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Show oil$m 1 Lvid&Wl raftX- - IS i MY GAIf : : 1 ' ' ' 1 , . .. . . - . . ' t . lead of the Dominant Church Will Probably Be Examined Exam-ined for Three Days; Talks of Revelation Doctrine: S 4 ., . HEARING MAY RUN SEVERAL WEEKS. - n - " " "WASHINGTON, March -Great interest attaches to the hearings la s the case of Senator Smoot of Utah because of the dual purpose of the In- qulry. Other investigations have been directed at the rights of certain contestants to seats in Congress, but never before has there, been lnau- gurated an inquiry into creeds or political factors to determine whether an unlawful influence Is being exerted in the political affairs of the Nation. Such Is the nature of the Smoot inquiry and at the opening session today it was conceded that the hearings would extend over several weeks and precrfltate a contest in which the noted legal talent will fight every Inch S of the way. ' - . ffiffi(S Railway company, Saltalr' Beach company com-pany and Salt Lake Knitting company. He said he was president of a' number num-ber of other small concerns, the names of which he could not recall.- and that he Is a director of the Union Pacific Railway company, editor of the Improvement Im-provement Era and Juvenile Instructor and director or official of a number of mining companies. Apostles Identified. A list of. the first presidency and twelve apostles governing the church .was read by Mr. Tayler and identified by Mr. Smith. This list included the name of Reed Smoot. ' Mr. Smith explained that the first presidency is the president of the church and two high priests or. counselors, coun-selors, and that the twelve apostles are next in authority. The presidents are elected by the council and the apostles, he said, but he believed! and It 1b taught that the president are really chosen by civina revelation,, and- thj are .Xbea endowed with the authority of the holy priesthood by authority direct from God. , - . ' He said the cposlles might elect to their number in the event of vacancy, but that they would not go contrary to the wish of the first presidency. Witness Called Down. y . ... V! ' . BULLETIN. WASHINGTON, MARCH 2. DURING DUR-ING THE PROGRESS OP THE . SMOOT HEARING THIS AFTERNOON AFTER-NOON PRESIDENT SMITH STATED THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THE SECOND REVELATION STOPPING POLYGAMY, HE BELIEVED THE FIRST REVELATION PERMITTING IT WAS CORRECT. . "I CANNOT HELP MY BELIEF." WASHINGTON, March 2. The In-; vestlgatlon which is to decide whether Reed Smoot of Utah is to retain his seat in the United? States Senate, and inci-: , dentally define the political status of the Mormon church, was formally begun be-gun today before the Senate Committee .', -jon FrlTUer end Elections.-'- i-.'- . J. Interest increased with the announce-ir-ent that Joseph F. Smith, president of the Mormon church, would be the first witness, and in all probability occupy the attention of the committee for two or three days. ' ! The attorneys for the defense, A S. iWorthington of this city and Waldemar Van Cott ' of Salt Lake, arrived early and engaged In consultation with their . client. ; ' i Carlisle and Tayler on Hand. ' j J. G. Carlisle, former Secretary of the Treasury, and R. W. Tayler, former Representative in Congress and the attorney at-torney who prosecuted the successful contest against Brlgham Roberts retaining re-taining his seat in Congress on the ground of his violating the anti-polygamy law, are the counsel for the Protestants. Pro-testants. Half a dozen witnesses, nearly all of , them officials of theMormon church, occupied oc-cupied 6eats in the rear of the large committee room. ' Ladies Interested Spectators. - j Quite a number of ladles were In attendance at-tendance and watched the proceedings with intereet. - i Chairman Burrows, after ascertaining by roll call that a quorum of the com-bjKV com-bjKV was present, directed Mr. Tayler to proceed with the case. Mr. Tayler inalilred the number of witnesses present, pres-ent, and Mr. Burrows read the following list of those on whom summons had been served: Mabel Parker Kennedy, Amos Charles Matthews, Ogden Hlles, - Andrew Jensen, John Smith. Hyrum M. Bmith. Thomas Merrill, Charles E. Merrill. Mer-rill. Alma Merrill. Lorln Harmon, Moses -Thatcher, M. W. Merrill, Joseph F. Bmith and Francis M. Lyman. President Smith Sworn. Mr. Tayler announced Ms readiness to proceed, and aaked that President Joseph Jo-seph F. Smith be sworn.. After that had been done. Franklin S. Richards, a Salt Lake attorney, stated- that he was present as an adviser of the witnesses, . In the event any improper questions were asked. I "Sustained" as Prophet. j The first question asked brought out that Mr. Smith is president of the Mormon Mor-mon church and was born in Far West, Mo., in 1838 and came to Utah in 1848 and always has been in the church, i . Mr. Tayler asked Mr. Smith if he was a prophet, seer and revelator. The witness said he was "so sustained." sus-tained." . . Further question along the same line brought out the statement that he re-' re-' celved his powers by reason of the position posi-tion he held in the church. Apostles Also "Sustained." j . He raid the apostles of the church . were "sustained" in the same "powers as prophets, seers and revelators. i He was asked to name his predecessors predeces-sors as president of the church and - gave them in order back to the first president, Joseph Smith. Sr. The wlt- ne said he sustains the same power as bis predecessors. I Sinoot's Business Connections. j v ' Questions directed to ascertain the . business occupations of Mr. Smith in p Edition to the presidency of the church ought out the following list of con- ' cfns, of which he is president: zlon Co-Operatlve and Mercantile Institution, In-stitution, wtth a capital stock of more than $1,000,000; State Bank of Utah, Zlon's Savings bank. Utah Sugar company. com-pany. Consolidated Wagon and Machine company. Utah Light . and Railway . coxepanji Salt; Lake, & Los Angeles " A . ' ' - ' ' I ... Throughout the testimony Mr. Smith used ruch expressions as "I think." "I suppose" and "I believe." These expressions ex-pressions proved unsatisfactory to members of the committee, and Senator Hoar said he wanted to understand whether Mr. Smith's form of speech implied im-plied doubt or whether it was simply an unfortunate mode of speech. Mr. Smith said he used these expressions which were not positive when he referred re-ferred to matters from memory, but that in all matters of the church, of revelations and the powers of the church he was certain, and did not want to be misunderstood. How Apostles Are Chosen. In regard to revelations the witness said the church holds that any elder may receive a revelation for his own guidance. ' "Thtn Mr. Smoot may receive such a sevelation direct from God?" asked Mr. Tayler. . "For his own guidance, yen, was the answer. In response to direct questioning, Mr. Smith said only those revelations to the president which had been presented to the church and accepted by the members mem-bers were binding upon them. Mr. Overman wanted to know what happened hap-pened to those who did not 'believe In the inspired revelations. - "Were they unchurched?" he asked. "They unchurched themselves." was the response. Had Never Occurred. After more direct questioning concerning con-cerning the rights of the church members mem-bers to reject revelations, Mr. Tayler put the, situation in this form: "May the members of the church say to you, 'We deny that God has told you to teH us what, and we will not receive your revelation?" Could that occur in the church?" "It could," was the reply. "Has this ever been done? asked Mr. Hoar. . "Not that I know of." "Now, that is Just what I have been calling attention to," said Mr. Hoar. "The witness says, 'Not that I know of.'" ' Turning to Mr.' Smith, he remarked that the answer expressed doubt, and more pointedly he asked the witness: President Smith Concerned. "Has the church ever rejected any of your revelations? , Have any of the revelations to the presidents been rejected?" re-jected?" "May I say a word on that first?" asked Mr. Smith. . - : ' He stood up and was noticeably concerned con-cerned at the trend of the questioning. In an extended explanation of the relations rela-tions the members of the church bear to those in high authority among other things he said: ' "The members of the Mormon church are among the freest, most independent people of all the Christian denominations. denomina-tions. They have freedom of speech, freedom of thought. .They are not all nnlted on every principle of the church. They are not expected to be. . ; "They are entitled to their own, conception con-ception in regard to the principles of their church, their conception of what appears to them to be the right or. the wrong. So long as one accepts God and Ms opinion is not in conflict with 'the accepted standards of the church he enjoys following in the church. '"He who denies. God, ha who, csxnmlts |