The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-20
HON. MOSES THATCHER.


| The controversy between Hon. Moses
Thatcher and his church over various
| questions may be said to have come
to an end. He held the high position
of an apostle, and the council of the
| apostles has unanimously decided that
he be severed from it. and that he be
deprived of his apostleship and other
offices in the priesthood.
No one will question the right of the
council of the apostles to formulate and
adopt such rules for its guidance as it
may deem proper. As no one questions
this right so it cannot be denied to
any member of that council to accept
or reject them. Mr.. Thatcher has not
accepted them, and submits to the con-
equences-deprivation of his apostolic
and other priestly offices. He is today
the same noble. honorable, upright.
God-fearing man that he ever was. To
take from him all his ecclesiastical
honors does not take one jot or little
from lis stature as a man. He was
every inch a man before they were
placed upon him; he is every inch a
man now shat they have been taken
Oft him.
It is known that Mr.. Thatcher's
friends are urging him ds a candidate
for United States senator. 1t has been
stated in angry terms by the official
organ of his church that his election
by the legislature would be a direct
assault upon his church. and would be
resented as such. Mr.. Thatcher's at
titude towards his church should not
affect his candidacy in any respect
and the legislators should not be in
f1uenced by it. His election would not
be an assault upon his church. and
could only be so construed by his
church by presumptuous arroga5ion u
itself of the right to say who shall and
who shall not be elected to the United
States senate
The right of any and every church
10 discipline its members is fully adj
mitted, but that discipline must stop
at the threshold of political action. No
man must be made to suffer politically
because of his acceptance or rejection
of any rule of any religious body.
Mr. Thatcher having been deprived
of his ecclesiastical authority and hon
ors, having suffered the severe disci-
pine of his church, for it now to pursue
him and attempt to blight his political
career, if he shall choose to adopt one,
would be a signal display Of vindictive
ness and religious persecution
The Democratic party of Utah is not
entering upon a campaign; it has just
closed one most triumphantly. The
legislature is Democratic almost to
unanimity, and upon the members
thereof will devolve the duty of elect
ing a United States senator. There are
a number of candidates. any one of
whom will do honor to the state and
serve the people faithfully and well.
The claims of each will be presented to
the legislature and should be carefully
considered. The idea that the members
will be swayed or prejudiced or in
Inundated in their choice of a senator |
by the blusterings or threats of any-
body is not TO be entertained for a
moment; and if anyone shall make the
attempt he will find out how much ne
has mistaken the manhood and wom
anhood of the members of Demo-
cratic legislature.
And when a senator shall have been
chosen, whether it be Mr.. Thatcher or
some one else, he will be the choice Of
the Democratic party of Utah. An as
sault upon him from any source will
be an assault upon the Democratic
party and will be resented by the party
as such