Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-10
ceremony, sanction words Of the partici-
pants, Until death do us part"
EPIsCoPALIANs, TOO.


pants. Until death do us part
EPIsCoPALIANs. TOO.
As to the apostasy. proclaimed by
the batter-day Saints as having taxi
en- place. tho speaker pointed out tndt
any statements made by them We're
no less emphatic along that line than
were the declarations OF the Eplco-
pal creed, which We're to the effect
that there had been an entire depar-
ture from the gospel of Christ lor
period OF 500 years. The only diff
terence, said Elder Roberts. was that
Mormonism preached restoration AS
we'll as an apostasy. The fact was
that the reviewers did not like their
own medicine. AZ to the reputation
by Mormonism of the light and I'D
y6ncement and civilization brought by
so-called Christian influence. 1t was
pointed out that In the opinion of
many thinkers of this and other ages
that those conditions had not come
churches, but in spite OF them.
1t was explained by Elder Roberts
that the address was brief because
1t was not intended as q complete eX-
position OF the Mormon faith but as a
declaration OF the present attitude OF
the Church.
THE GoDHEAD.
The reviewers criticism OF Nor
monism's doctrines of the Godhead
and of the heavenly parentage we're
next considered by Elder Roberts.
Most of the ministerial quotations
were taken from individual opinions
and not from the standard books of
the Church. But he did not propose
to dismiss the subject on these
grounds. The Episcopal creed rela-
y HA
ing practically what the other
churches teach relative to the matter,
and IL was shown that the idea of
God being possessed of a body OF
flesh and bone and spirit was incul-
Gated therein and then in turn made
contradictory. The sectarian world
comedies to Christ mother. but de-
MES to him father; on the other
band, it denies to the spirits of men
n mother. while agreeing that they
had a ia Their. To prove the humanity
of God and the divinity of man, Elder
Roberts quoted extensively from the
writings of Rev. r. j. Campbell of
London, Eng, head OF the new Chris
tian thought society. Principles that
are now receiving the sanction OF
millions of thinkers, and thought TO
be of recent origin, were proclaimed
by the Prophet Joseph Smith more
than 20 years ago.
The reviewers charge OF the use OF
arbitrary power by the Mormon Priest
hood was refuted by Elder Roberts.
He read a paragraph from the address
itself under that head, and wondered
why the ministers did not include the
Who'll quotation in their review. To have
done so would have defeated their own
purpose, and was unfairly omitted by
them.
AS TO PoLYGAMY.
Relative TO the chief criticism of the
reviewers. namely that of polygamy
and polygamous living, Elder Roberts
said:
They claim that they have no means
of knowing Just what the status of this
subject is among the Latter-day Saints.
/ Will just read. we have no means
of knowing 10 what extent the practise
of plural marriage has been discon-
tinued in the Mormon Church. We
know that they cannot he celebrated
without the sanction OF the Church
through credited officials So far as
the public knowledge goes, no official
who has celebrated such marriages
have been disciplined therefor is cer-
tain"
And they express the belief that new
plural marriages--or at least that there
have been polygamous marriages since
the Woodruff manifesto. But through
out one cannot help but believe that
these gentlemen are not quite candid
with reference 10 this subject. l do not
believe that in the State of Utah there
Is anyone, In the Church or out OF the
Church. that does not believe that the
Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day
Saints has stopped the practise of plu-
raj marriages In the Church. | be-
lieve that everybody is settled In mis-
conviction in relation 10 that matter.
Now, then. il is true that when any
procla nation Is first Issued din ereacss .
of opinion and Interpretation almost
necessarily arise concerning matters OF
this description. and when the an,
nouncement was made in Presl lent
Woodruff's manifesto of the discontin-
nance OF Plural marriages and the nd-
vice was given that people should i've,
or contract, rather, no marriages con-
ti.ry to the law the question arose IN
thu. minds of some whether That NJs
not confined 10 marriages within the
United states. and IL marriages o. th's
kind were o bstained from within the
Urited States, whether that did not
fulfil the covenants and the promise
ilnIled in that manifesto, and the ma
ter was discussed Ultimately. how
ever. the conclusion was newt abe
that tn. manifesto forbade marriages
I'm all the world. plural marriages, 20
far as the Church was concerned. Re
,auso the Church Is nor a local Cnurcn.
I. is not the Church Of Jesus Clr'Sr 81
Lstter-day Saints In the United states,
but it is world wide Church. When
as general conference speaks, Il speaks
for the entire Church in all the world,
and hence | say the conclusion was IN
evitable that plural marriages were
everywhere forbidden.
And when men held tenaciously that
that is not the case. but that the
Church fulfilled it's agreement and
covenant by abstainlng from marrying
within the United states, when tina
was persisted In, there was but one
thing left, and that was 70 draw 'he
conclusion that such per-c-s vert out
Of harmony WITH the Church and that
they should withdraw and tender their
designations. That was done In the
case of two OF the twelve apostles,
Since that time there has been no ques'
ton in the Church as TO where the
Church stands on that matter. And |
dn,it hnlIaya thar there IL any doubt