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Show NO APOLOGY FOE POLYGAMY. For Mormon polygamy we have no apologies to make. Wo regard it as a righteous principle when entered Into out of religious motives and we tried to uphold up-hold It until the courts of last resort pronounced pro-nounced It Illegal. Then we surrendered and promised that it should end. Wo made that promise honestly, too. and havo sacredly kept our compact, and any attempt at-tempt on the part of our church leaders to break It would bo as vehemently denounced de-nounced by tho rank and flic of the church as It would by the Ministerial Association. Associa-tion. We are neither teaching, preaching, nor practicing polygamy, nor are wo making mak-ing any apologies for It. Elder W. R. Palmer In Iron County Record, October 0. 1908. Now, if Elder Palmer is any judgo in the matter of cause and effect, ho must know that in this very excerpt from his letter to our southern contemporary con-temporary ho teaches polygamy, for he proclaims its righteousness as a principle. prin-ciple. Also, he could not much better bet-ter defend the practico than to say that he has no apologies to make for it. He knows, too, provided he is acquainted with his own church literature, that tho Doctrine and Covenants the book which ho accepts as the law unto him and his co-religionists teaches tho "principle," and commands the practice prac-tice of polygamy as a necessity to tho highest exaltation. He -is aware of the fact, as well, that the pretended revelation revela-tion commanding tho practico of polygamy promises damnat'ion to the man or woman who refuses to obey the positive injunction contained in tho church law book. Is not that teaching polygamy? and is not that attempting to frighten Latter-day Saints into its practice? Again, Mr. Palmer speaks of the t sacred observance of the promise lo I abandon "polygamy, and to stop its I practice iu the church. In April of j last 3'car the first presidency of the Mormon church, over their personal signatures, deny Elder Palmer's contention. con-tention. They officially admit the existence of now polygamy sinco the manifesto, and the church of which Mr. Palmer is a member in good standing stand-ing adopted that confession as being the admission of tho whole body. Is not the act of tho general conference the act of "the church?" Certainly. Then tho church has not kept its pledge in this respect, as it officially declares. And The Tribune is constrained to accept ac-cept the authoritative pronouncement of the entiro bod' in preference to tho unsupported assertion of Elder Palmer. Where was Elder Palmer's vehement denunciation of violators of compact with tho Government during the conference con-ference in this city last week? If he was present, we failed to hear of any condemnation which he launched forth at any of the law-defiers in tho high places of his church. He is bravo in Iron county why not be equally courageous in Salt Lake? We can scarcely doubt that he was here at the conference, because wo understand him to bo a prominent member of the priesthood. priest-hood. He will remember that Joseph F. Smith testified under oath to the fact that he had interpreted the Woodruff Wood-ruff manifesto to inhibit unlawful cohabitation co-habitation as well as new polygamy. Smith has confessed that there has been new polygamy in th.o church; that he has taken no action to punish the offenders; of-fenders; that he himself has broken the pledges made to gain Statehood; that ho had no intention to do otherwise; other-wise; that he continuously engaged in law-breaking; and that he did so because be-cause he preferred to take his chances against the law. What becomes of Elder Palmer's promise of vehement denunciation," in view of these circumstances circum-stances and recorded truths? Or docs I Elder Palmer absolve himself from the I duty to condemn for the reason that he j is of the Melchisedek priesthood, aud ! (therefore not of tho "rank and file of ; tVc church?" If Mr. Palmer, or any other elder in ! the church, is determined to deal with : these subjects at all, why not stick to tho truth, and cease misrepresenting the facts? The common knowledge of the people of this Slate discredits Elder Palmer and makes him to appear fool- j ish before his honest brethren and J sisters. |
