The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-14
IMPOTENCY OF THE MORMON GOD
AS Illustrated in the History, Practice and Col
lapse of Joseph Smith Revelation on Poygamy
BY J. F. GIBBS.

-Deseret News, September l. 1878.
In 1860 the United States concluded
that it would measure arms with the
Mormon God, and to that end passed
a law providing certain penalties for
polygamy in those territories over
which the federal government had
exclusive jurisdiction, But Uncle
Sam was too busy just then in
the effort TO stamp out the "twln relic
of barbarism' in the east to bother
with the smaller "relic' in Utah,
1t should be noted that while Uncle
Sam was too busy to tackle polygamy
that the Mormon Deity was supreme IN
Utah. But after the lapse of fifteen
years, or so, Uncle Sam took off his
coat and proceeded TO try conclusions
with the Supreme ruler of Utah. The
prophets fell back on the plea that po-
lygamy was part of their religion and
that, as such, the United States had
nothing 10 do with it. The mouthpiece
of the Mormon Deity held that;
The Latter-day Saints do not consider
this question OF monogamY or plurality
within the purvicw Of the state. but pure
ly an ecclesiastical matter governed by
divine law and administered and regu-
lated under divine authority.-Deseret
News, January l6- 1879
Hundreds of the saints went 10 the
penitentiary, while other hundreds took
To the Underground for safety. Some
of the saints began TO weaken and sug-
gested a surrender. But the Mormon
God through his prophet, John Taylor
who was then president of the church,
urged the saints to continue faithful
as he had heretofore told them to stand
in Missouri, while he. the Mormon Deity
gave his '.enemies pyrotechnic dis.
plaV of infinite power.
Bossing Polygamy.
In fact. the crisis was such that
President Taylor had revelation on
the matter OF the divine prerogatlve
of bosslng polygamy. The essence OF
the revelation was that, thereafter. no
elder could hope for promotion in the
church unless he became polYgamst.
Seymour H. Young, one of the first
seven presidents of the seventy, imme-
diately vindlcated his right to promo
tion By taking a plural. Bishop John
Sharp was hailed before The court for
polygamy, and had the good sense to
see that the Mormon Deity WAS losing
his grip, and promised 10 thereafter obey
the laws against plural marriage For
that act of surrender. Bishop Sharp
was Immediately relieved of his ccclc'
siastical position.
Tho dilemma Of the prophets was in
creased by the disfranchisement of all
polygamsts, and which enabled the
" Lord g enemies 10 secure municipal
control of Salt Lake City. the especial
domicile of the yiceacrents. Also, the
Mormon church was disincorporated an.
It's property cscheated to the federal
government The author of Joseph
Smith 5 revelations was beaten to n
- fraZzlc.' and freely conceded defeat
The public announcement of tho sur
render came during the October confer
cncc, 1890, The prophets, thirteen of
them for themselves and their follow
ers. promised President Harrison that
they would thereafter obey the law
against plural marriage and plural CO.
habllation.
IL had been battle royal. with 10 To
| on Uncle Sam, who finally landed a
solar plcxus, and the Mormon God went
TO the mat and was counted out.
In this short discussion it is not per