The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-18
FOR A THRONE.

The Tribune has been asked 10 state
once more the threat Of usurpation
made by Joseph F.. Smith at the special
| conference held in the Salt Lake Tab
crnacle November 10. 1901. at which he
| was sustained as president prophet,
seer, and rovela tor. and at which he
publicly installed his son, Byrum
Smith. in the quorum OF the twelve
| apostles and indicated Hyrum as his
successor
From the Descret News OF that period
we quote the following utteronces OF
! Joseph F. Smith
desire 10 reod a little from the revcla-
slGn IN relation to the order Of the no hoiy
carried ont strictly the order OF the
priesthood: VIC have varied from 1t 10
some extent but We hope In due time
that by the promptlngs OF the Holy Spirit
We VIII be led up into the exact channel
and course that the Lord has marked out
for us to pursue, and adhere strictly TO
the order that He has established. l Will
read from a revelation TO the Prophet
Joseph Smith at Sauvoo. Hancock coun-
ty, Illinois, January L. ls4I, which stands
as the law of the church In relation 10 the
presentation OF the authorities OF the
holy priesthood as they are established
In the church \and from which | feel that
we have no right 10 depart. The Lord
says:
First ] give unto YOU Hyrum Smith.
TO be patriarch unto you, 10 hold the
sealing blessings of my church. even the
holy spirit OF promise, whereby ye arc
sealed up unto the day OF redemption,
that We may not fall. notwithstanding the
hour OF temptation that may come upon
you"
IL may he considered strange that the
Lord should give first OF all the patri-
arch; yet l do not know any law, any
revelation or any commandment from
God to the contrary. that has ever been
given through any OF tho prophets or
presidents OF tho church At the same
time We know that this order has not
camc Into the valleys until now-and We
will not make any change at present
But we Will first take 1t Into considera-
ton; We Will pray over It. we VIII get
the mind Of the Spirit of God upon H.
as upon other subjects. and be united be-
fore We take any action different to that
which has been done.
Joseph r. Smith there clearly fore
shadowed his Intention to establish his
fathers branch of the family as the
reigning royalty in the Mormon church.
He intended TO steal the succession
from the Joseph Smith or the prophetic
line, convey II over to the Hyrum Smith
or patriarchicsl line. and then steal II
back from his elder Brother Johns pa
triarchlcal branch and establish It in his
own prophetic line.
As he remarked, he did not care to
make any change at that time. but he
has since begun the revolution with
emphasis. Apostles Taylor and Cowley
are out of the way OF his son, Hyrum.
ID ,,.lt1 Io- IL. Io
no question but that Smoot VIII cease
to be an apostle Of the Mormon church
within q very few years. With these
three men slaughtered. or permitted TO
commit ecclesiastical suicide, Hyrum's
road TO the throne is open, and nothing
but his death or mental decay-and
not even the latter-can pre-
vent his succession If the present meth
DDS continue TO prevail.
The whole plot is so Oriental In char
acter, is SO cowardly and barbarous-
Il is such an assassinating scheme. with
selhshness for It's motive and perfdy
and tyranny for It's weapons-that self
people among the Mormons
might be expected to rebel at this stage.
However they pretend 10 disbelleve in
The Tribune's story, just as they pre-
ended to disbelieve, one year ago, when
this paper announced that Taylor and
Cowley were to be deposed Then they
said 1t was Infamous to insinuate that
Taylor and Cowley were to lose their |
apostleship, and now they say It was
4 great merit In Smith to expel these |
oolygamists. Now they pretend to ridi-
cule the idea that Smoot Will lose his |
apostleship; and within a few years
hey will say II was logical and right |
eous and entirely the will of the Lord |
that he should be relegated to eccle-
siastical mediocrity where titular dis |
.inction and ability would be on a par. |
The chief point OF all is that Smith |
IS rapidly executing his purpose to re- |
move all the men who stand in the |
Smith way, making a monopoly of po- |
ygamy for himself and a few favor |
ties. and making n monopoly OF the |
prophet business for himself and his |