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Show 10 ANTI-POLYGAM- Monnonlam Versus Polygamy. (Concluded.) (Written for the Standard by Rev. T. W. Smith of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Samts.) Brigham Young cle.arly admitted in July 1874, in the Deseret News, that he had this principle i c., plurality of wives revealed to him, while in England in 1839 and 40, years before Joseph Smith or the Church had heard of it; of this revelation ation he says, I had it for myself, Now the and kept it to myself. simple and shameful fact seems to be that these men, now at the head of the Church in Utah, with those who are dead, originated this revelation, to cover, and justify licentious practices, and to do it not only sought to smirch the memory of Joseph Smith, but blasphemed the Holy Ghost, by speaking in the name of the Lord, a tissue of falsehoods, contradictions, false predictions, and and illogical reasonings. Men only who have lost the spirit of God, and who have departed from the faith, and have given heed to ''seducing Spirits and Doctrines of devils, could be deceived by such a miserable mess of vain philosophy, specious arguments, false statements, and idle predictions. There was a time when Taylor,Pratt, Ilyde and others would have scouted the idea of such stuff, being a revelation from God. And are they really so blind, that they cannot see, that they must ignore some of the fundamental principles of the faith, and count $s idle tales, many positive commandments, and revelations of God. Of course they are in a dilemma. They must either that dewere his in ceived by Brigham claim of having a copy of a true revelation, or that they have confess they pent, which produced polygamy) and the frequent denials that were necessary to be made publicly through the Church periodicals, compel me to believe that the revelation was gotten up by Brigham Young and Company, to give a seeming divine sensation to their practices, which were fast becoming too frequent, and open to be any And longer denied and concealed. Ithorefore candidly believe that the revelation refered to, is a miserable fraud, and a devilish imposition, and that those who know it to be so there, will have to confess it here, or have it confessed by the Great Judge at the last day, before the Father and his Holy Angels, and the Assembled Church of the First Born, to their everlasting sorrow, and shame. I certainly believe that their condition is that described by the AposAnd tle in 2nd Tliess. II, 11, 12. as the dead are to be judged bv the things written in the books, by the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, which these people once believed and taught, contained the word of God, they will be judged to their condemnation and eternal shame. In a word Mormonism is against Polygamy, ever has been and ever must be. ,, A ' Thin Plea. that he is a polygamist, but says that polygamy is his religion, and that therefore he is notamenable to the statute which forbids the practice. If this Geo. Q. Cannon admits plea be admitted, it is quite evident that all law has come to an end. All that a man in that case has to do is to call his crime religion and he must be allowed to go free. There is a curious tribe in India whose religion, it is said, it is to strangle their enemies when they come upon them unawares. They If they should are called Thugs. take a fancy to emigrate to this country and settle down in some out corner for themselves they would be as fully justified in continuing their horrid practices as Mr. Cannon is in taking several wives when the law of the country and of civilization prescribes monoNor gamy under severe penalties: is this case, extreme though it may appear to be, the only one to which this curious plea could be extended. There is not any crime to which it could not he applied with just as as to force that of much the would'be Delegate from Utah. There was a great criminal on trial at Washington who relied on a religious plea in one of the most dastardly crimes known in history. What is to prevent the burglar or the sneak thief from setting up a kleptomaniac cult and claiming exemption from punishment on like grounds? Bigamy and burglary are both felonies, and religion can no more be spread over the one than the other. San Francisco Bulletin. been deceiving the people for these many years, knowing full well that they were transgressing Gods laws, and the Countrys laws; and in both cases confess that they have been living in adultery and their numerous wives, were really but harlots, and their children bastards. Charity might suggest that they were deceived in the revelation; but this can hardly be allowed, for they must have ignored, a prominent gronnd that the Church from the first has taken, and upon which the Elders have successfully argued for a continuation of the faith, practice, order and organization of the demonstrated and Church, by the former day Saints; that ground being, the unchangeable character of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, and the gospel plan of salvation. Again, they must have known that God could not recognize at any time as pure and holy, what he had repeatedly, in different ages, and in different places condemned as abominable and iniquitous. And again, they knew that it was a rule in the Church, to submit the revelations to a close and critical examination before various bodies of the ministry, before presented for endorsement by the Church to which ordeal this thing never was subject- Those who desire to have a hand ed. No, the intimations or hints in the regeneration ot Utah should now clearly understood in their endeavor to circulate the Standard writing shortly after Joseph Smiths as widely as possible. We intend to death, and the many charges made fight it cut on the same line until against different prominent men of the twin relic is crushed out so secretly teaching spiritual wifery, completely that even its foul mem(the unhatched egg of the Old Ser ory shall die. of-the-w- ay STANDARD. Y OUT IN THE COLlJ. A Plural Wife Makes Her Hed and Must Lie in It. An interesting case, involving the question of the rights of a plural wife and her children to the estates of a deceased polygamous landholder was decided in the District Court March 31, 1882. The plaintiff in the action was Mrs. Annie Foster, plural wife of William Foster, who, on behalf of herself and three children, claimed a portion of the estate of William Withers Foster, deseased, the first wife having also died. The complaint alleged that in January, 1 862, she married Foster in the Endowment House, according to the rituals of the Mormon Church. Since that time she has borne him three children. On the 16th of April, 1872, Foster died. In his will he left a portion of lot G, block 65, plat A, in Salt Lake City, and other property, to his wives, Eliza and Annie, and his five children, two of which were by his first, and three by his plural wife. In the will he appointed Geo. Goddard and Richard Smyth executors of his estate. Annie the plural wife, alleged that she received no portion of the estate, and that it was not being divided in accordance with the provisions of the will. The case came before the Probate Court, and the executors in their answer admitted the will, etc., but claimed that said petitioner, if holding any relation to the deceased, was only his plural wife, and argued that she had no lawful right to the property. The executors claimed that a portion of the prop erty was willed to them, and neither the plural wife nor-he- r children had any legal rights in the premises. The Probate Court held that the property was a homestead, and that the second or plural wife, with her children, should have her share. The executors took the case to the District Court on appeal. Judge Hunter reversed the decision of the lower Court, decided in favor of the executors, and held that the plural wife was not the lawful widow of the deceased, and therefore not entitled to the possession of the homestead, to the exclusion of children of the first wife. The woman is now beginning to realize some of the beauties ot celestial marriage. Salt Lake Tribune. How Gentile Names were Procured. The Mormons have been extensively circulating petitions throughout Utah for signatures for the purpose of showing that the people of the Territory desire the repeal of One of these the Edmunds bill. petitions, with the heading written with a lead pencil, read: A Petition for the Change of the County Road, etc; This petition was presented to the buckboard drivers at Shoal Creek, and the changing of the county road meeting with their approbation, they signed it. They have since discovered their signatures on a petition requesting Congress to repeal the Edmunds bill. Bishop Terry now feeds those drivers on the cleanest corncobs and hay. Ward (Nev.) Reflex. Women of Genius. But what sentiments shall good women entertain for others who are described as indowed by the Creator with mor6 than the poets soul, gifts that are not of mere religious training or growth, but have come down from the ages; who are inspired by the mystic memories of the past daughters of Judahs royal house, possessing fine sentiment, richness of fancy, quick sympathy, rare enthusiasm and deathless devotion-genius which God wills them to manifest for the great worlds good, whose lives are devoted to labors for the benefit and elevation of woman? What sentiments, we repeat, shall be entertained for these, who, were but one tithe of what is said about them true, would walk as sisters to the gods? And yet, they are hailed by the ignorant and deluded dupes of Mormonism as the early exponents, by precept and example, of the new and everlasting covenant marriage, and as leaders in the at first necessary to establish its principles. What sentiments we re neat, sludl be entertained for women possessing these noble qualities and attributes , who can permit themselves to be styled honored wives of our revered and martyred prophet, Joseph Smith, who can announce themselves expon- - ' ents of a faith alike so dishonoring and degrading to womanhood; a faith that makes a beast of man and a slave of woman; a faith that renders and imprints a marriage a mark of shame on the brows of innocent children; a faith that entails untold wrongs and misery upon generation; and imprints a mark of shame on the brows of innocent children; a faith that entails untold wrongs and misery upon generation after generation; a system which is characterized by shameless indecencies, fearful brutalities arid almost incredible beastliness? Did God endow women with the divine gift of genius, that they should openly advocate a system which permits a man to marry a woman and her two daughters, and live with them, raising families in only one room, a system that permits a man to marry the children of his own brother? a system that sets at defiance all law, order, morality, and decency. Verily, this may be called the Divine curse of genius! F'om the Women of Mormonism. self-sacrifi- ce God-lik- e by-wor- d, SJO.'IO Worth of Now and Popular MnsLi for Si. OIL Thomas Brothers Music Journal for March is undoubtedly the finest and best journal ot its kind published. The leading matter is varied and original, being news from all parts pfthe world. The Journal will have a new feature this year in being heatifully illustrated and printed ou fine heavy calendered paper. Huh number will have in over Two Dollars wotth of S leet Music, printed fiomour best plates; and as y Mi leeeivc one number each month, at the end ol each year you have for binding one of the finest collections of vocal and instrumental music imaginable. Dont tail to subscribe for the Journal beautiful Chromo, 22xG, One Dollar and thirty-fit- r cents , doc. being the actual cost nr nuking ami postage or express on the Chromo. irnple copy of the Journal, 10c, We want an agent in every village and city in the United States and Canada to Jake subscriptions for the Journal. A'Wref,s. Jas. II. Thomas, Sueeaaor to Thomas Brothers, Catskill, N. V., U. S. A. |