The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-12

1e ~ nOt tCA VAaA " OulAu uOuseS
of worship, to officiate at we'd
dings and funerals, to preach and
travel from lace TO place, to collect
money for charitable, missionary OF
benevolent purposes; temporal to
print and circulate tracts, bibles
and other religious publications. to
own and operate large and extensive
book concerns? In Ihese respects Of
f1cers Of churches in Utah as else
where exercise temporal authority in
temporal affairs, but that "the
sovereignty of the church is sup
rene and its practices followed, the
laws and courts to the contrary"
whatever that means, is not a fact;
and for the best Of all reasons,
namely, because there are no laws
nor courts contrary to the church,
neither indeed, can there be, TO
anyI hing of that kind would be I'M
constitutional, consequently null
and void.
II we understand the political
sentiment of Utah's people, they are
only too glad for the Un ted States
government to rule supreme, exer-
cising its undoubted right and
sovereignty within its constitution
al limits and authority, for there are
no people within the broa 1 boundary
of It's proud domain, who honor,
love and respect it more, or who
have more need of the exercise Of
Its protecting care, In all of its great
humanity than its citizens inhabit-
Ing these mountain valleys, who ap-
peal for its protection against the
wicked schemes and Vaccinations
Of such as are com bined and actively
operating for their overthrow and
destruction.
Referring to that portion of HisEx-
cellency's message regarding "as-
sessments and tithing," your COM
mittee beg to report that they are
not aware that assessments for
political or other purposes" are ex-
acted "by or from persons holding
public office under the authority of
the Territory"
And, while "voluntary con!ribu-
tions in all of church or charity,
and in aid of political parties, may,
as stated, be commendable yet We
can but feel that it might Justly be
deemed presumption on the part of
the Legislature to attempt tscivil
service reform" by enacting laws
forbidding assessments for political
purposes "by or from" our general
Government officials. However
much we may deplore the annoying
effects of the system under which
this is accom- plished or, however
much We may sympathize with
those who are subjected, by reason
of their appointment by the Gener-
al Government to Office in this Ter
ritory, to such assessed exactions,
we respectfully submit that it is not
our prer0gstive, nor is it in our
power to correct the evils of party
system over which as Legislators of a
Territory, We have no control what
ever. We, therefore, can only ex.
press our regret that such "assess-
ments for political purposes" are
not, as intimated by His Excellen-
cy's message, entirely voluntary.
Notwithstanding the insinuations
of His Excellency to the contrary,
your committee are not aware
that "exactions of tithing for
political or other purposes" are made
by any "public office or officers, Cor
by any corporation or its agents Or
gained under the laws Of the Terri
tory" We are, however, as individ-
uals and not as law makers, aware
that many of our constituents being
members of a religious body known
as the Church Of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, do, from religious
motives, voluntarily contribute for
church and charitable purposes,
tithing and other donations. Would
His Excellency, after having com.
mended such voluntary contribu-
tons, have the Territorial Legisla-
ture enact laws forbidding the same
in the Territory of Utah? The pay
ment of tithing, like contributions
for missionary, charitable and other
church purposes by the members of
other religious bodies, is clearly an
ecclesiastical matter with which, as
law makers, we have nothing what
ever to do SO long as the "free exer-
else" thereof does not interfere with
the rights and liberties of others.
Tithing IS not, as we understand it,
q new doctrine, for as religious pri-
vilege and duty, Abraham paid
tithes to Melchisedec about 1000
years ago. Weare not aware, how
ever, that "exactions" Of tithing
are made in this Territory, even by
ecclesiastical authority; but sup
posing they were, there is no law by
which payment can be enforced,
nor is it likely there ever will be,
for it is q matter not within the
constitutional province of legislative
enactment. Ii any citizen in the
Territory feels aggrieved by reason
of the payment Of tithes or other
church donations, he holds the re-
medy in his own hands by simply
renouncing connection with any re-
ligious body requiring such dona-
tions.
Your committee heartily endorse
the just sentiment so pathetically
expressed by His Excellency, that
"the poor man who earns a dollar
by the sweat of his brow is entitled
to that dollar" Previous Legisla-
lures of the Territory of Utah have