The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-11-09
The Forfeited Gift.

The FORFEITED U1ft.
It is useless to deny it is hypocrisy to evade the
grim fact that the Mormon church has never re-
linquished polygamy. Brief times there have BEEN
and possibly of those short periods is now in
which the church exercises the utmost circumspec-
ton in permitting the soemnization of poygamous
marriage. Occasionally, in the most solemn way,
the chief rulers assert that polygamy has been
pended Abandoned; but always in the United
States in Canada or in Mexico, the favored ones
take wives, and always polygamous living
goes without interruption and almost without
restraint The proof of the secret polygamous mar
rage, we'll concealed from prying eyes until the
statute of limitations has against it, is proved
in the subsequent fragrant polygamous living.
Not one authoritative word against polygamy or
polygamous living is permitted to emanate from
the Mormon church. The books of the faith con-
tanning the doctrines continue herald abroad the
so-called sanctifcation and the sole saving power
of poygamy. There is mitigation of this abso-
lutte doctrine; there has never been a sermon
preached III the Mormon church against polygamy
there have been ten thousand preached for it. The
despohc criminal who stands at the head of the
entire government miscal1ed the Mormon church.
says that any that denies the divinity of poygamy
also denies the Mormon faith and to prove precept
by example, he lives with five wives
1t any one is foolish enough to believe that this
monstrous iniquity can continue and be protected
by political bargaining he mistakes the sense of
righteousness which abides in the American heart
When the Government of the United States framed
what was IN effect its treaty with the government
OF the Mormon church, part of the high converi-
ton was return of the Mormon church property
which had been previously escheated because of
many crimes and misdemeanors That return of
millions of property was based upon set condition.
l. e., that the Mormon church should abandon its
idea of government in rivalry with civil govern
ment. Making abandonment of its se1f-asserted and
usurped prerogatives in civil government over its
masses the church would also abandon poygamy
political control and influence and it's business mo-
nopolies. This condition with all its parts was to
be fulfilled literally. There was no eouivocation
about the understanding. At that time there was
not any question about the completeness of the
pledge
Acting upon this abandonment by the church of
the prescribed things the Supreme Court of the
United States and Congress of the United States
restored the escheated property to the possession
OF the rulers of the Mormon church
But the condition was the inherent cause of the
and that condition remains as the cr,1x
IF the whole proposition.
The condition has been violated. all and sepa-
-ately.
There is no longer anything but the most shallow
'retense of compliance by the Mormon church The
organ OF that unchristian, un-American and Grim
nal government goes further and denies that there
vas any covenent which constituted condition
AS the treaty has been violated in its every par