Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage
A DISCUSSION
Correspondence between ELDER JOSEPH F. SMITH, JR. of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
AND
MR. RICHARD G. EVANS, Second Counselor in the Presidency of the
"Reorganized" Church
* * * * *
"To correct misrepresentation, we adopt self representation."
--John Taylor.
Correspondence between ELDER JOSEPH F. SMITH, (JR.,) of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and MR. RICHARD C. EVANS, second
counselor (1905) in the Presidency of the "Reorganized" Church. A
conclusive refutation of the false charges persistently made by
ministers of the "Reorganized" Church against the Latter-day Saints and
their belief. Also a supplement containing a number of affidavits and
other matters bearing on the subjects.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION
The correspondence in this pamphlet was brought about through the
wilful misrepresentation of the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints and
the unwarranted abuse of the authorities of the Church by Mr. Richard
C. Evans, in an interview which appeared in the Toronto (Canada) _Daily
Star_ of January 28, 1905. A copy of the interview was placed in the
hands of the writer, who, on February 19th following, replied to Mr.
Evans in an open letter which was published in the Toronto Star on or
about the 25th of the month.[1] This open letter was answered by Mr.
Evans in a personal letter, and on the 23rd of May, a rejoinder to his
reply was sent to Mr. Evans at his home in London, Ontario, Canada.
In all, four communications--including the interview--have passed
between us, and all of these four communications are here reproduced
_in full_. A copy of the open letter which appeared in the _Star_,
was also sent to Mr. Evans who acknowledged its receipt. Nothing more
was done in regard to this correspondence until August 17th and 24th,
when an article containing a portion of it appeared in the _Zion's
Ensign_, published by the "Reorganized" church at Independence, Jackson
County, Missouri, under the title: "Statements Authenticated," in which
it was made to appear that the full and complete communications were
reproduced. But this, however, was not the case.
In a letter from Mr. Evans to the editor of the _Ensign_ which
accompanied the above mentioned article, he said:
Believing that good will be accomplished by the publication of the
entire matter, I herewith mail you the referred to matter.
From this it would naturally be supposed that the _complete_
correspondence would be given. However I was not surprised to see that
Mr. Evans' side of the controversy was _in full_, while a large portion
of my first communication had been purposely suppressed; and that
my second letter _did not appear at all_! And thus was the "_entire
matter_" given to the readers of the _Ensign_ that "good" might be
"accomplished." (?)
The parts that were purposely left out of my communication by Mr.
Evans, were most vital to the subject and have been indicated as they
appear in the body of this work by being placed in italics, excepting
a few minor matters which he omitted that I have not mentioned,
nevertheless matters that throw light upon the subject.
One of these quotations was in relation to two articles in the first
volume of the _Saints' Herald_ which were important, coming, as they
did from the "enemy's" camp. Here is the omitted part:
If you believe your statement to be true, will you kindly explain
the following passage in the _Saints' Herald_, your official organ,
volume I, page 9,--it would be well for you to read the entire
chapter, which is entitled "Polygamy." The quotation is as follows:
"The death of the Prophet is one fact that has been realized,
although he abhorred and repented of this iniquity (meaning
"polygamy") before his death. This branch of the subject we shall
leave to some of our brethren, who are qualified to explain it
satisfactorily."
In the same volume, page 27, what is meant by the following: "He,
(Joseph Smith) caused the revelation on the subject (polygamy) to
be burned, and when he voluntarily came to Nauvoo and resigned
himself into the arms of his enemies he said that he was going to
Carthage to die. At that time he also said that if it had not been
for that accursed spiritual wife doctrine he would not have come to
that." Kindly read the context.
There is more evidence that can be produced, but if you will
explain this it may suffice.
The first half of the succeeding paragraph was quoted but the second
half was omitted. I quote in full with the part suppressed in italics:
In the light of the knowledge I have received and the evidence
at my command, I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith made no such
statement as the above, and that he did not have the revelation
burned. _There is, however, value in the above statements from your
"Herald," for they bear witness to the origin and introduction of
the principle of plural marriage and revelation concerning the
same_.
It is easy to perceive that Mr. Evans felt "that good will be
accomplished by the publication of the 'entire matter'"; and for
that reason he omitted this evidence which the leaders of the
"Reorganization" have been trying so successfully to destroy for lo
these many years. The two articles in the _Saints' Herald_ have caused
the leaders of that sect no end of trouble, and today they are in
the same fix in regard to plural marriage that the first editor of
that paper was when he wrote, for they cannot explain the Prophet's
connection with the principle "satisfactorily," and never will be able
to until they acknowledge the truth.
Another of Mr. Evans' ommissions that "good" might be "accomplished"
(?) is the following paragraph in reference to President Brigham Young:
It is true that President Young was elected president at
Kanesville; but on what grounds do you charge him with holding
the office in trust for the "dead president's son?" Do you not
know that such a statement --contrary to the written word--was
antagonistic to the teachings of President Young, as recorded in
the _Times and Seasons_, as well as since that time?
Will you please explain on what grounds you charge President Young
with being "under suspicion at the time of Joseph Smith's death?"
Am I to infer by this that you mean to convey the idea that Brigham
Young was in any way responsible for the death of Joseph Smith? The
Prophet never had a truer friend. You know that at the time of the
martyrdom Brigham Young was on a mission away from home. If this is
the inference you wish to convey, it is not only contemptible but
viciously false.
It appears from the actions of many of those who fight the Latter-day
Saints, that they fully realize their inability to successfully oppose
the doctrines of the Church with truth as a weapon of attack, and,
therefore, resort to falsehood, vilification and abuse, attempting to
blind those who are not acquainted with the facts. The doctrine of
the Church has survived all such onslaughts and continues to spread
throughout the earth, as a witness against those who have adopted such
base methods for its overthrow. It will continue to spread, bless
mankind and prepare all who accept it, and follow its teachings in
righteousness, for an inheritance in the kingdom of God.
The Reorganite ministers are generally in the front rank among those
who oppose the Church and resort to tactics of a doubtful character.
They travel from place to place, never losing an opportunity in
private, on the rostrum or through the press, to "explain the radical
difference" between their organization and that of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in denouncing "the Utah Mormon and his
iniquities." On such occasions they will quote garbled and isolated
extracts from sermons and from writings by Elders of the Church, taking
particular pains to cover up the context in order to prejudice the
uninformed mind. In this way many a harmless, inoffensive passage has
been made to do great execution in some quarters and among a certain
class. Nor is this all. Nearly every crime that was committed within a
thousand miles of Utah in early days and many that were invented out of
whole cloth, are brought to bear against the "dreadful Mormons," the
Church and the Gospel, that they may be stigmatized and made to appear
vile and hateful before the world. So much of their time is spent in
this way that they can surely have but little left in which to tell the
world what they themselves believe.
No reason except that of misrepresentation and jealousy can be assigned
for actions of this kind. These men oppose the truth in a spirit
of jealousy and to cover up their own false position, and by such
an attitude prove that they are ashamed of their own faith, being
conscious of its weakness.
The supplement following the correspondence is composed of a number
of affidavits and other testimony bearing on the subjects under
discussion, which, it is hoped, will be of interest and perhaps of
value to the reader.
JOSEPH F. SMITH, JR.
Salt Lake City, Utah, September 5, 1905.
Footnotes
1. As I did not receive a copy of the _Toronto Star_ I cannot
positively say that my article appeared in full, but if it did not Mr.
Evans is still without excuse for not considering the _entire matter_
for he received personally a duplicate copy of the article sent the
_Star_ which contained those portions he has failed to include in his
"entire matter" in the _Zion's Ensign_.
MR. R. C. EVANS' INTERVIEW IN THE TORONTO, CANADA, "DAILY STAR,"
JAN. 28, 1905
LATTER-DAY SAINT VISITING TORONTO--MR. R. C. EVANS, WHO IS
PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF HIS CHURCH IN CANADA, NOT A BELIEVER IN
POLYGAMY--DENOUNCES THE UTAH MORMONS.
The name Mormon does not please Toronto's six hundred baptized
Latter-day Saints, not to mention the fifty thousand others scattered
over the globe.
This fact was emphasized today, when R. C. Evans, one of the three
members of the Presidency, explained the radical difference between the
two denominations. Mr. Evans, who reached Toronto a few days ago to
spend a month here, denounces the "Utah Mormon and his iniquities."
"We do not believe in polygamy, blood atonement, and kindred evils,"
he said to the _Star_ last night at 142 Peter street, where he is
visiting, "They are an abomination to the Lord. The term Mormon is
offensive to us, because it is associated in the public mind with the
practices that I have specified. The other night, while I was holding a
service here, four Utah Elders came to me. I referred to polygamy, and
they defended it. 'We endorse it,' they told me, 'but we don't practice
it.' Three women were with them, and I said to one, 'Do you believe in
polygamy?' 'I do,' she replied, 'and I know that God will punish the
United States for prohibiting it.' I understand that there are five
Utah elders in Toronto at the present time, and in addresses here I
will expose polygamy and blood atonement."
BORN NEAR MONTREAL
Mr. Evans is forty-three years old, but doesn't look his age. He is
rather below medium height, strongly built, wears his black hair short,
and his round, slightly olive face is clean shaven. He is animated in
manner, and though his English is occasionally at fault, he speaks
fluently and well. He was born at St. Andrew's near Montreal, but his
ancestry is not confined to any one country, Irish, Welsh and German
blood flows in his veins and his somewhat nasal voice is typically
American.
"I was baptized in 1876," he said, "ordained a priest in 1882, became
an elder in 1884, entered the quorum of seventy in 1886, was chosen
one of the twelve apostles in 1897; and in 1902, was selected one of
President Joseph Smith's two counselors, the other being his eldest
son, Frederick M. Smith. I was the pastor of the London, Ontario,
church from 1882 to 1886, and have given particular attention to
Canada. We occupy a rented church on the corner of Sumac and St. David
streets, a new church on Camden street, and another at Humber Bay,
practically three congregations in Toronto."
The Latter-day Saints and the Utah Mormons, according to Mr. Evans, are
frequently confused, greatly to his regret.
TROUBLES OF THE SECT
"My President Joseph Smith," he explained, "is the oldest son of Joseph
Smith, who, when a boy of fifteen, was directed to the mound wherein he
found the golden plates from which he compiled the Book of Mormon.
"He organized his church in 1830, when 25 years old, and between
1830 and 1844 his following numbered 200,000. In 1844 he was shot
and killed for his anti-slavery sympathies,[1] and with him died his
brother Hyrum. John Taylor, a Toronto convert of 1838, was wounded, but
recovered. Joseph Smith's city of Nauvoo, Illinois, was wrecked, and in
1847, at Kanesville, Iowa, Brigham Young was elected president, though
he still professed to hold the office in trust for the dead president's
eldest son, also, Joseph, whom the father had consecrated as his
successor.[2] Brigham Young reorganized[3] the church, rebaptized every
member, including himself, and in 1848 (1847) he reached Salt Lake
City. With him went the widow and children of Hyrum Smith, whose son
Joseph F., is now president of the Utah church. The widow of the first
president had refused to follow Young, and her boy Joseph was brought
up in his father's footsteps, hating polygamy and other impurities.
'Young Joseph,' as he was called, connected himself with the Saints,
who had rejected Brigham Young, and was elected their president. He
was then 28 years old. In 1872 he was called to Washington, a report
having reached the Government that Mormonism had again sprung up in
Illinois. He disproved the charge of polygamy and blood atonement,
and demonstrated that Latter-day Saintism was in keeping with the law
and supported by the Bible. Incorporation was granted, and we have
prospered.
UPHELD DEATH
"Brigham Young, who had been under suspicion at Joseph Smith's death,
introduced polygamy and blood atonement at Salt Lake City. Blood
atonement meant death to anyone who left his church. Brigham Young's
argument was that the apostate whose throat was cut from ear to ear,
the favorite way, saved his soul, but his object was to keep his people
under his iron heel. Young was a shrewd, bad man.
"I spent a day and a half with Joseph F. Smith at Salt Lake City three
years ago, and he gave me a group photo of himself, his surviving five
wives, and thirty-six children. His first wife was dead. She died
broken-hearted and insane. Personally, Joseph F. Smith is a genial,
kindly man, but he and I differed on Polygamy. I told him it was vile
and wicked, always had been, and always would be. In appearance he
resembles his cousin, my own president."
Mr. Evans is married, and has two children. The three faces look at
you from his watch case. He has recently returned from the northwest.
His faith has several thriving churches there, he says, while the Utah
Mormons are settled in one part of Alberta.
Footnotes
1. Mr. Evans' declaration that the Prophet was killed for his anti-
slavery sympathies is rather surprising, when we consider that he was
in one of the anti-slave states, and the mob at Carthage was largely
composed of men with very strong "anti-slavery sympathies." The fact
is he and his brother Hyrum were martyred for their religion of which
Celestial Marriage, (including Plural Marriage) formed a part. One of
the charges made against them was that of teaching "polygamy."
2. In proof that the Prophet did not ordain or consecrate his son as
his successor, the reader is referred to the affidavits of John W.
Rigdon and Bathsheba W. Smith.
3. As the Church was never disorganized, it could not be reorganized.
Mr. Evans has made a mistake. It was the Quorum of the First
Presidency that was disorganized at the Prophet's death and which was
_reorganized_ when Brigham Young was elected President, and not the
Church.
REPLY TO R. C. EVANS
The following letter was published in the Toronto _Daily Star_ in
answer to the false charges which appeared in Mr. Evans' interview.
Salt Lake City, Feb. 19, 1905.
_Mr. R. C. Evans_,
_Counselor in Presidency of Reorganized Church_.
Sir:--I have before me a copy of the Toronto _Daily Star_, bearing date
of January 28, last, in which there is a column on the front page,
purporting to be an interview, by a representative of that paper with
you, in which I desire to call your attention.
In doing so I desire to be fair and dispassionate, and also candid, and
I would like it if you would receive and reply to this communication in
the same spirit and manner to me personally.
You are reported as not being "pleased," nor Toronto's six hundred
baptized members, with the name "Mormon." "This fact," says the _Star_,
"was emphasized today when R. C. Evans, one of the three members
of the Presidency explained the radical difference between the two
denominations. Mr. Evans * * * denounced the Utah Mormon and his
iniquities." Then you are made to say: "The term Mormon is offensive
to us, because it is associated in the public mind with the practices
that I have specified." That is, the alleged practices of the Utah
"Mormons," namely, "polygamy and blood atonement."
Did you know that "the term Mormon" has always been applied to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? That the name attached
to the Church with the publication and promulgation of the Book of
Mormon? That it was first applied by the enemies of the Church as an
opprobrium; but that during the lifetime of Joseph Smith the Martyr,
and ever since it has been a term accepted by the Church because of
popular custom, as an appellation?
If, then, the name is so distasteful to you and your fellows in
Canada and throughout the world, although it be on the grounds you
have named, why do you not discard the Book of Mormon, from whence
the name is derived, as well as the name. Is not the term _Book of
Mormon_ as closely associated in the public mind with "polygamy and
blood atonement," as is the _name_ of the Book? How are you going to
disassociate the book itself from the name as commonly applied to
the Church, since this name has been attached to the Church from the
beginning, and before the alleged "practices" of the "Utah Mormon"
gained such publicity? _Really, I think it would be quite proper for
those holding the view which you are said to have expressed, not only
to renounce the name "Mormon" as applied to the Church but also the
Book itself_.[1]
You do not believe in blood atonement. Is not this the more reason why
you should discard the Book of Mormon? Are you not at issue with the
teachings not only of that book, but also with those of the Bible on
this matter? If so, why not discard the Bible, and while you are about
it, the Book of Doctrine and Covenants also? Both of these, as well as
the Book of Mormon, teach the doctrine of "blood atonement," and they
are all "associated in the public mind" with the alleged "practices" of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Let us consider this subject of "blood atonement."
Book of Mormon:
Mosiah 3:11.--His blood atoneth for the sins of those who have
fallen by the transgression of Adam. Verse 15.--And understood not
that the law of Moses availeth nothing except it were through the
atonement of his blood. Verse 16.--Even so the blood of Christ
atoneth for their sins.
Alma 21:9.--Now Aaron began to open the Scriptures unto them
concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the
resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for
mankind, save it was through the death and suffering of Christ, and
the atonement of his blood.
I Nephi 12:10.--Their garments are made white in his blood.
II Nephi 9:7.--And if so, (not an infinite atonement) this flesh
must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to
rise no more.
From the Bible:
Mark 14:22-25.--And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed
and brake it, and gave to them, and said: Take, eat; this is my
body.
And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to
them: and they all drank of it.
And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament which
is shed for many.
Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the
vine, until that day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.
From the Doctrine and Covenants:
Section 45:4.--(Utah edition) Saying, Father, behold the sufferings
and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased;
behold the blood of thy Son which was shed--the blood of him whom
thou gavest that thyself might be glorified.
Section 74:7.--But little children are holy, being sanctified
through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and this is what the
scriptures mean.
Section 76:39-41.--For all the rest shall be brought forth by the
resurrection of the dead, through the triumph and the glory of the
Lamb, who was slain, who was in the bosom of the Father before the
worlds were made. And this is the gospel, the glad tidings which
the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us. That he came into
the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear
the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it
from all unrighteousness.
Section 29:1.--Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer,
the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins. Verse
17.--And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the
world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will
not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my
blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not.
STATEMENT OF AN ENEMY
But the report says: "This doctrine was introduced by Brigham Young"
and that it meant "death to anyone who left the Church * * * that
the apostate whose throat was cut from ear to ear * * * saved his
soul." Why you made this statement you best know; but were you not
aware that it was but the repetition of the ravings of enemies of the
Church, without one grain of truth? Did you not know that not a single
individual was ever "blood atoned," as you are pleased to call it, for
apostasy or any other cause? Were you not aware, in repeating this
false charge, that it was made by the most bitter enemies of the Church
before the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you know of anyone
whose blood was ever shed by the command of the Church, or members
thereof, to "save his soul?" Did you not know that you were embittering
the people against the "Mormon" Elders, and that just such malicious
charges and false insinuations have made martyrs for the Church, whose
blood does not "cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth?"
Never in the history of this people can the time be pointed to when
the Church ever attempted to pass judgment on, or execute an apostate
as per your statement. There are men living in Utah today who left the
Church in the earliest history of our State who feel as secure, and are
just as secure and free from molestation from their former associates
as you or any other man could be.
EFFICACY OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
The Latter-day Saints believe in the efficacy of the blood of Christ.
They believe that through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the
Gospel they obtain a remission of sins; but this could not be if Christ
had not died for _them_. If you did believe in blood atonement, I might
ask you why the blood of Christ was shed? and _in whose stead was it
shed_? I might ask you to explain the words of Paul: "Without shedding
of blood is no remission."
UNPARDONABLE SINS
Are you aware that there are certain sins that man may commit for which
the atoning blood of Christ does not avail? Do you not know, too, that
this doctrine is taught in the Book of Mormon? And is not this further
reason why you should discard the Book as well as the name? Is it not
safe for us to rely upon the scriptures for the solution of problems of
this kind? Let me quote:
From the Book of Mormon:
II Nephi 9:35.--Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for
he shall die.
Alma 1:13, 14.--And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man,
yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to
spare thee, his blood would come upon us for vengeance.
Alma 42:19.--Now, if there were no law given--if a man murdered he
should die, would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
From the Bible:
Genesis 9:12, 13.--And whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his
blood be shed; for man shall not shed the blood of man.
For a commandment I give, that every man's brother shall preserve
the life of man, for in mine own image have I made man. (Inspired
translation.)
Luke 11:50.--That the blood of all the prophets, which was
shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this
generation.
Hebrews 9:22.--And almost all things are by the law purged with
blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 10:26-29.--For if we sin wilfully, after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.
* * * *
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses;
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath
counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an
unholy thing.
(I commend to you the careful reading of these two chapters:)
I John 3:15.--No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
I John 5:16.--If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not
unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that
sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he
shall pray for it.
From the Doctrine and Covenants: