The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-14
THE MORMON CHURCH.
Curious Manner in which Money Ia Collected 70
its support.


Curious Manner in which Money Ia Collected for
its support.
According to the Mormon law one-tenth Of
ali that is produced in the Territory has to
be given ms tithes to the Church. and in this
way every Mormon farmer, or producer Of any
sort, pays his dues TO tho Church, The Church
takes the produce thus received, makes tho
best sale or it can of it, and supports itself
from tho outcome. The Interpretation Of the
law in regard TO these tithcs is worry liberal.
No one ever pays n tenth Of what he produces
and il is claimed that great many Mormons
do not contribute ut all.
These tithes are collected as follows: All
Mormondom is divided into many parts, called
stakes, for ,ithing purposes, aud at the head of
each stake is Stake Bishop. The stakes are
divided into wards, and there is n Ward Bishop
in charge OF each ward. Over all is the Pre-
siding Bishop and his two Counselors. The
tithcs are paid to tho Ward Bishops who are
the business agents of the Church, and they
give the donor credit Mt the market rate, or at
an agreed rate for produce that has no Gxod
valuation. An account of everything received
by the Ward Bishops is rendered TO the Stake
Bishops. who, in turn, report to the Presiding
Bishop One. tenth of the tithes is kept by the
Ward Bishop for his trouble, and the rest Is dis
posed OF as the Presiding Bishop may direct
Often times tho Church has 10 dispose Of these
products at a great loss. For instance last Fall
the Church took ia potatoes &C 20 aud 30 cents
a hushel, aud in the Spring had hard work TO
got 10 conts a bushel for thom. The amount
of tithes contributed annually averages about
$l9.25 for each contributor.
The masses Of the Mormon Church have no
knowledge of the disposition made of the 90 per
cent of tithcs that go beyond tho Ward Bishops
to whom they arc handed In. Tho officers Of
the Church, in their reports deal only with to-
tails; there no details of the expenditures
Tho Bishops defend this system On the ground
that the difference between tho gross and tho
net receipts from tithos ia SO great that the pc0
pie would not understand IL If they were told
about IL, and so the best way 10 keep them con.
tented is 20 say nothing about IL. IL IL alleged
that the depreciation in the value Of tho iithcs
aud tho expenses incident 20 their collection,
amount TO fully one-half Of the total. Last
ycar the total yaluo Of the tIthes was said 90
have been 100000 The Bishops claim that
not over $3JO0OO in cash, or lis equivalent,
came into the general treasury OF the Church.
Ia some localities tho Church Is not able 20
support itself, and has to draw on the general
fund
A great deal of this money isspent In charity.
lt is alleged that there are no regular salaries
paid TO the higher officers bat that each Is nj.
lowed what he needs 20 live on If an Elder Of
tho Church Is DESTROYS OF having any repairs
an application TO the Bishops, and II they please
they give him an order on the tithing depart
ment When an Elder gets old aud dacrapit
bis wants are provided for in the Same way
There IL no regular relief fund. Everything
is in the hands Of the Bishops and their decis-
ions are final. These dgnitaries deny that
they have accumulated large sums Of money,
and declare that there are no rich men In tho
Mormon Church, and conf aratively few with
a competence. They claim that Brigham
Young, with all Of his opportunities, died
worth only 100000, which, when IL came TO
be divided up among his children, amounted to
only $4,000 apiece.
These tithes arc all collected In a large yard.
covered with storehonses OF nil sorts and shapes
When Salt Lake City was laid out square In
the heart OF tho town WAS set apart for tith-
| ing yard. Tho whole block, with all the prop
erty in IL. was conRscated with other Church
property by the Government, but was imm edi-
ately leased 10 tho Church. When a contribu.
ton arrives 10 Is stored and held until Il can
BIO disposed OF upon the most advantageous
terms. dozen teams and 30 men arc con-
stantly employed about tho yard handling the
goods
The system Is slmpIifed n little by the use OF
| scrip, printed like ordinary money, in various
convenient denominations. This is paid out TO
creditors OF the Church whenever possible, and
| by them converted into goods at the stores In
| the tithing yard. The notes are about tho size
of bank notes, and almost as finely engraved
Different colofs used for bills recei yable al
different departments of the yard. There Ia a
meat market. hay market, butter store, a honey,
vino and vinegar store, a granary, a salt store
| and score of other separate departments
roughly classified under general heads.
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