As early as 1853 intimations of the doctrine that an offending member
might be put out of the way were given from the Tabernacle pulpit. Orson
Hyde, on April 9 of that year, spoke, in the form of a parable, of the
fate of a wolf that a shepherd discovered in his flock of sheep, saying
that, if let alone, he would go off and tell the other wolves, and they
would come in; "whereas, if the first should meet with his just deserts,
he could not go back and tell the rest of his hungry tribe to come and
feast themselves on the flock. If you say the priesthood, or authorities
of the church here, are the shepherd, and the church is the flock, you
can make your own application of this figure."
In September, 1856, there was a notable service in the bowery in Salt
Lake City at which several addresses were made. Heber C. Kimball urged
repentance, and told the people that Brigham Young's word was "the word
of God to this people." Then Jedediah M. Grant first gave open utterance
to a doctrine that has given the Saints, in late years, much trouble
to explain, and the carrying out of which in Brigham Young's days has
required many a Mormon denial. This is, what has been called in Utah the
doctrine of "blood atonement," and what in reality was the doctrine of
human sacrifice.
Grant declared that some persons who had received the priesthood
committed adultery and other abominations, "get drunk, and wallow in the
mire and filth." "I say," he continued, "there are men and women that I
would advise to go to the President immediately, and ask him to appoint
a committee to attend to their case; and then let a place be selected,
and let that committee shed their blood. We have those amongst us that
are full of all manner of abominations; those who need to have their
blood shed, for water will not do; their sins are too deep for that."*
He explained that he was only preaching the doctrine of St. Paul, and
continued: "I would ask how many covenant breakers there are in this
city and in this kingdom. I believe that there are a great many; and if
they are covenant breakers, we need a place designated where we can shed
their blood.... If any of you ask, Do I mean you, I answer yes. If any
woman asks, Do I mean her, I answer yes.... We have been trying long
enough with these people, and I go in for letting the sword of the
Almighty be unsheathed, not only in word, but in deed."**
* Elder C. W. Penrose made an explanation of the view taken by
the church at that time, in an address in Salt Lake City on October
12, 1884, that was published in a pamphlet entitled "Blood Atonement
as taught by Leading Elders." This was deemed necessary to meet the
criticisms of this doctrine. He pleaded misrepresentation of the Saints'
position, and defined it as resting on Christ's atonement, and on
the belief that that atonement would suffice only for those who have
fellowship with Him. He quoted St. Paul as authority for the necessity
of blood shedding (Hebrews ix. 22), and Matthew xii. 31, 32, and Hebrews
x. 26, to show that there are sins, like blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost, which will not be forgiven through the shedding of Christ's
blood. He also quoted 1 John v. 16 as showing that the apostle and
Brigham Young were in agreement concerning "sins unto death," just as
Young and the apostle agreed about delivering men unto Satan that
their spirits might be saved through the destruction of their flesh (1
Corinthians v. 5). Having justified the teaching to his satisfaction,
he proceeded to challenge proof that any one had ever paid the penalty,
coupling with this a denial of the existence of Danites.
Elder Hyde, in his "Mormonism," says (p. 179): "There are several men
now living in Utah whose lives are forfeited by Mormon law, but spared
for a little time by Mormon policy. They are certain to be killed, and
they know it. They are only allowed to live while they add weight and
influence to Mormonism, and, although abundant opportunities are given
them for escape, they prefer to remain. So strongly are they infatuated
with their religion that they think their salvation depends on their
continued obedience, and their 'blood being shed by the servants of
God.' Adultery is punished by death, and it is taught, unless the
adulterer's blood be shed, he can have no remission for this sin.
Believing this firmly, there are men who have confessed this crime to
Brigham, and asked him to have them killed. Their superstitious fears
make life a burden to them, and they would commit suicide were not that
also a crime."
** Journal of Discourses, Vol. IV, pp. 49, 50.
Brigham Young, who followed Grant, said that he would explain how
judgment would be "laid to the line." "There are sins," he explained,
"that men commit, for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this
world nor in that which is to come; and, if they had their eyes open to
see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their
blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to
heaven for their sins...I know, when you hear my brethren telling
about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it a strong
doctrine; but it is to save them, not to destroy them."
That these were not the mere expressions of a sudden impulse is shown
by the fact that Young expounded this doctrine at even greater length
a year later. Explaining what Christ meant by loving our neighbors as
ourselves, he said: "Will you love your brothers and sisters likewise
when they have committed a sin that cannot be atoned for without the
shedding of blood? Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed
their blood? That is what Jesus Christ meant.... I have seen scores and
hundreds of people for whom there would have been a chance (in the last
resurrection there will be) if their lives had been taken, and their
blood spilled on the ground as a smoking incense to the Almighty, but
who are now angels to the devil."*
* Journal of Discourses, Vol. IV, pp. 219, 220.
Stenhouse relates, as one of the "few notable cases that have properly
illustrated the blood atonement doctrine," that one of the wives of
an elder who was sent on a mission broke her marriage vows during his
absence. On his return, during the height of the "Reformation," she
was told that "she could not reach the circle of the gods and goddesses
unless her blood was shed," and she consented to accept the punishment.
Seating herself, therefore, on her husband's knee, she gave him a last
kiss, and he then drew a knife across her throat. "That kind and
loving husband still lives near Salt Lake City (1874), and preaches
occasionally with great zeal."*
* "Rocky Mountain Saints," p. 470.
John D. Lee, who says that this doctrine was "justified by all the
people," gives full particulars of another instance. Among the Danish
converts in Utah was Rosmos Anderson, whose wife had been a widow with
a grown daughter. Anderson desired to marry his step-daughter also, and
she was quite willing; but a member of the Bishop's council wanted the
girl for his wife, and he was influential enough to prevent Anderson
from getting the necessary consent from the head of the church. Knowing
the professed horror of the church toward the crime of adultery,
Anderson and the young woman, at one of the meetings during the
"Reformation," confessed their guilt of that crime, thinking that in
this way they would secure permission to marry. But, while they were
admitted to rebaptism on their confession, the coveted permit was not
issued and they were notified that to offend would be to incur death.
Such a charge was very soon laid against Anderson (not against the
girl), and the same council, without hearing him, decided that he
must die. Anderson was so firm in the Mormon faith that he made no
remonstrance, simply asking half a day for preparation. His wife
provided clean clothes for the sacrifice, and his executioners dug his
grave. At midnight they called for him, and, taking him to the place,
allowed him to kneel by the grave and pray. Then they cut his throat,
"and held him so that his blood ran into the grave." His wife, obeying
instructions, announced that he had gone to California.*
* "Mormonism Unveiled," p. 282.
As an illustration of the opportunity which these times gave a
polygamous priesthood to indulge their tastes, may be told the story of
"the affair at San Pete." Bishop Warren Snow of Manti, San Pete County,
although the husband of several wives, desired to add to his list a
good-looking young woman in that town When he proposed to her, she
declined the honor, informing him that she was engaged to a younger man.
The Bishop argued with her on the ground of her duty, offering to have
her lover sent on a mission, but in vain. When even the girl's parents
failed to gain her consent, Snow directed the local church authorities
to command the young man to give her up. Finding him equally obstinate,
he was one evening summoned to attend a meeting where only trusted
members were present. Suddenly the lights were put out, he was beaten
and tied to a bench, and Bishop Snow himself castrated him with a bowie
knife. In this condition he was left to crawl to some haystacks, where
he lay until discovered "The young man regained his health," says Lee,
"but has been an idiot or quiet lunatic ever since, and is well known
by hundreds of Mormons or Gentiles in Utah."* And the Bishop married
the girl. Lee gives Young credit for being very "mad" when he learned of
this incident, but the Bishop was not even deposed.**
* Ibid., p. 285.
** Stenhouse quotes the following as showing that the San Pete
outrage was scarcely concealed by the Mormon authorities: "I was at a
Sunday meeting, in the spring of 1857, in Provo, when the news of the
San Pete incident was referred to by the presiding Bishop, Blackburn.
Some men in Provo had rebelled against authority in some trivial matter,
and Blackburn shouted in his Sunday meeting--a mixed congregation of all
ages and both sexes: 'I want the people of Provo to understand that the
boys in Provo can use the knife as well as the boys in San Pete. Boys,
get your knives ready.'" "Rocky Mountain Saints," p. 302.