Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-08-21

dency and the Twelve Apostles, and
sIgned also by all the general author
lilies Of the Church. Az alb We stated.
% such attempt was msie-'ne
Declaration Of Principles sianda
today ss 1t has stood all
the time, squArely ntd plainly OF
Its merritt OF Meeting today any
more than al any time 10 tho psst
any private or strained or tecbuica
explanation or Interpretation whats D.
ever.
But sf or all, thv main point at isbue
is entirely overlooked by this journal
and perhaps by otnere. Undue prom.
lnenoe 10 assiRnei 10 the par. Brother
Thatchei's refusal to sign the Dscata'
ton OF Principles has had in the
case anu in all his diflicullis
Lntter-day Saints to let them know
that this was merely one incident and
by no means the important one. II
came in for CO sideration In the
evidence. Nobody who 10 familiar
with the sltustlOn and tho feelings
that have prevailed during somo years
past--nO one with Ordinary knowledge
OF past eveuts--can bide irs IN himsell
the fact that there has been mlscon.
ceptloD, mlsuuders,sn ing and suspi-
cion in relation to the Church and
tho attitude OF its leading Ru.
thorltles. They have been plscoI
ia false light, their motives have
been impugned, their sayings and de-
ings placarded and picked at anu
banded about, their most innocent
intentions and utterabces being die
torted into something very sinister.
How much the remarks and course Of
Brother Thatcher have contributed
to this condition We need not
now try TO estimate; but certainly
Improper statements were made by
him among others long before the
ISSUANCE OF what is teimed the ID ,clar-
alton Of Principles. The First Preel-
dency and the Twelve Apostles felt
that they were being put 10 a falso
light before the Church and The world
by the statements which were made
cot corning their uiteranoes and their
action. They felt that they were be.
ing wrongei, and that prejudices were
being aroused against them with out
cause, through Misrepresentation and
The placing Of them In false
attitude. They were deeply grleved
at this. 1t became matter
OF serious Importance TO them, es
peciaIly coming from the sources
which this did. Then 1t WAS that the |
Declaration OF Principles was pre-.
pared. II was subsequent develop.
nent, and ls comparatively of recent
late. 1t was sincerely hoped that this
Declaration, containing q correct des.
cription OF tho position occupied by
the authorities OF the Church, would
be accepted by those who had con.
tributed to these false impressions as
an easy way OF correcting them. In
all charity 1t was felt that in this easy |
manner could the wrong that had been
done be made right without requiring
any humiliating confession OF
aoknowledg ment on their part as TO
their past course. The preparation OF
the Declaration OF Principles was
prompted by the most earnest
desire to save from tue oonsequen ces
OF their own misdolngs all who had
been guilty of these wrong statements
ana arguments. II was not intended
10 ensnare any body, or 10 cause
tho slgners to Rtultify Themselves, or
to place them in false light; but to
save them from the consequences Of
their own conduct, by giving an easy
to sot themselves right. |
How unjust and misleading, therefore,
to hoist It into prominence as the first |
and greatest and only stumbling |
blockl AS matter OF fact II there |
had been nothing mare than the sign.
ing OF that Declaration, II 10 not q. all |
probable that there would have been |
any trial at all; there ars no doubt |
many who have never signed or voted
for that document yet who have never
been brought into question az TO their
The most that has been done |
In such cases Is that men In RESPONSE |
bic positions In the Churchswho could |
not feel to accept the rule OF the |
Church have been relieved OF those |
positions.
This is the great point which we feel |
that the Latter.dsy Saints should |
plainly understand, and upon which |
it is hardly possible to lay too much |
emphasis. The reiuaal to sign was
but an incident OF the evidence anu |
not the main Issue at all; the trial was
held for other GAUGES and oonduc;
the charges were "apostasy and un-
ChrlsliRnlike conduct as exhibited in |
public speeche', private conversations,
in interviews through newspapers, and |
In other ways" those charges were |
sustained by the decision, and that |
decision was by Brother Thatcher nc.
cepted in full and "withouG quail.
fl sation or mental reservations"