Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-08-14

Africa, n ihey hsd Whispered 10 hin
That TINS wac their wish, the fact tina
he would not con orm 10 the simple
rule which they submitted to him FOL
his signature, weighs very heavily in
contrast.
But in all Br3ther ThatcheI's de-
phttures from The true spirit of serv
ant OF tho LORD, he was labOring unde,
misapprehension OF the purpoee o.
the Church uthoTities aud VI the
meaning OF the rule IN the Declaration
Of Principles. This was what led
hini TO place them In a false light be.
ore the public, and thus bring them
ito Gisrepute and cause dissfiectlon
and diviai9n among tue liittet-day
Sainte.
Tho spirit he has now manifested
and his expression OF willingness to dc
all In his power to make right such
wrongs as have been brought about,
though uuintentionatly, by his course
anu wtitings, comments Itself TO our
8nsideration. We nre glai that light
has come to him and that he Gnu see
ne was In error, whsn ho set up his
ilivldual judgment against tina. OF
all the leading authorities OF the
Church.
~ hu u lbAlpi kuAb hlI
these leading brethren were guilty OF
"ioub de | ny and punlc fsitn." 1t
was one tnst should make any mal
pause anu elect and ask himself II tie
himself was not iu the wrong and had
N siudged his brethren.
We are thankful that this .investiga.
ton has been conducted In kindness
and patieo ca and deliberstion, and
with a desiIe to bring forth the truth.
Brother Thatcher had the right 10
place his case, as he viewed 1t, before
mis- brethren with as much detail as he
desired. Having zone 30 he has sub.
mitted 1t to this COuuoi in spirit OF
humility, which Is very gratifying to
us, anu We believe pleasing to the
LORD.
1t was alBo very gratifying to hear
Brother Thatcher ackuo Wedge the
A pOstles as the mouthpleCes of the
Lord, clothed with authority as
Prophets, Seers anu ReveA.ors, anu
acknowledge that they were seeking
his salvation while probing his all
ment to the very bottom. Such
acknow lsigemests are indicative that
Brother Thatcher Is ready to comply
with cur decision, which is as follow:
rECisION.
We therefore decide that the charge 9
against Brother Moses Thatcher have
been sustained, and that In order to re.
tain his standing and Fellowship in the
Churcn OF Jesus Cbtist OF Latter day
saints he publish a statement to the
satisfactiOn anu approx of the Prssl.
dency OF this Stake OF u on, July GOV.
eTii & the following poi ts, VIZ:
hat i'm N tVu ha IN h.
authorities OF the Church, by issuing
the Declaration OF Principles, on A prii
b, 1886, acted in vioiRtiol OF pledges
previously gwen, anu contrary to what
they had published in the DEsERET
NEWS and giveu to the Salt Lake
Times, he was In error and In the dark.
That he now sees there is no icl
between that Declaration and their
former utterances in reference to polit.
ical RftsIs.
That he was mistaken In conveying
the idea that the Church authorities
JesiIed and Intended TO unite Churcn
and State, or to exercise undue infiu.
ence in political affairs.
That wherein tue public have been
led to believe through his utteTances
that the IeAders OF the Church were
forging chaiDs to bind the mem bers oil
the Church, IN impression was created
which he did not intend AMI does no,
wish to prevail.
That wherein he has placed the au.
thorities of the Church In a Ial.e posi-.
ton, however uninteDtionslIy, he has
done them an Injustice and 10 read y
- make such amends as lie In hi.
power.
That he acknowledges the First
Presidency anu Council OF the A pOstIet
as Gol'a servants, as Prophets, Seers
| and RevelatoIs, and their authority
as supreme in tue Church.
That when one man 10 out OF har.
m0Dy with them In the enunciatlon
Of rule for the guidance OF the
Church, he must submit to the rule
or be regarded as not in full fell ow.
ship.
That no member OF the Church has
the right TO oppose anu bring into
contempt any rule OF the Church
which mas been formulated by proper
authority, es, eCislIy when 1t has b.. Ell
adopted By the Church as a body.
That he was In error In stating in
bis published let er 10 President
Lorenzo Snow:
During all these weary months, while
friends and physicians believed | was
on the verge of the grave, | was admin =
istercd to only once by members OF our
quorum, although day after day engage.
inents made for that purpose were for
reasons unknown 10 me not kept.
In thie Connection ne may state that
one sucn eDgsgement was NOT kept,
but that this was not an Intentional
breach OF promise.
That III speeches and published let
lers he has ussd expressions which
hau been better unsatd, anu that he
regrets their utterance.
That he knows oil no higher allie.
glance or more solemn aud binding
DBL cations than those OF q religious
character, between a man and his God.
That IN speaking Of "chains, " sop.
pression," "curtaIiment OF hbefty.p
'malIce," "Anger," "spite," ami
"tevenge," he did not intend to reti ect
upon the authorities of the ChuIcn In
any way, aud ia grieved that his Ian
guage has been 30 construed.
That in failing to attend the
meeting OF the Twelve APO.
ties on November 18th, anu
again on November l9.h, ne made a
grave mistake, which he now regrets,
though he uid not Zee It then In that
light
That he believes his brethren OF the
Apostles have been sctuateu by a
desire for his salvation, and not his
destruction, and that though their