The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-21
TIE CASE OF MOSES THATCHER.

Provo ENQUIRER: The Logan . Journal nal
makes out that the deeis sv fbe IN ds {
ton given the manifesto was in realily
q yindtcation of Moses Thatcher's former
position The public fails 20 see 1t in
Uniit l,gilt: but no matter. the Thatcl1er
affair is now relegated to the files of his
tory, where it properly belongs.
Tiutic Miner: The case of Moses That
cher has been tried by the authorities OF
the Norman church and as in the case
OF Elder B. H. Roberts the ex-apostle
has repented of his manliness expressed
last fall and winter, and meekly signs the
siastical superlors. Perhaps the action of
ex-Apestle Thatcher should not be a
surprise. as he was raised arAS received
his training in the Mormon church. and nd
church authority is fundamental princi-
pie in the organization. II is rather
4 matter of surprise that he ever d1d
rebel against the dictates of the priest
hood and assert his manhood and rights
as a free born American citizen. AT the
same time his meek subserViency, his
complete endorsement of the principle
against which he has so ably fought and
his Duerile excuses for his surrender,
come as a severe shock to his friends and
supporters. We confess that we were
one of those friends and supporters, and
We must also state that we are sincerely
sorry for it and are he2stily ashamed OF
having given our support 10 one whose
present course indicates an almost abSo-
Lutte lack of the real elements of true
freedom and manhood. We repeat, that
our shame is deep and intense, but we
will promise that it will be our constant
endeavor TO avoid a repetition of 1 the
Moses Thatcher's course has forfeited
the respect of every citizen Of Utah. be
he Norman or Gentle, and trust that he
viii sink into the political oblivion which
elder Il Roberts. Vale.
Thatcher,
Mount Pleasant Pyramid The Pyramid
missed it's guess last week in the That
cher-church controversy. AS We view the
final outcome, the settlement of the diff
ference is somewhat of triumph for the
position maintained by Mr.. Thatcher
that the rule Of the church and the mani
festo are TO except from political partici-
patton only the leaders of the church as
whole body-fthe presidency, the
and does not include minor church Of
ficials. The difficulty heretofore has been
that no definite dividing line had been
established, and interpretations were put
upon the rule and manifested as best
suited the conveniences and ambitions of
various influential church officials. Now
there can be 10 mistake. We are of the
opinion also that Moses Thatcher has
yielded some from the stand he has pre-
viouSly taken. Does any one hear the
word harmony echoing throughout the
vale OF the future2
Willard Progress: On the inside pages
will be found aNis account of the trial
OF Hon Moses Thatcher In or out OF
the church Mr.. Thatcher is one of the
hrlgF 90; =, bra .Elest n.,n in tilsl stats. He
M cc.--tlnue to be a power in Utah. He
showed his manhood in acknowledge
tlN5 error of his ways when the same
were made plain to him.
Mercur Mercury: Had Thatcher taken
the pains to ascertain the scope of the
mani festo moons ago, the country would
have been spared chickering's and cheap
lDaroics without end.
Park City Patriot: Hon Moses That
cher, ex-apoStle of the Mormon church,
whosa refusal to, subscribe TO the cele,
brated manifesto issued by the general
conference in 1895 has finally accepted
tihas document and thus retains his
membership in the church in whose field
he has labored long and zealously. In
having misunderstood the manifesto. He
iniuarprets that document now just al
the Patriot did at the time It was is
sued, namely, that ,oihe church authori-
ties have right to exact of all high Off
c!als IN the church to take counsel with
Their associates before accerting nomi-
nations to run for or accept any political
office that would draw them away in
part or adj tine time from their churcialy
duties. More than that the manifesto
did not demand. and the Patriot holds
now as we always did that That demand
was no encroachnerm of the spiritual
on Bhe civil power; no effort to make
the church paramount in purely civil OF
political ma,easrs. but a rendering to
Caesar the things that are Caesars and
to the church the things thar belong 20
lit. 1t is gratifying THAT this veSed uues-
tion, which for a time threatened the
disruption of the Mormon church, and
perhaps lead many into the broad road
Of uhbelief, is stilled and settled annie
abl,r In his letter of submission to tine
church manifesto Mr. Thatcher express
SEES his Willingness to make amends to
his brethren where he has wronGed them
in his public utterarces. That declara-
ton does him credit. lit has. a tone OF
yirility in it That is worthy of emulation
by ali l1sn. 1t is human to err. All man
err, one way or another many, times in
their lives. The coward is welded TO his
error The man of virility and honor
when he finds he has been wrong, viii
Acknowledge his error and ask to be
forgiven. That's what Moses Thatcher
has done.