--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Taylor, Joseph E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 10 published: 1901-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Joseph E. Taylor, "A Cardinal Sin," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 10 (August 1901): 752–758.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0410unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0410unse start_page: 752 end_page: 758 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0410unse publication_year: 1901 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Cardinal Sin A CARDINAL SIN. BY ELDER JOSEPH E. TAYLOR, OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE SALT LAKE STAKE OF ZION. In all civilized communities, wrong-doing is classified as being of a greater or less degree. Lawmakers have attached penalties in keeping with the estimate placed upon the various offenses and crimes of which humanity is guilty. The common offense of theft is classified. One kind is called grand larceny, another, petit larceny. In either instance, the offender has been guilty of stealing; no matter what the quantity may have been, nor the market value of the article or articles purloined. If we were to name .all the crimes in the calender, we would find them simi- larly classified; even the very highest —that of murder — having it a first as well as a second degree, although the result in either instance has been death to the victim. Unquestionably this classification may be traced back at least as far as Moses, the great lawgiver to Israel, who named in detail under the direct instruction of the Almighty, the aggregate of offenses and crimes of which mankind was guilty, and the penalties therefor, the justice of which, only a few have had the temerity to question. There are crimes that may be correctly termed cardinal, or the greatest, involving consequences of the gravest character both to the offender and the offended. I will name two of these. First, murder: second, adultery. The second one we wish more particularly to consider at this time. The crime of adultery is named in the decalogue next to that of murder. "Thou shalt not kill," is immediately followed by, A CARDINAL SIN. 758 "Thou shalt not commit adultery." And though this has been re- peated and re-repeated along down through the ages that have followed since the day these words were spoken amidst the thun- derings of Mount Sinai, until our time, and despite our boasted en- lightenment and so-called Christianity, it cannot be denied that this is the crowning sin of the age. And be it known that the direful consequences following this crime are manifold, and will follow the guilty ones beyond this life, unless justice can in some way be satisfied or forgiveness obtained. Why do we name the crime of murder and the crime of adultery as being the greater sins? For the simple reason, you cannot restore a life taken, neither can you restore lost virtue. You may be able to compensate the person from whom you have stolen, even to paying four fold, the full extent of the ancient law, and thus fully satisfy justice. Or you may obtain forgiveness for this, or other offenses committed against your fellow-man, from those whom you have offended. This is according to the teach- ings of Jesus, who said we were to forgive seventy times seven; and though our fellow-man might condone the higher crimes, that I have named, yet the fact remains, that neither a lost life nor lost virtue can be restored. The duly authorized servants of the Lord, whose duty it was in all ages to instruct the people and teach them God's law, have not been wanting in administering the severest rebukes to those who were guilty of sexual sin. The prophet Nathan was not in the least daunted, even in the presence of the mighty King David, the knowledge of whose guilt in this respect was made known to him. Notwithstanding this man, by virtue of his kingly authority, exercised the right to pass judgment upon the transgressor, and when by parable Nathan asked him what should be done with the one who had thus been found guilty, and he had answered, "As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die," thus unwittiDgly passed judgment upon himself, strictly in keeping with the law, yet the prophet, with that boldness which always characterized a true servant of the Lord, said to him, "Thou art the man." The severe rebuke given by John the Baptist to King Herod who had unlawfully taken the wife of his brother Philip, 754 IMPROVEMENT ERA. and the hatred begotten in the breast of Herodias through this rebuke thus administered, undoubtedly cost John his life, as re- corded in Mark 6: 17-26, and other gospels. Our Savior in his sermon on the mount quoted the law by re- peating the exact text, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." He did not stop here, however, but added, that "whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." In warning the people against the prac- tice of divorcement, so extensively indulged in at that time be- cause in many instances it led to the greater sin, he declared that a woman put away or divorced for any other cause than fornica- tion, would cause her to commit adultery, and further said, "whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." —(Matthew 5: 32.) He upheld the law when the woman was brought to him who was accused of adultery; only demanding that those who inflicted the penalty should be free from the crime, using these words, "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." Being conscience-stricken, they left, one by one. When alone with this woman, he told her he would not condemn her; but mark the warning, "Go, and sin no more," thus intimating that the wrong, if repeated, would bring her condemnation for the past. He had said upon a former occasion to the man whom he had healed, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee." We might quote extensively from the sacred writings and name numerous instances similar to those we have mentioned, but these will answer our present purpose, and are sufficient to prove the divine displeasure as voiced through his chosen servants whose duty it is to rebuke iniquity and more especially the sin that we have termed a cardinal one. We are writing more particularly for the benefit of those of our faith, and not for the outside world, who would give little heed to warnings and denunciations upon this point from us. Their so- called Christian ministers in the main carefully avoid any direct mention of, or rebuke for, unlawful sexual indulgence, as they would thereby jeapordize their popularity and more particularly their income, claiming by way of excuse that the subject is of too delicate a nature to admit of more than a general mention. Thus A CARDINAL SIN. 755 is this grievous sin passed by unrebuked by those who should assail it most aggressively. Unlawful sexual indulgence is recognized the world over as a crime, and would be so recognized if there were no law against it. We may attribute this to education, tradition, or any other cause; but outside of all these, there is a true intuitive feeling within, which forces upon us this just conclusion. Lost virtue is likea wrecked vessel: true, it may be towed into port, be placed upon the stocks, be repaired and painted afresh, have another name given to it, thus apparently obliterat- ing every trace of the wreck, but even the common sailor will always remember that it was a wrecked vessel, no matter how all signs of the disaster may be seemingly effaced. Heaven's forgive- ness only, obliterates all traces of past wrong doing, and this must be obtained in God's appointed way. We will now refer to some things that the Lord has said to us upon this important subject. As early as February 9, 1831, the exact words as we find them in the decalogue are repeated and spoken to us. "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 42 24.) Six : months afterwards, the Lord again speaks of this sin, and repeats Jesus' saying upon the mount, with a slight change of words, "Verily, I say unto you, as I have said before, he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, or if any shall commit adultery in their hearts, they shall not have the spirit, but shall deny the faith and shall fear." (Sec. 63: 16.) The first commandment or law given to the ancestor of our race, after having received at the hands of our Father his wife Eve, was, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth," and the seal of heaven's approbation by a special blessing was then and there placed apon them. To this end, and for this purpose only, was the union of the sexes, or marriage, instituted; any in- dulgence, outside of the marriage covenant, is therefore forbidden, and is to all intents and purposes criminal: and may all be classed under one general head, adultery. The question particularly before us is: are we justified in classi- fying this great wrong, and in saying that one phase of it consti- tutes a greater criminality than another? I take the ground that the acme of this crime is reached, when a man who is himself 756 IMPROVEMENT ERA. under the holy covenant shall defile his brother's wife who has been given to him under the bond, seal and covenant of the Holy Priesthood. This is a sin not only against his brother, but directly against heaven itself. The wronged husband cannot effectually condone this great offense, however much he might desire to do so. Heaven's representative alone posesses this power. (Doc. & Cov. Sec, 132: 45, 46.) True, the power may be delegated to others by God's servant to extend mercy. A high council in a stake of Zion who may have tried a case of this kind and found the person guilty, might be thus authorized, but in doing this, they would exercise other functions than those of a trial court. Before celestial marriage was revealed, and when the marriage vow extended only "until death do you part," the conditions were then different. The Lord in speaking, at that time, first gives the command: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Then he says: "And he that com- mitteth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out; but he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; but if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out.'' (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 42: 24-26.) Forgiveness is here limited to one, —the first — offense, and is forbidden if the offense is repeated. This is strictly in keeping with Jesus' saying which we have quoted "Go and sin no more." We will now refer to the ancient law, to show that sexual iniquity was followed by penalties varying in severity according to the magnitude of the wrong in this regard which had been com- mitted. If a man found a damsel, a virgin, who was not betrothed, and defiled her, then he had to give to her father fifty shekels of silver, and she was to become his wife. As the text reads, "Be- cause he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days." The provision is here made that they must bear the wrong to- gether. He could not divorce her, and thus give her an oppor- tunity to become the wife of another, for she is a defiled woman, and defiled by him. It was very different, however, with a betrothed damsel. A betrothed woman was virtually looked upon as a wife. There are two penalties named in this connection. If the crime was com- mitted in the open field where her cries for help could not be A CARDINAL SIN 757 heard, in this instance, she was allowed to go free, but the man must suffer death. If the crime was committed within the city, and she cried not, then the man and woman were both stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 22: 23-27.) If a woman who had been defiled should marry, and her guilt was afterwards discovered, then death to her was the penalty. If a man committed adultery with his neighbor's wife, then both the man and the woman suffered the penalty of death. (Leviticus 20: 10.) Thus provision was made, in that early day, suited to the various phases of this sin. David undoubtedly did the very best thing possible after he had wronged Uriah, although his sin was for the time being put away, by marrying Bathsheba. In this manner, the two bore their wrong together, which was the only reparation either could make to the other. I wish to say here, that the penalties above quoted were not those belonging to the higher law of the gospel, but to the law of carnal commandments. The law of the Holy Priesthood, however, is equally severe in its demands for virtue and purity to be maintained inviolate; any infringement thereof will be visited with such condemnation as the nature of the wrong will justify. While that which will follow the greater sin is unquestionably worse than physical death; for the greater exaltation is thereby jeapordized if not lost; unless indeed it can be forgiven. (See History of Joseph Smith, Nov. 25, 1843.) To the transgressor, let me say, Repent with all your heart; confess the sin without any reserve whatever; offer no excuse by way of palliation. In this way, and in this way only, can the mercy of our Father be obtained. Then watch and pray for strength to resist temptation in the future; for a wrong once com- mitted exhibits a weakness which the enemy will always try to take advantage of. David understood this, for he said, "I have made a covenant with mine eyes that I will not look upon a maid." Again, "I remember my sin, and my transgression is ever before me." To the pure and undefiled, the old adage truly applies, "Virtue hath its own reward," to which we will simply add, Yea; not only here in this life, but in the life to come. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN? The brothers went fishing on June 15th, that being the day on and after which, by grace of the law-makers of our state, peo- ple may openly fish in the mountain streams. As usual, Hugo carried the literature. David, the elder boy, was loaded with the fishing tackle, with worms, flies, and other vermin generally made use of on such occasions —something he had always enjoyed since the time he was a little child gathering toads in a tin bucket, and filling his pockets with angle-worms. "Carry some of these things, and throw them old papera away!" was David's command, as they encountered the stiff morn- ing breeze in the mouth of the canyon. "Throw 'em away! Not a bit of it. Copies of Chicago News- Record, worth more than all the fish we'll ever catch to-day," said his brother, with more enthusiasm than regard for grammar. "Got Eugene Field's column in, and that's worth something, because he'll be talked about like Lamb and Longfellow." "Field? Who's Field, anyway?" "A newspaper man who wrote many good things worth read- ing. Don't you remember the book 'Love-Songs of Childhood,' that I got last Christmas, and the recitation, 'Just 'fore Christmas,' I learned? Well, Field wrote that. There is a story in this paper I think very entertaining. It makes you feel like deciding to re- member what father and mother teaches. Then look at this paper; this column of fine print has at least two thousand words in it. He filled that column every day, three hundred and thirteen days each year for twelve years. You can figure that " "0, figure nothing; take some of these things. There goes the lunch!"