The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-11

the world have reversed the unjust de-
cislOn and prejudiced judgment of their
prosecutors and the obloquy and dis
honor put upon them has reverted back
upon their judges. A long and illus.
trious list might be made out OF names
OF grand and noble characters, never to
be Orgotten-reverenced now, but in
their own lives lOwly, unhonored and
prosecuted. Christ, the Son of God
heads the vast train of those in review
who before and after His earthly life
suffered by the law for conscience sake.
His apostles. with one noble execution.
followed wOrthiIy in His footsteps
nObly taught principles of peace, broth
erhoOd and purity. He commanded
Getting persecution, bodily torture and
death in his cause. They unsweryingly
followed the rule of faith and conscience
and obeyed higher law than the law of
the land-not defiantly and stubbornly.
but with sorrow and much travail of
spirit, meekly submitting to the blow
that struck them down, confident that
the cross they bore on earth would re-
suit in immortality and a deathless
crown in heaven.
1t has been the conflict Of conscience
with human law that has given rise to
constitutional and religious liberty. A
Luther could not be still and silent I'M
der the corruptions and exactions of
the dominant Catholic Church, and his
earnest, fearless spirit, urged onward
by consciousness of sin, boldly faced
the dangers of heresy to bring relief to
his suffering fellow-men. A John Huss
and Jerome of Prague must speak for
the right of conscience, for the divine
fire OF truth was within them to force
them forward, though they knew they
subjected themselves to the earthly
fires of the stake, lighted by fanaticisu
and human law, as interpreted by I'M
| just judges. Savaranola died that right
of conscience might be justified in him
self and the right of others be won
from bigotry and oppression. The list
might be indefinitely increased but we
need only mention the pilgrim
Fathers" Of America, who fed from
the oppressive laws of their own coun-
try to the shores of this continent for
peace and liberty.
Why not now believe that those who
similarly claim that faith and consci-
ence guides them in their course are
equally honest IN their professions? If
they are not acting contrary to the
monOgamic custom, made law by Rome
In the first recorded instance, cannot
they be punished without having their
motives impugned, and having insult
hurled in their facesP 1t must truly be
a powerful influence and a self-fOrgetful
motive that can cause them to submit
to be herded with murderers and GRIM
nails of lesser rank, when a few words
spoken, a promise made would save
them from it. If, as claimed by their
opponents. mere lust has placed them
in the dock efa criminal court, could not
that passion have been satisfied at less
trouble, less cost and expense, than by
assuming the marital relations, the
rearing and maintenance of large
families, and as practiced in bagnios and
houses Of designation with no danger of
being interrupted in their pursuit or ap-
preached in hostile manner by the Of
ticers of the law. They do not resist
the enforcement of the law, and when
they suffer for their faith and belief, let
US at least give them credit for truthful
ness and sincerity.
A faith firm and unyielding COM
mands respect even from its enemies.
A conscience that fears nought so
much as doing wrong should at least be
treated With the respect due to honesty
of purpose, be it ever so much repu9-
the law. If the law opposes certain
practices and imposes penalties. enforce
1t, but let 1t be enforced with the respect
due to the law itself. Law. in theory at
least, is not Vindictive, whatever il NAV
be in practice. Is was instituted for the
protection of the weak against the
strong, not to cast reproach upon the
helpless, nor to work injury to any, nor
to give voice to the unreasoning madness
of the multitude. There never was a
greater fallacy in religious affairs than is
presented in the familiar axiom VOr
POpuH VOr Del. On the same grounds
Christianity itself would be abolished
and the civilization of the age would be
destroyed. The followers of Christ are
but small fraction of the population
of our globe, through the most highly
civilized and progressive portion there
of and to carry out in practice what is
advocated in theory, and take the voice
of the populace for the voice of God
would prove the death blow to the pre-
tensions of Christianity to divine origin.
There is no profession more honorable
than that of the law when practiced
with honesty of purpose and integrity
of heart; nor is there any profession,
again, more liable to be abused, miscon-
strued and used for extortionate reward.
The judicial ermine should be kept pure
and spotless. a Judge holding the
scales of justice with a firm, vet even
hand, swerving neither to the right nor
to the left, never allowing the calls of
partizan friendship to control, nor mis-
sionary zeal to disturb the equipoise of
his repose, nor fanatic outcry, nor pop
ular demonstrations to overset his
of temper that he descends
TO Yituperation and abuse. Such con-
duct reminds us too strongly of the
Star Chamber" proceedings of the
otuarts, or the Bloody Assizes" of the
etfries and his one sided charges to
the jury, which often condemned upon
common reports, or the least tangible
Of evidences of guilt. Whatever cpl
5het IS hurled at the prisoner, or cfim-
lal, helpless In the hands of the law. be
t coward" or "hypocrite," or "bas-
ard, " or whatever else, could with more
how OF justice be applied to the one
ltterlng them than to the sufferer, for
lie has no recourse but silence and sub
pission. and his judge is secure in the
acredness OF his position, though be
,lunder and fume never so wildly. (
Therefore, all show of partizan zeal. /
nalevolence, or prejudice towards /
prisoner, or undignified departure from |
he calmness of justice, cast reproach |
.pol the seat he occupies and loses him |
he reSpect of every uDT,raiud;oad I