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

Journal OF Tuesday, August 10, upon
"The Thatcher Case" which ia 30
misleading and which 80 completely
obtcnres and misrepresents the Issues
that were raised In the trial OF that
case that we feel IT to be duly to set
the public right upon the points in.
volvtd. The Journal says TINT the
trial ''bns removed all doubt
as to whom the rule Of disci.
pline spplies. In one
sense the trial resulted In q vindica.
tlon OF MOses Thatcher. He has
always occupied the ground that he
d oes today, and would have unhesiiat.
ingly signed the manifesto before lite
general presentation had it's scope
been defined as it was during his
trialn
We call attention to the foregoing
statement, not with any wish
to revive controversy or to
add humiliation or censure; but be.
cause by 1t the results OF the trial are
faIsified, and Brother Moses Thatcher
himsslf is done great inj ustice.
Is 1t true that In any sense the trial
resulted In his vindlcatlon? The i'm.
portance OF this point will be evident,
and there must bs no mistake about 1t.
Some members OF the Churon, gather
Ing their views from statements al
legged to have been made by Brother
Thatcher himself and other state.
mcnts made by hio so.cailed friends,
have been led to believe that he might
not have been altogether wrong In the
attitude which no had assumed. To
correct this misunderstanding and to
prevent the further spread OF an i'm.
preston wholly wrong, 1t Is Of the
highest Importance TO every member
Of the Church that the truth
should be known concerning the re-
suit in the case. Repeating, there
fore, the question, Is 1t true that
in one sense "the trial resulted In
the vindication OF Moses Thatcher''?
we turn to the proceedings Of the High
Council, and for an answer quote the
opening words OF the Stake Presi.
denoy's decision.
awe therefore decide that the
charges against Brother Moses
Thatcher hive been sustained"
This decision was mot only
signed and promulgated by the
Stake Presidency, but it was un.
animonsly sustained and endorsed
by the entire High Council. Furtner-
more 1t was by Brother Thatcher him.
rslf endorned and accepted In full
without qualification or mental reser.
walton. Aud, speaking in his own be-
half before the case was closed, he ex.
pressed the feeling that no humlliat on
would be too great TOR him to do the
right thing; with conirile spirit he
was willing to leave the extent OF his
wrong dolng in tho Couucil'd hands;
he had become convinced that there
was no COT flct In the position taken
by the presiding authorities now
In the address on Church discipline
and their former position, admitting
that he had been deceived and IN the
dark; as 10 why he had not been able
to see this before, his only answer, he
said, was that men were somelimes
too blind to see, too deaf to hear, and
their hearts too hard 10 receive; he
expressed thanks for the opportunity
OF exhibiting his humility, plead for
his fellowship and was willing to make
any restitution tho Council might
name for any Intentional or uninten-
iional It elections upon the Church au-
thorities.
Surely 1t would be hard to conceive
Of more difficult series OF facts out OF
which to construct vindicalio n; and
no one who is lruo friend OF Bro ther
Thatcher ought TO do him 30 much
wrong hereafter as to make the attempt.
Now as TO the JOurnal's statement
that "ths trial has removed all doub
AZ to whom tue rule OF discipline ap.
plies" and TINT Brother Thatcher
"would have nhesitatingly sigaed
the manifesto before its general pre-.
eentstloD, had IL scope been defined
as 1t was during his trial;" In neither
the published inuings or decision o
tho Hin r,n. oil nor In H., .tt..