The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-10-14
TEACHING HYPOCRISY.

Few men love hypocrite, fewer
love a teacher Of hypocrisy, and no
one loves both. The first is bad, the
second is infinitely worse, and the dual
third must be moral pervert.
He was speaking particularly to the
counselors of presidents of stakes and
Of missions, and to the bishops and
their counselors, when President Joseph
F. Smith Of the Mormon church uttered
the following IN his conference ad'
dress on October 5th last:
Let US say to you all, live exemplary lives,
that you may say 20 the people: Come
and follow me; follow nay example; obey nay
preoepts be in unison with me, and follow
me as I am appointed TO lead and advise and
counsel.
Reading that, one would think its
author (rather repeater) were a saint
indeed. But the whole thing is befoul-
ed Of hypocrisy when one comes to
know that in Washington, in 1904, this
same President Joseph T. Smith of the
Mormon church testified to his own
exemplary" life as follows:
Senator Beveridgs gs-what I mean is This
Your belief may be one way, which is nobody
business, you, notwithstanding your belief,
obey the law OF the land
Joseph F Smith Yes.
Senator Beveridge.--Is that what am to
Joseph F. snith-Yes. sir; that is exactly
what mean.
The Chairman DO you obey the law in
having five wives at this time. and having
them bear TO you eleven children since the
mn M
Joseph +, Smith.-Mr Chairman, have
not claimed that in thut case 1 have obeycd
tho law OF the land.
The Choirman.-That is all.
Joseph F. Smith, do not claim so. and
I have said before that I prefer 20 stand my
chances against tee law.
The chairman.-And in not doing it. you
ere violating the lawl
Joseph F smith.-The law OF ny statei
The Cbeirman.-Yes.
Joseph I. Sinith.-YeS, sir.
Senator overman.-1f that is a revelation,
. Joseph F. Smith, have alntrol that,
Mr Senator. q great many times here
In addition to that testimony con-
cerning himself and his manner OF liv-
ing as an exemplar and preceptor
whom his people should follow, and
whose acts his followers should initiate,
Joseph F. Smith was shown to be an
associate and supporter of the follow
ing named persons (who in this Smoot
investigation were also confessed to be
lawbreakers) John Henry Smith,
Heber j. Grant, John w, Taylor, Mat
thias F Cowley, Francis NJ. Lyman,
Charles w Penrose, Brigham II.
Roberts, Joseph NJ. Tanner, George
Reynolds, Prof. Brimhall, Benjamin
Cluff, Joseph W. Summerhays, and
others whose cases were not so we'll
defined. But in order to fix the status
of all the Mormon leaders who had
much priesthood and high authority,
Joseph T. Smith gave the following
to the Senate committee:
Senator Dubois.-Then you regard MI OF
those in the priesthood among the pEeSiu.ag
authority as in the same category with your
self
Joseph T. Suirh.--Yes.
There is no other civilized community
in the United States in which man
may self.confessedly break the laws
Of the State during 800 days in each
year Tin leap year another lawless day
being crowded in for good measure),
while public officials sit by with blind
ed legal eye and shattered moral knee.
No other religious people in the United
States would permit the ecclesiastical
rule O. a self.declared defer of God.
In Illinois public officials recently