OCR Text |
Show r ' ' - Vol.- 14. 7 ' of the Women s of Z ion, ami the-Right- FROM THE FIRST the house where they Jive. lie could furnish PRESIDENCY. V could visit the mother, AN KPISTLK 1885. ': ie Brethren Sister.1?. ANr the A3 Jf, in the great nereafter, we expect to Do we say too much if rve state that be admitted to the society of the Son of there are those now undergoing punhsh- - God, our. Redeemer to the society ment in the penitentiary in the tsaciytyXo1 Prophets and Apostles, .andJioly of thieves and murderers, who would men ana" women, ougnt we not to oe as iree as the prosecuting omcers be willing to endure the tribulathemselves, had the law been construed tions which they received so joyWhere is the Trophet or by the legal canons applied to other fully? laws, and according to the instruc- Apostle who did not endure persecutions given above? v- -' tion, whose liberty and life were not in The practice in these attacks upon us almost constant jeopardy? They did has not been to presume the accused not' have an Edmunds law, perhaps, innocent until proved guilty; but, to enforced against them; but they had view him as undoubtedly guilty because latts which emanated from the same accused; and the rulings of the Court source. With few exceptions they in several instances have been made to were all punished, deprived of liberty secure 'tMivict ion wheiv the- evldw' a nd of life, In the sacred name of law. was p'U. to q uet i:i. .The' Oxtraord Even the holiest Beinz that ever trod -- H: Xo. 10, . : be life or death, freedom or imprisonment, prosperity or adversity, we must trust, in God. We may say, however, If any man or Woman 'expects to enter Into the celestial kingdom of our God' and their mothers follies and sins, and repent of theni-Bu- t them a home, lie to persecuted, to be discriminDie same as if they ated to be separated from the against, had been divorced, or us if ho such to be imprisoned and of the rest world, the .Officers and Members of the relation hadexistcd between them,previous but, he Church-, ofrJesits Christ of Latter- -' should not associate with her as a husband abused are.uot causes of sorrowto true " associates with his wire. Saints; they are causes of rejoicing. day ft tin 1st ; 'To -' :7 of the Women of all Xa Hons. s SALT IAKE CITY, UTAH, OCTOBER , V : - The-Right- r without making sacrifices and without I being tested to the very uttermost.they have not understoodthcGospel.lt there Is a weak spot in our nature, or if tluic lime for holding our SemUannual Conference has agaiu come around, aud we to quiver otisa flhre thatfan arc stPl prevented f rom addressing the we to rest assured that it may shrink, Saints in public, we deem it proper to will be tested. Our own weaknesses of method this take communicating will be brought fully to light, and in with you, that you may know the counfor help, the strength of our seeking we not are sel we have to give, and that God will also be made manifest to us. neglectful of the duties which devolve The . Latter-da- y JSaints have, been upon us as the First Presidency of the the this from; taught beginning. Such Church. as" scenes now we in these ''witness As all the Saints doubtless underand hear mountains about in lands, hand, there has been no cessation since where the Elders are, the preaching we last wrote, in the work ol persecu- -. be a surpriselo us. to not Gospel ouglit llercemore if H tion. rages, anytldng, The Prophets and Apostles and Elders iy than ever... Un(ler.civer of jvhdtj s. of this - dispensation would be ; law. the most called if and aud Elders Prophets Apostles acts of oppression are bei thesevents-di- d the earthT tha groaUiedeemeof-rna- n nottake place; for I i ns t the Latter-d- outrageous a t aga perpetra is one i;i point; iujiw iUulaiidur," Lite kind himself, was crucified between they have predicted them and warned The avowal has' been openly Edmunds law the people unceasingly concerning np cities that the peiiait'y. two thieves to satisfy Jewish law. made that tills law was expressly ' be. .There has probably never been a time them. for not unlawful shall cohabitalion, for the destruction of a principle more than six in the history of mankind when those Speaking concerning law.the Lord, in of our religion, aud in this spirit all and three hundred dollars' llne, the whom we now revere as martyrs and a revelation given through the Prophet I lie prosecutions have been conducted. aame bench whoscacrihces adorn and glorify our Joseph, August u'th, notorious from the ruling says: Thus far uo criminal, however guilty, nearer to God, lift it and indictments of number ihc JiumauLty, concerning who has not been a "Mormon," has which can be foundrecreant to the 4Ajidnowvrerily I Ray. nnto you cor.against a person been punished - underiL- - Acts of the accused of unlawful the laws of the land, it is"my will to truth entrusted them, have escaped cerning most fcickening depravity have been states that he not only cancohabitation, that my people should observe lo do all be inaicted the fate which made them so admirable I command them ; within once for the whole committed by things.whatfioever since the to the generations whica followed period of law the land which is that scarcearm of reach its have but easy in his had himself it Savior The an oMhe them. indictment but passage law, supporting that principle ly had a passing notice. While it is can be found for every week of that power to compromise with his enemies in maintaining rights and privalso worthy of note that, up to the time;' so to all mankind, and is justifiand cruel the and in it this found belongs ignominious ilege, escape that, guilty resent writing, out of all who have manner, a man's Abraham able before me; him. inflicted K leath would upon punishment eeu aecused and brought before the e: Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, ami 1)2 years might have bowed tathe gods of his your aggregate an imprisonment of 2UO. District court, only one "Mormon" has and brethren of my church, in befriending no needed idolatrous father and fines to the amount of $o.") angel that law which is the costitutional law of been acquitted. The man acquitted, nim the from his rescue to more is impending the land ; ruling extraordinary we understand, was charged with being of Still another Judge, Ivho, not to be put-do- doom. Daniel and his three brethren, 7. And' us pertaining to law of man. what the husband of a woman; on the ground indict- also, might have submitted to the de- - soever is more an in his or less than these comet h of that zeal, says, that he had camped in his wagon in a ment can be lound for this charge cree aud Jaw of the ruling powers un- evil. ten acre lot in which her residence ct 8. I, the Lord Ood, make you free, therea manfor every dfy,or other der which they lived and escaped the tood and had carried some chickens againstinterval fore ye are free iudeed; and the law also of time since the enacturnace the den., at ,Jions. ,&nd, fiery i t for her to market! you free; ment of the law! As about l'2'.)2 days have Their refusals to obey the decree and maketh U. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the One of the most remarkable features to those man a who found guilty law doubtless appeared mourn. --of 1 passed since then, .tounectedwith-theadriiinistrati- on had not th e kno wlcdge7ofGodwhictr people for5lo irtTtjeinTrarceratedin iv. ivnereiore, nonest men aud wie men prison tins .law extraordinary rulings years and made; pay lines to the amount they possessed, as acts of wicked should be sought for "diligently, and good which arc made in its enforcement. of $i81,M). Comment upon this abmen and wise men ye should observe to np be should that summarily The Judge 'who presides in the Second surdity is unnecessary. had to the hold; otherwise whatsoever is less than But escape punished. they, Judicial District, in the recent trial of "Before the Edmunds bill became threatened of evil. edicts, penalty.obeyed.thesc 11. And I give unto you a commandment, case of unlawful cohabitation, gave law, and while on its passage, it was benefit have would lost the that ye shall forsake all evil and cleavxrnr.tT instructions to the jury, at the request claimed that its provisions were of posterity of their example, and the great God all irood. that ve shall live hv everv- - umd 'of tae defense. Several accused per- general application and in the interests would not have been glorified before which forth out of the mouth of sons would have. bt;cn cleared in the of as lie was by God ; proceedeth ' morality, and not, as we asserted, their contemporaries Third Judicial District, had the juries a measure be12. For he will give unto the faithful line acts.- Instead of aimed at their directly nligious whieh rendered verdicts in their cases, and for purposes of persecu- ing, as now, radiant with light and re ujon line, precept upon precept; and I will as liberty been similarly instructed. They are But tion. time has fully revealed Its splendent with heroism, they would, try1.'.you and prove you herewith: ' ' follows: And whoso layeth down, his life in my true character. Stripped of all dis had they reached us, been covered with cau.-shall find ii for niv name's I.' Prior to the act of March 22d, lss2, coguise it stands out now in all Its hide Odium and been mentioned in the same again, even life eternal: sake, ousness. The most, shocki ng Immor- - category with the Jews concerning habitation witli more than one woman af rahHjf vour cue jl. Therefore not unlawful. in its presence and whom the Prophet Jeremiah said mies, for I have decreed; in my heart, saith nourishes ality 2. If you nd from the evidence that the thrives under the bend their tongues like their tlm I xml, that I will prove you in all thing-- , very eyes of its 'They defendanr, jince t!ie passage of the Ednot All if bow of forms yiee, for lies;but they are not valiant for w hether you will abide in be" my covenant even munds act, March 22d, ISs2, and within the unto found worthy; that : death, you may vnon are earth for the the who truth tiiose pro they, date named in the indictment, has not held directly encouraged by 15. if ye will, not "abide in my coveout to the vr'orld, introduced, or announced charged with the"dutybf administering ceed from evil. to evil, and they know nant, For ye are not worthy of me. more than one of the women named in the the Edmunds law, are at least viewed not me, saith the Lord." indictment as his wife, you should acquit by them with indifference. They apFifty-tw- o friends of ours have years have passed since "the defendant. . to have no care as to the most said that our refusal to renounce the this was given to the Church, and we pear .3. It is not necessary that the parties to flagrant sexual .crimes, if . they are Only uriuciple of celestial marriage invites are now witnessing its fulfilment. The polvtfainous marriage, or wh have lived committed by "or out- destruction. They warn us and im Saints are required to do whatsoever in ie practice of cohabiting with two or of side the of in pale matrimony. plore us to yield. They appeal to every the Lord commands them, to live by should divorce themselves, inre women, under the present admin- human interest and adjure us to bow lo every word which proceedeth forth out the presumption of order to entitle them inn'ocence of cohabitation after the passage istration of the law, may do what they a law,which Is admitted on all hands ta of" the mouth of God. They are also of the law. instructed to befriend every constituplease with w omen, be guilty of the have been framed expressly lor A, Ah all children of polygamous marr- foulest injustice to them and their offthe principle which we arc tional law of the land; for such laws iage.-;, begotten before March 22nd, lSS2,arc spring, if they will only disown them called upon to reject. They' say it is support the principle of freedom ; they legitimated.iihd no cohabitation before that as madness to resist tire will of so over- maintain rights and privileges This, wives. The war is openly and date was unlawful, no criminating inferour made upon religion. whelming a majority. They say they as a people, we have striven t3 do from ence can be drawn by the jury from the de- men To to induce the beginning of our organization. We or ln.s parepudiate that, to see the gathering clouds.that they hear later acknowledgments - lendant's athe re- have ever-beternitv of such children by the women men- violate its precepts and to break its the premonitory mutteriugs-of people. tioned in the indictment, nor from later s.oieinu covenants, very encourage-me- sistless tempest which is about to Times without number we have suf of jsuch .zWomeji jis their is. recognition Tne man "who agrces.to lreak in destructive furyupou. our fered the most grievous wrongs withwomen whom he had be- - discard given. as and mothers, his wife or wives,aud to tram- heads, and they call upon us to avert out resenting them.. We have ever - lore Paid polygamous ple upon the most sacred date, taken nto-the to suffer wrong than obligations 1 ts "wrath" by ti meiy submission : But thought it better relation with him. ' tnat of do hand to not which' human the thev can enter nerceire wrong. into, f. The lay presumes innocence, and Such was the case when Ave suffered therefore, that all person .who were co- escapes imprisonment and is ap- Being who controls all storms,whose liat at whose while voice man not the will took the act Edmund? who when the effect, plauded; tempest obeys, habiting expatriation lrom the State of Miscontrary'toto the provisions of that act, then make this compact of dishonor, who thrones and empires arfi thrown down souri. We were robbed-anpillaged, do so. ceased will not admit that his past life has the Almighty God, Lord of heaven despoiled and persecuted, vet we had 8. The Jaw presumes all persons charged been a fraud and a lie, who will "not and earth, who has made promises to i with a criminal offense to be innocent until to the world, - "I intended to de us and who has never failed toiuiniail these wrongs upon the irovernrnent say . the presumption, is overcome by proor; ceive and its Institutions, which to us are my God, my brethren and my His words. therefore it presumes that all persons who We did not reveal celestial marriage. sacred. The same loyal spirit animated were living with more than one woman as wives by making covenants I did not wives prior to March '22d, 1SS2, have since expect to keep," is, besides beinir pun'-- " We cannot withdraw or renounce it. us when we- were' beset bv blood- that late ccaKcd to bo live and cohabit. Isiied to Die full- - extent of the law, God revealed it, and He nas promised thirsty. mobs in Illinois, one of which 'J. If you find from the evidence that deto endure the reproaches, to maintain it and to bless those who murdered Joseph Smith, our Prophet. fendant bad children by the women named compelled and insults of a' brutal judge. taunts obey It. Whatever fate, then, may and Hyrum Smith, the Patriarch, while in the indictment to March. 22d, 1382. one: course they were under the pledged protection ing- a - these cruel ties-ar- threaten u.f, there Js-bt withstand iN then the defendantprior had a right to visit his we to men do feel not God that of us, for is,to keep of the State, given through the gov- take, practiced against children, and support them and make arLatter-day Saints, we should inviolate the holy covenants they have erhor. On the same occasion one or rangements as to their welfare. He had a that, as l ight also to assist their mothers iu their mourn because of them. We should made in the presence of God the signers of this address was also support, and for such a purpose could vMt mourn because of our weaknesses For the remaiudcr, whether it brought to the gate of death, by being. - the-Edm- unts be-ma-de - i de-H'Kn- ed - months'-impflsonment- , could-uotr-byjbein- - non-"Mormo- - g ns" S.--Aml al, . . ne dis-tm- - is-th- e ob-stinan- cy . these-coinel- h their-naine- s . - .' e, - j be--n- 11 -- u Well-meani- ng ' . . non-"Moimo- ns, tue.de-struction- - Of law-abidi- en -- - ng nt -i- d - rHdeaf-taliatingtreewinted- . -- - 1 1 ut : and-an-j;el- s. |