The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-07
PRESIDENT SMITH AT BAY.

Smith of the Mormon church has so felt
sbc singing lash of The Tribune S fre-
ouent exposures of his personal per
fidy that he was driven TO the defensive
in his sermon in the tabernacle on
Thursday morning. He seems to have
found il necessary TO attempt to ca
iole his people into further aud con
tinued belief in his sincerity and
righteous aim by telling them that
throughout all his life he has remained
true TO the covenants which he has
made with his God. his people and the
world, His particular expression upon
this point is as follows, as VIC find 1t
in the Deseret News report Of his SER
mon:
] have been true TO my people and and
] have made with either. notw withstand
ing there have been mon who have
charged INC with being ono thing TO my
people and another 10 the world.
These charges arc not true in any
sense. ! want il distinctly understood
tina, certain things which arc charged
agSnst us as people e. mnus' noi hv S'~p ~G
enemies | do not care. hut ! do not want
TO be malisned by my friends.
Mr.. Smith s use of the term ''mauy
pledges is in his usual vein OF eva,
sion; but we shall deal with his state.
ment upon the understanding which
he attempts to convey that he has been
faithful to covenant and promise.
Mr. Smith was unable to refrain from
falsehood. as Judged by tho testimony
at Washington. in March, 1904. His
confessions there totally discredlt his
statement OF Thursday in the tabcr-
naclc. On pages 334 and 335, volume
|, of the official report OF the testimony
in the Smoot case we find the follow
ing:
Senator Overman.-Is there not
revelation published in the Book OF
Covenants here that YOU shall abide By
the law Of the state?
Mr.. Smith.-It includes both unlawful
cohabitaton and polySamy.
Senator Ovcrman.-1S there not n reTc-
lation that YOU shall abide by the laws
Of the state and OF the land?
Mr. Smith.-Tcs, sir
Senator Overman.--If that Is revela.
ton. are you not violating the laws OF
God?
MIR. Smith have admitted that. Mr.,
Senator. great many times here
How is it possible for Joseph f. to
reasonably claim, and to expect people
to believe in that claim, that he has
been true to his covenants with his
God when he confcsses that he has con
stantly broken the laws Of his God!
And in respect of this particular mat.
ter, Mr. Smith has announced belief
that is altogether destructive Of cove
nant with the Almighty. On page lGl,
volume |, Of the official record in the
Smoot case appears the following;
Mr.. Tayler-Rut do you mean to say
YOU, at your pleasure obey or dlsobey
the commands of the Almighty Cod?
Mr.. Smiih.-Ycs. sir.
Mr. ler.-communicatcd to you?
Mr. Smith, obey or disobey at my
will,
Mr.. TayIcr-Just as YOU please?
Mr.. Smith.-Just Is / please.
Mr.. Tayler.-And that is the kind OF 4
God YOU believe In?
MIR. smith,-That is exactly the kind of
Il God | believe in
Again. it is we'll undcrsi ood that the
Mormon church made certain pledges
before Statehood could he obtained for
Utah. These pledges were officially
made, and inasmuch as the church of
ficials who made them claimed TO have
been directed by The Almighty in their
action, these pledges became as if de-
livered by the Lord through his agents
on earth. Joseph +. now claims TO be
the special mouthpiecc Of the Almighty,
and as such would naturally be expect
ed to respect the promises in which he,
as prophet, seer, and revelator to the
church was a partner with tho Al
mighty. Under his professions, Joseph
+. is as if he were covcnapted with
the Lord TO keep the Lord S pledges.
In his Washington testimony, however,
kept these pledges with the Nation,
and therefore his covenant with the
Almighty, because he had chosen not
TO do that by preference.
The trouble is that Mr.. Smith is not
truc to his own people; that he is false
to bis God; that he is dishonest with
bis country; and inasmuch as The
Tribune has constantly pointed out
wherein he has been tTcachcrous with
respect TO his covenants, both those
made with God and those made with his
fellow men, his guilty conscience has
prompted him to make this protestatioD
Of Thursday in the tabernacle. He
knows that the Mormon people them
selves have seen wherein he has been
derelict. he is aware Of the fact that
his unfath has brought upon the
church a vast amount Of unnecessary
trouble and censure. He knows that if
it had not been for his determination
10 perpetuate po)ygamy aud to thrust
high cccIeslasiast into the United
States Senate in defiance of solemn
promise, the present controversy would
not have been loaded upon the Mormon
people. The spirit of rebellion is abroad
IN the church, because tho people IS eyes
have been opened by The Tribune, and
| Joseph T.. has been driven TO defend