| Show A VAIN ATTEMPT arguments that haye neither weight nor logic EDITOR ENQUIRER president joseph smith of tho ke organized church prea cheLon thursday evening in the fork theatre choosing for his subject the old old problem polygamy mr smith 13 a well built man with a strong voice and may be considered a fluent and rapid speaker in arising be abuid it might be necessary to make an apology although an apology was not necessary unless some insult had been offered he was considered by many an apostate even by many of those who professed to believe m the teachings of his faglier fat lier joseph the martyr he was able to state liis reasons for being an apostate and if he were able to state those reasons the public ought to be content the prejudices of mankind have always been ilie weapons which arnth has had to meet with ane of the worst things which the latter day saints had credited him with was that of being an infidel because he differed from them in religious belief this is a sign of weakness he had been called an apostate by many in and one of an adverse mind but they had BO far failed to show wherein be had apostatized he had preached those principles his father had taught and who could say he had apostatized but some would say you have apoate i sized from the principle of celestial marriage which your father taught said he there are hundreds and thousands who never heard his father teach bitet they were acquainted with him if you will refer to your dictionary you will find alie word apostate means ono who has abandoned the faith the speaker believed in the principle hy which tho church of jesus christ was established mr smith then endeavored to prove alie invalidity of the doctrine of celestial marriage the book of mormon he said would not have lasted six months ifsits teachings had not coincided with the bible in every particular and the greatest argument ill its favor was that it confirmed the old and new testaments and when god reveals his mind and will upon any subject it will sot conflict with his revelations which may have been given to man in former days in the beginning god made them male and female and said they twain be one and the same baying is again repeated by the Savior as recorded by one or two of alie evangelists god selected noah a man only one w replenish the earth after alie hood andt liebe facts widened only two plainly eliat god never intended s plurality of wives mr smiths arguments were indeed feeble compared to alie numerous in holy writ where plural marriage was openly practiced and sanctioned bv god himself these facts mr smith cautiously avoided not even referring to or dealing with the questions recorded in the book of mormon which hitherto biad been his favorite weapon he is evidently aware that the bulk of scriptural evidence ia against him from alie fact eliat lie shrewdly evaded all scripture where plurality of wives is maintained it is plainly evident that mr smith is in possession of no creater light or inspiration than that which is courmon 10 ordinary individuals not withstanding the fact that he claims to be a second joseph and the rightful heir to alie presidency of the church in the sound of his own voice he lacks chaj familiar key and ring which distinguishes the voice of alie True Shepherd and until lie can furnish weightier arguments against plural marriage upon a scriptural basis than those he has furnished thus far he had better leave the problem in other hands FORK dec 7 |
