The broad ax., 1897-12-11

ner encroach upon the rights Of the
state, or to unite in any degree the
functions of the one with the
other
This same thought has been so
often repeated By the authorities
thatit should be plain to every one
what they mean.
WHAT Is NECESSARY TO A UNION OF,
CHURCH AND STATE.
There can be no union OF church
and state when ali churches and all
members of all churches are equsl
before the law.
Suppose that all Latter-dayl
Saints should refuse to vote for any
but righteous and God fearing
men, and that from this it would
result that,
Every man that dictates In a
public capacity viii be filed with
the Spirit OF God, with the light of
God, and with the power of God"
In other words, suppose as the
result of an election legally con-
Quoted none but Latter-day Saints
in good standing should be elected
TO Office, would this be a union Of
church and slater No; because all
the sects had the same right to vote
THAT the Saints had, and it surely is
not our fault If the Saints are con-
WINGED that those who reject the
living oracles of God are less fit to
ofieiate in the Theo- Democracy
than those who have the power
that proceedeth from Goodness.
Hence 1t is true that the saints
do not and never have favored a
union of church and state, and the
church never has encroached upon
the rights of the state, and the
saints have always resented any
attempt on the part Of the state to
encroaeh upon the rights of the
church.
While it is true that the
"First Presidency (Which includes
President WoodrufD and other
leading officials did make certain
suggestions to the people when the
division upon party lines took
place" Manifesto).
which it was understood were
| to the effect that the brethren should
be, as nearly as possible, evenly di-
Yided, and that certain brethren
who were uncertain politically
were set apart to be Republicans,
l this was not a violation of any
promise. 1t was not q union of
church and state as already shown,
nor was any one compelled to ac-
cept this counsel. 1t was just such
advice as any might give, and such
as all political speakers assume to
give.
If the advice of politicians was
disregarded and some people pre-
ferred to take the advice of
their file leaders, of whom God
said,
Whatsoever they shall speak
when moved upon By the Holy
Ghost shall be scripture, shall be
the viii of the Lord" etc., then
are the authorities to be blamed
therefor? Certainly not. The coun-
sci of the Lords servants is entitled
to more weight than that of any
ana all blatant politicians.
This counsel from the First
Presidency, or rather
These suggestions we're neces-
sary In order that the full benefit
should not be lost which was hoped
to result from this new political
division - Manifested
That statehood was so soon
secured concl1sisely shows that
the wisdom Of God is superior to
the wisdom Of man.
In general conference the church
said:
AThis church does not claim. 20
be an independent temporal King
dom sof God, '-Des. Nsxs, Dec.
IA 1889.
Il i not 81 independent kingdom
because t viii conform 10 the.
present form and operate through
them 50 that: &
No nan can draw the dividing
line between the government Of
God and the government Of the
childsen Of men. D-23, Ma. Sfar.
Neither viii il be 1 temporal
y ,r.taot.lt,ae0s1ae Odd: y. s,,d.