The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-15


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the church vacate the forbidden ground
and all will be WELL
. repeat, those holding such "highel
allegiance should find no place in the
halls of the legislature
THE LOGAN SPEECH.
'Eleventh.-The same ideas were
elaborated in his speech introducing
Mr.. Warren Foster at Logan, Feb. II.
''Twelfth.-No matter what were his
intentions, the effect of his utterances
and course on the public mind was
that he was fighting the church on a
vital question, namely, the political
liberties of the members of the church.
That he was the champion of freedom
as against the chains which the
church was forging to bind them.
That the church was endeavoring to
dominate the state and interfere with
its functions, and he was opposing
that attempt. That the leaders of the
church had professed political liberty
TO the people in order to gain statehood,
and then had changed their policy,
and promulgated a new rule. to domi-
nate them and restrict their political
liberties, and were thus guilty of
double dealing and punic faith.
This is shown by the letter intro
duced by Brother Thatcher from the
Presbyterian preacher at st. George,
the article by the Catholic priest
at Denver, introduced by Brother
Grant. the letter written by Brother E.
G. Woolley at st. George, the rallying
around Brother Thatcher of the enc
mics of the church, the endorsement
of the hostile press, and the cheers of
the multitude who were antagoniStic
to the church leaders.
Thirteenth.-The letter written by
Elder B. H. Roberts to Brother
Thatcher shows that Brother Roberts
perceived the effect which had been
produced on the public mind by their
united course; and in not listening to
the appeal thus made and not endeav-
oring to correct that wrong, there was
an unchristianlike spirit exhibited by
Brother Thatcher.
We recognize the fact that Brother
Thatcher's bodily Affections have been
great, and that they weakened him in
mind to some extent, or rather. that
they tended 10 cloud his brain while
in the time of his greatest trials. This
should be considered when the degree
of his wrong is determined.
Brother Thatcher evidently fostered
the idea that his brethren of the
twelve, or some of them at least.
were his enemies, and that they de-
sired his injury, to crowd and crush
him; and this affected his mind as much
perhaps, as his bodily infirmities. In
this he was wrong, as he now appears
to perceive.
He also evidently allowed the idea
to be magnified in his mind that he
was under great obligations to his
party, and that these were such as to
the priesthood and the church. Yet
there was nothing in them to pre-
vent Brother Thatcher from consulting
with his brethren in reference to mat
tiers so important as affecting the well
fare OF the whole people.
Now. as to the Argus matter:
Brother Thatcher has cleared himself
of the suspicion that he was financially
in that paper, or was re-
sponsible for its utterances and car
ICONS But he might have repudiated
those libels and shameful pictures in
some public way, and we think he
ought to have done so. The fact that
prominent men have refrained from re-
plying to or noticing falsehoodS in the
public prints rejecting on themselves,
does not apply to, nor does II touch the
case of Brother Thatcher's neglecting
TO repudiate things that reflected upon
ating the impression that ne favored
them. We think he erred in not con-
demning those things in some public
As to his plea that he sustained the
church authorities so strongly that he
would have gone to the middle of At
rica, if they had whispered to him that )
this was their wish, the fact that he
would not conform to the simple rule
which they submitted TO him for MS
signature, weighs very heavily in con-
-rast.
But in all Brother Thatcher's de-
oartures from the true spirit of a SER
want of the Lord, he was laboring I'M
Ter a misappTehension of the purpose T,
IF the church authorities and of the /
meaning of the rule in the declaration \
If principles. This was what led him
@ place them in a false light before
he public and thus bring them into |
iisrepute and cause disaffection and di- !,
-ision among the Latter-day Saints.
The spirit he has now manifested, |
md his expression of willingness to do |
LII in his power to make right such |
wrongs as have been brought about, |
hough Internationally, by his course
md writings, cOmmends itself TO our
We are glad that light
las come TO him and that he can see
he was in error, when he set up his
Individual judgment against that of
III the leading authorities of the
hurch.
TT was a monstrous notion that all
hese leading brethren were guilty of
double dealings and punic faith 1t
vas one that should make any man
,ause and reflect and ask himself if he
limself was not in the wrong and had
his brethren.
We are thankful that this investiga-
ion has been conducted in kindness
nd patience and elaboration, and
With a desire to bring forth the truth
Brother Thatcher had the right to
lace his case, as he viewed it, before
is brethren with as much detail as he
esired Having done so he has sub
litted it to this council in spirit of
umility which is very gratifying to
s, and we believe pleasing to the
ord
1T was also very gratifying to hear
postles as the mouth pieces of the
ord, clothed with authority as
seers and revelators, and ac
nowledge that they were seeking his
Aviation while probing his ailment to
ne very bottom Such acknowledge
rents are indicative that Brother
hatcher is ready to comply with our
ecision, which is as follows:
THE DECISION.
I'VE therefore decide that the charges
gainst Brother Moses Thatcher have
cen sustained, and that in order to re-
hin his standing and fellowship in the
hurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
ANTS he publish a statement TO the
abstraction and approval of the presi-
ancy of this stake of Zion, fully COW
ing the following points, viz: