The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-28
THE PoLYaAMous CIRCLE.

Gradually the light is searching out
the inner and darker hooks and corners
occupied by the polygamous cult of
the Mormon church.
Not long ago story came TO The
Tribune which had a look of reasonable
ness about it: but VIC were minded to
make some investigation before making
it public. That investigation has been
made, and the story is herewith given.
1t appears that the cult has narrowed
its circle. Formerly it was the "priv-
ilege' of any man holding the Mel
chisedek priesthood to take a plural
wife-or more. That is, any man VI tho
was an elder in the church could get
permission to become polygamist pro-
vided he were in good standing and
met all other necessary requirements.
Of the Melchisedcks, the elders are most
numerous, and since the manifesto Of
1890 it has been deemed dangerous to
the church to allow polygamous per.
mission to such wide circle. There
fore the circle has been narrowed No
hah uuluibH IL Sjd duC VI lCSlUoOu BC-
low that of seventy OF high priest
the two having different spheres of
activity within the Melchsedck whole
may marry polygamously. It is even
now possible for plain elder to become
p0lygamist; but he is first ordained a
seventy or high priest, because tho
bond of secrecy i'll these grades is
stronger and grows stronger as the Off
clal priesthood rises in authority.
| Recently "the authorities proposed
to ordain one young elder TO quorum
OF seventy He was approached by
proper persons with the proposal Ger
tain questions were put to him. He was
asked if he believed in the principle
of plural marriage, and if so would he
take Il plural wife if ordained a sew
euty' He replied that he did not feel
financially able TO thus add to bis fam
lily burdens. lie was then asked if. upon
becoming able to do so, he would obey
the celestial law of marriage" He
replied that be would not. because he be.
lievcd that the church should abide by
the Woodruff manifesto.
That young man was not ordained a
seventy.
Now. IL is not our intention here to
assert that all men who nowadays are
ordained to be seventies or high priests
become new polygamists. But VIC do
mean to say that if the elder selected
for either place expresses a belief in
the righteousness Of the principle of
plural marriage, he is ordained under
| the hope that his hclief will ultimately
lead to practice. If one believes thing
| to be right, one is apt to practice it
fact Of which the priesthood take full
advantage.
But this exposition is enlightening In
one important respect, 1t explains why
1t is that the polygamous recrudesconce
has become general under cover Of a
secrecy greater than that formerly OBJ
served, rendering detection of cases
more difficult than ever The circle has
been narrowed, and the practice confined
to the more secret quorums of the
church And it is also Indicative of the
fact that there is no method too das.
tardly in the eyes of the polygamous
cult to be adopted in the porpetuation
Of their crime.
Surely the eyes Of the rank and file
OF the Mormon church should be opcned
10 the actual conditions before long.
] They see young women disappear sud