Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
It is quite evident that the church monarchy is endeavoring to
re-establish the rule of a polygamous class over the mass of the Mormon
people. Of the apostles not practicing polygamy there is at most only
three or four men constituting the quorum of which this could be
truthfully said. Special reasons may exist in some particular case why
a man in this class has not entered into such relation.
THE GENERAL SITUATION.
Briefly reviewing the matters which I have offered here, and the
logical deductions therefrom, I maintain the following propositions:
We set aside the religion of the Mormon people as sacred from assault.
Outside of religion the Mormons as a community are ruled by a special
privileged class, constituting what I call the church monarchy.
This monarchy pledged the country that there would be no more
violations of law and no more defiance of the sentiment of the United
States regarding polygamy and the plural marriage relation.
This monarchy pledged the United States that it would refrain from
controlling its subjects in secular affairs.
Every member of this monarchy is responsible for the system of
government and for the acts of the monarchy, since (as shown in the
cases of the deposed apostle, Moses Thatcher, and others) the man who
is not in accord with the system is dropped from the ruling class.
This monarchy sets up a regal social order within this Republic.
This monarchy monopolizes the business of one commonwealth and is
rapidly reaching into others.
This monarchy takes practically all the surplus product of the toil of
its subjects for its own purpose, and makes no account to anyone on
earth of its immense secret fund.
This monarchy rules all politics in Utah, and is rapidly extending its
dominion into other States and Territories.
This monarchy permits its favorites to enter into polygamy and to
maintain polygamous relations, and it protects them from prosecution by
its political power.
Lately no effort has been made to punish any of these people by
the local law. On the contrary, the ruling monarch has continued
to grow in power, wealth, and importance. He sits upon innumerable
boards of directors, among others that of the Union Pacific Railway,
where he joins upon terms of fraternity with the great financial and
transportation magnates of the United States, who hold him in their
councils because his power to benefit or to injure their possessions
must be taken into account.
I charge that no apostle has ever protested publicly against the
continuation of this sovereign authority over the Mormon kingdom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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