Part 3 (2/2)

I who write have listened to judges instructing grand juries in such terms as these: that although the law of Congress designated as an offense the acknowledging of more living wives than one by any man, and prescribed a penalty therefor, as Congress had not specified the length of time during which this unlawful acknowledging must continue to const.i.tute the offense, grand juries might indict separately for every day of the period during which the forbidden relations.h.i.+p existed. This meant that for an alleged misdemeanor--for which Congress prescribed a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment and a fine of three hundred dollars--a man might be imprisoned for life, aye, for many terms of a man's natural life did the court's power to enforce its sentences extend so far, and might be fined millions of dollars.

Before this travesty on the administration of law could be brought before the court of last resort, and there meet with the reversal and rebuke it deserved, men were imprisoned under sentences of many years' duration.

The people contested these measures one by one in the courts; presenting in case after case the different phases of the subject, and urging the unconst.i.tutionality of the measure. Then the Church was disincorporated, and its property both real and personal confiscated and escheated to the government of the United States; and although the personal property was soon restored, real estate of great value long lay in the hands of the court's receiver, and the ”Mormon” Church had to pay the national government high rental on its own property. But the people have suspended the practise of plural marriage; and the testimony of the governors, judges, and district attorneys of the territory, and later that of the officers of the state, have declared the sincerity of the renunciation.

As the people had adopted the practise under what was believed to be divine approval, they suspended it when they were justified in so doing. In whatever light this practise has been regarded in the past, it is today a dead issue, forbidden by ecclesiastical rule as it is prohibited by legal statute. And the world is learning, to its manifest surprise, that plural marriage and ”Mormonism” are not synonymous terms.

And so the story of ”Mormonism” runs on; its finale has not yet been written; the current press presents continuously new stages of its progress, new developments of its plan. Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is stronger than ever before; and the people are confident that it is at its weakest stage for all time to come. It lives and thrives because within it are the elements of thrift and the forces of life. It embraces a boundless liberality of belief and practise; true toleration is one of its essential features; it makes love for mankind second only to love for Deity. Its creed provides for the protection of all men in their rights of wors.h.i.+p according to the dictates of conscience. It contemplates a millennium of peace, when every man shall love his neighbor and respect his neighbor's opinion as he regards himself and his own--a day when the voice of the people shall be in unison with the voice of G.o.d.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF ”MORMONISM”

CHAPTER I

In this attempt to treat the philosophy of ”Mormonism” it is a.s.sumed that no discussion of Christianity in general nor of the philosophy of Christianity is required. The ”Mormon” creed, so far as there is a creed professed by the Latter-day Saints, is pre-eminently Christian in theory, precept, and practise. In what respect, then, may be properly asked, does ”Mormonism”

differ from the faith and practise of other professedly Christian systems--in short, what is ”Mormonism?”

First, let it be remembered that the term ”Mormon,” with its derivatives, is not the official designation of the Church with which it is usually a.s.sociated. The name was originally applied in a spirit of derision, as a nick-name in fact, by the opponents of the Church; and was doubtless suggested by the t.i.tle of a prominent publication given to the world through Joseph Smith in an early period of the Church's history. This, of course, is the Book of Mormon. Nevertheless, the people have accepted the name thus thrust upon them, and answer readily to its call. The proper t.i.tle of the organization is ”The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” The philosophy of ”Mormonism” is declared in the name. The people claim this name as having been bestowed by revelation and therefore that, like other names given of G.o.d as attested by scriptural instances, it is at once name and t.i.tle combined.

The Church declines to sail under any flag of man-made design; it repudiates the name of mortals as a part of its t.i.tle, and thus differs from Lutherans and Wesleyans, Calvinists, Mennonites, and many others, all of whom, worthy though their organizations may be, elevating as may be their precepts, good as may be their practises, declare themselves the followers of men. This is not the church of Moses nor the prophets, of Paul nor of Cephas, of Apollos nor of John; neither of Joseph Smith nor of Brigham Young. It a.s.serts its proud claim as the Church of Jesus Christ.

It refuses to wear a name indicative of distinctive or peculiar doctrines; and in this particular, it differs from churches Catholic and Protestant, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Unitarian, Methodist and Baptist; its sole distinguis.h.i.+ng features are those of the Church of Christ.

In an effort to present in concise form the cardinal doctrines of this organization, I cannot do better than quote the so-called _Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints_, which have been in published form before the world for over half a century.[4]

[Footnote 4: For extended treatment of ”Mormon” doctrine see ”The Articles of Faith: a Series of Lectures on the Princ.i.p.al Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” by James E. Talmage. Published by the Church: Salt Lake City, Utah; 485 pp.]

1. We believe in G.o.d, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

3. We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.

4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5. We believe that a man must be called of G.o.d, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.

7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.

8. We believe the Bible to be the word of G.o.d, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of G.o.d.

9. We believe all that G.o.d has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of G.o.d.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

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