The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-16
PERJURY AND POLYGAMY.


In a community as large as ours, Few
oyerzcnlouE individuals who refused 70
submit even TO the action OF the chureh
In such matter. or that these ,s lcw snpuiG Ir
find others who sympathized with tneir
views.
These two sentences arc taken from
that portion of tho recent manifesto OF
the Mormon church leaders which ap-
plies to polygamy. That document was
signed by Joseph T, Smith. the self"
asserted prophet, seer, and revelator OIL
the church. How far it agrees with his
own sworn testimony at Washington
may be seen by perusal OF these FOL
lowing questions and answers:
Mr.. Tayler-Is anybody lower down IN
the ecclesiastical court than a bishop an.
thorizsd TO perform marriage ceremonies!
Joseph F, Smith.-No.
Mr.. Tayler Then II must be plshop
or somebody higher than a bishop?
Joseph F. Smith.-Yes,
Mr. Tayler-Any apostle can perform
the marriage ceremony. OF course?
Joseph F. smith.-fes.
Joseph +. Smith, wish to say again,
Mr. Chairman, that there have been no
plural marriages solemnized by and WITH
the consent or with the knowledge OF
the consent or by the knowledge OF the
Church OF Jesus Christ OF Latter-day
Saints by any man. do not care WHO
he Is,
Mr. Tayler.-would 1t be such a VIC,
lation of the rule OF the church as would
Induce tho church authorities to take IL
UP like the violation OF any o'her ruie
would DO?
Taking all of these statements to-
gethcr, a pretty state of affairs ls DIS
closed TO the public view. First, the
new pronouncement Of the church says
that the organization has held TO lts
pledge to abandon plural marriage;
then it states that new plural mar
riages have occurred within the church.
Previous to the issuance of this latest
document, Joseph F. Smith (whose sig
nature appears as the first TO the new
paper) testified that no member
of the church except bishop or
other higher official was author
ized to perform any marriage cere-
mony whatever. Then he asserted
vigorously that no plural marriage had
occurred within the church since the
manifesto, with the knowledge or con"
sent of the organization; and he fur
ther stated that if any such had oc"
Cured, and came 10 the knowledge OF
the church, the violation of the law of
the church would be Investigated and,
imphedly, punished.
The acts of the Mormon church are
necessarily committed through indivld-
uals, and in order that they shall have
the sanction of the church these lndi-
viduaIs must be authorized officials.
This connection must be recognized IN
considering the occurrence of new plural
marriage ceremonies and the existence
of new polygamy within the church.
And that being true, then the church is
wholly responsible for such infractions
Of the law. 1t can not be otherwise,
If it shall be contended that these new
polygamous marriages have been per
formed by unauthorized persons, then
the duty of the church is doubly UT
gent to seek out and punish most rig
orously these men who are disgracing
their religion and their owreIigion-
lists by bringing into the world, and
into the membership of the body, scores
of illegItimate children every year
And if the new marriages have been of
fcially performed, the church must ac-
cept the responsibility for them, and
must not expect to be believed when it
protests, or when IL is asserted in its
behalf, that no such ceremonies have
been performed with the knowledge or
consent of the organization, And what
is its duty toward those officials who
have trampled the law under foot, and
who have defed the rule of the church
That is perfectly plain, and the disc-
! pline of the church should at once be
/ extended to reach these men
1t will be useless for the church to
say that ii is unable TO identify these
offenders against the law and rule of
the church. Joseph F.. Smith can per
sonally pick out from among his fol
lowers every new polygamst who has
married his wife or wives since Sep
tcmber, 1890 Neither the president of
the church, nor the organ of the church,
can successfully deny that truth Let
any man commit the offense of oppos-
ing the will or command of the pre-
tended prophet, in any other respect
than in that of polygamy, and how soon
would his fellowship be called into
question, and how quickly would he for.
felt his membership, if he did not re.
pent! Suppose that member Of the
church were to refuse continually to
pay his tithes, how long would he last
in that organlzation7 IF a man were
to only say that he did not believe
Joseph F. Smith to be prophet of
God, how rapidly he would be subjected
to the fnreical proceedings of the high
council.
But look you at the difference when n
member commits the crime of polyg
amy! Not word is breathed against
him. The brethren who would almost
swear ones life away, if one were to
refuse submission to the priesthood, sur,
| round the criminal with all the nr,tcc