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Show BROKEN SHACKLES m Editor Tribune There wan a time when I was a credulous and faithful Latter-day Saint. In looking backward I can tcuthfully say that 1 felt the fallh. paiil a fair tillilng and gave some heed to counsel, so-called, up to within six years ago.. Hut for a long time for ten years before 1. decided that the whole .Mormon system of theology was based on fraud and fakcry my eyes wore able to see tho greed, bad raith and selfish aspirations as-pirations or the leaders or the church. My first doubts as to tho sincerity, honesty and fairness or the members of the higher priesthood wer awakened by their conduct In tho Moses Thatcher episode- These doubts, once" awakened, would not sleep. From Hint time onward I watched Ihe leaders or the cliurch more closely my doubts were confirmed. Long before your paper became aware that polygamy was being secretly taught and practiced, I knew of many Instances. ' I kept my doubts and oplnlona to myself and was therefore counted and counseled coun-seled as a man of groat faith. But this polygamy bore heavily upon my mind, I am the father of three, girls. They are children yet, but I havo vowed lo God that they shall not suffer the sorrow and shanio that have watered the valleys of I'tali with women's tears. As I looked upon my Utile girls and heard many whispers or polygamy restored, my soul cried within me, "Polygamy is not divine. It is a. revelation Troni Satan. It was a. fraud and pretense of a false prophet lo excuse, his own lust." Tho moment I said this the scales fell from my eyes and 'for tho flrsl time in my lire I saw the light or day. SI ill I kept my opinion to myself. While I knew of many cases of new polygamy, yet I could not bring myself Lo believe that the authorities authori-ties of the church, over tho manifesto and over their pledges to the nation and lo the peoplo of Utah, wero In anywise encouraging the practice, I still thought that the, new cases wero sporadic, as the saying Is. My awakening was ( a rude sort. My wifo confided lo mc what a yoUng girl hail confided to hor. Several elderly ladles hud been "laboring" with Ibis girl to convince her that polygamy was a divine Institution and that if she embraced the doctrine here, tho highest high-est exaltation awaited her in heaven. The girl conceded the divinity or the doctrine and the rich reward lo be bestowed Jn heaven, but her heart was set upon a' young man who was a Mormon, but not a polygamlst. A high authority Iu the Granite slake, was called iu to counsel and pray. The girl wept, considered and waited. Later, an apostle met her at the house or one of the old ladles and prayed with her. and counseled her lo enter polygamy. po-lygamy. She contlded her troubles lo my wife and my who told thorn to me. This settled the matter Jn my mind. I found occasion, some days later, lo lulk wllli this apostle I boldly mentioned the fact ifl that the manifesto was being disregard- iLiM cd In Granite stake. Ho said, "Brother f fl . you do not seem lo tinder- ? 1H stand that seasons change. If any broth- f il or Is living his religion It Ik none of your Ifl business." And this ended my ralth In Mormonlsm and in Ihe men who rule tho ?M church. - Sfl Nor Is this all. Some rour or five year; (fl ago my family and 1 enjoyed the great i pleasure or spending a few months in U tM southern California. It was not the soli 1? or sky or air that made mv wife ex- t U claim. "How delightful; how different t from ITlah!" It was not the climate I IS that, made me ror the few months feel , A VWk younger, stronger and more courageous. k No, li was none or these things. It waa r am freedom: freedom from counsel and cs- , im plottage; freedom fiom 4lhc cunicahInK V sfli tentacles of a brain-dwarfing, soul-stunt- AS lug. poverty-breeding system. Breath- ! afl Ing that free air, associating with those f rrce people and looking upon that rrcc ' fm country purged my brain and heart of the last traces of love for priestcraft; , il and respect for the Mormon system of in- (H tcllectual and political bondage 1 IB Upon our return to Utah, the faults, k. xfl fallings and fraud of the Mormon ays- ' ffl tent of priestcraft appeared to us more ill glaring and pronounced and day by day became odious. As wc examined, tho : ' Mormon priesthood appearod In another t light. Tho president, the apostles and f Ihe members of tlm quorums are nothing: . t but men plain, ordinary men with teeth ! and stomachs, no better, no smarter and ; t no worse than tbo ordlary run of men. t F Why should they be fed and fattened for I their services In maintaining a system i 1 that palsies men's brains and rulna worn- ft dl en's lives? B I Tlicso things arc what pass through i . Ihe mind of every thinking salat. Many middle-aged saints and nearly all young -. Mormons arc thinking these thoughts ; and straining at their fetters. Rut to ; i . break away, to sevr all association- of ' friendship "and kinship Is at my age no , eosv task. However, this I must do. I have small means, strong bands and a. 1 . ; family to provide for. An humble home 11 and a crusl. In a. free, clean community will bring us more real happiness than. 5 would wealth, station and a. mansion In 4, a land or hypocrisy, fraud, polygamy and I Hinft. 1 Mr. Editor. 1 write this lo your paper : bccnuFo 1 know that you see the truth 1 In what 1 have said and will publish my i . letter. There are many other men iu 2 Utah nay. in this city who are situated I the same as I am and who feel and think Jf-the Jf-the things I have written. I know maiiv f or them and so do you. Poor old "Utah: : -7 Palsied bv superstition. Ignorance and , t fear! Poor Mormon people. Impoverished. f enslaved and kept in darlcncsa by n ,1 coterie or self-appointed Interpreters ol i J , the will of God. Oh. that all might seo ( t) Ihe light! Very trulv yours, .:' ON'F. WHO KNOWS. 1 1 Salt Lake City. October 0, 1010. 1 |