Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Jan 19, 1905

The government inquiry into the nature of Mormonism, growing out of the attempt of the Mormon “apostle,” Reed Smoot, to enter the United States Senate, has elicited from the witnesses examined the following points, which, unless disproved, will stand as admitted “facts weighing against the admission to Congress of the Mormon senator-elect:—

That in “taking the endowments,” an oath is taken by practically all Mormons, pledging absolute obedience to the leaders of the church.

That the “living oracles,” consisting of the church leaders, are held by church doctrine to be inspired by God, and that the revelations uttered by them must be accepted by the church as supreme law and binding upon the conscience, in temporal as well as spiritual affairs.

That Senator Smoot, since the hearings last spring, participated in the election of a polygamist, C. W. Penrose, as a brother apostle, and has done nothing to discourage the practise of polygamy.

That the Mormon leaders interfere in political affairs in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, to the extent of dictating the election of county and State officials, securing the enactment of legislation favorable to the church, and preventing or repealing adverse legislation.

That a system of courts exists within the church whereby persons are deprived of their property without due process of law; that hundreds of public schoolhouses in Utah are being used by the Mormons in conducting “religion classes,” the teachers in most instances being public school teachers.

That the laws of the United States and of the State are flagrantly violated in Utah, and that violators can not be punished because of the overwhelming influence of the Mormon priesthood, Senator Smoot being a member of one of the governing bodies of the church.