Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-15
TO THE SWEDISH SAINTS

In a Swedish paper published In TINS
city called the correspondence UNI
der date OF october 10, appears an ad'
dress ITO The swedes In Zion IL
states that meeting OF about forty
Swedes was held In Salt Lake on the
previous Sunday. at which decision
recently rendered by the Bishoprlc OF
the Twelfth Ward OF this Stake OF
Zion on case that had been tried
therein. resulting in the disfellowship-
ping OF the accused, was attacked and
denounced by the meeting. II "
tions were also passed, that commit
Zee OF seven be appointed to draft
letter to the First Presidency OF the
Church protesting against the said de-
cision, and that when the protest Is
ready, mass meeting be called to hear
the letter and appoint deputatlon to
wait upon the First Presidency and
express the desires Of the Swedes.
In the same article "The Committee
whose names are not given, announce
that their purpose IL to have the case
tried by the First Presidency OF the
Church." and they urge the Swedish
Saints "wherever they are living" to
send representatives to the mass meet
ing when It shall be called, and to
prepare to support them by their sigma
lures to the letter when II IS ready.
The article also states that one purpose
Of the mass meeting Is TO secure from
the First Presidency recognition Of the
right of the swedes in Zion to have
an organization for the purpose OF hold
ing Swedish meetings.
As the Presidency Of the Salt Lake
Stake OF Zion. we, the undersigned,
feel II our duty 10 warn our Swedish
brethren and sisters against partlcipat
ing In movement, so contrary to the
order and discipline of the Church Of
Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints as
that contemplated. and announced in
the address published in the "Korre-
spondenten" The case which was tried
in the Bishops court Of the Twelfth
Ward Of this stake, has been formally
appealed by the accused to the High
Council of the Salt Lake Stake Of Zion
and a time has been set for the hear
ing OF said appeal. Pending this inyes-
tigation. 1t is highly improper to take
any such steps as those described IN
the address referred to above.
There Is an order established in the
Church for the trial Of offenses and the
rectifcation OF wrongs II there is any
thing unjust or improper In the Blsh-
ops decision. the High Council Of this
Stake is the proper tribunal to hear an
appeal therefrom and to decide upon
its merits Any Latter-day Saints who
take part in the proposed mass meet
ing for the purposes announced. viii
show that they are either uniformed
as to the means to be employed In such
cases as that in view. or that they de-
sire 10 treat with contempt that order
which has been established In the
Church by revelation from God.
The Swedish Saints should also UNI
derstand that the question Of the pro-
priety of separate organization for
members of the Church OF their nation
atty. has nothing TO do with the case
tried before the Bishops court Of the
Twelfth Ward and now on appeal to |
In High Council incidentally It may |
have been made TO cut some figure in
the case, because the accused was
charged with having treated with con-
tempt q decision rendered by the High |
Council OF this Stake some time aSo. !
which required him to desist from ops
posing the union OF the Scandinavian !
Saints In holding meetings together, |
under the presidency Of meetings as
sustained IN stake Conference. The
question OF the right or wrong, the eX-
ped,ency or inexpedlency Of separate
organization OF the Swedish Saints Is
not feature OF the case now pending.
1t is e separate matter entirely.
II Is manifestly improper TO agitate
in public meetings the question OF the
Injustice or otherwise OF the decision
Of Bishops court in case pending
before the High Council, and we there
fore caution our Swedish brethren and
sisters against taking part in any sueh
proceedings, as they are unauthorized
by anyone holding authority IN the
Church, and are contrary to the spirit