Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-08

| all In nll, worse case ni cowardIy
| Misunderstanding and despicabe hypoc :
| riay could rot easily he c1pjured up.
Judging from the whoie tUnO OF your
letter, go far " 1t refers to me person-
ally, rather than from this particular
part Of 1t, you do not intend to give
| offence. anu where such intention IL
| absent, l do J. OF believe In making one
an offender for word. But / would
have you distinctly understand that
my conscience Went with my sigma
ture in the matter OF signing the
"msnifes,O," aud that no condition ex.
lists in Utah today which makes 1t nec'
ossaty or advisable to hold in allegiance
any opinions hold on this or
any other subject; and the only
thing lacking to make your language
grossly insulting is the evident alb.
sence of such an intention. l stand
eQuarely with the other general
authorities OF the Chuoh In connection
with whose signatures my own appears
on the so'cslled "mani estO, 'and with
them stand responsible for Its promul-
cation. II that act appears in the esti-
nation OF some OF my friends to tie
inconsistent with positions L have
formerly assumed. the change arises
from a more perfect understanding OF
the facts anu principles insolved. L
DO not have 30 exalted an opinion OF
the extent OF my Information or the
inlalllbility OF my weak, human judg-
ment, Ne to expect to be able to be
found at all times In the present
strictly consistent with conduct that Is
past, only In go Jar ne consistency 10
to be found In acting day by day in
strict accord with the light and con.
vlctione possessed at the time. But
today, II see the occasion for 1t, i
shall revise the opinions anu as far as
possible correct the conduct OF yester-
day, and tomorrow do the same with
the opinions and conduct OF today, and
30 on TO the emu vi life.
You say you ale "one OF those who
believe every man holding the Priest
hood 10 responsible 10 GOu for the con-
duct OF the a1aiTe OF the Church, and
for It's purity.n "Believiug thus"
you continue, sit becomes my duty to
use whatever ability and influence /
may have In the suppression OF wrong
doing In the Church. regardless by
whom lone" So far, II you win limit
your doctrine by saying within the |
scope aud legitimate sphere of the
Priesthood ami I'll therein which |
you hold, aud the correction lie made |
through the means appointed In the |
Church, l agree with that view; but |
when you add shat the liability TO |
err IL as RIeatin the presiding quorum
OF the Church, as in the lowest" then
l must Dissent from that part Of your |
doctrine. l think that ordination to a
presiding position amounts to ,some-
thing. read In my Bible that |
HJOshua, the son OF Nun, was full of |
the spirit OF wisdom, for Moses hnd |
laid his hands upon him." (Dsu'. |
chap. SD. And SO now, when meu |
are ordained to fill responsible presid. |
ing positions, l believe that |
increased wisdom is given. and that
they are not as liable to commit errors
as those filling less responsible posi-. |
tions. Moreover, the Presidency OF |
the Church occupy more command.
ing position than an inferior Quorum,
have better opportunity for obtaining |
Information concerning the work OF |
God, than Others; they are sustained by |
the daily faith aud prayers OF all the |
faithful Saints, and are more abund. |
antly entitled to inspiration of the |
Holy Ghost and the direct revelation |
OF God than others. Do all these |
things count for nothing in your judg- |
men? Were you not a little thought. |
less when you made the remark here
anfmadvefted upon2
Your remark alb ut infallibility being
the Gibraltar OF absolutism may be dis
missed by reminding you OF the tao!
that nobody claims iniaIlibility for the
men constituting the First Presidency
OF the Church. No claim OF inialli.
biiity is get UP for anything but the
WORD OF God, the law of Cod. But that
is infallibie.