Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-05-11

AUAUlHlrNNt EllhNtnNeA ifNANf wv -.
with which some OF the gentry who
support the Reorganization delight
10 regale their audiences, We do not
think our missionaries should take
pains to discuss those objections Of OUT
opponents, but simply preach the Cos.
pei In Ice purity and let those who Will,
listen to the peversons Of the adyer-
sare. Of the Church.
There Is one point put forth in the
TRADE Of me "Rcorglnlzei' ossailaut
however. which while it has been
turned aside many times, may not be
familiar TO cur friends who are new
10 the missionary dell and we VIII
therefore briefly notice IT,
The position taken by the Church of
Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints is,
that It has never been dlsorganI2ed.
and therefore there could have been no
need Of the Reorganization" claimeo
to have been effected by the indiyii-
uals forming the Josephte' faction.
The proclamation was made when the
Church was FULLY established that 1t
was organized boy the revelation and
commandment Of God 20 continue ana
abide ana stand forever 1t was
mot 10 De given to another people II
was TO prevail over an things beneath
the eternal heavens The authority
given to the First Presidency and to
the Twelve Apostles was for the last
days and for the last time The Lord
told the Saints. Fear not, little flock
the Kingdom is yours until ! come"
And lie further assured them that,
1.-THE enemy shall not overcome (set
Doc. andw Gov, Sec, q: 10; Sec So: ~ |
Sec. IS; 9, Sec, III; 800
The decease Of the Prophet Joseph |
Smith, while II disorganized the First
Presidency, so to speak, did not and |
could not dsorganize the Church. II |
It had that effect necessarily, then |
every time d President of the Church |
died or was removed for any cause the
Church would become disorganized |
That Is palpable absurdity and |
scarcely worth notice. But 1t is claimed |
by the "Reorganized' people that the
Twelve. in an epistle seven years after
the martyrdom Of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, said
I'VE now, having It in contemplation |
soon to reorganize the Church according |
TO the original pattern" Mill. Star |
Vol Y, ,. So.
The bubble that is raised on this
fragment Of a sentence, is character |
istc Of the fraternity that feeds Oh |
contention and fattens on d byplay |
upon words. The conclusion jumped at |
by those who use this subterfuge Is,
that there was "a complete oyerturning |
of Church government" and that the |
disorganization was such that the |
Twelve announced this contemplated |
organization Now let us look al |
the real Specification Of the words Of /
the Twelve at that time by slmpl; |
reading the entire paragraph that has
been mutilated Here IT is
"Since the murder OF Presidcn; |
Joseph Smith. many false prophets ana |
false teachers have arisen, and tried TO |
deceive many. during which time We |
have mostly tarried with the body OF |
the Church, or been seeking new To-
cation leaving those prophets and |
teachers to run their race undsturbed |
who have died natural deaths, or com |
United suicides; and we now having It |
In contemplation soon 10 re-organize !
the Church according TO the original |
pattern, with the First Presidency and |
Patriarch, feel that Il will be the priyil- |
eye OF the Twelve ere long, to spread |
abroad among the nations, not TO him
der the gathering but to preach the |
Gospel, and push the people, the hon
est In heart together from the four
quarters OF the earth. NH. Star Vol
Y, p sc.
This reorganization" then, Was
only the organization of the First
Presidency and the selection OF a Pa
triarch, Offices made vacant by the
departure Of Joseph and Hyrum to an
other sphere. The Twelve were pre-
siding over the Church, they were
writing to the Church abroad by their
President Brigham Young, whose sig
nature Is attached to the letter which |
is headed: General Epistle From the
Council Of the Twelve Apostles, to the
Church OF Jesus Christ OF Latter-day |
Saints Abroad. Dispersed Throughout
the Earth" It gives particulars OF the
progress Of the Church at home, and
directions TO those parts Of It In other
places abroad,
The Church never stopped a moment
in its onward career. The Twelve,
holding equal authority with the First
Presidency, exercised those functions
In ITS absence, and being empowered
10 "ordain and set I'm order all the
other officers Of the Church" they an
nounced their intention to ill the gaps
that had been made by the hands Of as
sassns, so that when the First Presi.
dency was re.establlshed. they might
be able to perform their Apostolic la
bors abroad (See Doc. & Gov, sec. 1O7:
"a. 80, SD
It is pitiful TO see the efforts Of mis-
guided men to twist language from its
evident meaning. for The purpose Of
conveying something never intended
Such sophistry can accomplish nothing.
IN the end that win be Of lasting SER
vice to those who resort to such meas
ures. We should think that by this
time, even those in that sect who are
the most given to the casuistry we here |
expose, would cease from making |
themselves ridiculous to the informed,
when they can only hope to hoodwink
f0r q little time even the most simple |
When they are guilty Of such an eva
sion. the rest Of their nonsense Is
worthy only ~ silence or contempt
DOCTRINE OF \ PARABLE