The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-19
DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
Professor Talmage Elucidated Nor
mon Doctrine.


Washington. Jan. 1S-When. the Smoot
investigation opened today before the
! senate committee on privileges and cleo
uonS, Professor James Z. Talmaee of the
Tan state university was sworn He
Vas Nds porn in England and has been "A
!nluI hlon an his life. He testified that he
- 'He dutnor OF the book called Articles
81 attn which he prepared at 7nc re-
4utst OF the first presidency. The book
49, approved and published by the
church He also revised the last edition
VI Inc Pearl OF Great Price" He was
s q lennoer OF the high council of Utah
At the request of Attorney NVorthing-
Ion, Tor Senator Smoot. Professor TAI
organization of the Mormon church. to-
Setiler with the authority held bv the
f, Gus Huorums. The apostles. as a body
- no authority over the first presi-
oency except in their advisory capacity.
Ss'ld Ihe witness Church courts were
L-SSCrloed, and Senator Overmau asked il
the parties to suits in the church coTrfs
are permitted to have counsel THE vii
roI37so7 plieu mat they do not have legal
0lurch 10 steer clear of the lawyers"
Mormon Courts.
A number of letters showing the ac-
ton of the church in apneals Of 1ons
Eases were shown to Professor rratroas,e
- re iuehufied the signatures and the let
t5a were offered In evidence 10 prove
SisaI the church authorities SaeIr -, -
disputes settled amicablV bnt that 49,
40 not prevent the taking into civil court
10 such matters as involve questions OF
Professor Talmage testified that tho
NoHhS OF Orson Pratt had not beeu adoDt
~ tIe general church conference and
80 tS,s ms works. therefore, were not of
Dlhdlng authority. His narrative -
Cernlng the church practices and historL,
" IT'S various branches had not ConcIl,ded
az noon, when a recess was taken
.IrotessoF Ialmage at the afternoon ses-
SION was asked BY Mr. Wortbinefo,sS p
over Senator Smoot so far as concerns
MS duties in the United States senate
- 70 "hat extent Che president of the
0l!!vrch could exercise authority The
Wltness said there was nothing to pre-
ny T5,S senator Smoot from reminding the
ldenD was not the senator.
Polygamy Not Mandatory.
As to polygamy, the witness said n1ain
English would have to be interpreted far
differently than the construction he
PAGES on the marriage revelation to in
Ter thst there is anything mandatory
ABOUT II. He said there is not one nara
graph in the revelation that contains an
inference that DOlygamy should be man
TdtoIy except upon one mantle Prophet
SoSS-'il-aho IN all otner cases pOlygam my
was oermissive. At the death OF the
Prophet Joseph the command contained
IN the revelation descended 10 MS she
cessOr. according TO the construction
placed on Mormon doctrines by the wit
ness Celestial marriage, explained the
eternity. or for eternity only.
MT NOrthingtOn had put into the rec
ord certain acts of the seventy-fourth
conference % the Mormon church and
by these brought ont from the witness
the statement that any woman who be-
came the plural wife of a man since Oct
., 1880, is no more a wife. under the rules
CT the church, than she is in the eyes
of the law.
Endowment Ceremonies.
Professor TalmaEe said he had partfci-
Dated in or witnessed the endowment
ceremonies between one and two score
times He denied that the alleged oath
OF vengeance given by certain witnesses
for the prOtestants is a part of the cere-
monE, and said further that no "oatbs''
are taken in the ceremony. The obIiga-
tions taken. he said. contain nOthfna- or
witnesses.
The witness, who is a member Of the
board which exercises supervision over
Sunday school work, said there rad been
ers Tor the conduct of religious classes,
and that it had been made clear that the
religion and educational classes should be
kept entirely separate
Unehaste If Married Since 1890.
on cross-examination Professor Tai
mage said he did not know whether the
plural marriage revelation ever had been
laid before the people to be sustained
except as ii was adopted in the book
known as Doctrine and Covenants - The
witness said be believed tnat any woman
VINO became plural wife since the mani
testo was technically Unchaste. He said
lie knew of no such marriages. and that
10 proof had been offered that Abraham
Cannon had married Lillian Ha1nIin in
1896. II such marriage had taken place
the witness thought Mr. Cannon had nut
the wrong Interpretation on the mani
feStO.
Mr. Tayler read from an address by
George q. Cannon to the effect that some
things have been revealed to the Nor
mon leaders that could not be made pub
lie The witness said he did not remern-
Der the address, but that he did not take
issue with the sentiment expressed.
Professor Ialmaee will continue his !
I testimony tomorrow.