The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-04-14
AXE 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.-DecIaring that
plural marriages have ceased in tho
Mormon church and that no man has
authority to perform them, and invit.
ing the national congress to hring
ABOUT constitutional amendment DIV,
ing the government the right to han.
die plural marriages, President In.
seph F. Smith delivered the PRINCIPAL
ADDRESS of the eighty-first annual con-
ference of the Church of Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints at the openinp
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
fcer of the church since the mani.
festo was issued by President vii.
tord 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-fffth 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
man in the church VINO 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 $4,000 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 1860
couples were married; LOO couples
V,
In the church there is one divorce to
5000 members; the average rate in
the United States is one in LOO.
President Anthem H. Lund urged
the people to stamp Cut 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 comma
mites where the Mormons are in the
majority, prohibition should be EN-
acted.
There was 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 NJ. Lyman, president of the
quorum of twelve apostles; Apostle
Heber J. Grant and Apostle Hyrum
M. Smith addressed conference at the
afternoon session. Defense of the
church against the vicious attacks be-
ing published in various magazines
were the themes of the speeches by
President Lyman and Apostle Grant,
while Apostle Hyrum NJ. 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 OF
the conference on Friday, deplored
the fact that so many Mormons are
married outside the temple, urged
youne 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 decred divorce, bug
maintained that the Savior had never
said that a woman should live with
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 mar
velous work; that the mission
of the Mormon church is to
reclaim the Notwithstanding spirit
ual world; that if science and religion
disagree it is because science has not
yet discovered enough, and that +
strength will come from God to con
uuer the world under the Mormon
banner, were the features OF the ad-
dresses delivered.
Apostle Whitney explained where
in the Saints believe their faith is
the realization of Isaiah's prophecy; /
Bishop Nibley declared that religion
was the only great work or science /