Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1896-12-18

JUDGING the people against him. When
tribunal pronounces man guilty and |
announces to the world Its judgement,
has he been left In statu quol
You complain because did not for a
time attend my quorum meetings as
regularly as others had done The time
to which you call attention covers the
period of lingering illness from which
have now almost entirely recovered.
But do not offer my sickness as an ex-
cuse for my absence, as you had ex-
cused me from all official duties during
great portion of that time, advising me
to travel, TO seek enjoyment and health.
The charge that have "treated the
council with contempt" needs no answer
but reference to the letters which
passed between us. l endeavored per-
sistently, patiettttiiy 'trtdi, as thought. re-
specially, TO ascertain what my breth-
rem held agaidst me-what differences
there we're between us-in order that
we might arrive at az understanding
ard finally what their requirements
were When | went to the meeting
place of the quorum of apostles after
being assured by the brethren that
would be welcomed and no objection
would be made, found the door closed
IN my face. From that time until my
deposal plead for statement of the
grievances against me, but dared not in
trude on my quorum again without an
invitation, as / had no desire to give Of
right to speak in public meetings until
publicly reprimanded for so doing; l
did not think l was barred from the
temple until its door was closed In my
face. And now you say that l "pre-
srme to attempt an entrance to the
temple" What could l have donei
Every move made was criticised and
condemned and seemed to invite new
forms of censure and humiliation.
have no desire to quibble, but here il
passage In your open letter to which
desire to call your attention: at wa,
but few days after the October confer
ence, even If 1t had entirely closed, be
fore he appeared and spoke at public
meetings as though he still held tht
authority in which he had not been sus
ktained at conference. This necessitateC
the announcement from the first presi
dency through the Deseret News tina
he had no right to oficiate in the priest
hood while In his suspended condition
: Notwithstanding that announcement
I when he chose to present himself to tn,
authorities he presumed to attempt en-
. trance to the temple for that purpose
and at time when the first presidency
as we'll as the twelve, met for the con
: sideration of other church matters an,
for holding their prayer circle"
, presented myself at the door Of tn
I Salt Lake temple at II o'clock a. m
e Thursday, October IS, 1896. The meet
ing which promulgated the announces
' ment you refer to was then in session
/ 1t was not published In the Desere
= News until evening and was not re
\ ceived by me for at least FIVE hours afte
). my return home from the temple. Yo
y will not deny that these are facts an
4 yet you blame me for attempting er
n trance to the temple" in disregard of a
4 announcement which had not been fol-
: mulated. At no other time did IA
Il tempt entrance to the temple" to be re
fused admittance.
n This point is In direct line with you
n former statement In our original CORE
# spondence 10 the effect that, because
a had seemingly disobeyed your letter c
c the 23d of October, was refused &C
mittance to the temple on the 9Th, c
d eight days before. When could nc
i. understand that, you explained it b
/. saying l was In the dark. No doubt tn
g same explanation will answer in regar
" to the paragraph above quoted.
e did not mention my last contribute
i to the temple in the way of boast, bl
q the fact remains that the temple wal
4 nevertheless, constructed with fund
| contributed by the Saints. But whe
President Joseph F. Smith declare
4 that only gained admission to Its ded
= cation "by the skin of my teeth" state
-. ment yonr open letter seemed to col
4 roborate, could not recall any hes
e fancy on the pait of any one about ash
# ing or receiving my donation during tn
# period of its construction.
. Another paragraph in your letter
IS truly remarkable and especially wherei
4 the public is informed that silence in m
n interest had been maintained by Presi
u dent Cannon, NOV absent" as you say
d "from the state" How far that bus
n ness transaction between two member
4? of the church has had bearing on m
II affairs as recently made public from tn
' public and press, cannot say but fl
i ture developments may show its reli
ton to past and present conditions. II
IS frequent iteration in garbied form, as I
c this instance, and as 1t has been told i
o public and private, on highways and by
e ways, shows that 1t is no secret. An
It SO far as | am concerned there is noti
n ing in 1t that ! would have anybod
! trouble himself TO keep as a secret