The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-03
A CHURCH OPPORTUNITY.

L pOndence last week was reported a
rumor that the Mormon church Ithor-
files might, at this conference, an
nounce an abandonment of their vigor-
Gus commerciaIization of the church,
and n return to the simpler and equally
effective system OF an earlier day. It
seems hardly likely that any such for
ward move will be made under the
present administration, but a great
many people, members and non-men-
bers of the church have reason to hope
the rumor may be realized some day
COmmercialism, in itself, might pos
siby be annexed to church economy
without harm to the church or the
community at large. if it's administra-
ton were solely for the creation of
opportunity, and without direct. active
competition with individual enterprise.
As the early church theory is under
stood by outsiders, the leaders, from
Brigham YOunEs day down to the
present, had a great dream of a social
isUc or semi-sociaIiStic commonwealth.
which should create wealth and dis
tribute il among all the members so
there should be no want no distress, no
material suffering. All men were to
have enough; none were to enjoy
wealth in excess while others felt the
grind of dire necessity. In those days
of slow transportation, limited needs
and almost no manufactures, energy
was directed chiefly toward the recla-
nation of the land, and the provision
for such immediate and pressing wants
turaI community. The realization of
the dream OF the pioneers has been de
ferred, and in its place we have
what2
Great commercial undertakings. con-
troIIed by a few high officials. the
funds of which are subject to their will,
and the earnings of which, apparently,
go to the individuals and not to the
church as an organization. Necessities
of life, such as salt. sugar. light, heat,
power. street railway transportation,
are in the hands of these few. In
directly the church may get some
benefit of which the public knows moth
ing; directly, a very few men COM
mand the revenues, the employment Of
men. the distribution of earnings and
dividends, while the masses Of the peo-
pie Mormon. Jew and Gentle,
patiently contribute the service tax i'm
posed by the authorities and wonder
what becomes of the money
1t follows as naturally and inevitably
as the day follows night, that the men
controlling these industries, these
sources Of wealth must get into poll
tics: and there comes the greater evil,
the greater danger to the church. Al
though the church owns a very small
percentages of the securities of the light
and railway company, for instance, yet
that company is absolutely controlled
by the church. SO far dr. its local adj
ministration is concerned, and the
church, therefore, gets into politics
when the interests of the company are
involved i'm legislation of any sort.
Again. how is the church to reconcile
it's interest in the salt trust with the
welfare of the common people of
Utah when the price of salt
has been raised beyond any legiti-
mate limit? Can the combina-
ton Of church interests in the sugar
factories with the sugar trust be con-
strued as an effort to benefit the COM
mon people who are the prey of the
sugar trust?
II the earnings and dividends Of these
enterprises were coming back TO the
Mormon people in a great stream Of
philanthropic benefaction, there might
be some shadow OF recOmpense for the
Ills Of the situation; but. so far as any
body can see a very few men are reap
ing the benefits of these monopolies.
and within as well as without the
church men are murmurfng in their
hearts and wondering If there is TO be
no relief from this oppression disguised
as religious necessity.
The history of every such organiza-
ton since religion has. been known.
shows that men viii bear much for
their religion, they will meet want
patiently, suffer. privation cheerfully
until they realize that their leaders are
letting personal greed and ambition
and desire for luxury guide them; then
comes the revolt, and disruption unless
reform is granted.
The best friend Of the Mormon church
could wish it no greater step forward
than a change in policy which should
take the church as an organization out
side the realm of competitive com
mercialism. Let it reclaim the wilder
ness and improve the land already
under cultivation; that can harm no
man and it can but offer opportunity
70 the land hungry. Let it abandon
the purely commercial lines and say to
its members, What property we own
shall be devoted TO purely religious
purposes, to the alienation of suffer-
ing, the relief Of the needy, to the
spread Of the gospel, to the establish
meut Of church schools. the education
Of ambitious and able, but poor young
men and women, 90 the building Of
temples and the maintenance Of hos
pitfalls. We viii let no worthy member
Of the church be u charge upon the