Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-05-07
DESTRUCTION APPROACHING.

DESIRUCl1ON AIHHOAIhlNO.
Tuesday night the DEMOCRAT, in re-
ferring to the Hansen case, called the at
tention of the bishop of Brighton to it,
and suggested that for the sake of de-
cency the church authorities there ought
to cut him off from the church. This
seems to have raised the ire of "a Ward
Official" of Brighton, and in last nights
NeWS this same official says that the
DEMOCRAT writer had better mind his
own business. The official understands
his own business, at least so he says, and
desires no counsel from this direction. If
that is the case, is it not the business OF
the ecclesiastical authorities of the Nor
mon church to cast out from among them
those who defile their covenants and live
in open and notorious violation OF the
rules of common morality? Such has
always been our understanding OF the
Mormon doctrine, and still is. But it
may be that tie "ward oficial' knows
differently from what was testified to in
the court room, and understands that it
is all right, and that what is a seeming
liaison is in reality an alliance, "formed
while on earth, upon the principle that
the man is not without the woman nor
the woman without the man in the Lord"
If this is the case, what becomes of that
other doctrine of the Mormon church that
!" thou shalt not bear. false witnesss?" But
why should the ward official 3" "rage
so furiously and imagine vain thing"
merely because we called attention to the
case, and suggested that some action
should be taken in the matter in accord
ance with the laws of the church and not
in accordance with the laws of the land ?
1t is to be presumed that the court did
not hold it a case of unlawful cohabitation
because it did not come within the con-
struction put upon the Edmunds law by
the court, which held that that law was
primarily intended to suppress polygamy,
polygamy being inconsistent with the
unit of the State as adopted throughout
the American Union. 1t is also to be
presumed that for such crimes as adul-
terry, fornication and the like, Congress
did not undertake 10 legislate, as they
are things which properly belong to the
local legislature, and the local
Legislature, you must know, Mr.. Ward
Official, has been relgiously jealous in
repeating all acts which in any way in
terfered with promiscuous intercourse
between the sexes. Now, supposing that
the Chief Justice has erred in his inter
probation of the Edmunds law, and all
his acts are prompted by malice, is that
any reason why the ecclesiastical ar-
thorities of Brighton should neglect their
duty, and in fact, is it not a fundamental
doctrine of the Mormon Church that all
should do their duty and in accord
ance with the principles of their religion,
no matter what others may do, nor how
wrong their course? Are YOU not also
taught that you are to accept truth no
matter by whom it is offered?r Possibly.
though, this is a case in which pearls
are cast before swine, and the "ward
official' does not bite at such things.
Evident it is that the "ward oficiaP'
is enraged beyond conception to think
that his or his bishops attention should
be called to the case, as it places them in
very bad predicament, for it leaves to
them the choice of retaining in fellowship
those who have either committed perjury
Or adultery, or of rejecting them. In
either case, it must reflect upon their past
and has tendency to show
That they care more for obedience and
5ubordination than for truth and chastity.
We fully believe every word of the
official when he says, if judges get en-
,angled "neither will we do ANYTHING in
he matter, pro or con-" This determine
ION VIII deprive the judges of great help
md knowledge, but they must make up
heir minds to do without them. The {
'fhclal's piece is headed "Gratuitious ad-
nee rejected" and our mission. like his
5 to carry good advice TO all the earth.
md If they won't accept it we have done -,
'ur duty, but they condemn themselves
rejecting it. The truth is, that whom
he gods would destroy they first make
mad Il. e. demented), and it now looks as c
hough polygamy in Utah would be des- a a
royed, and hence the madness of the d
ward official.'' d