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Show An Open Lefter To whom it may concern: This is to certify that I, the undersigned under-signed member of tho Mormon church of Utah, wish to let. all my friends and neighbors know thnt I herewith sever my connection and renounce all my right to a membership in the aforesaid church. As I consider polygamy, blood atonement and the like as tho worst features of religion ever taught, J can no longer conscientiously apologize for m' religious superiors. I consider these practices barbarous home-destroying, soul-polluting nnd disgusting to all civilization. Men who confcsB that they break tho laws of God and man admit that they have fallen as low as the worBt criminal; and I will no longer follow them nor praj- for nor acknowledge them as God's month-pieces. month-pieces. I havo been told by those who know, and I must confess that circumstances prove, to me, that a person cannot be in good standing and not. believe in polygamy. Now, therefore, I think that a person cannot bo a good Mormon Mor-mon and still bo a good citizen of this grand Republic; and I believe in being subject to rulcrB, presidents and all officers of our country, and in honoring, honor-ing, obeying and sustaining the law. To my thinking the temple ceremonies are the most sacrilegious and revolting prncticcs over imposed upon an innocent inno-cent and credulous people. The leaders of tho church are so lost to conscience that they are willing that ninetv-five per cent of tho community should be disfranchised nnd dishonored in order that., they might satisfy their own lust and" keep to their unholy practices. They even nullify and discount their own revelations. And by their examples exam-ples and teachings have caused this neoplo to mourn and turn infidel by the hundreds and no wonder for they teach doctrine that would make tho hcathon blush with shame, in fact, they teach doctrine not contained in Hoi Writ. And I consider that Brigham Young and his successors have changed the ordinances and broken the everlasting ever-lasting covenant. Now, if anyone thinks I do not mean what I Bay let him come to me and I will make myself understood. This is to notify the. officers of the church who have had jurisdiction over me that 1 will not sustain them in that capa-citv. capa-citv. But. T hope to live by the Golden Rule, and T want to live to see moro of the pcoplo of this commonwealth declare their independence and speak in favor of Jaw and order in no uncertain uncer-tain terms. When somo one shall say that I have said more than necessary, ju6t cite them to a speech by Apostle John W. Taylor a fow days ago, about tho lewdness lewd-ness of the sisters of Utah, ami thoso iu the tabernacle choir in particular that nine-tenths of the women of Utah wore loose. Now, that is a fino endorsement endorse-ment of their nice teaching. But there is nothing strange about that when vou hear tales like one I heard nn elder toll in confidence. He was courting a Bccond wife and lie wanted a virtuous woman. So he found a girl that consented con-sented to havo him, but ne also found her to be not virtuous; so he tried nn-othor. nn-othor. T am his confiding auditor, bur. this is enough alreadv. EDWARD NAZER. Monroe, Utah, December 20. I90G. |
