Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-01-18
PRESIDENT JOSEPH SMITH AND
MORMONiSM.

TO the Editor OF The vermont ThHhlA;
DEAR SIR:-It was with interest ana
considerable surprise that the writer o.
this has read the accounts of the welcome
lately accorded to President Joseph smith
and his Mormon following at south Roy
alton. and the subsequent editorials on the
subject tina ha 5e appe red IN various YER
mont newspapers Tie writers OF these
articles all al parently comfortably cen
slider the incident as closed. BaI the ihci-
dent never is closed where Mormons ana
Mormonism are concerned, as united
States Senator Dubois OF Idaho eouid ten
them. who said this last fall that he mad
been lighting Mormonism for 20 years.
The Mormons, having secured the lot OF
land in Sharon and South Royalton. were
undou btedly, suppose, within their legal
rights in erecting a monument on II 10
any man. woman or child, good, bad or m
different. born on the spot, but that the
people OF the two towns should have wei
comedn the Latter Day Saints, and by
their presence at the dedieatory eeremo-
MES should have assisted in honoring the
memory of one whose notorious career re-
fleets anything but glory on the place OF
his birth, as history plainly shows, was
surprising. and equally surprising was "
that other people in the state should re-
gard the performance seemingly with in
difference.
Under the circumstances, | would like
t call the attention of Nermonters TO the
following bit OF current history. II will
be remem bered that the territory OF Utah,
after bitter and protracted struggle be-
tween the authority of the United States
and its people on the point OF polygamy,
was finally admitted ten years ago as
state into the Union by proclamation OF
President Mckinley, Jan. 4, 1896, on the
express condition, and after the most sol
eml pledges having been given by the
Mormons that the practice OF polygamy
should cease. AS worded in the constitu-
ton OF the new state, accepted and ratified
by the people Of Utah in convention, 1t
was provided that ''perfect federation OF
religious sentiment shall be secured" etc,
shut that polygamous or plural marriages
are forever prohibited"
For a while polygamy was ostensibly
given up, the fact of its still existing
among the Mormons, and among Nor
mons in high standing in the church, be-
ing well-kept secret far IN the back
ground, but the doctrine OF polygamy or
plural marriages, a belief in which the
Mormons hold to be essential to salvation,
has never been even ostensibly abandoned,
If any one doubts these statements, let
him give heed to the following records OF
three Of the most prominent Mormons
who were at Sharon, as given by them
selves before the United States Senate
committee OF privileges and elections in
vestigating the right of Reed smoot to a
seat IN that body, and sitting in Washing
ton in 1904.
In. 1900, Joseph Smith, the nephew OF the
first Joseph, ''Seer and Revelator,n became
president of ssthe Church OF Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints, and this Joseph. the
President Joseph of the South Royalton
dedication, in the spring of 1901, defiantiy
acknowledged to the Senate committee
that he had never given up his plural
wives, and had children then Of tender age
by some OF them.
Dec. II, 1904 Charles w. Penrose, editor
of The Deseret News, elected one of the
twelve apostles OF the Mormon church, in
July, 1904, twas sworn. He said he was a
polygamist with two plural wives living.
Being asked, 'Did you receive special am
nesty at the hands OF President Cleveland
in which one OF the conditions was that
you should he elfter obey the laws
relating 70 living IN polygamy ?"
And hive you lived up to that am
nesty ~
'.No, sir
Dec. II, 1901, John Henry Smith Of Salt
Lake City testified that he became an
apostle in 1888, that he had two wives and
10 living children, four OF whom were
born since the manifesto OF amnesty OF
President Cleveland, and that be was one
OF the signers OF the petition for amnesty.
And this is the way the president and
apostolic heads OF the Mormon church
keep their osths to our government, aud
the example that they set their followers
IL is the same Charles W. Penrose. editor
OF The Deseret News, the organ OF the
Mormon church, who i, now reported IN
one Of the Vermont papers as delivering
"a stirring address" at Sharon on Dec. 23d,
and in the evening, at South Royalton,
speaking boldly on the Mormon creed y
The paper does not inform us on what
points OF doctrine Mr.. Penrose spoke, but
y hardly seems probable that he selected
that OF the duty OF plural marriages TO
make "a stirring address, on, or that his
'boldness" went so far as to point out the
practical opponents OF polygamy present
In the persons of President Joseph Smith.
Apostle John Henry Smith, Apostle
Charles w. penrose and possibly others in
this group of Latter DAY Saints.
Once more, II was in 1904, and before the
same Senate committee, think, that one
OF his fellow apostles OF the Mormon
church upbraided Reed smoot for coward
ice IN not avowing his belief in the doe
trine OF plural marriages. This doctrine
oil polygamy was given TO the church they
say, in "a revelation from the Lord y and
lows
"For behold | reveal to you a new and
everlasting covenant, and ii We abide not
that covenant, then are We damned; for
no one can reject this covenant and be
permitted TO enter my glory. He
nat receiveth fullness thereof must and
snail abide the law, or he shall be damned,
saith the Lord Cod
what have written above is concerning
but one bit OF very recent history, and on
one point only regarding Mormon doc
Lrine and practice, but there are many
others TO be found by one who reads his
loery ana watches with care the signs OF
ne times. II certainly seems desirable
hat the Vermont people should be ac-
ln4Inted With the truth, and ! hope that
vermont newspapers will COPY and dis
'eminate widely this plain statement Of IL.
Yours respectfully,
KATHARINE MILES.
Il