Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-22
PROVO DEBATE
IS CONCLUDED
Opening Address Of Elder Curtis
Characterized as Rambling
And Irrelevant.
TANNERS STRONG REPLY,
Elder Curtis Denies Prophecy OF 10.
seph Smith Pointing 10 Saints MI
grafton 10 Rocky Mountains.
Special Correspondence

Special Correspondence.
Provo, Aug % The audience at the
closing session Of the debate between
Elder II S. Tanner and Elder ]. F.
Curtis. held last night, was as large as
the first night IN spite OF the unpleas-
ant weather, and as on the two pre-
yious nights. close attention was paid
and appreclatiye interest was shown
The discussion viii probably tend 10
make the adherents OF each church
stronger in their faith The debate
has been OF value IN giving the people
an opportunity to hear the arguments
IN favor Of the position Of each church
on the important question Of the sue
! CessiOn
After singing. Praise to The Man"
etc. and prayer by Elder Joseph F.
Smith Jr, Judge Noon, the modera-
tor cautioned the audience not to ap-
plaud, nor show any marks OF levNy,
as the matter was one OF importance
to the people and he also cautioned the
speakers 10 contine themselves 10 the
subject who Is the legal successor
TO the Prophet Joseph Smith IN the
| presidency Of the Church Of Jesus
Christ Of Latter-day Saints
ELDER CURTIS OPENING AID
DRESS.
Elder Curtis then read from the MI
/ lennal star and other publications ao-
| counts OF ordinations, by those who
hold a lesser office " the priesthood,
OF others 10 a higher Office ia the
priesthood. He again referred to the
claim that President Young could not
be successor Of the prophet Joseph
because he had taught other doctrines
than those taught by the prophet,
while the revelation said the successor
should teach the same doctrines In
proof 81 This he read from the Journal
Of DiscourSes some Of President
Young's discourseS--the one on there
being in the church the Smartest !
gamblers IN the world etc, and claim
I'd that this, with the doctrines re-
ferred % last night showed that Brig
ham Young could not be the /
successor of the prophet. He |
also referred 20 the revelation re- 4
lating 10 seventies which provides I
for the organization " up 10 seven 1
times seventy and said that imme. 1
dlately after the death OF Joseph Smith 1
the apostles increased the number OF 1
quOrums from two 10 eleven, and the
increase was made by the apostles
and not by the presidents Of seven
ties as the revelation provided. He /
also stated that the men who had or
dained young Joseph were considered !
good fellows, according TO the records
of the church. until they assisted In
the ordination Of Young Joseph. and
then they were terrible fellows He
claimed that Marks. Blair and Gurley |
had not Joined other churches, as had
been stated, but had remained true
to the gospel as revealed TO the
Prophet Joseph. and that they had or
dained Young Joseph IN obedience TO
revelation received by them
He claimed that there was no author
fly for ordination Of the president Of the
apostles to the presidency Of the
Church reading from Church writers
"a that effect, and quoted from Presi.
dent Joseph F. Smith in the Reed Smoot
case that the succession OF the pres-
dency 10 the president Of the apostles
was only custom and that any man
could be selected 10 the presidency He
devoted much OF his time TO arguments
against polygamy, to show that this
doctrine vas ono OF the false doctrines
after the death NJ the prOph-
81, which doctrines showed those who
came 10 Utah had apostatized and not
those who remained behind
ELDER TANNERS REPLY.
Elder H. :. Tanner IN his closing
speech. criticized Elder Curtis for taxi
ing about so many things. which had
nothing 70 do with the succession In
the presidency The question Of polyg-
amy blood atonement. or who is or
is not our God. had nothing to DO with
the succession in the presidency, and
ne had not come down 10 discuss these
things. and had refused to do so. and
therefore the agreement Of the debate
hdd been made as 10 had
Elder Tanner then reviewed the or.
dinaton Of Joseph Smith and Oliver
CoWdery 20 the apostleship by Peter.
James and John, and that therefore.
mere was moi any excuse for saving
mat they ordained one another TO a
higher ONCE than that which they held
as had been claimed by Elder Curtis.
hlder Tanner also corrected the state.
ment OF Elder Curtis IN regard 10 the
Organization Of quorums Of seventy.
showing mat the revelation provided
Tor the ordination Of M 20 $4,000. He
also showed nom the history Of The
reorganization that some of the men
VINO ordained Young Joseph had been
member ~ other churches since the
death OF the Prophet which Elder Cur.
Iis had denied.
Elder Tanner then trll- cd. 5000. 49,
points advanced by Elder Curtis refutirg
mem IRON the revelations. such as the I
statement that fuiness 81 the eospel taB / ,
been revealed az The time ~ tAe reyril.
Ton given 20 Ohio which was shown by
,uoseqn'ni revelations not 90 mean that
ytaled 10 me saints Eid.r Tanner Sou. .
"a mat the things transpirlnr IN sotre, .
lhamoers spoken Of In the rryciatlou in 81
ISL. could not have referred 10 tta sno', +,
ICES a. had been claimed hv Eider Cur y
'E, tor me reason that the apostles d.
quorum vas not Boz existence AZ that tim .
ne also again referred o. the fact ~ ia y
blessings OF Oliver towdery being given {
~ ltyium and read patfiarJmal hIessirgs Z
given 20 HyruU in which DE- and bie 90 \
had been blessed. which blessings wsr'
Ing Iu,hlled. Tie also read from The
NlHennial star prophecy by me prorbe,
Joseph. that the Saints would "a NJ -.
Rocky mountains and there become :
great people. This had been derlsd a..
tider Curtis Elder Tanner read fror ~
'tlevation on priesthood. showing tt,f
me quorum Of apostles were e0usi A. r
power with that q The frs, presi5or.,.
.nd the statement of the Prophet Iosenb 4
smith that where he was not there ~. o
no first presidency. WY u
Elder Curtis. IN his io-minutes rios, D.
answered some q the arguments az pi6., %
amer and criuczed some o' he No. h
advanced by him IA some cases bsD,,,sss II
.hey we're from Mormon Church vort, \,
Joseph. i'ophet n
Al the close u the discusslcr 1-ts..- q.
-ufts ana Nauderwood expressed ttsrts n
% the audience, the moderate =, - I,.'l'hs