Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1892. End' of Mormonism in Utah.

Manawatu Herald, 24 March 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1892. End' of Mormonism in Utah.

Wb notice that six months' imprisonment and a smart fine have been instrumental in enabling Mr Wilford Woodruff, President of the Mormon Church in Utah, to receive a new " revelation " on the subject of polygamy. Our readers will remember, of course, that soon after the Church of Latter-Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith, he declared that the Almighty had revealed to him that polygamy, or the system of plural marriage was right, and he adopted it as a doctrine. Speedily this immoral doctrine bocame the corner-stone of the Church. When, however, the excesses of the " Saints " threatened to become not only intolerable to the moral sense of the people, but dangerous to the authority of the Central Government, Congress put; down its foot with characteristic firmness, and set itself to reform the manners and customs of these very peculiar Saints. How this was done is told very clearly and briefly in a recent article by the Hon Charles S. Zaine, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at Utah: — " In obedience to public opinion our national law-makers in 1862 enacted a law denning plural marriage as a crime, and fixing the punishment. In 1882 they made another law,

more stringent and comprehensive, defining and punishing unlawful cohabitation also as a crime. And in 1887 still another law was passed designed to be yet more stringent and effectual. The Courts of the Territory of Utah began the enforcement of the two acts first mentioned in September, 1884, and of the last law as soon as it took effect. After more than 1800 men had been sent to prison for violation of the laws, •Wilfoid Woodruff, President of the Mormon Church, made and published an official declaratien in which is found the following language :— " We are not teaching polygamy or plural marriage, nor, permitting any person to enter upon its practise. Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the Court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws. . .... And I now publicly declare that my advice to the LatterDay Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by, the law of the land.' It is satisfactory to learn that their president's manifesto has been virtually accepted by the Saints as the latest of the many somewhat startling " revelations " of the will of God whioh have been vouchsafed to his peculiar people, and that in consequence polygamy as a system is no longer praotised in Utah. Until but the other day the Mormon territory was the shame of the English-speaking race all the world over. Now all is changed. It is true that some of the more sternly orthodox " Saints " have lately left Utah for " fresh fields arid pastures new ;" but there are still about 150, 000 Mormons in the Salt Lake district, and these commonly profess the new faith that polygamy is religiously and morally wrong They are described as industrious, temperate, and law-abiding; and, in the opinion of Chief Justice Zaine, they are in the fair way of becoming not only a progressive and harmonious, but also a loyal and patriotic oommunity. And so migh it be!