The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-03-29
AS TO LOYALTY.

The stranger visiting our city during the
pas week has been told number of times
by the leading anti Mormon paper pub
lished in this city, that the Mormons are
unworthy citizens of the United States
that they are unfit to be trusted with the
government of this territory, or even to
cast ballot, sit on jury, take out natural
ization papers or enter public lands.
The chief reason assigned for deny
ing the majority of our citizens
these privileges (which make citizenship
valuable, is that the allegiance Of the Nor
mon is given to another power, viz: the
Mormon church; it is claimed he cannot be
Mormon and true citizen. But let it be
remembered that this is but the represen-
tation of an unfair and an unscrupulous OPP
ponent who perversely insists on misstat-
| ing the Mormon faith and practice, and is
not admitted as truth for a moment by the
Mormons themselves.
In the face of the persistent misrepresen-
tation of Mormon belief respecting the laws
Of the land and their allegiance to earthly
governments, it may not be amiss to quote
from their own authoritative books their
expressed views On this subject, leaving the
intelligent reader to judge how far the creed
iustifies the unwarranted Interpretation
placed upon it by those unfriendly disposed
towards it;
We believe that all governments were in
stituted of GOD for the benefit of man, and that
he holds men accountable for their acts in re-
lation to Them either in making laws or ad-
ministering them for the good and safety of So
cety.
| We believe that no government can exist in
peace except such laws are framed and held in
violate as will secure to each individual the free
exercise Of conscience, the right and control OF
properly, and the protection of life.
We believe that all governments necessarily
require civil officers and magistrates to enforce
the laws of the same, and that such as will ad
minister the law in equity and justice should
be sought for and upheld by the voice of the
people Of republic), or the will of the
sovereign.
We believe that religion is instituted OF GOD,
and that men are amenable to Him, and to Him
only for the exercise OF it. unless their religious
opinions prompt them to infringe upon the
rights and liberties of others; but we do not be-
lieve that human law has right to interfere in
prescribing rules of worship to bind the con-
private devotion; that the civil magistrate
should restrain crime but never control con-
science; should punish guilt, but never suppress
the freedom of the SOUL
We believe that all men are bound to sustain
and uphold the respective governments in
which they reside, while protected in their in
herent and inaltenable rights by the laws of
such governments; and that sedition and rebel
lion are unbecoming every citizen thus pro-
tected and should be punished accordingly and
that all governments have right to enact such
laws as in their own judgment are best calcu-
lated to secure the public interest, at the same
ime, however, holding sacred the freedom Of
conscience.
We believe that every man should be honored
in his station; rulers and magistrates as such,
being placed for the protection of the
Innocent, and the punishment of the
guilty; and that to the laws all men owe respect
and Difference, as without them peace and
harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and
terror human laws being instituted for the ex-
press purpose of regulating our interests as in
dividuals and nations, between man and man,
and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing
rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and wor-
ship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.
We believe that rulers. states and govern
ments, have right, and are bound to enact
laws for the protection of all citizens in the
free exercise of their religious belief but we do
not believe that they have right in justice, to
deprive citizens of this privilege. or prescribe
them in their opinions, so long as regard and
reverence is shown to the laws, and such re-
ligous opinions do not justify sedition nor con-
Spiracy.