The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-07

of our church, especially those in high
standing, should take a course to vio-
late this long-established practice.
Rather than disobey it, and declare
himself by his actions defiantly indie
pendent of his associates and his file
leaders, it has always been held that
it would be better for man to resign
the duties of his priesthood; and We
entertain the same view today.
POSITION DEFINED.
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 conse-
quence, we feel it 10 be our duty to
clearly define our position, so there
may be no cause hereafter for dispute
or controversy upon the subject:
TO MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE.
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 nomination or
entering 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
duties and labors and responsibilities
of the new position. To maintain pro-
per discipline and order in the church,
we deem this absolutely necessary; and
in asserting this rule, we do not con-
slider that we are Infringing in the least
degree upon the individual rights of
the citizen. Our position is that man
having accepted the honors and obliga-
tions of ecclesiastical Office in the
church cannot properly, of his own
volition, make those honors subordi
nate to or even coordinate with new
ones of an entirely different character;
we hold that unless ne is willing to
counsel with and obtain the consent of
his fellow-laborers and presiding Of
ficers 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 concerning their duties as Ameri-
can citizens, or to interfere with the
affairs of the stale; neither do we
consider that in the remotest 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 trespass
upon the ground occupied by the state,
or that there has been or is the wish to
curtail in any manner any of its func-
tions.
Your brethren,
MILFORD WOODRUFF,
GEO. Q. CANNON,
JOS. F. SMITH,
First Presidency.
+. D. RICHARDS,
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
FRANCIS NJ. LYMAN,
JOHN HENRY SMITH,
GEORGE TEASDALE,
HEBER ]. GRANT,
JOHN w. TAYLOR,
MARINER W. MERRILL,
ABRAHAM II. CANNON.
Apostles.
JOHN SMITH,
Patriarch.
SEYMOUR B. YOUNG,
c. D. FJELDSTED,
B. H. ROBERTS,
GEORGE REYNOLDS,
JONATHAN G. KIMBALL,
RULON S. WELLS,
EDWARD STEVENSON,
First Council of Seventies.
VIM. B. PRESTON,
r. T. BURTON,
JOHN r. WINDER,
Presiding Bishopric.
Salt Lake City, April 6, 1896
Note-The reason the signature of
Apostle Anton H. Lund does not appear
in connection with those of his QUO
rum is because he is absent, presiding
over the European mission He, how
ever viii be given the opportunity of
appending his signature when he re-
!