The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-18
ROBERTS FALsIFIEs THE RECORD

mon tabernacle ON last Sunday after
noon 1t is right to say Of him tha
he deeply interested his congregation
for he is a forccful and magnetic speak
er; and his oratorical ability ranks hig
IN that realm. When he speaks, too, h
usually says something worth while. n
the following from our report of hi
sermon will signify:
From the midst OF these holy associa
uons denounce as maliciously false th,
charge that the Mormon church lacks II
It's respect and honor for womanhood. /
is not true
The attitude of the Mormon churcl
toward woman has been defined by tn,
highest recognized authority of that or
ganiZation-which Mr. Roberts is not
and the official announcements, made
at different periods in tho history OF
the church, are at variance with his
indignant outburst of Sunday afternoon
We will ''to the law and to the testi
mony." Joseph F. Smith, president
prophet, seer and revelator of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Lattcr-day
Saints, defined this attitude before all
the world when he testified in the
Smoot investigation at Washington. He
was examined with respect to certain
provisions and requirements as set forth
in the polygamous revelation contained
in the Doctrine and Covenants, which
is the official law book of the church.
With reference to the free agency en-.
ioyed by Mormon legal wives Joseph
f. Smiths testimony (offcial report,
volume /, page 20D was as follows:
Senator BaIley,-Is IL not true that in
consent her husband Is exempt from the
law which requires her consent?
Joseph +, Smith.-Yes; he Is exempt
from the law which requires her con-
sent,
Senator Bailey.-She is commanded to
consent, but II she does not, then he is
exempt from the requirement?
Joseph i. Smith,-Then he is at liberty
TO proceed without her consent, under
the law.
Senator Beveridee,-In other words
her consent amounts TO nothing?
Joseph +. Smith.-It amounts to moth
Ing but her consent.
Senator BeVeridge.-So that so far as
there is anything in there concerning her
1t might as well not be there.
This is the Interpretation of Mormon
law by its highest living interpreter.
Could anything be more contemptuous
Of woman? Simply stated, it is to the
effect that a man may be married to
a woman, to whom he is all in all in
lifo; each is the love Of the other g
youth, sacredly sworn to devote all
heir energies and affections to their
al hn la
lated eventually with the unclean polyg.
imous "principle' taught by the Nor.
non church, determines to take to him
'elf one or more plural wives; he |
the matter to his wife, and she |
becomes terror stricken in the thought |
hat his love has been stolen away from
Ter; she sees in the polygamous condi.
ion only life Of misery for herself |
md shame for her husband; her heart
# hearts, devoted to the man in all its
intense gentleness and loving regard,
efuses in the hope that thus she might
ave HIM from ruin and prevent the
destruction of her household IS happi-
less; the Mormon law authorizes him
o proceed as against her wish. and he
lunges her into the misery which she
reads, and does so under authority of
he law of the Mormon church Could
ny situation be conceived under which
woman might be ignored so complete
Y and in such utter contempt of her
Ight as established in the sacred law
hat they twain shall be one fesh"s
md this is the law Of the Mormon
hurch, interpreted by the highest liv-
az authority in that organization!
There is other highest of high Nor
Ion authority which we are disposed
present in refutation of Elder Rob-
rts upon this score. In the Deseret
'ews of October /, 1856, we find a re-
ort Of sermon delivered by President ,,
righam Young on September 81 of ,
hat year. Speaking concerning this
cry matter Of women IS detestation of &
olygamy, and incidentally showing the 6
respect and honor for womanhoodo
which Elder Roberts falsely boasted
from the midst of these holy associa-
ons' in the tabernacle on Sunday, {
resident Young said:
NOW for my proposition. IL is more
lrucularIy for my sisters, as Il is fre-
iently happening that women saw thar
,iey are unhappy, Men will say my :
lie, though a most excellent woman. d
IS not seen a happy day since I took {
y second WIFE, mo. not a happy day 7
4 a year.. says one; and another has l
u seen happy day for five years. II =
said that women are tied down and |
'used; that they are rnisused and have II
't the liberty that they ought to have. II
at many OF them arc wadlne through N
perfect flood OF tears. because OF The H
nduct OF some men. together with their II
yn folly.
i wish my own women to understand II
at what am going TO say Is for them n
well as for others. and l want those II
no are here to tell their sisters. YES. II
the women OF this community and |
en- write II back TO the States and do II
you please with II. I am going To H
We you from this time to the 9Th day
October next, for reflection, that YOU
ay determine whether you wish to STAY H
TN your husbands or not, and then I II
n going to set every woman at liberty II
I'd say to them, Now go your way, INV II
omen with the rest, go your way And n
wives have got to do one OF two H
lngs. either round up their shoulders H
endure the arrllctions of this world L
I'd live their religion, or they may leave, II
r / Will not have them about me I II
lVrf l. II