Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-09-03
REPLY TO THE PRESDYTERIANS

her Of friends. Mormon" and non.Mor-
mon. have written the accompany
Ing article and submit II Tor publlca-
ilon In your columns. c. w.P
The Prgsbyiery OF Utah at the seml-
annual meeting held In ManiL SAN
pete county, formulated on Monday.
Aug 20. 1888. a series ~ resolutions on
"'rhc Present situation In Utah. The
Dessert News has denied In toto the
charges contained IN those resolutions
n has been argued by an ant-Nor-
mon. Salt Lake daily paper. that a
mere general denlai IL not SUFFICIENT and
that 10 Ia only "a mcanlngit1H Dc.
murrer" u 70 expected that the
News" or the Church which Il ac-
cusCd shall prove ncgative7 Docs
Il not rather rest with the accuscrs 20
prove their charges. II they are worthy
OF lnvea,iFlt ion3
The unbiased reader win perceive
that those charges, 10 sweeping and
Severe on the Mormon church." are
general In their character and unaup-
ported by a solitary attempt at proof.
They arr evidently fabricated for the
export trade and for foreign oonsump-
tlon. hut while a general denial TO such
genera accusations should be deemed
SUFFICIENT. u may DO advisable 20 take
thcm up and examine them scflailm.
They commence with this paragraph
.First--The Mormon church has re-.
turned TO pnlltica. The old habit has
re-anHertei Itself The church has re-
aumod sway. II has decided 10 govern
the people In this al In all other re-
cards. AdhsrentH of the creed arr ex-
pscted 20 take counsel ~ Of yorc.
Tho mnnifeato by which this was
brought about issued on April 6. 1880.
ana was adopted by the Church soon
after. thus becoming n scripture an
inspired document. ~ binding o. con.
science a. the drchlOEuc. This manreaio
gives the prloathnot the right 20 say
who Of It's members may aspire 10 po-
iltlcal ofilcc. and who may not. thus
making ID clear 10 the voter who u to
be elected and who defeated. Ana
since unqneatlonlnE obedience n a car
dinal virtue. and dlsobedicncc mortal
sin. the voice of uod' carries the cleo
tl1n."
The first charge consists Of a wilful
and corrupt pervefHlon Of the Language.
nature and Intent OF a public docu-
mcnt accessible 10 all who wish 10 per-
use Il. Not sentence or q line Ia
quoted to snbrtantlnto the charge that
"Thc Mormon church has returned 20
politics. or that the document rs'srrcd
20 gives the Priesthood the ~-,t 10
cay who Of Ia members may aspire 20
political once and VII, may not" No
such right n claimed ,r conferred
therein. The church does not In any
way assert Itself ~ a controlling power
IN politlcs, on the contrary, ~ leading
officers deny. over their own signatures.
that they have ever attempted TO inter-
fcre with the rights % American clu-
gems In the past. and desire that they
have not the least desire 70 do any
thing Of the kind In the future.
The document Ia not put forth NJ a
"Manfcato'AH scripture" or "as bind
Ing nH the decAloEuc." II In simply a
declaration by the general authorities
OF tho Church Of a principle 81 dis
olpilno aiwaya recognized In the Church,
thu rsiilirmation OF which was rendered
nccoHaary because of miaunderHtand-
ings that had arisen Just previous to
Its publication. That principle " that
any leading oniclnl Of tho Church. who
has assumed obligations which require
him Co devote himself exclusively to
his office and calling In the ministry.
ana who desires 10 engage In some.
thing else that would interfere with
the full performance OF his ecclesiasti-
cal duties, shah, before engaging In
such new pursuits. either ascertain
whether Il viii be consistent with hlr
clerical obligations or resign his ccclc.
flastioal position.
IL will be seen that this regulation
applies only 10 leading officers " the
Church whose time, services and tall
enta have been pledged To the Church.
and whose engagement In other busl-
ness or In public otnce would partially
or entirely Interfere with tho obliga-
tlons already entered into with the
church. This n nothing more than
would be required OF any employe or
officer OF a secular Institution. or a
minister u any religious society on
earth II has no application TO others
than such leading officers" The
statements that II applies 10 "mem-
bera" that disobedlence 20 II IL "a
mortal SIM" and that II has the effeci
''of carrying the election" are entire
~ false and evidently intended 20 de-
oelye the public and create prejudice
against tho Mormon" Church.
The Declaration states clearly that Il