The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-12

WHICH was HlSCn ny my rather before tne
foundation OF the world and for their eSnlta-
ton In the eternal worlds, that they may bear
the souls OF men, for herein Ia the VOC .
dSd @ f''"'' e9''''"''' '"''' "' may - '''''
s, And again. verify verify. 1 say unto you.
II any man hath a wife who holds the Keys OF
this power and he teaches unto her the law
II my priesthood. as pertaining these things
then shall she believe and administer unto
him she shall be destroyed Eaid the Loi
your God. for 1 VIII destroy hor; for win
magnify my name upon all those who receive
and abide In my law.
e5. Therefore. 1t shall be lawful in me. II
oil things whatsoever l. the Lord his God
VIII give unto him, because sho did not min
,ster unto him according To my word; and sho
thon becomes tho transgressor; ond no Is eN-
en,pt from the law OF Sarah who ministered
unto Abraham according TO the law: when
commanded Abraham 10 take Hagar TO wife.
1t Is also shown that numerous other
publications of tho Mormon Church are
still circulated among the members OF
that church with the knowled ge and by
the authority of the church officials,
which contain arguments in favor of po-
lygamy. The Book of Doctrine and Cove
nants is not only still put forth to the
members of the church as authoritative
In all respects but the first presidency
and twelve apostles have never incorpor-
uted therein the manifesto forbidding the
practice OF polygamy or polygamoue
or in any way aualihed the reputed rove
lation to Joseph Smith regarding polyga-
my. And this Book Of Doctrine and
Covenants. containing the polygamie
being OF higher authority than the mani
testo suspending polygamy.
Bearing In mind the authority Of the
first presidency and twelve apostles over
the whole body of the Mormon Church,
It is very evident that If poygamy were
dscountenanced by the leaders OF that
church II would very soon be thing OF
The past among the members of that
church. On tho contrary. 1t appears that
since the admission of Utah Into the
Union as State the authorities OF the
Mormon Church have countenanced and
encouraged the commission OF tho crime
Of polygsmy instead of preventing IT, as
they could easily have done,
a sufficient number OF specific instances
Of the taking Of plural wives since the
shown by tho testimony as having taken
place among officials of the Mormon
Church to demonstrate the fact that tho
leaders In this church, the first presl-
dency and the twelve apostles. conniYe at
the practice of taking plural wives ana
have done so ever since tho manifesto
was Issued which purported to put an
end to tho practice. 1t has been SHOWN
by the testimony 80 clearly as to ieaye ave
one Lillian HaTllin became the plural
wJfc OF Abraham II. Cannon, who was
This is shown by tho proof Of these
facts: .
Down to the year 1895 Lillian Hamlin
was eingle woman, In 1895 she received
these attentions being of character to
Indicate that there was more than
two In June, 1896 Abraham n Cannon
Informed his plural wife that he was go
ing to California with Joseph smith
and Lillian Hamlin to be married TO LII
Han Hamlin at some place outside the
United States. While In California J3-
seph F, Smith went with Abraeo-n II
Angeles to Catalina Island After the re-
turn of the party TO Los Angeles Abra-
ham H. Cannon and Lillian Hamlln lived
together as husband and wife Return
ing to Salt Lake City. Abraham h Can
non told his plural wife that he had been
married to Lillian Hamlin From mat
time II was generally reputed In the com
munity and understood by the families
Of both Abraham II. Cannon and Lillian
Hsn that bs mar age mao Ssd heen
r!ed on the high seas by Joseph F, Smith.
Lillian Hamlin assumed the name OF
Cannon. and a child to which she after,
annon and inherited a share OF the cs-
ate OF Abraham H Cannon. The promi-
hurch the publicity given to the fact Of
dis taking Lillian Hamlin as a plural
wife, render II practically impossible that
this should have been done without the
knowledge the consent, and the conni-
vance OF the headship of that church
George Teasdale another apostle OF the
marriage with Marion Scholes since tn"
manifesto OF 1880. The president of the
Mormon church endeavors to excuse this
act upoa the pretext that the first mar
riage of George Teasdalc was not legal
marriage. but the testimony taken from
the divorce proceedings which separated
George Tcasdale from his lawful wife
wholly controyertS this assertion on the
part Of President Smith.
It Ia also In evidence that Walter Stead,
a prominent Mormon, contracted plural
marriage after the manifesto of 1890
Charles E. Merrill. bishop Of the Nor
mon church, took a plural wife In 1891,
moro than year after the Issuing of the
manifesto The ceremony uniting said
Merrill to his plural wife was performed
by his father, who was then and until
the time of his death an apostle In the
Mormon church II Is also shown that
John W. Taylor, another apostle OF the
Mormon church, has been married to two
plural wives since the issuing OF the So
called manifesto.
Matthias F Cowley. another Of the
twelve apostles, has also taken one or
more plural wives since the manifesto.
While tho proof that Apostles Taylor and
Cowley have married plural wives sine
the manifesto may not be SO free from all
possible doubt as is the proof In the case
of Abraham Cannon, the fact that the
proofs presented to the committee show
ing such marriages by Taylor and Cannon
stand wholly uncontrovcrted. and the fur
thsr fact that Apostles Taylor and Cow
ley. instead Of appearing before tho COM
ntittee and denying the allegation, evade
service OF process issued by the commit
tee for their appearance, and refuse to ap-
pear after being requested TO do so, war
rant the conclusion that the allegation is
true and that said Taylor and Cowlcy
festo.
While the fact does not appear from
any sworn testimony in the case, IL is a
matter of common report that Taylor and
Cowley have recently been dropped from
The list OF apostles. But this fact In no
way counteracts the influence OF the Nor
mon leaders in their encouragement of po-
lygamy When Taylor and Cowlcy took
their more recent plural wives they were
numbered among the apostles In good
standing. The fact that they had taken
plural wives since tho manifesto was we'll
known to their associates for months and
years, But they were continued as apos-
ties. and no action was taken in tho case
of either until the facts were revealed to
the world by this investigation. And It is
worthy of note that these apostles have
not been complained of or brought TO trial
before tho church courts for disobeying
the manifesto, nor have they been de-
prived OF their Office OF honors in the
church (as was done In the case OF Moses
Thatcher for a political offense), but they
are still members OF the church In good
standing, each still holds the office OF On
H. No ah,