II
is SO. | don't see how the effect OF It
| can be otherwise
senator Smoot-That was his inter-