OCR Text |
Show OUT UPON THE FILTHY FRAUDS! "We dclivored a powerful address to tho young people, in which he exhorted them to load pure aud upright lives." So a down-State contcmporaiy describes de-scribes a sormon preached by Apostle John Ilonry Smith at tho Pa rowan stake conferonco lafrr, woek. Here is au entry taken from- the Latter-day Saints' Biographical Encyclopaedia: la April. 1877, John Ilonry yielded obedience to th principle of plural inar-nape- by marrying .Toaephlno Groeabork, a dauijhtor of Elder Nicholas Groesbock. So that John Henry Is the apotheosis of impndonce whon ho advises nnybody to lead a pure and upright life. At the lime that ho bowed a -willing knee to tho god of pol3'gamous immorality, he know that ho was committing a crime against his connhryv In that day Utah -was under tho control of tho Federal Government, and when John Henry, tho protended- immaculate, took unto himself him-self a second -wife ho throw a direct; and vicious insult into the tocth of governmental gov-ernmental authorit3-. 1" the year 1877 thero -were in force tho anti-pol3gam3' law of 1SQ2 and the Poland law of 187-1, the latter boing intended to fix court procoduro upon a more definito and secure se-cure barn's. John Henry's act -was in brazen defiance of the statute; his law-broaklng law-broaklng was deliberate and of his own studied volition; ho knew what he tvus about, and made personal choice of his roprehonsiblo course in life; he can claim no manner of excuse under innocent in-nocent misapprehension. When John Homy testified at Washington Wash-ington he admitted that he has had children born to him in' pol.ygainy since 1890 four of them and confessed thereby that he is a proponent of illegitimacy". ille-gitimacy". How can he have the face to advise a 03' .young man or young woman wo-man to lead a life of purity, -while ho himself is breaking the rules of morality, moral-ity, the law of the land and tho commandment com-mandment of his own church' Aud in connection with the John Henry brand of pol3-gaury there is a feature of . imposition im-position and defiance that docs not attach at-tach to all poh'gamous cases. Arizona is a Territory, and under the immediate control of the Government of the Unitod States. John Henry has carried his polygamous family into that Torriioiy, apparently with a view to flaunt his iramoralit.y in the face of the country itself. He has carried his polygamous offending outside of Utah, ivhere it originated orig-inated and lawlessly belongs, and inflicted in-flicted it upon a community that is not at all responsible for it. 1 Again, John Henry was among those who so humbly beseeched the Government Govern-ment to show them clemency for their polygamous offenses. He made solemn promiso at that time that if his sacred person -wcro made the object of merciful merci-ful consideration ho would never again offend the law or tho sentiment of tho country. He has dishonest' disregarded disregard-ed that, promise, and has brought into the world illegitimate children to intermarry inter-marry with tho youths whom he counsels coun-sels to live pure lives! It will be remembered, too, that John Henry was foremost In tho ranlcB of those who sought Statehood under a-'dedge a-'dedge to forever refrain from exorcising exorcis-ing ecclesiastical authorit- and influence influ-ence in civil affairs, and to withdraw from interference in the political activities activ-ities of his people. Today, after having hav-ing procured Statehood 1)3' means of false promises. John Henry is one of the most activn politicians in the church, while 3'et he holds a senior membership in the quorum of the twelve apostles, barring Apostle lyman. In this matter he has proved false lo his country, to dus State, and to his own people. Not many years ago, wo are reliabb' informed, John Henry "was over head and ears in debt. His obligations amounted to some hundreds of thousands thou-sands of dollars. For himself he appears ap-pears to have been a very poor financial manager. But when his second cousin, Joseph F, Smith, be'eame president of the church, behold our holy John Henr.y begnn to fatten in purse. Through the machinations of this prophetic pair the tithes of the church, wrung from tho sweating hand of the poor, have been so nimbly and profitabl3' manipulated that tho story now is that .John Honry is out of debt and invites those who have objection to his course to whistle for their pain?. Notwithstanding tho fact that, through the conspiracy existing exist-ing between himself and the manager of the ecclesiastical purse strings, John Henry draws a handsome incomo each year, ho continues to bleed the tithe fund iu another direction. While no salaries are paid to the apostles, there is a regulation in the church that each of these men shall draw as much as he needs for the sustenance of himself and his families, information to us is that John Henrj' unbhishingly makes ample and continued requisition upon the tithes for this purpose, and that he has a wondofful capacity for absorption of the church cash. His second cousin aids and abets his inroads4 because ho considers con-siders that the church is but a heritage of tho Smith fnmily, after all. And this is tho old h3'pocritc who urges young saints lo live lives of purity! The old phariscc does not know what decency and uprightness arc. He is a stranger stran-ger in,- morality an l sexuall.y do-praved-iu-evcry sense- of-the ward. 'And i of his like are' all tho fraud-promoting prophets. The3' arc all of a piece iu dishoncst3', immorality, blasphemy, and crime. But the wonder of it all is that the Mormon people, conscientious and upright up-right as thc3' are as a rule, will permit such sinful rascals to dominate over their souls and trample all thoir scru-plos scru-plos undorfoot. Conference will soon bo here. Why not, honest Mormons, rise in your rightful power and cast the devils out? You can do it; and if you refuse to do it, 3011 are responsible for the sin and crime that flourishes among your leadership. Teach those who exhort, ex-hort, yoiir children to righteousness that U103' must themselves be righteous before be-fore thc3 will ho pormitted to speak thus. Abolish hypocrisy and bring the church within the pale of civilization. |