The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-15
PERIL FOR THE CHURCH.

Basing our surmise upon reports that
have reached this Office we are of the
opinion that there is considerable in.
harmony Just now existing in the
quorum Of the Mormon apostles, par.
ticularly as between that body and the
FIRST presidency of the church.
1t appears that the constant and def.
mite exposures of new polygamous mar
riages made by The Tribune have
caused many Of the honest element in
the church to voice their positive dis
approval Of that practice. The increas-
ing murmur on account Of the existing
condition has had the effect of arousing
a few members of the apostolate. If
our information be correct, these men
have criticised certain other members
Of the quorum for having permitted
new plural marriages TO be celebrated
within their jurisdictions. This criti-
in the quorum itself, but we are told
that it has called forth from at least
one member OF the first presidency q
rebuke of the faultfnders - It is sig
niticant to note in this connection that
the polygamous members of the quorum
of twelve and of the 6rst presidency
are set soHdly on the one side of the
controversy-which side it is unneces-
sary TO say.
An alarming condition has developed
m hp Of
it is one that The Tribune has foreseen
for some tire. There is now a confes-
sion on the part of the Mormon officials
that control of meE who are determined
to practice polygamy has practically
slipped out of their hands. They can
blame this result, however, to no one
buC themselves. Long ago The Tribune
advised them, and begged and pleaded
with Inem, 10 eliminate from the book
of Doctrine and Covenants the "reve-
Iation" commanding the practice of po,
lvgamy. This action we advised be-
cause the manifesto really sets that
''Icvelation aside, and our counsel
was purely in the interest Of safety to
the community, and in no wise MS at
tempting TO place humiliation upon the
church. Many times we have pointed
out that mvl would construe the reten-
ton of that revelation in the book
as being quiet suggestion to them
that the church had not in reality aban-
doned polygamy, either as a matter of
doctrine or as practice. We called
attention to the fact that the wide diff
ference of expression in the wording of
the polygamous commandment and the
Woodruff rlarifesto was such as to
leave no difficulty to a Mormon elder
Of polygamous propensIties In making
decision as TO which was the more
binding up3l himself. This, we have
rightfully concluded, would enable men
OF sensual leaning to practically defy
church officials, with the Doctrine and
Covenants to back them up in that de-
fianae This actually has occurred, and
the time has come when church officials
are beginning to confess that the mat
ter has gone beyond their control. And
it is this condition that is largely re-
sponsible for the inharmony that now
exists in the two higher governing bod
les of the church.
There is still remedy left to them,
though, provided they are in earnest
about stopping the immoral practice.
There is no new polygamons marriage
that has ever occurred in the church,
but the church could obtain the evi
dence necessary TO convict the culprit
in the courts. 1t is the duty of the
church to do two things. One is to
unit the polygamous commandment
from the Doctrine and Covenants, and
the other is to supply to the court Of
ficers the evidence necessary to send
the criminals to the penitentiary, where
they belong. And let The Tribune again
give these church officials warning.
n they do not do these two things,
the day is not far distant when no
Mormon man of family can be sure of
the chastity of either his wife or mis-
daughter Better move now while it is
yet time, or the Mormon church will be
so filed with immortality that necessar-
lily it must rot into its own death and
the destruction Of the Mormon people.
| -