Show let every reflecting person ask ak the question what whal would 1 1 I do if required to ohey god or bow downto down to man and there was no alternative it may be objected ali ah but I 1 dont believe I 1 in a any la law v of god with which the ladof man conflicts perhaps not but that is not the question suppose suppose you jou did believe and leel thoroughly assured without a doubt that you were required of the almighty to do something that a human would you hesitate tate forbear for fear of what man could ik do if so would you not be a coward or a rebel a against ainest deity it may be objected further wem well i cant conceive of ofa command commandos com mandof of god to break a law of the land but can you not comprehend that god sometimes gives commands and man makes laws in opposition thereto Is not this I 1 the he position which nas has formed the me ground of every religious persecution from time immemorial r lae bible scan bean both the old new testaments study the history of the mar martyrs tyis look fur for the gro ground und of the persecutions against catholics or protestants huguenots Huguen or Iuri puritans tans i r pilgrims it has always been the ladof law of ician man against the law of god all the inhuman cruelties cruel ties that blacken the record of intolerance were perpetrated in the name of law human enactments against divine dec decrees or secular force against religious conviction vic tion if this mormon system was subversive of human r rights if its devo tees infringed upon the liberties of other people it if they committed essential crimes if they murdered robbed maltreated mal treated or r injured others it they took other mens wives if they compelled women to marry or do anything else against I 1 their will if they took up arms i against the state or were guilty guilta of anything that is malura in 1 se I e there might be some ground for the idea that they ought not to as divine a religion that justified such things but that system does nothing of the kind rt ft infringes upon no human rights and aad destroys no principle necessary to the welfare of society but produces harmony and order morality and peace when it comes to a choice of divine or human law who can hesitate for IL a moment all that is ii needed in a conscientious soul is a clear conviction of what is human and what is divine the I 1 understanding reached follow in favor of the divine evrew 46 time 40 blackstone the great ex er joi of the science of law says sacs upon these two foundations the law of nature and the law of revelation depend all human laws that is I 1 to say no human laws should be sufi to contradict these all just laws enacted by men are based upon the principles that underlie divine law Black BlAcks storie toile says these are the eternal immutable laws of good and evil to which the creator himself him self in all his his dispensa eions eions conforms and which he has enabled human reason to discover so far as they are necessary for tho the conduct ot of human actions such among others are these principles that we toe should live honestly should hurt nobody and should render to every one his due dite to which three general precepts Ju justinia Justi stinnis niu s has reduced the whole doctrine of law 11 there is nothing in the mormon brinon At system which runs counter to these three fundamental precepts and the criminal law which punishes men for anything inside of these rules is itself a vial violation atio of both divine and natural law the notion that the marriage system of the cormons mormons Mor mons isa ida menace against society is a shallow invention its plurality pl feature is so guarded and restricted that it can only apply to advanced members of the church and belongs to men who hold a defined grade of priesthood it is not for the world W and its covenants are distinctly confined to degrees within its oti own limits they are aie sacred ecclesiastical and exclusive and rightfully the secular law should have no application to them M but whatever may be the attitude of the country on this question the latter day saints or er mor mons cannot change their position while they retain tain their faith and convictions vic vict ions tiong S sensible 1 I people ought to see this and also that force of any kind must prove powerless to make that change it never accomplished anything of the kind it never will you yon may shut up every mormon in prison but that will not convert or convince him it will only confirm his faith deepen his convictions and strengthen his determination to obey god rather than raen men A policy of kindness is much more likely to kad acad to conditions desired by rational people than any mea of vengeance vengeance trial cau can be cle the reply of the prisoners riso nerg hould abald con convince vinee the thong thoughtful taul throughout this great thata great blunder has been beed made in the merciless crusade against the 6 mormons cormons Mor mons that hogood no good insults will accrue from it and that than a conti continuation a uati on of the pressure will perpetuate the mormon system arouse resistance in the souls oflus of its adherents repress the mature with a sense of undeserved injury and breedin breed ia the rising generation that resentment ail against a 1 st injustice to their parents which will 1 1 bring forth us its natural fruits in comin coming time that a peaceable people should d be singled out to be punished for their obelie obedience nce to god when t that ha t obedience involves no harm to others other is one of the singular events of this remarkable age in this wonderful so called christian con country |