The broad ax., 1897-12-11
4HE GOSPEL coNcERNINc
CHURCH AND STATE.
sIk1EnooD Was EoT sEcUKED BY
zRIcKEET.

3.kI.ANuL va EO- 49, - -
TRIcKEET.
It's claimed that statehood was
secured 81 virtue Of certain Prom-
isss made BY the leading author
tiles and by the church, and that
tbe Manifesto, because II Is q
means for the more perfect estab-
lishmeht Of the kingdom of Coz,
isih contradiction Of those past
promises, and makes 4 seem as
though the authorities and the
church IN conference assembled
had deliberately made promises for
the purpose Of securing statehood,
which they intended to violate af.
ter securing statehood, and which
BY the adoption of the manifesto
they have violated. Hence the
spirit of apostasy prompts them to
talk about notwithstanding and
punic faith.w
How a man can IN one breath
acknowledge the apostles of our
church as the mouthpieces Of the
Lord, clothed with authority as
prophets, seers, and revelators, and
in the next breath complain of
their "double dealing and punic
faith, IS beyond understanding.
II there is any double dealing or
pnnic faith It is the Lords, and
certainly no member Of the church
viii assume to sit IN Judgment over
God.
ALL NoN-PARTIsAN POLITICS MUST BE
ENCOURAGED.
Another matter about which the
brethren should be cautioned is that
of permitting a partisan spirit In
politics to lead them into un-
christian-like conduct, insomnch
that they find fault with the SER
wants Of God and engender hostile
feelings towards others Of our
faith. This must not be. All
must dwell in peace and harmony
In the Lord, and 20 the end that
party lines may not encourage
strife, many of the brethren, mot
ALL. should actively interest them
selves in all non-partisan politics.
This course can always be justified
by the ever present necessity for
reform, and viii often save the
brethren embarrassment In chang
ing their party affiliations in obedi-
ence to counsel.
We can well afford to follow In
the lead Of President Brigham
Young, who. while at Nauvoo, thus
expressed himself concerning par
ties and politics:
Il despise the principle that
divides the nation into party and
faction. ] want It to grow mp like
green bay tree. Damn the sys-
tenn of splitting up the nation into
opposite belligerent parties"
ANTI-sFATEHooD DECLARATIONS.
Let us now examine into the
various promises made before state
hood and see whether any Of them
really contradicted any of the past
teachings Of the apostles herein
set forth or the rule of discipline
set forth IN the manifesto.
L In the now famous Times in
teryiew the authorities said that
they wanted the people to under
stand that '.the church viii not as
sert any right to control the politi-
cal action Of It's members. Neither
has the church since or before as
serted such a right. If there has
been any control it was the
rightful control Of Jehovah over a
God-fearing flock, not the control
Of the church over Its members.
The source Of the control was God.
not the charch. The means of
control was simply the love Of God
on the part of the people, not the
exercise Of any church Influence on
the part gilman. The church Was
he subject mot .the.ssolncs of
control.
IL = As officers Of the church
We disclaim the right 20 c6ntfoI tie
political action eff ths< nenbefs Of