The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-13


waiting at the door. Al another Tine,
said 10 Brother John Henry Smith, How
could You, knowing a 8 you do Of my work
IN the church for quarter of a century,
vote for my suspension simply because
l could not see my way clear 20 sign the
manifesto? How could you adjudge me
guilty, condemn me and execute your
judgment 9ll within a few hours and
not talk with you about that, for you
are too III, and conversation on that sub
Ject VIII make you nervous" then
said: Which. Brother John do you
think would make me most nervous and
i'll, to have the brethren humiliate and
degrade me by dropping me out of my
place, or talking about it after the deed
IS done?" Said he: Il am with my
brethren"
DESERTED BY HIS BRETHREN.
During all these weary months, while
friends and physicians believed l was on
the verge OF the grave 7 was admins
terec 10 only once by members of our
quorum. although day after day engage
merits made for that purpose We're, for
reasons unknown 10 me, not kept. And
after the manifesto was returned to you
unsigned none of the apostles, excepting
the three mentioned. ever came 10 my
house or visited me for any purpose
whatever. | do not mention this by way
I of complaint but because. from the gem
er>l tone and certain statements in your
Letter, you Go not seem TO be fully ac-
Clainted with these facts.
few men holding a lesser authority
in the church called and argued with me.
and sometimes may have heard the peev-
I ish plants of a sick man, which il seems,
were carefully delivered and preserved,
and with which yOu are now. willing to
reproach me. II appears that every groan
| uttered in my pain and weakness was
borne away and used TO poison the minds
Of those living in The light against a
week and helpless brother.
Ii this connection / would like to state
that even before the presentation OF that
manifesto for my signature not one of the
brethren had taken up labor with me
concerning any OF the matters it was
made 10 embody.
You contend that I should have signed
it simply and solely because other officers
of the church had signed it. without hesi-
t2I;on and without requiring time TO
deliberate" I cannot see how that state
ment adds to the credit OF the document.
Such matters demand deliberat ton, and
: becaJse ! always so cGntended am
called contumacious and obstinate"
1t may be that Elder b. h. Roberts signed
il without consideration. but l have been
authorita lively informed that, strong and
healthy as he was in mind and body.
several members of the quorum to which
] oelonged labored with him day after
day for weeks before he consented to ac-
cept the principles OF absotJiisrn It con-
tains. How many Of The brethren
deemed i necessary to waste their time
or me- though l was sick and near the
portals Of death? Not one Yet they
expected me 10 sign il when it was pre-
scented, although you say / was con-
sidered ..contumacious and obstinate"
If that was my disposition why was l
not labored with for weeAs? Or why
was l expected TO sign il without sucn
attention? Did you really believe me
"contumacious and obstinate?"
DO not desire 10 be understood as COM
claiming Of the short time given NE fol
the consideration CT the manifssto-the
hour ard q half at noon on the day my
name was dropped from the list OF church
officials. I understood the manifesto then
q l understand i now Rut when |
afterwards learned that its claims had
been discussed for weeks by the other
members of the quorum of apostles that
a systematic presentation or It's grounds
had been devoted TO Brother Roberts
! was led to wonder if the brief time a.
lotted ne was the result of design or &C
cident.
MERCY AND COMPASSION
You say that '-out of mercy and COM
passion" the reasons for degrading me
( were not given at the April conference.
1 fail to see wherein 7 was benefited by
J compassion which gave rise to so many
rumors, mysterious hints dark inslnua-
tons. ISLANDERS and attacks. unjust alus-
I ions and unfair comparisons which have
been studicusly created and disseminated
since that time. Nor can / appreciate
the manner in which my case was left.
''in statu quo" by the remarks of the
brethren al the October conference
had received assurances and re2ssurances
that nothing would be done or said af-
feeling my case until 7 should report my
self ready foI trial. You say: The as
surances 10 which he refers were faith
fully fulfilled. He was left in statu quo.
The average man might be nard 10 con
vince that his interests would not be az
fected by creating adverse public opinion.
by concerted and preconcerted action o.
the part of the jurors entrusted with his
fate in prejudging ana preiudlcing the
people against him. When tribunal
2 q
to the world its judgment, has he been left
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 a lingering Illness from which
But ] 90 not offer my sickness as an eX-
ctlse for absence. as you had excused me
from all official duties during a great
portion of that time, advising me TO
travel, TO seek enjoyment and health
THE DOOR CLOSED AGAINST HIM.
The charge that l have treated the
council with contempt needs no answer
but a reference TO the letters which
passed between us. endeavored per
sistently, patiently and, as I thought. re-
spectfuily. TO ascertain what my brethren
held against me-whst differences there
were between us-in order that we might
arrive AT an underSta nding and finally
what their requirements were. When
of APOSTLES after being assured by the
brethren that ] would be welcomed. and
that no objection would be made, / found
the door closed in my face. From that
time on TIL my deposal l plead for a
statement of the grievances against me.
but dared not intrude upon my quorum
again without invitation. as I had no de-
sire TO give offense. / was never aware
that I had no right to speak in public
meetings until publicly repriranded for
so doing: / did not think l was barred
from the temple until its door was closed
in my face. And now you say that ]
I '.presuYned to attempt an entrance 10 the
temple" What could ] have done? Every
move | made was criticised and con-
demned and seemed to invite new forms
OF censure and humiliation.
I have no desire TO bubble, but here
is a passage IN your open letter TO which
l desire to call your attention: 1t was
hut a few days after the October con
ference. even If il had entirely closed, be-
fore he appeared and spoke at public
meetings as though he still held the au-
tanned at conference. This necessitated
the announcement from the first prssi-
dsncy through the Deseret News that he
had no right TO Oflciate in the priesthood
while in his suspended condition Not
Withsfanding that announcements when
he chose to present himself to the authOri-
ties he presumed 10 attempt entrance
to the temple for that purpose, and at a
time when the first presidency. as well
as the twelve met for the consideration OF
other church matters and for holding
their prayer circle.
/ presented myself at the door of the
Salt Lake temple at IL O'Clock a. H.
Thursday. October 10 1896. The meeting
you refer 10 was then in session. II vas
not published in the Deseret News until
/ evening and was not received by me
for at least five hours after my return