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Show it good and bea u t i fu I, ch ildre n embraced also, add wo arose and left bur beloved hornet laving all upon the, .altar, if need be, for the Gospel in itsfuliiassf and embracing all Its principles and' of course plurality among: the rest. I had been educated in the : , " . , . in-ves:ig- ..... ' ' ,. ation, If there are strangers present, I would respectfully ask them to investigate our principles not the characters of men and women indiscriminately, the truth of God is not dopendent ou human action or human judgment. Among what churches on earth are. there no imperfect ones? We .must-. first be perfect .ourselves bfoie we throw down, the gauntlet This is a probation, and imperfection is at present the law of our being; by this "we make the whips that scourge us," and by this, we get our schooling and. increase in knowledge, wis-do- m nd . understanding, and then we can make all, thibgV work for our good in time and eternity. Mrs. Margaret T Smoot made tho follow lngJmpromptu speech: ; I am thankful, am proud of tho privilege (it standing before ray listers in the new and everlasting covenaiil, many of whom know mo and.bave known me' for many years. I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daSaints forry.fbur year; '. . y - .? strictest principles of morality and refinement, yet when JTiad "heard that this was one of the teriels of the Church, given by revelation, I wasJ by "no means staggered, pondered it in my heart like Mary of jut old ! I knew it was the order of the an. eient Saints, and great blessings had been roufeired upon the human family by obeying it, even the Saviour coming to thw earth through,, that lineage. Viowing.it also philosophically, 1 felt lhatHts laws coincided with, the law of nay nature. My into the order in ail the jr daughters entered ' youth and beauty educated as they had teen in alt the refinements oHbe world; and have ever honored it, and been an honor to it, and to the Church, whose principles (hey left their5 homes and all its attractions to obey; and if my husband did not enter into it, he was of course free to follow his qwq mind- - he was a man of the purest, most refined morals and I neverJheayl Jiim say or hint one word against the crder, even when his young daughters entered in-t- o it,, "Verily, to the pur'o, all things are, pure.'' I have now been in the Church twenty eight years, and my path has not been one of roses by any means, but I have I would not return to former no.ficts. thin gs, for Qu een Victoria's crown and alt its appendages. The Lord being my helper, I will live and die where I have cast my lot. Its principles will feed and sustain all those who desire to live them, and are full of glory and immortality. This is,' indeed, a mere synopsis of my Church history, but" a hint to the wifce and good is sufficient for: ' them. I would like to have an interview wijh the first lady of our country at the present, time. 1 have heard much of her goodness, her love of honesty and truth, and should iuve to see her take steps to investigate our principles, and us as. a people, we court and never feel - afraid. For perfect love casteth fear. WerIovo the honest, i lis wise and the good of every land and clime, for one touch of the gospel makes the whole world kin, when they embrace ' -- ando Asters, tnat it Is of God; know, to o strewn: with thorns, .a rid of the purity, the virtues the integrity and I have'' trodden paths strewn with roses. sisters fill our bosoms of the that belonging I have enjoyed my life and1 my religion ail not to do Church. We this profess .to bo the days I have spent Jn it. I know, for perfoctbut wo can say, that those who live myself that we are engaged in tho work of up tp all their privileges are blessed and the living God, and that I am numbered owned of God. We are In his hands, and .:. among his people ' ? hewU(:,if ke care of fiis people. With regard to the principle of plural ? Dr. Romania 13. Pratt read the following marriage, I wish to gay; that I havo had over In ' its practice for thirty .. experience address bea of I am wife I the polygamic years. I Mrs., President, Ladies and .Gentlemen:, V ' lieve iii the principle, and I know it to be To get' the proper understanding of a pure ami chaste; and I know that those' of the In G6iVeln who practise It the spirit ; subject about which there7 isli difference of s of which it is a part, are pure, and virtuous. opinion,and especially: In aib(ibjnX?ier And I know, fob, that purer men ahd'Woi1; right and. Wrong "are so intricately 1 wrongs displacing right at every men do not live upon God's- footsrooVthaft ' presentep! opportunity, we must eliminate those who li ve in this order of marriage. which aro tho sternand .IndisputI have seen the' prophet Joseph through" u ) theJacts, able rounds in the ladder of ascent by whom this principle' was revealed I'have which we 'climb slowlyvbittUure'iy, to th listened to his teachings, I have known for true solution of the difficulty. Suddenly myself of his virtue, of his purit,f of his a our midst in new has arisen there variety goodness, of his desiro to elevate and bless -- of opposition,, the object of which is to the human family, and what I say many of : tread into; the dust, without ,itiqt;or dis- you my .sisterj,Xean Jbear wit rms oL :lL tmcliooTtharwhteli rwBThoioVbt;)saered. khowy too, that virtue and goodness and I t is an element,that,;in. the search foXjevir, purity is the witehword of bur brethren; I has skimmed from the" surface the float) ng say Xtcnow, I do not say'L believe it; but! ' ills with, which (magnified and recolored by, do know for myself that whaT I r say is? their own perverted jimagjnaUon into ab30;, true. I know it by the revelations of the: lute misrepresentation) they .have sought to Spirit of the .living tfod the Comforter arouse lu thef public mind, sentiments as that was promised by the Saviouri and it is confirmed by myjong experience: . ;Ltovtr pbJUeraSwthe pwe may; be swept out of existence without lived now nearly seventy years on n this our cause being investigated or; considered. of thenihavo been earth, and forty-fon- r They have entirely oVerl(bked the fact that spent serving my God in tfiif new and evertruth is ,heavy and often, lisf hidden in ' the V lasting covenant. ' words arid deeds; unspoken depths is I as have a. intimated, My husband, The first question in the process of anal-- ; and his, chilwives his other polygamist; ysls of this matter ls, who are these oppbs-ers- ? dren by those are just as much a part oXhis. and second, who are the opposed The me and I as hiaurst' being mine, family latter ;are they who, by glancing back wife; and his other wives are just as lawful I through tho vista of thirty years, may bo and honorable in the sight of Grtd'as I am, seen in their westward' journey as a little and his children I consider to be Just as handful of husbands, wives and children, layfutand honorable as any children born ' slowly wending their way toward the wilin wedlock. These are not only my feelings, derness, with the cheerful hope treasured but I' know them to be the feelings of many deeply in their hearts tbat.there buried in others who occupy a position like "that its depths, they might worship God accordand I believe them to be which ing as he .revealed ;his willand commandthe feelings of this whole community who ments. rJ?hu3aborwearyv would, if they had the privilege,' speak in over, patiently overcoming the , obstacles their own defense. We are not a degraded of nature, braving, dangers from wild nip community; we are not in abject slavery. and beasts, until the Lord whispered to his We have our privileges and rights just as anointed rrrbphet, "Here, in. tbo, barreh many as I want, and as many as 1 know valley of, the Great Salt Lakejis the'resting how to useu Let me repeat we are not place ot my6peopIe.,f', 4degraded,'VneHher are our children.,; We Diligently tho pitching of tents went on, have the noblest of children and the happifollowed by busy preparatibris for the est of homes. I would be willing to comuntried winter, without a single pare, ray .husband's family with anybody's misgiving as, to the result, or their hearts family, to see what defect can be found in were filled with the sustaining and glowing them. ;Our sifters, ladies of other persua-fions- , influence of tho iloly Spirit, inspiring Ihem; have spoken of us, as being "degradwith' the assiirancq tha f God was near. - As ed.' ' They do hQtknowus, we are not unthe friiiis of ihdomifable energy, perseverderstood, our principles are uot undeitbod, ance and pitlent labor,' tho wild sagebrush neither are our motives known. ' Wo vanished, tho iocky andarid soil,- - through to interfere wilt' any of attempted streams of the power of tne their , J privileges. Oh the contrary, we the wator, softening fQrbidden face of nahave made them welcome to our land, after ture into smiling fields and gardens. .With making it what it is. We aro they who this glad change of elements there gradualcame herb when the place was a desert wll. ly arose and prospered, industries, enterderness; who have subdued the arid soil, prise and commerce, ther ibusy,; hum' of built the cities and planted the gardens and which tickled the earior lovers of gain, vineyards, and made tho place beautiful ! . when again theweb of pur Jives i Interand desirable." We, I say, have done this,un- woven with, the hostile element of former der the blessing of Almighty God, for with, years. Is it a necessity .that a community out his blessing upon our labors wo could of .members of i widely differing sentiments not havo endured the toil. But let me say, on religious matters need harbor and foster that as far as our situation is concerned, we feelingi of bitterness and strife? The many are in" tho hands. pf, God, and, as has often fruQ and .tried "Gentile"' friends of pur been said, so I say, if this .work is oft God, ' pcbplo certify to tho negative. , it will stand, despite all efforts t,o the, pun-- ; which ttves obr in times Thcro.como trary; and if of man, it must fail. But. I do peally 'demand' t ha r tlie true' spirit' and not use tho word'iPas though in doubt of because I k no W,fi nd you, knew, my sis- '1: :; ;(Continutd oa i'ug 11)2.). r I have trodden paths that ibis was indeed; the Church of Jesus upon the earth, and Christ, hence the persecution. .Gathering was and is ono of our pnnciple8,and J,had te spirit of it as soon as I, had been baptized; my : ! inter-minglf-iii- . - ' . , . ; 1 . ! c--f , t . ) ; , ap-"proa- have-nevei-- " life-givin- g; 1 J i, ching -- ? . |