The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-01
would not, they expelled him from the
priesthood as they were in duty bound

|
with his quorum since the death OF
! President John Taylor. Trouble was had
with him before that time
In 1896 ne proclaimed in public dis
] courses ideas and predictions not in
| dorsed by his brethren. At Lewiston,
| Cache county. notes were taken of these
| utterances and published on dy-ieaf-
| He was subsequently written to by Presi-
| dent Taylor, and his answer is on file.
| While he claimed that he had not been
accurately reported, he gave his own
| language, under his own hand. 10 the
! effect OF predictions of events 10 occur
within five years, which have failed OF
/ nuinlment and which were founded on
erroneous INTERPRETATIONS of Scripture
! He wrote for publication sort of retrac-
/ ton which really took nothing back but
/ merely charged partial errors in the re-
port OF his extrayagant remarks: -
He was out of harmony with his
! brethren in relation 10 standing ap-
pellate high council, which he claimed
! should be appointed and which he has
! never acknowledged was Incorrect.
He disputed with President Taylor as
| to the appointment of president of the
/ Logan temple and commended Tor man
/ of his own selection, even after the
president announced the appointment by
| revelation.
HIS bearing with his brethren of the
! twelve was such that he could not brook
dissent and resented their non-acceDt-
ance of his personal views.
! When MILFORD Woodruff's accession to
| the presidency was under consideration,
I as the proper successor, ne expressed
| opinions which showed that he regarded
/ human smartnesS and business ability
as above that simplicity of character and
/ susceptibility to divine Impressions which
| are notable in that faithful servant OF
| God, and objected that such a man
could not grasp the situation of affairs
or cope with the difficulties arising. He
I was oVerruled but persisted in his views.
/ BUSINESS DIFFICULTIES WITH
| PRESIDENT CANNON.
! When President George @. Cannon,
| after the decease of President Taylor,
! polygamy laws, Moses claimed that
| Brother Cannon had defrauded him. and
! he threatened in the presence of Presi-
dent woodruff and others of the twelve
| tc sue him at law and thus bring many
private affairs before the public Though
/ the courts. Only on being empha tically
warned by President Woodruff and OIL ers
that such a course, particularly in Bro.
/ CannonS condition, would result dis
| astrously to him in his church position
| did he desiSt. On President Cannon s
! release from confinement the matter was
! fully investigated and il was demon
/ strated that instead of Brother Cannon
/ owing him he was in Brother Cannon s
/ debt TO an amount which he subsequently
paid For mis- insults and hard language
| towards Br0ther Cannon lie has never
/ apolOgiZed nor made any 2Inends. This
incident IS referred TO in President Can
mons absence from the state. He has
! always preserved silence on TINS matter
and did not wish it to be mentioned
against Brother Thatcher. But it is i'm
2Ortant as showing Moses Thatcher's
| spirit and bearing towards his brethren
Brother Thatcher makes great preten-
| sions of devotion 10 the church and
/ declares he has never shirked any
] responsibility" The people in many OF
/ the various stakes of Zion who have
! been visited by the apostles may ask
| themselves when they have ever seen
Mosts Thatcher at their quarterly con-
/ ferences or other church gatherings.
MEETINGS OF HIS QUORUM.
he has neglected the meetings of his
! quorum for years. This was not al
ways on account of ill-health. He was
! able. at least, in the earlier part of the
! time, to attend 20 business and pleas
ure affairs apparently in good health
and spirits. The roll book of meetings
/ Of the presidency and the apostles
shows that from May, 1889 TO April, 1895,
/ a period of about seven years. he was in
! attendance at the regular weekly meet
! ing but 80 times. There were held 2T7
! OF those meetings, at which President
! Woodruff. though weighted down by age
! and numerous cares, was present 256
! times His absence was always on ac-
/ count of sickness. Brother Thatcher s
! residence was most of the time in Logan,
] bIt the hour was set so that he and
! others at distance could have reason
/ able opportunity to attend.
| Brother Thatcher's spirit has been con-
/ tumacious and he mas been self-oDinion-
ated and arbitrary. Previous 10 the
! dedication Of the temple his brethren
| labored with him for many hours 10
bring him into the proper frame of mind
! to unite with them in that sacred cere-
/ mony. His condition was not entirely
satisfactory al the close of the pro-
tracted interview, but was accepted out
OF charity and mercy to him that he
might not be excluded from the dstica-
/ lion, with the hope that the spirit of the
! occasion would influence him 10 thorough
I ia NTranf 1~frfr
nouncement of harmony among the
! brethren was made with this under
standing, but has been adroitly turned
J by Brother Thatcher to shut Gil all that
/ occurred before that time and which
wC,-!d not now be alluded to but for his
! own utterances and reference TO his
/ pretended humility and harmony.
THE POLITICAL NOMINATION.
In accepting nomination for a politi-
| cal Office, which if elected thereto would
| have taken him away from his ecclesiasti-
! cal duties for long periods. without con-
/ sultauOn with his quorum and the presi-
! dency, he could not but have known that
I he was violating requirement of high
! officials in the church Yet he would not
| consult with them, while he WAS able to
! attend political gatherings and business
/ meetings although in poor health. Here
! again he was out of harmony with his
There was no need for any loss of man.
] hood or proper Independence nor the
] Iorie-ture OF any OF the rights Of Gill
! zenship But if he did not value his
apostleship and priesthood as of the very
/ first consideration he was not worthy to
hold them. and his subsequent course
/ shows that he held them in great esteem
/ r. theory but in very small esteem in
( practice. Fine words and sympathetic
! phrases do very well to influence the
/ public. but they count for nothing in the
! face of deeds that contradict them, or
/ the failure to do that which is so
! rhetorically Drofessed
! The standing and fellowship of Moses
! Thatcher as a member of the church has
| net been brought into question. there
! fore there has been no trial. He has been
1 harmony with his associates, some
! thing that was entirely in his own power
! 10 correct without great exertion or
much time. u his standing in the church
I was al stake specific charges would be
made, and he would have 10 answer 10
/ them in the usual way. which is not and
! has not been by public demonstration.
What has been done was necessary
/ and a duty. Action was not taken until
| it was certain that no further delay
would be of any use or benefit Moses
! consideration and mercy than any other
man who has taken the course which he
( has pursued. He has been prayed for,
/ waited upon. pleaded with and weDt
! over until his rebellion and contumacy
were seen to be invincible, and he is in
! open hostility 10 regulations which the
! whole church has adopted and ratified.
/ He could not and cannot be any longer
! empowered 10 act in the authority of the
! holy priesthood.
! And now let the Latter-day Saints
] 80