The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-23

holds had been re-established on a. con-
siderable scale. but with the succession
OF Joseph L. Smith to the presidency or
the church the restoration of old condi-
tons became practically open. More than
any OF the prophets Successors has Mr..
Smith brought back In the church the
Brigham's ability or his capacity for
leadership but he has all OF Brigham's
fanaticisrn. all his aggressiveness. all his
fiery devotion TO the Mormon church.
In order to understand the character
Of President Smith. one must understand
the circumstances OF his early life. His
father was Hvrum Smith, the brother OF
the Prophet Joseph and, at the time Of
his death. the presiding patriarch OF The
church. In its earliest days Mormonsm
lived In constant conflict with it's neigh
bors; IN Ohio. In Missouri, in Illinois. its
early history was Il succession OF mob
bings, lynchings, and miscellaneous out
RACES.
Prophet Shot to Death.
These disturbances form the most
vivid memories OF President Smiths
born lin Far West. Mo. in 1889 his
father and his uncle were arrested, tried
on charge OF treason. and sentenced TO
death. The prophets were reprieved on
this occasion, but greater disasters await
ed them. In June. 1914. the widest dis
order broke out In the Mormon city of
Nauvoo: the Prophet Joseph, his brother
Hyrum. and several other Mormons were
arrested and taken to the Carthage Jail.
A mob surrounded the building, deter
mined TO murder the prisoners. EIyrum
was shot dying instantly; the Prophet
Joseph jumped from q. second story win
dow and filed with bullets s ne lay
on the ground. His last words were:
''The Lord my God" The present Joseph
was only years old-when the dead
bodies OF his father and uncle were
brought home.
The blood of the martyrs thus flows
ia. hn .ni, r,fJ .f,l,.
he ever permitted himself to forget IL.
When he was only eight. he started with
his mother on the long exodus from Maui
VOC to the valley of the Great Salt. Lake.
Joseph himself driving an oN-cart all the
way Fe has had practically no formal
education: on his way across the plains.
in the tent or by the light of the camp
fire. his mother taught him TO read: and
his reading has been largely confined to
the Bible. the Book OF Mormon. the Doc
trine and Covenants. and other orthodox
works
Enforces Temporal Power Of Church.
There are other than spiritual sides
to his character however. Four years ago
the present prophet, seer, and reYela-
tor" shocked the people of Salt Lake City
by appearing, With eight OF his sons, as
a spectator at an especially brutal prize
fight Like Brigham Young. ne believes
that the Mormon church is a temporal as
well as spiritual power. "He who says
can rule him spiritually and not tempo
rally" he once said in an address at
Provo. lies in the sight of Cod" Presi-
dent Smith has Illustrated his own belief
by himself bearing arms against the
American government. In 1851 President
force the federal authority, and Joseph
f. Smith Joined the Mormon militia
hastily called together, by Brigham Young
TO eNpel "thc enemy" In business and
Brigham. has the keenest instinct. Before
his elevation to the presidency he was
poor man, he Is now relhted TO be a.
millionaire. He is a director in the Union
Pacific railroad. the president OF several
banks and trust companies. the head of
a great department store and OF a wagon
company. president OF the corporations
that have control Of the beet-suEar bust
ness in Utah and Idaho. president OF a
large salt monopoly, and the editor OF
three magazines. He is trustee in trust
for a thcater. a dancing pavilion, and
bathing beach.
A Fanatic on Polygamy
In Mormonism thc doctrine that is
questionably poygamy. Upon that sub
iect he is all unylelding fanatic. some
people have supposed he said, in SER
mon preached July T. 1878. that the
superfuity or non essential to the saliva
ton or eXaltation Of mankind. In other
words. some OF the saints have said, and
believe, that a man with one vile sealed
TO him by the authority OF the priesthood
for time and eternity. will receive an
eXaltation as great and glorious, it he is
faithful as he possibly could with more
than one. j want here to enter my
solemn protest against this idea for
know il Is false. / understand
the law of celestial mariage to mean that
every man In this church who has the
ability 10 obey and practice 1t in right
eousness. and will not shall be damned:
say j understand II to mean this, and
nothing less, and I testify in the name OF
Jesus that il does mean that.
The marriage OF one woman to a man for
time and eternity by the sealing power,
according TO the law of God, is fulfill
ment OF the celestial law OF marriage In
part-and is good so far as IL goes. But
this is only the beginning OF the law, not
the whole OF It,"