quired "to obey the laws of the Mormon church. and all these enjoin, in preference to those of the United States."*"They take an oath of eternal enmity to the Government and people of the United States."+ "They swear vengeance upon this American nation and to teach their children and their childrens' children to the fifth generation to do so." In accordance with this, the daughter of the noted Heber C. Kimball, Mrs. Helen Mar Whitney, voices the sentiment of every good Mormon when she says, "We defy any earthly potentate or power to compel us to break our sacred vows."§ The record of the church in Utah, and elsewhere, is in witness to the carrying out of these obligations. The most sacred laws of our land have been persistently set at defiance. "They not only violate the solemn, mandates of the U. S. government, but they openly and publicly defy the government and its officials to enforce the laws." As a political principle it is a fact too well established to need any comment, that the union of church and state is utterly antagonistic to a republican form of government. In the Mormon system the state is swallowed up in the church. President Taylor admits that the church has absolute control over temporal as well as spiritual matters............And when addressing an audience of six thousand people he said: "Let the Government so much as lay its finger on us and we will show the people of the United States what we can do. "They teach that the "Saints are to judge the world instead of the officers of the world judging them."

* (H. B. M. pg. 28.) † (P. M. C. M. pg. 407.) (H. B. M. pg. 29, See also (P. M. C. M. pgs. 297, 273, 351.)

§(Plural Marriage, pg. 63-pg. 16, 65.) [Madame La Tour, pg. 348.] H. B. M. pg. 46.] [H. B. M.] See [W. of M. 252,-H. B. M.,-P. M. C. M.] *[M. U. pg. 161.]

At Nauvoo Brigham Young said: "I swear by the eternal heavens that I have unsheathed my sword, and I will never return it until the blood of the prophet and Hyrum, and those who were slain in Missouri, is avenged. The whole nation is guilty of shedding their blood."* It is beyond question to those familiar with the inwardness of Mormonism and its history, that this vow was faithfully kept by Brigham Young, and has since been carried out by his successors and adherents so far as practicable. In fact Mormonism is heir in fee to this vow of Brigham as seen in the Endowment obligations and in the teachings and usages of the church.

During the rebellion Brigham Young said: "The men of the South pray for the destruction of the men of the North, and vice versa. I say amen to both prayers." His son Brigham, Jr., one of the twelve apostles, a few months ago said: "What do we care for the Government of the United States? As far as I am concerned, I have had enough of this thing."‡ Brigham had frequently said in public: "That he C. :ld and would buy every member of Congress in the United States, if necessary to defeat legislation against this people." The ballot of the Mormons in Utah is under the absolute control of the leaders. "The head of the church selects a man to fill a certain position; marked ballots are placed in the hands of the voters by the priesthood, and are understood to be a notice that So & So has been appointed to that position by the head of the church." "The election," say the good Mormons, "is only a form, we are all of one mind." Said Brigham Young in a public meet

*M. U. pg. 160.] †(H. B. M. 45.)

[H. B. M.] [W. of M. pg. 152.]

ing in the Tabernacle in 1872: "I have chosen Bro. Cannon to represent us in Congress, because I mean to cram polygamy down the throats of the American people." Scores of reliable witnesses heard the statement and testify to its truthfulness. The result is well known. For eight years Mr. Cannon, who, besides being a polygamist, is not even an American citizen, was returned as a delegate by a vote almost unanimous on the part of the Mormons. Mormonism already holds the balance of power in Idaho and in Arizona and threatens the other territories.

In an address delivered in the United States Congress in 1863, Judge Cradlebaugh said: "The people of Utah have nothing but ill will towards our Government. The great mass know nothing of our institutions. They come to Zion, not to America......... Upon arriving in Utah, they hear nothin but abuse of our people; the whole fountain of patriotism is polluted, they are taught that they owe neither allegiance nor love to our Government. Treason and insubordination are openly taught."* Eighteen years later Hon. P. T. Van Zile, Attorney General of Utah, said: "The ruling party here not only violate the solemn mandates of the United States government, but they openly and publicly defy the Government and its officers to enforce the laws." And Mr. Paine gives expression to humilitating facts when he says: "For more than thirty years the Mormon priesthood have set at de. fiance the national authority, and have killed or driven out of the Territory many of the United States Governors, Judges and other officers." President Garfield, in his Inaugural, prononnced it "A reproach to our

[M. U. pg. 30-31.] *[W. of M. pg. 347.] [W. of M. pg. 366.]

Government that, in the most populous of the territory, the authority of Congress is set at naught.”* The Mission Conference of the Methodist Episcopal church which met at Ogden in July last (1881) gives a clear and truthful outline of Mormonism in its relation to our Government. I quote in part: "The rapid growth of Mormonism in Utah is alarming. It is steadily increasing, mainly through immigration.........Mormonism is hostile to our institutions and disloyal to our government, declaring, by its former president Brigham Youny, that the politico-ecclesiastic government of the Mormon church 'circumscribes the governments of the world;' and again declaring by the chief of its apostles; 'That all other governments are unauthorized and illegal, while any people attempt. ing to govern themselves by laws of their own making, and officers of their own appointing, are in direct rebellion against the kingdom of God.' Mormonism nullifies the laws of the land, controls elections, and protects its followers in the commission of the most heinous crimes. Mormonism creates saints and prophets out of thieves and murderers; and clothes with a halo of sanctity, perjury and deeds of villainy."+

More need not be said to show the relation of Mormonism to the Government. It is an open and defiant enemy of our Republican institutions. The criminal and law-defying character of the doctrines and of the obligations of the Endowment house, and the treasonable utterances of the leaders, have, from the beginning, found expression in criminal, law-defying and treasonable lives and practices. It is as emphatically un-American as it is un-Christian, and deserves

*[W. M. pg. 358.] [M. E. Rev. '82.]

utter extinction at the hand of the American people. Such is Mormonism,-a system which embraces the worst phases of Asiatic barbarism,-and this, too, in the very heart of America, and under the enlightening influences of the nineteenth century,-and parading itself even under the sanctimonious claims of religion. Major Carleton voices the sentiment of honest and law-abiding citizens who know the inwardness of Mormonism when he says. "They are an ulcer upon the body politic-an ulcer which needs more than cautery to cure.........This brotherhood may be contemplated from any point of view, and but one conclusion can be arrived at concerning it. The Thugs of India were an inoffensive, moral, law-abiding people in comparison.”* Add to this the words of Schuyler Colfax: "A barbaric institution which degrades woman, defies our national law, scouts at our national judiciary, mocks at our nationol authority, stains our national escutchions and reviles all who lift their voices against it."+

Open but the record and read! Look in upon the field only, and see the corrupting principles, the revolting practices and the foul fruitage of Mormonism! Here we find verified the words of the Master: "Men do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles."

Here I pause with this reflection; the crimes and villainies of Joseph Smith and his followers brought down upon him, and upon them the just vengeance of the people of Ohio, of Missouri and of Illinois. So may the crimes and villainies untold and indescribable-of Brigham Young, his successors and their

*(H. B. M. pg. 69.) †(W. of M. pg, 369.)