The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-27

the general superintendent of the church
educational system. where he had nm
limited opportunities to carry off young
women into his polygamous establish
ment; and although he was publicly re-
moved from United States school be-
cause of his polygamy, the church not
only refused TO take action against him,
but continued TO uphold him until all
the world understood his status-and
then the church dropped him from his
Office and pretended never TO have had
knowledge of or TO have given approval
TO his crimes. Scores of such things,
nay hundreds, could he cited if the him
its Of this article could permit.
And even in the removal of such per
the church practices another hypocrisy,
for 1t holds out the promise TO these
men in secret that as soon as prudence
Will permit they will be restored to their
high positions in the church and will be
permitted to renew their aogrant gath
ering Of young women as wives
When it, was exposed that one Presi-
dent Mcdonald had been carrying on
an extensive plural marriage bureau for
the church in Mexico, John Henry
Smith, in behalf of the church, testified
that upon learning that Mcdonald was
exercising such authority derived from
a preceding president, prophet, seer and
revclator) his commission was with
drawn. But that testimony was not
given until long after President Nc
Donald died. The church had knowledge
of his solemnizations while he lived; it
only refused to have knowledge of his
after he died-when he
could no longer solemnize, The church
was responsible fort sanctioned
and approved-McDonald g solemniza-
in the wholesale business; and 1t only
ceased to approve when all the world
was reused to indignation because of
these crimes committed over the border
lines of n neighbor republic by Utah
men, who carried virgins y to Mexico
with them and brought back the young
women rs pretended wives.
The Doctrine and Covenants of the
Mormon church, tho official record of
the pretended revelations and laws
which govern the church, contains the
pretended commandment from God
Almighty requiring polygamous mar
riage. Some OF the striking passages
of that pretended law are as follows;
Therefore, prepare thy heart TO receive and
obey the instructions which ] am about to
give unto you; for NIL those who have this
law revealed unto them must obey the same
For behold [ reveal unto you new and
an everlasting covenant; and il ye abide not
that covenant, then arc ye damned; for no
ono can roioct this covenant, and he per
mitted 10 enter into my glory,
Then shall they be Gods, because they
have no end
Abraham received concubincs, and they
bear him children, and IL was accounted unto
him for righteousness. because they were
given unto him, and he abode in my law, ms
Isaac also. and Jacob did none other things
because they did mono other things than that
which they commanded. they havo en-
tered into their exaltation, according to the
promises. and sit upon thrones, ana are not
angels, but are Gods.
David also received many wives and con
cubnes, as also Solomon and Moses my
wants, eS also many Othsf OF my servants,
from the beginning OF creation until this
time; and in nothing did they sin, save in
those things which they received not OF me.
And again, as pertaining to tho law of the
Priesthood; II any man cspouse virgin,
snd desire 20 espouse another, and the first
give her consent, and il he espousc the sec
ond, and they are virgins. and have vowed to
commit adultery, for they are given unto
him; for he cannot commit adultery with
that that belopgeth unto him and 10 no one
else.
And if he have ten virgins given unto him
by this Jaw, he cannot commit adultery, for
they belong unto him, and they are given
unto him, therefore he ia justified.
Neither in the Doctrine and Cove
nants, nor in any other volume Of the
standard church works, is there any de
nial, withdrawal or modification of this
law which commands the
practice of polygamy. In view of this
fact it is impossible for the church to
Cruthfully say that polygamy is not
practiced with the sanction Of the
church; it is absurd TO say that the
instances of plural marriage which have
occurred since the manifesto havo not
been with the approval and the knowl-
edge Of the church, Every ceremony
Of that kind performed has been under
the published law Of the church, from
which there has not been and is now
no derogation in any standard work of
church authority, These are facts, not
Now as to the proof of these polyg
amous marriages concerning which the
Deseret News usually becomes so de
the situation is something like
that described by a prominent Gentle
Of Utah, who said the other day on this
subject: Suppose man had all the
stock Of a corporation locked UP in his
vaults. He could safely 90 on brokers
row and bid dollar n share or ten thou
sand dollars share for the stock,
knowing perfectly well that no one
could deliver the goods. That is the
way with the Mormon hierarchy when
anyone looks for proof concerning new
ceremonies. They have the