The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-04-11
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.


Mr.. Tayler-Running down to modern times. Do
you recall the marginal description of the text i'll
these words: "Polygamy right in the sight of Cod
Mr.. Smith-From Scriptural standpoint, yes.
would like to add that according to my best under
standing, the of that book by our elders is almost
entirely abandoned.
Mr. Smith testifyng in 1904. The edition Of
the book under consideration was printed in 1902
Yet he said its had been almost entirely aban-
doned manifesting facility for squirming out OF
a compromising position that was truly Mormon
In response to further questioning, he said that the
missionaries took with them the Bible, the Book Of
Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl
of Great Price, which, he said were the standard
works of the church. Two of them teach polygamy,
one of them containing the entire revelation
polygamy.
Continuing the testimony, it said:
The Chairman-Do you know whether they (the
mssionaries) provided with other doctrinal dec
laratons except the four books you have mentioned?
Mr.. Smith-None whatever, except at their
choice
The Chairman-They are not, then, to your know-
edge, provided with the manifesto of $780, suspend
ing polygamy
Mr.. Smith-No, sir; they are not supplied with
any documents.
These extracts from the testimony of the president
of the Mormon church are conclusive proof that the
becomes important in view of the recent court de-
cision which says that person in Idaho belonging
to an organization that teaches polygamy is qua,;-
fed to vote, hold office sit a jury
1t was brought out in the testimony that Presi-
dent Smith delivered an address at Weber stake
reunion on the 18th of June, 1908 and in that ad-
dress he presented Mrs. Bathsheba Smith, very
old lady, as living witness to the fact that Joseph
Smith, Jr, the original prophet, received the plural
marriage revelation direct from God In that ad-
Dress President Smith said:
Aunt Bathsheba, widow of George A. Smith, who
is the last living witness, so far as | know who
received her endowments while Joseph Smith WAS
living Here is Aunt Bathsheba, who received her
endowments in Nauvoo as they are now given in the
temples. She is living witness and, if necessary
she will tell us that she received these privileges
under the direction of Joseph Smith Opponents
say that Brigham Young established the endowmentS
and also plural marriage, but here is witness VINO
knows better Brigham Young only sought to carry
out the instruction he received from Joseph Smith
and Joseph Smith as he received it from God.
l would not like to sit in Judgment on any
of my brethren who not true to their families
and yet I do not think would be more severe upon
them than the Great Judge would be- have made
no covenants that not made in good faith and
will keep them as far as l can. When 1t comes
TO the principle itself can defend it as principle
of purity strictly in accordance with the gospel To
be Latter Day Saint, one must be honest with
himself, with his neighbor and with his God. have
received a testimony of the truth OF the prlncpies
of the gospel and | will try to keep them. JOSEPH
Smith revealed plural marriage and the endowments
and here is living witness to those facts. So am
l. for [ received it from those who received it from
Joseph Smith.
President Smith, still on the witness stand, tcst
fled to the correctness of the address, it rad
to him and said it was delivered by him the 18th
of Tune, 1908 as stated in the newspaper from which
il had been read, the Deseret News official organ
of the Mormon church.
That was thirteen years after the manifesto and
President Smith was still teaching poYgamy and