The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-22
From the First Presidency of the
Church.

pIDHShed, accusing the Presidency or
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
DAY Saints with interference in politi-
cal affairs, so as TO control elections
and to direct members of the Church
as to which political party they should
support, we hereby declare these ru-
mors to be false, and without founda-
ton III fact. We emphatically deny
that we, or either of us, authorized
l------- or any other per-
son or persons to use our names so as
to influence citizens to vote the Repub-
our names have been used in any such
way it has been entirely without per-
mission from US, and we hereby con-
denim it as wrong and reprehensible.
If We have any desire in this matter
II is that the people of this Territory
shall study the principles of both the
great national parties, and then choose
which they will join, freely, voluntar-
lily and honestly, from personal convic-
6ion and then stand by it in all honor
and sincerity. Each party should have
the same rights, privileges and oppor-
tunities as the other. If any man
claims that it is the wish of the First
Presidency that a Democrat shall vote
the Republican ticket, or a Republican
the Democratic ticket, let all people
know that he is endeavoring to deceive
the public and has no authority of
that kind from US. We have no dis
position to direct in these matters, but
proclaim that, as far as we are con-
cerned, the members Of this Church are
entirely and perfectly free in all polltl-
cal affairs. But they should not in
dulge in ilI-feeling or personalities.
President George @. Cannon is absent,
but we are sure that if he were here
The would sign the declaration with us.
MILFORD WOODRUFF,
JOSEPH F. SMITH,
Of the Presidency of the Church OF
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The above declaration was issued
March 18th, 1892, and published in the
/ Deseret News.
The succeeding day, the Deseret
News, the official organ of the Church,
made the following comments:
while men can be swayed one way
or another as certain persons may die
tate, there will be 40 security in politi-
cal affairs
eff there are people who will look for
the mind of others Gin politics. rather
than their own, they are told emphati-
cally that the mind of the church lead
ers is that every citizen shall take MS
own choice, freely, voluntarily, honest
ly and from his own convictions. Is
that not plain to the most servile or
the most devoted seeker after coun-
sel?"
eff there have been private hints and
winks and insinuations and pretended
messages, conveying the idea that the
| Presidency did not mean what they
said, or that they had one thing for the
public and another thing for private
ears, all that is wrong and despicable,
insulting to our leaders and misleading
! to those who have been the victims OF
| the deception
Let this be plain to ali people in
Utah. The Church has no dictation
or persuasion for its members as to
which party they shall join or support.
/ If anyone intimates to the contrary he
! is a deceiver. If anyone pretends that
the Church leaders desire that mem
! bers shall be in a condition to be
swayed to one side or the other as eX-
! igencies may demand, he is misrepre-
senting those leaders. and intoxicating
! a most dangerous and delusive doc
trine. Honor, sincerity, truth and right
! eousness are essentials in our religion
and falsehood in politics is falsehood in
faith, alike detestible to God and to all
! honest men,"
Earlier in the history of the division
movement, on June q. 1891, the Salt
Lake Times secured an interview with
Presidents Woodruff and Cannon in
which the answers were written out by
the gentlemen interviewed.
In this interview it was stated at fol-
lows:
ct has been asserted, in addition,
that the people were governed by the
Priesthood in political matters. This
is now disproved by the dissolu-
ton of the Peoples party and the union
of the members with the two national
parties. What could possibly be gained
! by the action of the people if they were
not sincere? If the elements of SINGER
ity were wanting, such movement
would result in entire generalization.
The fact that the foregoing utterances
reflect the policy Of the Church as a
Church has been so extensively under
stood throughout the territory that
there is little danger perhaps that the
most ignorant or conf1ding can be de-
ceived by designing politicians, who do
not scruple to misrepresent their
Church on this vital subject Yet a
repetition Of the offense calls for re-
publication Of the 'law and the pro-
phets" on the subject.
That the Church is firmly resolved
only the voice of the Presidency but it
is the voice Of honor and of patxL-
otism and is suggested by every reason
that would tend to secure to the Nor
mon people internal peace and exter-
nal confidence. IF any man Cor wo-
mani claims that it is the wish of the
First Presidency that Democrat shall
vote the Republican ticket, or a Re-
publican the Democratic ticket, let all
people know that he is endeayoring to
deceive the public and has no author
ity of that kind from us. We have no
disposition to direct in these matters"
such are the solemn, authoritative
and wise words to the Mormon people
by their constituted leaders. Any per-
son who represents them as holding
any other views must stand Giscredited
in the community as person who
would faint his superiors with The sus-
picion of hypocrisy.
CHEAP GOLD.