The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-09-24

and Il is impossible almost for non
Mormon 10 compste with the q. G.
IA. 4. In q community where the
Mormons are 10 the great majority.
The leaders Of the church and those
high Ia Its councils are the directors
and managers and controllers Of this
big commercial Institution.
The leaders are also presidents aud
directors Of hanks, mining companies.
railroad companies, electrical com
panies, summer and bathing resorts,
thenters. etc. Ia fact the hierarchy
Of the church are controlling spirite
ia all sorts OF business enterprises.
They are not made president of
the church aud apostles 10 the church
because they are successful business
men aud because they are president
and directors Of these various busi-
ness organizations, but they become
directors and controllers in these
organizations by virtue Of being
president Of the church and apostles
after they have been selected as presi.
dent Of the church aud apostles.
The constant tendency is TO make
the church aud state one, with the
church 81 control This has been 50
completely and iDReniousiy carried
ont that II II impossible IN any affair,
temporal. spiritual or political. 10
tell where the authority Of the church
beginE or ends. II Is impossible 10
separate the ecclesiastical power q
control from the politicl power OF
control.
All authority IN temporal. spiritual
aud political affairs unites, and IL
centered, absolute aud binding, in
tbe hierarchy.
ORGANIZATION is THOROUGH.
The organization Of the church IL
very complete in lite arrangement.
The power heRius with and ends with
the hierarchy Nearly all members
of the church are given some Office
aud some responsibility. aud there Il
an opportunity for advancement Id
all directions. ecclesiastical, temporal
and political, II the Mormon is ODE
dent 90 his leaders and accepts with
out question their counsel. There
are but comparatively few lay mem
bers Of this church. The smallest
officers, such as teachers, are selected
by the bishops aud going up ID
ecclesiastical authority, AZ. the
officers Of the church are appointed
with the approval Uf the president Of
the church In other words. the
president selects all the responsible
officers Of the church aud going up
ia order 20 the president himself.
you begin with the bishops, bishops
Of wards they have jurisdiction over
geographical subdivision, and
locally are the recognized heads Of
the Mormons 10 that particular
locality. They collect the tithlng.
settle disputes among the Mormons,
look after church aud secular affairs
Of the Mormons In their ward. Each
bishop has two counselors, selected
by himself.
Next above the bishop comes the
president OF stakes. A stake il q
much larger geographical subdivision
Of territory inhabited boy Mormons.
The president Of the stake has two
couBseiors, also appointed by him
self The president OF the stake Is
the highest authority, locally, Ia the
Mormon church, outside Of Utah.
Above the president Of stakes are
about q dozen other officers, with
different designations and different
powers, until you come 10 the IL
apostles, who stand next in authority
to the president Of the church him.
self. All Of these officers, including
the apostles, are appointed directly
by the president of the church, with
out consultation or restraint by any
one, or else, as in the case Of bishops,
they are approved by the president Of
each church before their selection /
can be made valid. In the case Of a /
selection Of an apostle TO flil
vacancy in the apostolic quorum, the /
theory il that the apostles themselves
All this vacancy, but Il Is fact that |
the president Of the church claims
that he receives a revelation from
God that some certain man shall be |
selected for this vacant apostleship, |
and the apostles unhesitatinRly accept /
this revelation, and select the man |
named by the president OF the church. |
Ecclesiastical preferment In the
church means opportunities for
temporal advancement. The business,
social and political future Of every |
Mormon depends upon his standing
with the church. Every avenue is
open TO him so long as he implicitly
obcys the counsel and does the bid.