The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-05

Especial TO The HeraId)


OGDEN. April 4.-CharIes A Snlurth-
waite was formally exc0rnmuni-
Gated from the Church OF Jesus
Christ OF Latter-day Saints by the high
council Of Weber stake this afternoon.
The high council was IN session more
than two hours, nearly all Of the time
being occupied with the consideration
OF the Smurthwaite case The dOcu-
ments We're all read carefully and then
the members Of the council discussed
al length whether these documents
constituted fun proof of the charges
against Mr. Smurtnwaite- There was
much talk and discussion. not as 10
MI Smurthwaite'S guiIJ, but solely as
10 whether the high council should re-
QUire more proof. The council finally
decided that the proof contained IL
the documents was complete when
taken in conjunction with the fact that
Mr.. Smurthwaite had failed TO follow
the practice Of the church in that haV-
ing a grievance against a brother mem
Der. he had not gone to that brother 10
demonstrate. but had gone outside the
church to make his complaint
There was some discussion as to
the form in which the findings OF the
body should be expressed and i'm which
they should be communicated TO the de
PENDANT. Smurthwaite. There was no
dissenting voice or vote on the ques-
bishops court of the Fourth ward
The original charge against Mr..
Smurthwaitc was read his letter 10
Bishop Woolley setting forth his posi-
tion and his state OF mind toward Pres
ident Joseph F. Smith. and also his
written answer to the bishops court.
also his reply TO the citation from the
high council. This reply follows.
ogden. Utah. April e. 1870 the High
/ Council of the Weber Stake of the
Church % Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Ogden. Utah.-Dear Brethren. In
response TO the request OF your clerk.
Elder John Y Bluth. dated March 2S.
1865 to show cause why / should not
be accommodated from the Church OF
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. on
the charges Of unchristtanlike conduct
/ and a9ostasy filed against me by Elder
IL Il Goddard, j answer.
l. My attitude towards the church. and
the president thereof IS clearly defined
and unreServedly set forth ia my let
ter TO Bishop Z. T WOol4ey. dated March
- 1905. and in my answer TO his court.
dated March p 1895.
> Both Of the above mentioned dOcU-
ments are hereby made a part of this
answer and ] assert that they contain
complete refutatiOn of the said charges
.. I denOmce the charges Of unchriS-
uanlike conduct and apOstasy as OdIOus-
( ~ false and as malevoIent. scandaIous,
I IDcIous, vicious and wicked.
l. God Is my witness!
Respectfully,
CHARLES A. SMURTHWAITE-
members of the high COEncii that the
charges Of Mr.. SmIrtlrwaite against
H. II. Goddard, of DoiySamoUs cOhab-
I itation. were not referred to in any
I way. having been ignored by the bish-
Op To whom they were sent.
Members of the hiRa council eX-
/ pressed the Opinion-Outside of official
meeting of cOurse-that il Mr.. SmUrth-
waite intended TO appeal from the de
ciSiOn of this court re should have sp-
/ pealed from the decision Of the bishop $
+ court TO the high council as this would
have eua Dled him 20 reopen the entire
( case and to present evidence. Amy
. appeal now taken. Il is argued, would
/ 20 before the presid sucy OF the church
and must be judged SIMPLY on the doc
umoutS i'm the case. IL would therefore
turn. OF could be made to turn. merely
/ on the teChuicalitics il the proceed
4 ings without allowing, thu questions on
which the accused bases mis- opposition
/ to come under reView.
! This being the regular meeting Of the
high council several CjheI matters OF
business came before an body 1t is
understood that the c-larges of adul-
terry against Alfred TeTTod of Liberty
were before the poly arc shat he plead
guilty. but no action WAS taken as the
matter is still in the civil courts