The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-19
TO THE PUBLIC.

learn that President Cannon passed some
very severe structures upon me and upon
a letter said TO have been written by me.
He did not call my name, but made a
descriptive reference to the writer, which
could have had no other purpose than
that of Identification.
1t is said that he stated that a letter
had been received for me, bearing the
presidency severely, for what / called a
violation of church rules: that called on
them to repent, and make amends, tnat
some one had stated things that were en-
tireiy untrue, but / do not know that
this last remark was intended to apply to
me. That he pointed out the danger or
apostacy, that / was in, and called on
me to repent in sackcloth and ashes. /
sincerely regret that he made the remarks
about me which he did, because, in the
main they were incorrect.
President Cannon is too honorable ana
highminded to misstate the contents OF
my letter intentionally, and am there
fore led TO believe that he, and the presi-
dency, have received more than one lei
ter upon the subject; and that at the
time of making the statement he had the
different writers and the subjects OF their
letters somewhat confused in his mind,
because my letter was not addressed 20
the presidency. nor was President W oou-
ruff, or the presidency, berated, mentioned
or referred to: nor was anyone called son
to repent or make amends; nor was there
q statement there that was not true. My
letter was addressed to President Cannon
personally. 1t did contain a suggestion
as to how l thought certain differences
between certain brethren might be recon-
cied, and what would be proper under
the circumstances; but L expressly stated
that they We're but friendly Suggestions.
and expressly diSclaimed any right that
they be adopted so that there could have
been no misunderstanding on tins point.
I am of the opinion therefore, as l before
said that he had several letters and their
4 1t ba
not have made the misstatement inten-
tionally.
Saints should be careful about criticising
the acts of the presldency-not because
their acts are not the Legitimate subject
of criticism. however The first presi-
dency, when chosen according TO the law.
as recorded in the Doctrine and Cove
nants, are the servants of the church, as
well as of the Lord and not in any sense
their masters. God has said that, OF
the Melchisedeck priesthood, three presid-
ing high priests chosen by the body. tot
the church,. appointed and ordained to
that office, and upheld by the confidence,
faith. and prayer of the church, from a
quorum of the presidency of the church.
The church is not required to select any
particular persons, but may go among
the presiding high priests, of the Mel
chisedeck priesthood, and select whom
they will; and when thus selected ap-
pointed and ordained to that Office, the
keys. VON6IS, DItNliC6tS diAO ltSPOhStO-i.
ties rest upon them by virtue of their
priesthood, office and calling; and when,
If ever their acts are such that the
church can no longer sustain them, 1t
has the undoubted right to displace them,
and put others in their stead.
When il ever. the Lord sees fit to make
the selection himself, and place them in
their exalted positions, the case will be
reach of the church, and must remain
until removed by him, by death or other
wise. The fact that the church has au-
thority to select its presiding officers
or divinity of their Office. 1t Is just as
God would have it. because 1t is just as
he ordained it, and it is well that IT is
so. The prophet Joseph said: We nave
learned by sad experience that it is the
nature and disposition of almost all men,
as soon as they get a little authority, as
they suppose, they will Immediately. begin
TO exercise unrighteous DOMINION.
God has truly commanded us, as Presi-
dent Cannon has said, TO speak no evil Of
his anointed. and his spirit is. always
gTieved when his laws are ignored or vio-
lated; but L presume it is not merely be-
cause they are his anointed that we
should not speak evil of them, because
God has also said: Speak evil of no
man." thus indicating that the reputation
of all his children are alike to him; that
it is their peace and welfare that he de-
sires, and that it is because of the vicious
consequences of evil speaking of one an
other that these commandments. were
given The anointed are. as much for
hidden to speak evil of the laity as are
the humble people forbidden to speak evil
of the anointed
There IL also another commandment TO
which / desire to call the attention OF
President Cannon. 1t reads as follows:
IF thy brother or sister offend thee thou
shalt take him or her between him or her
and thee alone, and if he or she. con-
Tess thou shalt be reconciled," and still
xr-hiol1 n follows. IF GnT
shall offend in secret, he shall be rebuked
in secret, that he may have an oppor-
tunity 10 confess in secret" When.
therefore, President Cannon, instead of
Speaking to, or writing me privately that
he was offended, went before the con-
ference with my private correspondence.
he violated this law of heaven; nor did
he do 1t ignorantly, because he knew the
.aw. He did it wilfully and deliberately;
supposing, possibly that the end would
justify the means; but there is no end
that win Justify the violation of God 8
commandments. God saw the end from
the beginning. and If there had been any
necessity for 1t, he would have provided
for the necessity by making an excep-
ton to the law.
There is another law which says that
he who offends openly shall be rebnked
openly. that he may be ashamed. but
felt kindly toward President Cannon. and
did not desire to rebuke him openly. If
it could be avoided. ] realize that the
law against transgressors operated upon
the high and low alike: that the per-
centage, of apostacy, of which he spoke,
had been as great or greater among men
of his rank of office, as among the lower
ranks: that men as gifted and exalted as
he had fallen while palmer people had
maintained their integrity: that the mere
fact of his amounting constituted no
guaranty that he would not go the way
of many of his predecessors; but that
men must observe the law, no matter now
exalted their stations and so, instead Of
rehuking him publicly for his offense,
wrote him privately, giving him an OPP
portunity to rectify his mistake in his
own way--in the way that he might
choose. as the least humiliating; in the
way that would be the least liable to
cause him to refuse or neglect as he has
done, to rectify his mistake, and thus
compel me to do so.
AS to the wanton irreverence he spoke
of, / can hardly believe he referred to me
entertain the most profound respect for
the first presidency. l could not find il in
my heart to speak irreverently of them.
as such, nor of their authority, or their
priesthood. or office and calling. / do not
think the person lives who ever heard me
do it. But the practice of castigating
men publicly. for their real or supposed
private ofenses and of exposing their
private faults to the public. is vicious In
The extreme, as has been amply demon
trated In the family, school and state
The right does not exist in the church. 1t
is against the law of heaven, and there
fore indefensible from any standpoint,
and the practice ought to cease.
NATHAN TANNER, JR.
Ogden, Utah, October IS. 1885,