The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-29
Mormons and Polygamy
Caldwell (Idahol News.

Recently Brigham II. Roberts, one
of the leading Mormon officials, an
swered, In the Tabernacle OF Salt Lake
City, an open letter addressed by the
Ministerial association OF that city in
regard to the Mormon attitude on the
subject of polygamy. Very little doubt
can be IN the mind of any one as to
where the Mormon church stands on
this subject. Roberts was frank in his
statements. He says that the church
still believes that the practice of po-
lygamy was authorized by the Al
mighty, though il was suspended by the
same authority. He also said that it
was the duty of those who had plural
wives TO live with them; that by so
doing they were honoring themselves,
their wives and their church. Of course
if this states their faith and practice
1T is we'll to put it so plain and straight
forward that the entire country may
understand il. If the church does not
occupy the position stated by Roberts
there was never a better time to cor
rect his statement than when he ut
tered them. The presidency OF the
church and The apostles were present
and heard what he said. But not one
of them opened his mouth to dissent
from or disapprove of his declarations
on the subject. Can we do otherwise
than accept his statement as the posi-
tion of the church in regard to polyg-
amya
IL this is correct is it not about time
for non Mormons to cease defending
them when they are charged with still
believing in and practicing 1T, 1t
for political reasons still maintain that
polygamy is a thing of the past. We
regret this, but that is the way we
see it. We can say that we do not
believe it will survive much longer the
enlightenment of this age, but the rea
son is not that the Mormon leaders
have given il up. 1t is due to the fact
them 90 back TO the old conditions of
openly taking new wives. The Nor
mon leaders, we have no doubt, gloried
in the utterance of Mr.. Roberts
though a little later on they may de
clare otherwise,
To those who know the Mormon peo-
Pile the declarations of Roberts did not
come as a surprise. 1t was Just about
time for them to faunt their practices
in the face of America. The Senate Of
the United States had pronounced in
favor of Reed Smoot being retained in
the Senate. This was a decided gam
to the Mormon church. They felt safe
and so have decided to take another
step back towards the old conditions,
If encouraged by political Preterment
they will go to greater lengths in their
retrogression If, however they are
checked and given to understand that
their publicity will not be tolerated you
will see them face about to gain favor
and power
We wish the Mormons would act III
way that we might trust them. They
have some good and honest men
among them, but they do not put
such men forward. They are not
honoring with leadership their men
who have only one wife. IL they
did, little or no complaint would be
made against the absurdities of their
religious faith All men would tolerate
this, Just as they do now the different
sects in America. We may regard
man IS faith rs absurd and yet give
him our confidence and respect but
when, in the guise Of religion, he seeks
to perpetrate crimes and misdemoan-
ors that initiate against the public
veal then we demand that such ex-
pressions of faith be checked, or better
still, eradicated. AS matters stand to-
day we must watch every movement of
the Mormon hierarchy.
The paper from which the above is
clipped is edited by Mr.. Clays, former
pastor of the Christian church in Salt
Lake City,-Editor Tribune.