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Show MORMON CHURCH. POLYGAMY. 123 it would not be in keeping with the pretended liberality of the church ( which I may say is in reality the most illiberal and despotic in the world), to have it appear that the people are governed in their temporal affairs by a church which is gov erned by one man. So the temporal government is made nominally distinct. Brigham Young being deposed as Governor of the Territory, is still respected as the Gover nor of the State of Deseret. But no such organization will make the church other than a temporal sovereignty. The President is also the Governor, the High Council is the Supreme Court, and the Bishops the Magistrates or Police Judges. There are United States territorial officers in Utah, but they are almost impotent to enforce the laws. A case requir ing trial by jury would necessitate the impanelling of a jury of Mormons, and under no circumstances would they de cide contrary to the teaching of the church, and under no circumstances would a Mormon apply to a United States judge for redress for any grievance, if indeed they could con sider any outrage a grievance, after it had been adjudicated by their highest tribunal. Concerning the ridiculous absurdities of their theology, as well as their church government, I have nothing further to say. Let the reader judge of them from what I have already written. I am not a theologian, and as to religious views, they are as much entitled to their opinions as I am to mine > dissimilar as they are. But allowing them the fullest liber ty in this respect, they cannot be permitted to disregard de cency and violate law, without being held up to public op probrium ; and if they persist, and other measures fail to remove the great evil, then the strong arm of the military power of the Government must be stretched forth ; but God forbid that such should ever become necessary. The one great objectionable feature of Mormonism is polygamy a system of modern introduction into the church, which is as degrading as it is criminal to all who indulge in it. It is a relic of barbarism, that cannot exist in a civilized and refined community, and to the Mormon Church is the |