The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-09
SPECIAL PLEA VS.. FACT.


places himself in touch with both sid 90
of the principal subject of controversy
IN Utah) and addresses letter 10 this
paper. in which he sets forth some of
bis views concerning the utternnces of
the church organ and the practices of
the Mormon church. With his opinions
concerning religion, whether that of
himself or of the Mormon people, The
Tribune has nothing to do. But one
sentence in our correspondent g letter
covers the case pretty well. He says;
"The News asks this Nation for peace,
and yet its church forces the people of
tho Nation 10 fight or most ignobly sur.
render themselves, body and SOUL into
the keeping Of the priesthood. -
To quote the most high and illus.
trious Joseph F., "that is the kernel
in the NUT From our correspondent 5
communication, which appears in anoth-
er column of this page, it is evident
that he has been close to the Mormon
heart Of hearts. He has discovered the
internal trend OF the ecclesiastical mind,
and has seen proof that the wall for
peace is but the hypocritlcal cry under
which the priesthood endeavors to mask
their encroacbments upon the people
and the institutions of this country.
Even in the days Of the original
prophet, who was the founder of the
Mormon cult, there began a policy of
direct opposition TO the laws of the
land, and consequently against the Con-
stitution upon which those laws are
based. That the presiding high priests
of the Mormon church at that time
knew precisely what they were doing,
aud were not acting in ignorance of
the law, is unquestlonably shown in
their own acts. When he was at Wash
ington, the president Of othe Mormon
church testified that the revelation COM
manding polygamy was received by 10
seph Smith, Jr. He also said that the
principles taught therein were communi.
Gated at that time TO the leading men
in the organization, but not to the
whole church.
Every other supposed revelation
which the original prophet professed to
have received was unhesitatedly pub
lished broadcast; but not the polyga-
nous one. Why was tbis7 The an.
swer is simple: II commanded an act
which was not only in defiance of stat
ute, but was most nauseatiugly abhor
rent TO the moral sentiment Of the com
munity in which the church existed at
that time. Therefore, the thing was
taught secretly. 1t was realized by the
original prophet that if he could get a
few OF the leading men committed to
the polygamous practice, and enmeshed
in the imprisoning net which character
ICES it, his rebellious soul could rest
in peaceful satisfaction that in the af
tertime the doctrine would spread and
its practice become more general. Thus
could he traitorously leave a disloyal
heritage to his people which would con-
tinue TO set them in defiance of the
Nation he hated with the intensity of
an epileptic and bigoted fanatic.
Brazen as he was, the first Mormon
prophet was not quite sure that even
his own people would mt first coun
tenance supposed revelation which so
evidently expressed the personal lech,
cry Of his own heart, And he was quite
sure that the law would have taken him
into speedy tow if he had promulgated
his villainous doctrine publicly. There.
fore, he taught it privately, submitting
1t first 10 one and then to another of
the leading brethren, until it became
somewhat strongly fastened upon the
leadership Of the church. But it was
impossible long to keep knowledge of
the ecclesiastical law breaking from the
community, and the passions Of out
ragged citizenship broke indiscriminate-
ly against leaders and people alike
But even then, the cry was for peace
The deceitful priestcraft of the church
wailingly and most piteously pleaded a
hypocritical desire 10 live in accord
with their neighbors and their surround
ings. But they, at the same time. alb.
somtely refused to act in accordance
with their professions. And because the
Gentle people would not submit to the
imposition upon the community Of the
immoral commands of the prophet, then
the church began TO howl "persecu-
tion!" They have maintained the cry
ever since. Just as they have the prac-
tices which provoked what they arc
pleased TO term persecution. From
one thing, it went TO another, until soon
the church was involved in a centro.
versy with the National Government it.
self. The United States refused TO sub
nit to the blasphemous dictum of the
Mormon church, and therefore it was
prosecutor of that body. And still
the deceitful cry was for peace. The
priesthood professed to desire peace
when they publicly inaugurated po,
lygamy in Utah; when they opposed the
officiating of Federal authorities here:
when they fought the laws os Congress
into the highest court in the land; when
they even more completely than now
dominated their people in politics; when
they commercialized their religious