Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-09

by the Mormon church in April 1905. He
| is director i'm the Beck Salt works. and
| told OF having been called to Salt Lake
| City to see President Joseph f. Smith and
| members of the first presidency which held
the controlling interests in the Inland Crys-
tai Salt company. In company with Rich
ard Taylor MIR. Smurthwaite met the FIRST
presidency he said, and was told By Presl-
dent Smith that IL he remained in the
salt business i'm competition with the
church he would be ruined.
81 told President Smith," said the wit
ness, that had the power to crush my
child, but not the right Mr.. Smith re
piled that this was business and | told him
that l thought business meant pront"
The witness then detailed the entire
interview. which resulted in no agreement.
as the church insisted that none of its
members should enter into competition
with the church. Mr.. smurthwaite was
communicated he said, in consequence
of this disagreement He spoke against
the church being in business and had
told his bishop that as Joseph f. Smith
was the exclusive agent of God In the
church his participation in business was
equivalent TO God being in business.
Finally he said he had publicly disclaimed
against his testimony on the subject OF
polygamous cohabitation and was tried on
charges OF apostacy and understandable
conduct and found guilty.
Lawrence Tells of Oath of vengeance.
Henry w. Lawrence of Salt Lake City
was the FIRST witness at the afternoon ses-
sion. He was born OF Mormon parents and
left the church In 1859 because he became
doubtful of the church system. He said he
was associated with others in the publics-
ton of the Utah Magazine. which advocated
the opening Of mines against the teaching
of the holy priesthood. His associates were
accommodated because of this policy early
in 1869, but action against him failed for the
reason, he thought, that he was then man
of affairs. Concerning the endowment
house ceremony, which he said he took
early in his life. he said no oath was sd-
ministered obligating him to covenant and
agree before God, His agents and the wit
nesses assembled to avenge the blood Of
the prophets Joseph Smith, Byrum Smith,
David Patten and Farley p. Pratt. His tes-
timony is the first that has been given by
any witnesses using the names of David
Patten and Farley p. Pratt in the oblisa-
ton. He said that as administered to him
the oath did not stipulate that the ven
geance must be taken upon this nation"
and in that respect the oath was ambIg-
uous He said he had psrticipa ted later In
administering the ceremonies TO others and
that no person could go through the en-
dowment house without taking the oaths
These were administered orally he said
and that as different parties oficiated it
was likely that the wording of the obliga-
ton might vary at the different cere-
monies
Lawrence referred frequently to the
tyranny of the priesthood that existed dur
ing his membership i'm the church and
Chairman Burrows asked IL that tyranny
existed today. The witness said that there
was more liberality shown now but that a
man who desired to continue in good stand
ing in the church must obey the leaders I'm
all things. In regard to teachings OF the I
church he said that nowhere in the books |
was there to be found anything directing
loyalty TO the government and that they
sang song containing the lines. Brigham |
Young is our king" He said from the !
preachings he had heard he believed that |
the teachings were the same today. He |
said the revelation OF polygsmy must be be- |
lieved by a good church member. whether |
he practiced 1t or not. for to suspend one !
revelation would be to suspend them ALL
Mormons Control state.
G. NJ. Owen. who has been employed In
getting evidence against Mr.. Smoot was
then called. Mr.. Carlisle submitted a list Of
the members OF the constitutional conven-
ton, all of the members OF the legislatures
and state officers and others who have held
office since Utah was admitted to statehood.
MI Owen marked the list showing that of
those represented every governor, secre-
tary OF state, treasurer, auditor and super
ntendent of schools had been Mormons:
that two-thirds OF the members Of every
legislature were Mormons; that I'm each
legislature there had been from one to ten
polygamists and in the constitutional con-
vention out of lis members there were sew
enty Mormons. thirty of whom were polyga-
mists. The supreme court was Gentle. lie
said, and the other courts mixed Mr. |
Worthington sought to show that two
thirds of the Utah population was Nor
mon, but owen said he did not think this
was true at the present time.
The committee adjourned until u O'Clock
tomorrow. Mr.. Carlisle said he thought he
could close protestants' case at the forenoon
session tomorrow.