| Show no ZDI DIV V 0 OBOE R 0 E yh i publish a as s an item of news the report of the grand jury in relation lati iati onto to divorce matters in bait salt la lake e co county the particulars s set et forth in that document are of a remarkable Piar kable hable character whether i they tiley are correct or incorrect we are not able abie to state Report reports shave have been previously made in this city cuy from committees appointed by grand juries which were absolute ly fahe and evidently concocted with malicious intent we have no doubt after perusing the present committee committees report as adopted by the grand jury that explanations from the probate judge would materially teri ally alter the appearance of the case and demonstrate the fact that a i similar animus to that which prompted the former garbled and mendacious report which was almost universally condemned some time ago has had considerable to 10 lo do with V ith the present statement flowe however we leave the facts in the m matter atter to be explained by those wha who are ate personally interested be ieving loving that the probate judge is abundantly able if proper tim time 0 is is afforded himy hims him to give a sufficient answer to every allegation but we deem it a duty we owe to the people of utah to correct the public mind upon the views of the mormon church on the subject of divorce it has been represented by many newspapers as well aa as ay oy pulpit orators that the putting away of wives iss is a common practise of theAlor the mormon morill pe people oplean and d that it ay iy fully in accordance with rel rei ig I 1 doctrines this statement at ate Is entirely without foundation in badt fact the teachings of this church are utterly hostile to divorce marriage la represented aa as a sacrament it is 11 abt only binding until death but for time arld and all al ufern efern eternity ity andi and sealed by the holy spirit of romise under the authority of one holding the power to benl beni seal on earth so ad that it shall bear beAl be sealed ate ake ir heaven there thero is nothing in any jf f the revelations believed in by the litter day duy saints that encourages cou rages a man to put away bis his wife wire the doctrine of the church is that he be is not justified in bloing so except exception in in case caselow of adultery handwerk Au devyn dewyn dewen ili in such cafes cases caseb which we are happy to botay ay have bave been of very rare care occurrence the bu husband has generally be been 1 advised if the wife was repentant tant taut not bocast to cast cas caa N her nr r off but to vo provide and care carta for her that she might not be impelled to travel in vai h of le ill ari art and d the general practice has been in accord with the theae te teachings cases in which the husband has applied fora for a divorce from his wife wile are exceedingly scarce scarce searce wives have applied for divorces from their tius husbands bands arld and their request has aven usually granted and the w women amen so sundering their family obligations 0 baye have generally obtained such a pecuniary bettle hettle more than covered the demands of justice so far as they were concerned it may be asked why grant divorces at all if it the church does not encourage them the answer Is for the sanie ganie same game reason that moses permitted them to the people in his day because ot the of their hearts 11 and under the system of plural marriage practised practiced in this thi church it would be considered a e s stem of bonda geif women desi desiring ring xing to sever their relations with a husband having other wives were refused the liberty they emigh demand but it has been announced and it is generally understood that unless for the gravest of bences fences committed by the husband the wife is under ilon before god who becomes divorced from ner her earthly head to whom she basteen has bas been united by the most sacred covenants and holy obligations any dep dup departure arture arturd from this course marked out by the church for its members mem bers beis no matter by whom it is taen is contrary to the letter and spirit of the gospel taught aught therein 3 aind find to the sayings of carlst carist and the in adding to his big family a man has no right to deal treacherously sly siy with the wife of his ilia youth 11 and as the bible declares god putting away 11 his auger is denounced agahi against those who violate the their ir marriage vows by divorce but not a word of or disapprobation can bi betouni beto ilund und iu in the records A against aill aili alillie alil lit a mans luana marrying wives providing provid ipg g it is done in the way marked out by divine commandment The charge that the mormon church encourage encourages or connives at the granting of secret divorces for people not residing inthis in this territory is untrue if anything of this kind has been practised practiced it is not endorsed bythe by the teachings of the church nor the tiie sentiments of the community we have no hesitation in saying that they are utterly opposed to anything of this character and consider it busand indefensible thelah on divorce aa as it now stands on the thu utah statute book ia is imperfect there Is no doubt some changes might be made in it with advantage that clause particularly which allows divorce under certain talia regulations latI iati ons if it the court ia Is satisfied that the person so applying is a resident of the territory or wishes to io become one the words in italics in our opinion should be expunged from the law and we be lievre this is the view of the matter held by a great many members of the legislature who will no doubt take this subject up at the next sitting of the As assembly embly but even this law I 1 honestly administered would admit of very little if a auy any uy rea real evil levil the tho court is to be of the facts fact 1 in the case true some persons may be more easily eathan others in regard to any matter of fact opinion or principle but the law when framed meant bona aide fide gatis satIs satisfaction ruction and it is but very recently that any attempts have been made to take advantage of df the loophole to be obtained by and perverting that one phrase of the law it was wag framed in 1852 and has stood in the statutes all these years without working injury until within a very brief period we are not arguing in favor of th the statute as at present worded we wo do not wish to defend any one who has pervert edits letter or spirit to do dollars if any such there be we do know that any one is worthy of censure in this regard we do not accept the one sided side unanswered statements of the grand jury evidently inspired a desire ca 0 make mate trouble fo for the probate court tut but vie we do wish it to be understood by jew and gentile 1 9 mormon and a anti antl i lirly tian and P pagan ragan a an that div divorce in general is repugnant to the feelings and faith of the latter litter day saints and contrary to the doctrine or ef the church to which they belong that such divorces as are obtained by fraud intrigue and illegal schemes and methods wherever and whenever secured are viewed by the churchard Chur church chand and its faithful members with abhorrence and di disgust ag and that they do not fellowship ap the deeds and doings of any persons persona in or out of this territory if such there be who trade upon the passions ank auk and vices of erring humanity and lend themselves to secret schemes for the disruption of family ties that should be held as sacred inviolable and indissoluble |
