The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-07
A CRIMINAL OMISSION.

sued by authority of the Utah branch
of the Mormon church. This section is
omitted from the present editions of
the book, and In fact has been so omit
ted III all editions (cxcept those sent
out by the Reorganized church, wherein
1T remains at this day. that have been
printed since the Utah edition Of 1876,
Curiosity has been aroused in the mat
ter, and there is anxiety on the part
OF some members Of the Utah church
to learn the nature of the contents
OF that expurgated section. Inasmuch
as 1T is comparatively short, we here
give 1T in full, as follows:
SECTION cIX.
Marriage.
l.; According to the custom of all
civilized nations marriage is regulated
by laws and ceremonies. therefore, we
believe that all marriages In this church
OF Christ OF Latter-day Saints should be
solemnlzed In public meeting. or feast.
prepared for that purpose, and that tho
solemnizatlon should be performed by
presiding high priest, high priest. bishop,
| those persons who are deslrous to get
married, OF being married by other au-
thority, We believe that II Is not right
| marrying out OF the church, II il be their
determination Ile;tS so 10 do: but such persons
| our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
| 2. Marriage should be celebrated with
prayer and thanksgiving: and ut the
solemnization, the persons to be married
standing together the man on the right,
and the woman on the left, shall be ad-
| dressed by the person officiating, he
shall be directed by the holy spirit and
| say. calling each by their names, You
| both mutually agree TO be each others
companion, husband and wife; observing
the legal rights belonging TO this condi-
tion; that is: keeping yourselves wholly
for each other and from all others. dur
ing your, lives" And when they have
husband and wife" In the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ and by virtue OF the
laws OF the country, and authority vested
and keep you to fulfln your covenants
from henceforth and for ever Amen"
8. The clerk of every church should
keep record Of all marriages solemnized
in his branch,
4. All legal contracts of marriage
made before person is baptized into
lhs church should be held sacred and
Christ has been reproached with the
crime of fornication and polygamy; we
should have one wife; and one woman
but one husband, except In case of death.
when either is at liberty TO marry again.
It is not right to persuade woman to
husband, neither Is II lawful TO influence
her to leave her husband All children
are bound by law to obey their parents,
and to influence them to embrace any
religious faith, or be baptized. or leave
their parents without their consent, is
unlawful and unjust We believe that
ercise control over their wives, children, |
and servants. and prevent them from en-
braclng the truth. will have to answer for
that sin.
As stated this particular section is
now omitted from the official doctrinal |
law book of the Mormon church. An |
examination of its contents, while yet |
keeping in mind the present practices |
of the priesthood, will readily reveal |
the necessity for casting aside this par
ticular portion of "the word of the
Lord through His prophet Joseph
Mormon marriages are not performed |
or solemnized Gin a public meeting"
for the reason that if that were ad-
hered to as rule and n custom it would
be impossible to contract the secret
polygamous marriages of today with the
approval Of the church, as the case
is at present. Members who marry out,
side the church are practically ostra-
ciZed and all efforts are made to dis
rupt families so formed. The form of
ceremony prescribed in the section is in
opposition to polygamy,
which is now practiced in the church.
No ward clerk keeps any record Of new
marriages. Marriages con-
tracted previous to baptism in the
church are not held to be sufficient,
and it is insisted upon that the temple
ceremony is necessary to complete
union, The declaration against polyg.
amy is unequiyocal and straightfor.
wardly plain, rendering that form of
coniugal relationship illegal and un-
godiy, and the issue of such relation z
ship necessarily illegitimate. Mission
aries do persuade wives to be baptized
contrary to the wish of their hus- {
bands; they do influence them to leave I
their husbands for the sake of the !
gospel as they say; they do entice
children into the church and away from
their parents; and they promise all Of |
those whom they endeavor to so in
luence that their sacrifice in this re- /
5pect will be rewarded by the Lord in
to the distress it entails. J
Il that section were still in force, none g
If these things could be done, provided d
here were any respect for what adher- b
,nts to the Mormon church pretend to Q
believe is the command of the AL .
mighty. d
When the Doctrine and Covenants
vas presented to the body of the church y
n Nauvoo ond sdonta5 IN tbo ooara. | .
'nee of the church as the official law y
'ook, it contained this section, but did n
lot hold the pretended revelation com.