Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-18
l 4 fgsndalnental prIneIples Of your re.

,SthatoT SmOot--It would,
.SScnator knox--Is that correct?
senator Smoot-That ia correct.
senator knox--That Is ALL"
! pause here long enough to observe
tnut TINS, In connection with the creed
: nave read, conclusively shows tina,
me Mormon Church is not n thenorncv
ns me essential fact In the theocracv i
s sa, ne VIII OF the Deity as promul-
saled Dy priests is the highest POLITICAL
authority.
senator Foraltcr--r understand vo,,
V say mat rather than to undertake IA
ooey such revelation you would leaye
me country and so where the law az
me land would permit obedience TO the
revelation? '''S
Senator Smoot--Yes; If God had riv.
en- 1t to me Himself then / would he
cause | would feel then that / was
under direct obligations to my Maker
10 carry out what He revealed directly
TO me. and If could not do 1t in this
country | would go to- some other
country where l could
Mr.. Tayler--So that you would. of
course. obey the revelation coming
from God?
Senator SMOOTH I knew that God
had spoken to me. I would obey 1t.
Mr.. Tayler-Suppose the revelation
commanded of God was that you shou d
% certain thing and also stay in
the country?
Senator Smoot-Well, ] do not think
the God l worship is such Cod
This recital, which reads like d chap
yer from the Spanish inqulsition, con-
telns Senator Shoots belief as regards
ms duty in case of any possible con-
net between the law of the land and
any revelation which might be received
hy his Church or by himself directly.
J. quote his testimony because it suites
me Whoic case so far is 1t concerns us.
What liner or more accurate deciara-
uon OF 4 mans duty In relation to Cod,
10 the Church. and to his country could
there possibly be? His whole testimony
and utterance is of that careful. con-
selentlous, and reverent character, not
seeking IN any way to shield himself
from the Just consequences of any OF
his positions, which must have indelibly
impressed upon the minds of everyone
who heard him the conviction of the
absolute truthfulness and reliability of
his answers. He, then clearly states
under oath that he is not bound 10 obey,
ana Will moi obey, any revelation of his
Church in conflict with the laws of the
land. His answer is absolutely conclu-
sive upon this matter. He himself, and
ne alone, knows the exact state of his
mind and his purposes in this regard,
and 1t is this exact state OF his mind
that is the controlling point The
iruthfulDess and sincerity OF his state
ments have not been questioned. II they
could be questioned wlthou. any evil
dence OF overt act or statement on his
part to the contrary, u
of the oath of every senator present
might be similarly questioned. ] think
TINS fully meets the requirements OF the
third test l proposed. to Wit, riEii
inquiry into the mental attitude OF the
individual as to loyalty.
l Will not discuss the question as TO
Il .isfs
ator Shoots belief that he may re-
ceive Il direct revelation from God:
that he is capable of being In such
conscious fellowship with God, as to be
aware of His presence. or hear His voice.
and In that personal relation TO receive
the wish and command OF God, and that
for this reason he is constitutionally in
capable of being IL part of a manmade
government. This contention of pro-
testants. which will be found on page
6l2 of volume of the testimony. In an
answer to Mr.. Tayler, counsel for pro-
tcstants. 10 question propounded
by me, is in my judgment too
absurd to demand and serious
consideration. Every Christian prays
to God for guidance in matters both
spiritual and temporal, and patticu-
arly in times Of perple$ity and doubt,
but many believe that they receive
such guidance.
Snoot he could not have spoken to
Moses or Mahomet or Joseph Smith
or Brigham Young. as the case may
he. and as people variously believe.
am not prepared to attack the foun-
1ations of all religions based on reye-
lation by denying that God has the
power to reveal His will TO man. I
am not prepared to deny that the
Cmnlpotent Creator of the Universe
lacks the power to speak TO one of
His creatures, II such is His will. nor
am | disposed TO challenge the wisdom
of the fathers of this government who
provided that in such matters every
man should be pro ected in his In
dividual belief.
In this country of ours religious be-
lief is not an offense or defense. a
man may bslleve what he chooses
without fear of molestation from the
law or deprivation of his civil rights.
ON the other hand. his religious be-
lief will not avail him as a protection
If he violates the law.
Senator Srnoot merely says that he
believes it is possible that he might
receive a revelation. That is all. From
the Importance placed upon this mat
ter by counsel for protestants one
would be led to think that Senator
Smoot had been in the habit OF re-
ceiVing such revelations every day or
so. AS a matter or fact he mas never
received one. and so testified. He
merely asserts that he believes he Is
capable of receiving one. Surely this
Is not a danger OF such magnitude and
of such an imminent character as to
justify expelling him from the United
States senate. especially since he as
serts under oath that In case he should
have such a revelation, and II should
command him to break a law of tho
United States. he would leave the
country before violating the law
It was stated by counsel for the
protestants that the chief charge
against Senator Smoot is that he en-
courages. countenances and conniVes
at the violation of law" (Vol, 3, p.
GID Senator Smoot is one OF the
twelve apostles of the Mormon church.
and as such he has voted to sustain
in office members OF the Church who
continue to cohabit with wives which
were taken prior to the manifesto of
1890. and the admission OF the state
into the Union. IT Is claimed that by
thus voting to sustain them In the
Church he encourages. countenances.
and connives at violation OF law.
II will be borne in mind that in
doing this Mr.. Smoot merely approved
of their fitness and qualifications for
tho particular positions they occupied.
He did not IN any way pass upon tho
legality OF their acts, but merely upon
the moral quality OF the acts as meas
ured by the standards of that Church.
and therefore OF their fitness TO hold