Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-04-10

officer of our church, especially those in
high standing. should take a course to
violate this established practice.
Rather than disobey it, and declare him.
self by his actions defantly independent
of his associates and his file leaders, it
has always been held that it would be
better for a man to resign the duties of
his priesthood; and we entertain the
same view today.
In view OF all the occurrences to
which reference has been made, and
to the diversity of views that have
arisen among the people in consequence
we feel it to be our duty to clearly de-
fine our position, so there may be 10
cause hereafter for dispute or contro-
versy upon the subject:
First-We unanimously agree to and
promulgate as a rule that should al
ways be observed in the church and by
every leading official thereof, that
before accepting any position, political
or otherwise, which would interfere
with the proper and complete dis
charge of his ecclesiastical duties, and
before accepting a nomination or enter
ing into engagements to perform new
duties, said official should apply to the
proper authorities and learn from
them whether he can, consistent
ly with the obligations already entered
into with the church upon assuming his
office, take upon himself the added du-
ties and labors and responsibilities of the
new position. To maintain proper dis
cipline and order in the church., we
deem this absolutely necessary; and in
asserting this rule, we do not consider
that we are infringing in the least de-
gree upon the individual rights of the
citizen. Our position is that a man hav-
ing accepted the honors and obliga-
tons of ecclesiastical office in the church
cannot properly, of his own volition.
even coordinate with new ones of an
entirely different character; we hold
that unless he is willing to counsel with
and obtain the consent of his fellow
laborers and presiding officers in the
priesthood he should be released from
all obligations associated with the latter
before accepting any new position.
Second-We declare that In making
these requirements of ourselves, and our
brethren in the ministry, we do not in
the least desire to dictate to them con-
corning their duties as American citi-
zens, or to interfere with the affairs of
the state; neither do we consider that in
the remotcst degree we are seeking the
union of church and state. We once
more here repudiate the insinuation that
there is or ever has been an attempt by
our leading men to trespsss upon the
there has been or is the wish to curtail
in any manner any of its functions.
Your brethren,
WILFoRD WOODRUFF,
GEO @. CANNON,
Jos F. SMITH,
First Presidency.
LORENZO Snow,
F. d. RICHARDS,
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
FRANCIS M. LYMAN,
JoHN HENRY SMITH,
GEORGE TEAsDALE,
HEBER J. GRANT,
John w. TAYLOR,
MARINER w. MERRILL,
ABRAHAM H. CANNON,
Apostles.
JoHN SMITH,
Patriarch
SEYMOUR B. Young,
c. d. FJELDsTED,
3. II. ROBERTS,
GEORGE REYNOLDS,
JONATHAN G.. KIMBALL,
RULoN S. WELLS,
EDWARD STEVENSON,
First Council of Seventies.
VIM. B. PRESTON,
r. T. BURTON,
John K. WINDER,
Presiding Bishopric.
NorE-The reason tie signature of
Apostle Anton H. Lund does not ap-
pear in connection with those of his
quorum is because he is absent, prcsid-
ing over the European mission. He,
however, will be given the opportunity
of appending his signature when he
returns home.
statement of Moses Thatcher, Salt
Lake City, April 6, 1896.
"At about II o'clock this morning two
of the quorum of the Twelve called on
me and presented document of several
pages for my consideration, wishing me
to sign it Immediately so that they could
take it away with them. On my re-
quest for more time to consider the
matter they agreed to leave 1t with me
until 1870 .. M, at whick time | re-
turned the document with the following