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


talned IN the endowment ceremony
I but IL Is very suspicious circumstance
I that every one OF the witnesses who
I made this denial refused 10 state the
I obligation imposed on those who Jake
| part In the ceremony
The evidence showing that such an
obligation Is taken IS further support
I ed by proof that during the endowment
/ ceremonies q prayer Is offered asking
| God TO ayenRe the blood % Joseph
/ Smith upon this nation and certain
/ verses from the Bible are read whlcl
are claimed to Justify the obligation
/ and the prayer The fact that such z
/ prayer Is offered and that such pas.
/ sages from the Bible arc read vas not
I disputed by any witness who was
/ sworn on the investigation. Nor was
! 10 questioned that by the term tho
/ prophets as used u the endowment
/ ceremony reference is made 20 Joseph
! and Hyrum Smith. That an obligation
! Of vengeance is part n the endowment
/ ceremony is further a'tested by tie
l fact that shortly after testimony had
I been given on that subject before tnF
/ committee, Bishop Daniel Connolly ~
! the Mormon Church denounced the wit
| nesses who had given this testimony as
I traitors who had broken their oaths 10
/ the Church.
The Tact that an oath ~ vengeance II
| part OF the endowment ceremonies and
| the nature and character or such oath
was iu1lcIally determined in the Third
l judicial district court of Utah I'm tha
| year 1859 in the matter of the applica-
/ ton of John Moore and others 90 b.-
. come citizens Of the United States IN
/ an opinion denying the application. The
| court says
In these applications tho usual evil
| dence on behalf Of the applicants as 10
| residence, moral character. etc. was
! introduced al former hearing and
was deemed sufficient objection was
| made, however, 20 the admission q
| John Moore and William j. Edgar up-
on the ground that they were members
| of the Mormon Church, and also bt-
| cause they had gone through the on
| doWmcnt house OF that Church ana
there had taken an oath or obligation
! iucompa uble with the oath OF citizen.
ship they would be required TO taks II
admitted O..
Those objecting 10 the right Of These
| applicants 70 he admitted 10 citizenship
| introduced n witnesses who had been
/ members Of the Church Of Jesus Christ
| Of Latter-day Saints commonly called
/ the Mormon Church Several OF
these witnesses had held the position
| Of bishop an the Church and all had
| gone through the endowment houss
| aud participated IA rs ceremonies. The
| testimony ~ these witnesses Is 10 tns
effect that every member Of the Church
| d. expected TO go through the endow-
| ment house, and that nearly all do sol
that marriages are usually solemniZsd
there. and that those who are married
elsewhere go through the endowment
ceremonies al as early date thereafter
as practicable IN order that the mari
tai relations shall continue throughout
eternity.
con behalf 81 the applicants II wit
uesses testified concerning the endow-
ment ceremonies. but all Of them de-
clned 20 state what oaths are taken,
or what obligations or covenants are
there entered into, or what penalties
are attached 70 their violation; and
these witnesses, when asked for their
reason for declining 20 answer, stated
that they did so "on a point OF honor.
while several stated they had fOrg0t-
ten what was said about avenging the
blood n the prophets. ,.
The witnesses for the applicants,
while refusing 20 disclose the oaths,
promises and covenants OF the endow-
ment ceremonies and the penalties At
tached thereto. testified generally that
there was nothing In the ceromonis IN
consistent with loyalty TO the govern
meut Of the United States. and that tie
! government was not mentioned. one u
the objects Of this investigation Is ID
ascertain whether the oaths and ohll-
cations OF the endowment house ara
/ IflE rffffh unsA n ia
81 is not Tor applicants witnesses 70 de-
termine this question. The refusal Of
applicants witnesses 20 state specih-
Clally what oath, obligations, or cove
nants are taken or entered into IN the
ceremonies renders then testimony ~
but little value, and tends 10 confirm
rather than contradict the evidence on
this point offered by the directors. The
evidence established beyond any rea-
sonable doubt that the endowment GER
/ emonies are inconsistent with the oath
au applicant for citizenship Is requlr-
Cd 20 take. and that the oaths. obliga-
tons or covenants there made or en-
tered into are Incompatible with the CO.
legations and duties OF citizens OF tho
United States" Vol 4, up. 34O-343D
The obligation hereinbefore set forth
Is an oath Of disloyalty 10 the gov
] 'INlllFI4l WHICH the iulfN OF lNt MNfNINn
! Church require. or at lease encourage,
I every member Of that organization 10
/ take
10 is IN harmony with the views and
conduct Of the leaders OF the Mormon
people IN former days. when they OPEN
| Is dened the government ~ the Unitei
| States and Is also IN harmony with ths
| conduct Of those who give the law 10
! the Mormon Church today in their ,le-
| fiant disregard Of the Laws against poly.
/ gamy and poygamous cohabitatl0n. 10
l may BE- that many Of those who taxa
/ this obligation do 50 without realizing
! its reasonable import. but the fact
/ that the FIRST presidency and twelve
apostles retain an obligation Of that IA
| ture In the ceremonies Of the Church
Z shows that an heart they are hostile 90
/ this nation ana disloyal to IT'S govern
l ment
And me same spirit oi disloyalty Is
/ manifested also IN a number 81 he
/ hymns contained In the collection IL
/ hymns put forth by the rulers OF The
/ Mormon Church 20 be sung by Mormon
congregations.
There can be- no question On regard -
| the taking ~ the oath oi vengeance by
I Mr. Sm0ot He testified that be went
I through the ceremony or taking thu
eudowments en- the yesr 1850. and ths
/ head 81 the Mormon church stated IN
his testimony that the ceremony isn now
! the same that IL has always been
An obligation u the nature 90 the 0rs
l before mentioned would seem % bA
wholly incompatible with the duty
which M smoot as n member of ma
United States senate would owe go the
nation. u IS difficult % conceive how
one could discharge The obligation
which rests upon every senator 90 80
perform his Official duties as % rrl-
mote the welfare % the people Of ths
United States ard no me- slime time D..
calling down The vengeance ~ heaven
on his nation because Of the killing "
the founders ~ The Mormon Church 4
years ago.