"MORRISSITE" MURDERS.

NZ Truth, Issue 103, 8 June 1907, Page 8

"MORRISSITE" MURDERS.

ANOTHER SIDE TO THE STORY.

The Blood-thirsty " Brfghamites " Brought to Book.

Some Sanguinary, Statements Selected from their Sermons.

.In further reference to the Morrisit© question, Brisbane "Truth"' lias received the following :—

Dear Sir,— ln your issue of the sth instant you published a long rigmarole by 'Mr Nash, who claims to foe a representative of the Church 'of Brigham Young, commonly called "The Brighamites." To understand the "effort" of Mr Nash, your readers need the statement made by one of the presiding Brigliamite* elders I that "It is not wisdom, to tell the I whole truth."- Now the whole tr^ith is this : The church of which Mr NasW is .a member taught and practised the principle of "Blood atonement. " In the interest of ■'■ '-truth" the real icjiucsti on is, "Can it foe proven?" I submit the fbll'owi'ng extracts from tho sermons of Brigham Young and others, whion -will prove what a filthy, immoral, blood-thirsty/crowd Mr Nash says he represents., y Brigham Youmie;. saiid'dh October 9, 1852;. "What shall ■be}-- done with the sheep that stink the r Wck so ? Wo will take them, I was ■gcR-n-g to say, and cut off "their tails : /' : •'■'■ ■ TWO INCHES BEHIND THEIR BARS. ' . • However, I will use a milder term, ami say, cut of! their ears,"' Ajgain, on March 271, is 53 :"I say rather than that apostates flourish here, I will unsheat'h my bowie Icnife and conquer or die. Now, you nasty apostates, clear out, or judgment will be put. to the line and righteousness to the plummet. If you say it is all right, raise your hands. (All hands up.) Let us call upon the Lord to assist us m this and every good work."

The same.id-ay Parley. P. Pratt said: "My feelings arc w.ttih those v^rho have spoken, decidsdly, and firmiy. t3o, I neod not repeat the doom of these apostates. Itihasibeen told here- to-day. They have been warned. It is too late m the day for us to stop and inquire whether such an outcast has tho truth." ' April 9, 1853, Orson Hyde said . ! "Suppose •the shepherd should discover a wolf approaching the flock, what would he be likely to do? Why, we -should suppose, if the wolf was within proper 'distance, tjlia-t he would kill him at once— kill hdm on the spot. It would have a tendency TO PLACE A TERROR on those who leave these parts, that they may prove their salvation, Y.-'ht-h they see the heads of thievestaken off or shot dawn before the public." February 19, 1..854, ,; Brigham Young said': "I will give you the pith of the- last orders issued. The man or family who will not do asv they arc told m the orders arc to be treated as strangers, yea, even as enemies, and if -there should be a conJ'esJL.we woxvld cut oft such first, and Fall? o-ver their bou-res^o conquer tiro foe outside." September 21, . 1856, Brigham Young said : "When will we love our neighbor as ourselves'? Now,, take a person m this congregation, and suppose that 'he is overtaken m a gross fault that he knows will deprive him, of that exaltation which he desires, and that he oanlniot attain to it without tbo sbEid'ding of his Wood, and also toows that, by having lias Wood shed he will atone for that sin and -be saved and exalted with the gods, is there a man or woman m this house but would say, •' ''Shed my blood that I may be

SAVED "AND EXALTED with the gods •?' That . would foe loving ourselves even unto an eternal exaltation. Will you love your brothers or sisters likewise when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for without the shedding of their 'blood ? Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed their 'hlooid ? That is What : Jesus Christ meant, I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been righteously slain m order to atone for their sins. I have seen scores and 'hundreds of people for whom there would have been a ohance if their lives had beem taken and their blood spilled on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almightty. I have known a 'great many men who have left this ohuroh for whom there is no chance whatever for exaltation, but if their 'blood had been spilled it would have been better for them. This is loving our neighbor as oairself. If he needs help, help him, and if he needs salvations, aM it is necessary to Spill his blood upon the ground,' spill it." The same day 'J. M. Grant said : ''They are ihardiemcd old sinners-, an?d are full of hell, and my prayer is that , God's indignation •MAY I^EST UPON THEM, . .and that he', will- curse them from the crown of their (heads to the soles of their feet. I say that there are men and women here that I would advise to go to the president immediately and ask hiii to attend to their case, io appoint a committee, and then let a place be selected and let that com>mittee shed their blood. I ■■would ask how many covenant breakers there are m - this oi'ty ? I foelieve that there are a great m^ny, and if they ar.e covenant breakers we need a place designated where we can shed their blood. They are a perfect nuisance, and I want them cut off, and the sooner it is done the better." • Heber C. Kimtall said : ''We will not have them m this valley, for so help me God, while I live I will lend my hand to wipe such persons out, and I know this people will." The above extracts can be verified from the vols. 1, 2 and 3 '"Journal of Discourses," published 'by the Brighamites. These discourses were all given m the TABERNACLE, SALT I/ARE CITY, m the presence bf about 8000 persons. In the temple lot suit m the Circuit Court of the United States, western district of Missouri, western division, Kansas City, William Smith under, oath .said : "There were three or four 'propositions of doctrines that

were 'introduced. -into tlie cliurch after the death of my brother m 1844. One poiat was (and it had never been taught previous to that time) 'that Adam was God a<nd also that Moses !was a man god. Another doctrine was that of 'blood atonement,' meaning that if a man 'disobeyed the-prop-ositions of Brigham Young and the rest of /the Twelve he had to pay for it by the forfeiture of Ms life, and atone for "the sin by shedding his own blood,, or having it shed by others." John. H. Carter, m the same court, ii-nder oa-tir, said :• '''While I was a' member of Brigham 's church I heard both him and the members of the Twelve -teach "the doctrine of blood atonement. Yes, s-ir, that doctrine of blood a i tcm'£mi€sit Was adopted, and taught by the church m Utah. If you doubt it I can give you , HALF A DOZEN INSTANCES where it was practised or put m operation, i know that that doctrine was -taught m Salt Lake by -the church "of my own kaiowledgc, bes cause I heard it myself from the stand. That is 'how I know it was taught. I have lieard it preached to a congregation m Provo. That was not more tWain four or five years ago. It was th' 3 doctrine that if a man apostatized or fell away from the ohurch, .that the shedding of his (blood would atone for his sin. That was the, doctrine, and I heard it taught from the stand right m Provo City. I have also heard it taught m other places in' Utah by those m authority m the church." Yes, sir, the doctrine of the' . blood atonement was publicly taught by Bri'gtoam Young m Sait bake City. The sermon is recorded m "The Journal of Discourses. This evidence can -be v&rindd.by.tlve records of the aftovenamed court." ■ The following oaths to those who go -through, the ■■Temple at Salt Lake will show that THE LAW-BREAKING CROWD, of which Mr Nash is such am able representative, believes' just the same to-day, m spite of- the "Brigharnite mush "v which our friend from Arizona has dished up.

z Mr Prank Cannon (son of Mr, G. Q. Cannon, one of the vice-presidents of the Brighamite church) published the following m the '''Salt Lake Tribune" on February 8, 1906 :—

"During the endowment ceremony, the following oaths are administered: —No. 1 : 'We and- each of us solemnly bind : ourselves th-ati wo will' not reveal any of the secrets of the first token of the A>ar Civic priesthood, with the accompanjiing name, sign, or pen*alty. Should I do so, I agree that my throat may be cut from car to ear. and my tongue torn .out by the roots.' Grip, 'hands claspqd, pressing the point of tlie 'Knuckle of the index finger with -tlu^ jttorn<b . ' . , „,.£?l|sn, : 'the right hand palm down is j)l£c&(t across tfee 'body, so that the tlnmib comes distinctly under and a li-ttld behind the left ear. The hand is then

DRAWN -SHARPLY .'TO THE l - RIGHT across the throat/ the elbow standing out at a position of 90 degrees from the body ; the hand is then dropped from the square to tlie side."

No. 2 : -We 'and each- of us solemnly promise and 'bind ourselves, never to reveal any of the secrets of this priesthood with its accompanying name, sign, grip or penalty. Should we do so, we agree that our breasts may be tor'nopon, ourihearts and vitals 'torn ouii, and given to the 'birds of the , air arid the beasts of the field. The name is the new name of the candidate, which he receives when he is given, his under garments. Sign : 'The sign is made by extending the right hand across tlrei left breast, directly over the 'heart, then, drawing it? rapidly from left to right with the elbow at . the acjuare, then dropping, the hand by his side.' Grip : 'Clasp the right hand and 1 place the thuiri'b. into the • liollow of the knuckle, . between the first and second fingers.' No. 3- : .'You and each of you do covenant and premise that you will never. ' ■ ;

REVEAL" ANY OP THE SECRETS of this priesthood, with 1 its accompanying name, sign and penalty. 'Should you- "do so, you agree that your body may .'he cut asunder and all your ; bowels gush out.' Name ; 'The S'qn.' Sign.; 'The left baod is placed' .palm upright, directly m front of the bendy, there (being a right angle formed at the eltoow, the right hand, palm ! down, is placed under tha elbow of the left, then drawn shaarply across the -bowels, amid both hands are dropped at the side.' Sign : /Press the forefinger arid thumb into the palm and back of the hand of the recipient of the grip.' This is called* 'The Sign of the Nail.' Grip: 1 'Grasp right hand so that the little finger presses into the wrist.' Follow,? ing this is the obligation, "The Law of Vengeance," as follows : *Youand each of you covenant and agraC. that you will . pray, and never cease to pray, Almighty God to avenge the blood of the prophets upon this nation, and that you will teach the same to your children unto the third and fourth generation.. All bow -your heads and say yes.' " Now, sir, your readers will understand the /'why and the wherefore" of the "Morrisite murders;" dn spite of the lying eviidenoe of the "defendr ants" " presented by Mr Nash. If our friend who, I am informed is always willing to "Baar his testimonie," wants some more, why, 'Barkis* is willin'. "--Yours, Sec., . J. W. BARKUS. Leamington Park, Coorparoo, May 11, 1907.,