The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-15


expected. we agreed to. or we would
never have received statehood
81 demand that the church retire from
its domination of the state. At pres
ent the Mormon church leadership does
dominate the affairs of the state; 1t Is
more powerful than all political parties
and all civic officials put together
s. / demand that the church retire from
it's commercialisrn: 1t cannot serve both
Cod and N1ammon.
Wants Accounting of Tithinq.
= demand that the tithes be account
ed for in detail beginning at next April
conference, and twice each year from
that time forward at general confer
ences; that list of all property holdings
Of The church, and OF the leader of the
church. acquired since he became presi-
dent, be read semi-annually at each gen.
eraI conference.
s. demand the right of free speech
from the pulDits Of the church. Ii any
man accepts the laith aS promulgated
he should have the right to point out
TO his fellow believers any departure
from that faith. II he IS mistaken. his
his warning is necessary to preserve the
body OF the church from being missed.
hold and assert that desertiOn of the
truth does not come originally By OF
from the body Of the church. but by
and from the leaders We declare that
the gospel was lost because after Christ
had left the earth the church changed
the ordinances and broke the everlasting
covenant"
with the leaders or teachers OF the church.
If the people had then been warned and
had refused to follow the false leaders.
that great general departure from the
truth might have been averted. l insist
that II the leaders anciently miSled the
people. and that dread apOstasy and long
darkness followed, il is quite possible
that the leader now or at any time may
move into the same darkness. and. I'M
less checked, the people may go with
them. never to return to the light OF
Gods revelation.
Right to OPPOSE Leaders.
Q. l maintain that this church is never
more 30 be thrown down nor given tC
another people. such being the case, the
duty Of checking the errors. and dcpos-
with the DcOnIe of God in whom he has
TcpOScd his power Therefore unless
Gods word is To fail, as it cannot. proph-
cts who have ceased TO be prophets, and
men who never were prophets, must
come frcn their high place of power
and those who do the viii of God from
day to day. as ne Will speak il to his
elect. must lead mis- people.
10 II has been proved by history that
when Gods people go too far astray il
following the false leader, they are
scourged back to their duty BIZ some
great power Of the earth: ana l believe
this nation. which God had appraised &c
be The home OF his church, will scourge
back to our duty all of US who shall
Violate that commandment, given especi-
ally 10 Us. which is to obey the laws OF
the government under which we live.
Maintaining these views. L consider il
my duty 10 give the widest possible
publicity to them at this time. and there
fore shall send a copy Of this cOmmuni-
cation TO the official organ of the church
the Dcscret Newsstand to other news
papers Of the state
I ask all OF those who have writer
me. or with whom l have talked on this
subject, and al others, members Of the
church. who agree with the views which
have expressed. to write to me; and lei
Us seek, in all humility. yet with the
strength Of truth, to establish the lead
ership of Gods prophet in the church
rather than the leadership OF man
My address is: Charles A. Smurthwaite
! Ogden, Utah.