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Source: Church History Vol. 4 Chapter 28 Page: 505 (~1886)

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505 exchange check with, no express-office, and no money order or registered letter system. I would advise any one who may come here to bring ten or twenty dollars in American paper. Our good brother, J. A. Robinson, sent me a dollar bill, which I found convenient to send to the Chicago Inter-Ocean. And now when I read it, I remember his kindness. I am grateful, as is Sr. Smith, to different friends for papers. We got all our mail for three months, two days ago. I say all, but I fear not; for I did not get any word from Bro. Joseph, and I do not wish to think that he neglects us that much, although I suppose he has had but little time to write.

I think that the forty branches here will average thirty members apiece. But I will, if possible, get all the names by next spring conference.

September 1 the Advocate changed editorial hands, Elder W. W. Blair retiring, and Elder Joseph Luff taking charge. This was rendered advisable by the location of Elder Blair in Lamoni, and the presence of Elder Luff in Utah.

September 14 to 16 a debate was held near Weatherford, Texas, between Elder Heman C. Smith and Elder C. M. Wilmoth of the Christian Church.

A Utah historian, Andrew Jensen, thus briefly records an important event occurring September 18: "Bishop John Sharp plead guilty to the charge of unlawful cohabitation, and promised to obey the law; he was fined five hundred dollars and costs." See Church Chronology, page 124.

The text of Bishop Sharp's plea in court is interesting; as he was a leading man among his people. We herein reproduce it:

I hold myself amenable to the laws of my country, and in whatever degree I may have infringed upon the provisions thereof, am ready to meet the penalty.

I am the husband of more than one living wife, and the father of a number of children by each of them. The most of my children have arrived at their majority.

I respectfully submit to this court that the marriage covenant that I entered into with each of my wives was made at a time when there existed no law upon the statute books which made an offense of the plural marriage relations as contemplated in our religion, and that we entered those marriage relations and made those marriage covenants with the most profound conviction that we were obeying the law of God. Furthermore, from the time we made those sacred covenants to the present, we have sustained the most devout reverence for the sanctity and divine origin of

(page 505)

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