American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-04-15
ARE NO PLURAL MARRIAGES
President Smith Assures Saints That
Plural Marriages in Church Have
Ceased and That No Man Has
Authority to Perform Them.

salt Lake City.-Declaring that
plural marriages have ceased in the
Mormon church and that no man has
authority to perform them, and invit-
ing the national congress to bring
about a constitutional amendment CIV
ing the government the right to han
die plural marriages, President Jo-
seph F. Smith delivered the principal
address of the eighty-frst annual con-
ference of the Church of Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints at the opening
session OF the conference at 10 o'clock
Thursday morning, April 5, in the tab
ernacle.
According to officials of the church,
the address of the president was the
most important made by any high Of
ficer of the church since the mani
festo was issued by President Will
ford Woodruff in October, 1890.
Among other things, President
Smith declared the church to be in
good financial condition, that the
birth rate among the members of the
church is the highest in the world,
that the death rate is the lowest, that
the rate of divorce IS approximately
only one-fifth the size, proportionate-
ly, of the rest of the country, and that
plural marriages have absolutely
ceased in the Mormon church.
In connection with this last, Presi-
dent Smith declared that there is not
a man in the church who is author
lied to perform or solemnize a plural
marriage, and that efforts are being
made to find the persons who are
leading the people astray in the mat
ter, and that when they are found
they will be dealt with as others have
been in the past.
President Smith announced, during
the course of his address, that in 1910
the church had spent $215,000 in mis-
sions, 100000 for church schools, and
100000 for charity. Baptisms in
stakes and missions in 1910 were 49,
9O2. In the temples during 1910 1850
couples were married; LOO couples
U L ChulCh pCOpiC WCi0 Sifiiis-
In the church there is one divorce to
5000 members; the average rate in
the United States is n in LOO.
President Anthem H. Lund urged
the people to stamp Gut the liquor evil
and not to use tobacco. He was glad
the legislature had given the people
a chance to vote on the liquor ques-
ton and declared that in all commu-
mites where the Mormons are in the
majority, prohibition should be en-
acted.
There was a large attendance at the
opening session, the greater portion of
the church officials being present.
Apostle Rudger Clawson is in Europe,
Reed Smoot is in Washington in at
tendance on the United States senate,
while John Henry Smith, second coun-
selor, was unable to attend owing to
sickness.
Francis M. Lyman, president of the
quorum of twelve apostles; Apostle
Heber J.. Grant and Apostle Hyrum
NJ. Smith addressed conference at the
afternoon session. Defense of the
church against the vicious attacks be-
Ing published in various magazines
we're the themes of the speeches by
President Lyman and Apostle Grant,
while Apostle Hyrum M. Smith eulo-
gized the character of President Jo-
seph F. Smith as a model for all men
to follow.
Apostle C. w. Penrose, the princi-
pal speaker at the morning session o.
the conference on Friday, deplored
the fact that so many Mormons are
married outside the temple, urged
young people to adopt the Mormon
ceremony, which is for this life aud
all eternity, and denied that Christ
ever said there was no marriage in
heaven. He decried divorce, but
maintained that the Savior had never
said that a woman should live with a
man who abused her, declaring that
the power that can seal can unseal.
other speakers at the morning SEES
sion were C. A. Calls, president Of
the southern states mission, who
praised the authorities of the church,
and Apostle George F. Richards.
The speakers at the Friday after
noon session of the conference were
Apostle Orson F. Whitney, Bishop c.
w. Nibley and Brigham H. Roberts,
one of the presidents of the seven
ties.
That Mormonism is the Relation
of a prophecy made by Isaiah 700
years before the birth of Christ
of the coming forth of a mar
yelous work; that the mission
If the Mormon church is to
reclaim the Notwithstanding spirit
world; that if science and religion
disagree it is because science has moi
vet discovered enough, and that
strength will come from God to con-
the world under the Mormon
were the features of h ad-
dresses delivered.
APOSTLE Whitney explained where