The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-23
EDITOR RYDMAN
OUT OF CHURCH
First Presidency Decides Case
Against Him.
DOES NOT END THE MATTER
FURTHER ACTION DEPENDS ON
PETITION DECISION.

from the First Presidency of the Nor
mon church TO the effect that it had
carefully perused all the testimony
evidence and papers in the action which
L. S. Fernstrom and L. Dahlquist had
brought against him for conduct un-
becoming a Saint, and that it had
been forced to concur in the findings
of the two church tribunals which had
first reviewed the matter.
The decision of the First Presidency
means that Editor Rydman stands ex-
communicated from the church until
he makes a public apology to the two
men who preferred the charges against
him. This the publisher said last even
ing he would not do.
Editor Rydman and his friends pro-
fess not to be in the least perturbed
by the action of the heads of the
church. 1t was no surprise to them;
they had anticipated il. Just what
they propose to do next remains to
be seen. They said last evening that
the judgment of the First Presidency
does not in any manner close the in
cident as far as the editor is con-
cerned.
The petition of the several thousand
Swedes of Utah and Idaho protesting
) against the treatment Of and findings
Nagainst the editor. and asking for meet
ings in the Swedish tongue, has not
been passed upon by the First Presi-
dency. It is still investigating that
phase of the matter, and sounding the
temperament of the signers by having
officials of the church call upon them
individually, to ascertain whether they
are really in earnest in their prayer.
and propose, as a body of citizens. to
stand by the editor, who has been
! 80
years.
Case Is Not Closed.
When the First Presidency answers
the petition then the editor and his
friends will act. In view of the de-
cision of the First Presidency in the
Rydman matter it is taken for granted
by the editors friends that the reply
to the petition will state that that
part of the prayer is closed for all
time to come, as the head of the church
cannot conscientiously reverse itself,
especially when it had both propo-
sitions before it at the same time.
When 1T comes to granting the Swedes
separate meetings, there is a growing
feeling that that request viii be grant
ed. In that event the requests of the
signers of the document will only have
been half granted.
And the Swedes will not accept
such a decision" said Editor Rydman,
while discussing the matter last even
ing Just what will be done in that
event I cannot say, because it will lie
in the power and Jurisdiction of the
people. But 1 can assure you of one
thing that there Will be something
doing The church has not heard the
last of me. although il says my case
is closed. The signers of the petition
have assured me they will stand by
me, and any half compliance with the
MIL va
ceive a communication from the First
Presidency on the matter we are not
anticipating any decision. and what
we shall do viii be decided upon later.
\ Individually, 1 am now out of the con-
AUOversy, but my treatment involves a
, principle which my supporters do not
propose to let go undecided
Rydman's Appeal Arguments.
The appeal of review which Editor
Rydman submitted to the First Pres
idency. to which the letter he received
yesterday is a reply, was made public
by him last evening. After a brief in
PRODUCTION, couched in legal terms, the
editor says in his own behalf:
= AT the outset 1 had been privately
Informed that the bishop, Brother II
i. Clawson, who was supposed to sit
as an impartial judge, had had secret
consultations with one OF my accuseTs
i. 5. Fernstrom, and ] asked the court
if this was true, as / wished to know
If ! had an impartial judge. but 1 re-
ceived mo answer except from my ac-
cuser. Fernstrom, who said l would
not find an impartial judge in the
whole world"
After calling attention to the fact
that a number of his witnesses were
not permitted to testify 10 certain i'm
portant facts before the bishop, the de-
PENDANT continues:
THE hishoDfs cOurt finally bandpf
down an opinion, stating the point:
upon which the subsequent decision
against me was rendered. The Opin-
ion was a puzzle, because it contained
statements which were not borne out
by what had been aired at the hear
ing, but must nave been founded upOr
suppOsitiOnS or some representation:
made outside of the court room. And
in the decision I was requested to pub
lish over my signature d statement OF
confession. which l and the unpreju-
diced readers of my paper know to bC
contrary to the truth"
Sought Thorough Investigation.
The edior then says he appealed tn,
case to the high council Of the stake
= thinking the matter would be SUI.
fciently Investigated by the council
so as to remove any possible preiu
dice in the stake presidency, and secur,
&c me a less one-sided decision. Com
n pting upon the decision OF the higf
e pcil, the editor says:
However. the stake presidenc,
passed partly upon the case before j
WAS heard by the council by publish
ing a statement that the question o
Swedish meetings in the church ha,
nothing to do with the case, although
it is commonly known among the Scan
dinaVian Saints. and was clearl,
brought out in the bishops court. tina
the agitation Of this very question il
the foundation of the whole contro
versy. 1t seemed peculiar that tn
judges of the court could decide upol
a question before the question wa
brought UP in their court. 1t appeared
strongly as prejudice to me-"
Editor Rydman cited another circum
stance which he claims showed preju
dice on the part of the stake presi
dency. 1t was the statement mad
by President Angus NJ Cannon. in tn
council. that certain Scandinavia
brethren (unfriendly towards mel hai
come to him occasionally for severa
= years with unfavorable reports abou
J the contents of my paper, and he. no
being able to read Swedish and judg
for himself had taken all their re
ports as true and had advised Their
10 take me before my bishop whe
the proper time came"