Show apostle john henry IT AL ilor II 11 taie the did to suit lh ok amton dal into the Ln sinca h acl PALT nov alii biorn ing mr dai acson ba id be biad found the prater that he bad re erred to and offered it in ev idenie objected to it a it was not doctrine I 1 R as not to be revelation aad it had neur been put before the people and ac cepter aa dottridge dot triDe the declarations of any individual were not binding the members of the church court alst it be admitted in evidence mr diacon alien read from alie prayer by Wilford in which there is a iha nation which makes war against alie saints unless it repents to be inept from the earth aa etith a of destruction mr baram offered abo writings of orbon on the government of the church lebrand young objected on alie ground that the pars apropo ted to bo brought in H era openly declared by the president of alie church not to be dx i the court admitted the statements objected to i the extracts extrAC ta read were from orson pamphlet on the kingdom f cod dickson offered a discourse by ceorge Q cannon delivered dacej ber 2 1883 in silt lake city in which the people are advised to be united aad leep the of god the discourse also baals with the doctrine that revelation ot god comes only through ha onal whom god called to over iii church refers to the ement of leading cormons mormons by the edmunda law and to the divine authority of those called by the almighty to eca in his name and by the pow era of ilia priesthood biskin then offered in evidence the doctrine and covenants ho then announced tint his caad was csobej le grand young stated that at the first the court bad raid the inquiry bould be to a certain scope but this bal been departed from and made to church and the members thereof were enemies of the the of the had been called to explain their views find doctrines this was an unjust procedure it kiy be that alie witness we put on will not disclose the emoni ei bat we will arne that the allegation there i ai cali against the government is a falie fali e allegation tha by george 1 cannon that only oie mao coald receive doctrine tor the church and that by revelation from god ia a i statement of our position and no 6 member of the church la bound by the ideas or opinions of another APOi JOHS HENRY quitu waa the fi rat witness lie testified lam 41 ears of age I 1 am a mormon and BO were my parents and grandparents my father was an apostle and I 1 am recognized as one there are the frat presidency of three members the twelve apostles and the quorum of seventies these three quorums equal authority in their capacity as quorums qu I 1 belong to the second quorum in the church the apostles the first presidency when is the authoritative quorum I 1 bae had my endow icente icae officiated in the dowmont H anse now torn doun in those ceremonies there is no oath or covenant to avenge the blood of the prophets on this nation or people nor is there any oath the SJ i government nothing of the lind was ever presented to me xo such oath bond or covenant of that kind anything that would be so construed had any man presented such a thing to me I 1 would have repudiated it I 1 never heard such an oath d to me implicit obedience is not taught intelligent obedience to that we understand is right ie taught in our church I 1 am as free as any man on earth from my file leader the basis of our le ligion is that every man must act on bis own free agency that cannot be infringed upon no bond ie asked requiring implicit obedience to the we are instructed in our church to be united as is set forth in president george Q cannons discourse which has been read hera it lias been conr union that has enabled os to make this country habitable aers indians ahre and there were great difficulties which we overcame by our union it Is a doctrine of our chorch that men should live in union and protect each others rights and interests in the endowment there is nothing requiring the avenging of tha blood 0 the an phela on aliis cation the only thing that can be in any shape h in caBs agea of scripture which are read they ara found in the ath chapter of revelation ath and versed I 1 hive been at the testimony liere the verses I 1 refer to are as follows and when he baa opened the fifth beal 1 the alter the souls of them that was elain for the v ord of god and for the testimony which they held and they cried with a laud voice saying how long 0 jorj holy and true thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that da ell on the this is given in the course of a lecture ht is it ia read when no obligations are imposed and the people ae advised to pray that the ard will the blood of all the prophet 0 any apfl precisely as it is the verses I 1 leave read the names of joseph and haruna smith were not mentioned to me in his connection the praye ia taught in ilia lurch to all member eliat autice mifot be done by the lord it th cormons mormons are unjust they are responsible under this as well as others there is nothing authorizing or approving the Bb edding of blood I 1 the man who breaks the law of the land is by the c amand of god 0 o be turned over to the law of the land lr ia the condition belief and of toe mormon people in the endowment ceremonies chere is no covenant vow oath or agreement by which a mans arm is to ba inace inaje strong to aberge the bood of joeeph or snail on this nat oa or any other toe mor mons belice in anointing with oil for sick ne e that is a habit hith them in all anoint ings we pray to god to bless the person anointed babkin that is balderdash court what is your objection itaskia it has nothing to do with tins case court it is impossible sometimes for a witness to confine an answer so that it is naive to the question but lie will do so as much as possible mr smith continuing A person is not required in the endowment ceremonies to take an oath or go into polygamy to mr kelson I 1 am reasonably familiar with the endowment acre monies I 1 have a deep affection for my country the united states I 1 would any catli covenant or condition opposed to my country I 1 am a polygamist and entered that rel aion in 1877 before the law was declared lio ilAl biasin bid in violation of the law sir smith I 1 decline to answer mr diceson if you did do you bay yon had an at action for our country mr smith continuing yes sir I 1 consider bigamy is the hurrying nurr ying of a second wife deceiving either or both it both have knaI elge and consent I 1 do not consider it bigamy it would be bigamy if a man married another wife contrary to liia cifes consent I 1 believe the revelation on celestial marriage requires a woman to chent I 1 had my cifes con bent if a wife is converted that the principle is correct ehe should con pent if not no it she refuses he is at liberty to go ahe id I 1 believe that la the will of old mr diceson if your difo had refused would have rejected the will of god 7 mr mo ie I 1 object to mr smith beina require J to elite liis opinions he has stated the law of the church court oh I 1 it proper mr men are loft to their own judgment and discretion this law extends through time and eternity and I 1 could abda my time to obey the law of gad if I 1 felt to take a wife without her consent when she refused I 1 BU pose I 1 should hae done 10 I 1 became aware aliat states supreme C urt passed on the constitutionality of the law of I 1 took my wife in 1170 or 1877 As a man of honor I 1 could not abandon my family sir dickmon Is it not irue that after eliat law wag held to be con you lived in violation of st mr this territory mr moyle the constitutionality of the law against unlawful cohabitation has never been testified court the question of tha constitutionality ot cuts no figure in this caw ge grand young unlawful cohabitation was not made an till 1832 the prosecutors here tried to make polygamy a continuous offense but the court would not allow it the almog with two wives before 1833 was not unlawful witness to mr dickson after the law of 1882 against fill cohabitation I 1 did not live with my decord wife in tin s territory chirt aie may decline to answer if be desires witness to mr dickmon I 1 have not violated the law I 1 decline to say whether I 1 lived with one in one territory and another in another I 1 was once agreste 1 my plural wife was with me in enrobe several years blie afler warda left this territory 0 tier own volition josephine groi beck ia lier name when the laws of the nation conflict with the linof hod it is not oar duty to violate lie law 0 the land the law found m practicing plural marriage I 1 never performed a plural marriage I 1 only know of my own I 1 do not believe that our church the to pass on the constitutionality of any law that is the of the united states bonit read from hie doctrine and covenants in to the constitutional laws of the land mr smith the supreme court of the united states passes on the constitutionality of a law the constitution aiyu congrtta shall para no law prohibiting the free of religion and d to it to protect me I 1 acted on that understanding when the law of tho land makes my religion achime I 1 moat take the consequences I 1 think the IB an document and the united plates supreme court he final arbiter if a man breaks the law he maiet take the tha laws ol 01 this land are supreme ana I 1 nc knott edge ibera as such if I 1 bleik a law bernse it infringes on I 1 mast take abo penalty ps nalty I 1 bel ee with william II 11 sew ard chere Is a higher law bat if the lav of alie land puts him in jeopardy tie is relieved from obedience to the higher law were I 1 a monogamist now under the circumstances I 1 would not ake another difo iu alie united states I 1 decline to answer any regarding roy present status it is a part of the teachings of the church that onion should exist and differ anres be but the in divid bality of any man is not interfered with I 1 think some men baled powers that they did mt possess if men want to obay the council of the that is all right it hey it is not a doctrine that alfy will be damned I 1 re girl the president of the church aa the mouthpiece of god when lie re crivea revelation the wingjom of god means that when christ cornea he will his kingdom that kingdom is not now established I 1 hae heard it taught that it if but I 1 do not believe it we are building up alie but it cannot bo established till the coming of the savior we do not believe in the destruction of all sects and nations refer to were not understood under by the people as you seek to interpret them I 1 hae heard it taught that in all matters temporal as acl aa spiritual the people should obey the word of god if they accept it I 1 have refused to obay the orders of the president ot the church the only command Brig liam young eier gae me nas to fit out a man for ft mission to arizona and I 1 declined to do eo john taylor or wilford woodruff never gave me a command that I 1 remember aney hae asked me to do and some of them I 1 did not do of course I 1 had and give a reason for not doing so the language used in prater about avenging the blood of the saints I 1 do not know I 1 only know that people are instructed to pray to lie lord to avenge the blood of alie Prop heta as is said in the verse I 1 have quoted I 1 decline to state any ceremonies of the endowment house mr dikson what penalties are to be inflicted tor revealing those covenants mr smith 1 decline questions regarding the ceremonies cre monies there was no penalty attached to apostasy tasy not punishable by the church except by excommunication muni cation to the court oliver cowdery nn as ochae with Jose rIi smith apos and ft as never harmed daud whitmer T D brown and miny olarra inalda and outside ol 01 utah hae apostatized baslin has fought alie church bitterly and 1 neer wronged him nor has he wronged m no apostate has ever been assassinated by instruction or approval of the church I 1 know of no one ever having baen assassinated I 1 dont believe there has been one but I 1 decline to state anything of the endowment ceremonies baskin biow long before you took your second ite did you marry your first wife legrand young objected objection court he aty aisner mr smith I 1 cannot elate exactly several year baskin did you not say in the ceremony ol 01 your marriane marri ape that you w keep to your first wife and none else mr smith I 1 decline to answer as to the marriage or any other ceremony in the endowment court he need not anan er unless lie v ants laiskin why do you decline to answer mr smith upon the principle of honor sir dickmon I 1 think we cm compel hie witness to tell these ceremonies and penalties aud do not waive that right witness to fialkin I 1 have not habitually taught the law of polygamy I 1 have taught obedience to llie laws ot god I 1 have heard plural marriage ta I 1 have not heard its practice upon the people atiat I 1 now recall they believe m eliat principle I 1 do nut remember llie last time I 1 heard it preached chait took a recess till 2 p in john clark fied I 1 have been a naem rier of the church forty four yeas have been ahr augh the cooee never took any catli to avenge the blood of the prophets on the united states nothing of the kind n as said there waa no oath covenant or instruction to violate the lan s of the land I 1 did not covenant to go into polygamy have never been advised to break alie laws of alic land there vi ere no instructions admonitions or to avedge the blood of the prophets on nation or anyone else I 1 remember co to obey the priesthood teachings of alie church to me have never been unlawful the general sentiment of alie people in lie church is friendly to the government that is experience and knowledge to mr dickson I 1 am M have no presiding authority am a high priest those who leold the higher priesthood usually go through alie endowment house borc of the le wr go through all of these must receive the higher priesthood to receive thear endowments kiery pen on 0 good hauling connot receive his he receives the higher priesthood the female members can all go if they are in gcoy standing I 1 cannot gle tho leaon why priests teachers Tea chera and deacons cannot go through I 1 went through in 1852 sir dickson ald yon take any obligations ligat ions sir dark yea sir mr dickson did you make any covenant or promie ea clerk yea air ahead not liing about the blood of the prophets I 1 did not understand mr smith to decline to answer any questions relating to alit I 1 am not a have never been counseled to take another wife believe in the revelation on celestial marriage I 1 hive lierd polygamy taught since but not in the past six years have not heard people taught to practice plural marriage in defiance 0 alie law do not remember a parmon by C W benrose on july baving it as r and constitutional to plural marriage do not remember him BI ing in regard to that the people thought the liw had no to in and boes woes upon those who shrank from preaching the gospel I 1 am not compelled to endorse mr Pen roses view a I 1 have heard preaching which might be construed by conoe people to enjoin polygamy bat I 1 did not nor did others understand it that way I 1 understood tha air eail eai l and mcart that va would contend legally or our rights and we have done BO I 1 did not understand sir Pe nose to pronounce a condemnation upon those who do not preach celestial marriaga marri ag celestial marriage does not mean polygamy it means marriage for time and eternity I 1 do not understand that mr benrose had any reference to polygamy when he said the gospel he did not mean polygamy but he I 1 do not eay the church lias not taught plural marr axe since the law of was declared constitutional it may have done so and probably bag but I 1 can recall no instance nor do I 1 recall any instance oi an editorial in the deitrei kens of tint lin 1 I 1 do not remember the on tents of the address to president cie eland I 1 may have read it but do not recollect it I 1 presume I 1 did but do not |