Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-16

from his official position for writing a
letter TO a newspaper critlcising Mr.
smoot and his political ambitions
In another instance, occurring IN 1897.
Mormon official was deposed from
his official relation 10 the Church for
distributing at q school election a
ticket different from that prescribed
By the Church authorities.
In the year 1895 teacher IN tho
Mormon Church was cut OF from the
Church for apostasy, the ostensible
foundation for this charge being n crit
lcism Of the head OF the Church FOR his
polygamous practises the real ground
being that the accused had persisted tn
engaging In the manufacture OF SAT-,
against the interests OF the president
Of the Church and some Of his assocl-
ates.
In what Is known as the Brdsall
case the officials OF the Mormon
Church assumed jurisdiction Of f. con-.
troyersy concerning the title 20 real
estate. and not only directed q con-
veyance OF the title 10 a tract or land'
but went further and enforced JUS de-
cree by spiritual penalties. As mas
already been stated, no member or me
Mormon church with possibly single
exception has ever been as
clpllned for polygamy or poly
gamous cohabltauon IA defiance
Of the law and ~ the mani
festo. but an obscure and feeble
woman was excommunlcated from lbe
Church ana driven 10 the verg" OF
insanity for refusing 20 obey the dc
tates Of the Church leaders ana rem
ouish the title to a piece Of land IN
favor N one who had no shadow NJ
legal title thereto. As was tesunc1
by one ~ the witnesses Tor the pro-
testauts;
whenever man disregards tho
teachings and Instructions or cuunsels
~ the leaders ~ the Church he mas
the spirit 81 apostasy'
A forcible illustration ~ the DOM
nation Of the leaders ~ tho Mormon
church over the secular affairs of mo
people Is furnished by the fact that
while a majority Of these leaders nave
for years been living in polyg9mous
relations I'm defiance 81 law, mo- one
dares 20 attempt Ia bring them 10 JUS
tee FOR fear Of the consequences Whlsh
would bevislted by he Church on inc
one who should make the complaint
And whenever one has been daring
enough 10 make complaint for polyga-
nous cohabitatiou against any mem
Der OF the Church the officers OF the
law have refused to prosecute or those
who were prosecuted and convicted
have been released after the inilicuon
Of a merely nominal punishment
The control which the governing
4
over the secular affairs OF the state ~
Utah Is well illustrated by tho TACT
that for many years past what are
known as religion classes have been
taught In connection with the public
schools NJ that state In these classes
the youth Of Utah are instructed in
the doctrines OF the Mormon Church
by teachers in the public schools, sup
ported by state taxation, the course
OF study being prescribed by officials
Of the Church This course u study
includes the lives Of noted M0rmons
whose chief claim 90 eminence IN the
Church lies in their having taken a
multiplicity OF wives and I'm their con-
tinucnce IN the crime NJ polygamous
cohabitation.
The teaching Of the doctrines faith
and practlSes Of the Mormon Church
I'm the public schools 81 Utah. under
the direction Of the high priesthood OF
the Church. r. not only contrary 90 the
general law governing the use ut
schOolhouses as oXpounded by the
courts Of this country but Is also exc
pressly forbidden by tho constitution
~ the State Of Utah, which provides
/ IN article J. section Z, as follows
no public money or property shall
. be appropriated for or applied 20 any
religious worship. exercises, or instruc.
I ton, or for the support Of any ecclesi-
hstical establishment" (SchOheld v
! School Dist. p Conn. 4e9; Spencer v
Joint School Dist Is Kans., 259
I School Dist, " Arnold, q, Wis, G51I
such teaching Is also prohibited by
statute OF the state of Utah, which
Z declares that no atheisiic. inhdol sec.
I tartan, religious, or UNCONVENTIONAL
doctrines shall be taught IN any Of the
district schools Of this state. Revised
Statutes OF Utah. sec ls4SD
The conduct Of the ruling authorities
Of the Mormon Church In directing
the teaching Il religion classes" in
the schoolhouses Of Utah affords a fair
illustration Of the contempt with
which the rulers Of that Church treat
all laws ana restrictions which stand
IN the way ~ their desires, OF ~ their
own Interests or what they conceive
10 be the Interests of the Church Of
which they are the head.
The fact that these religion classes
have been discontinued since their eX-
istencp was revealed hy this iuycst.-
cation serves Jo emphasize the truth
that the Mormon Church dominates
the affairs ~ th- state 90 Utah iD edu-
cauonal matters as wei az boz other
rgSpDCts