Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-08

OF the Apostle Peter 10 which we have
referred, but whichever path he takes,
It does not constitute him Il traitor
either to God or his country.
The notion that every man who,
through belief IN that which he regards
as a divine command. breaks % law OF
man, IS OF necessity a traitor 10 his
country reaches down 20 the depth Of
absurlity There have been mighty he
rocs who fought and bed ana died for
their country who yet were lave
breakers IN some manner or de-
gree. There have been glorious
martyrs for religions sake who yet
were not perfect keepers Of divine law,
In neither case were they traitors. eth
err TO their country or 10 their God.
Obedience to the Supreme Being, who
IL the Creator and Ruler Of the universe
by whom we live and move and have
our being, Is the first and highest law
No true believer In God will attempt 20
dispute this. But as we have shown,
fealty to Deity does not by any means
imply treason to human government or
betrayal OF ones country
In these United states, IN a govern
ment established for the very purpose
Of securing to every human being full
liberty 10 worship and servo God ao-
cording TO the dictates Of conscience,
there need be no conflict between hui
man and divine law Congress, which
derives all It's powers from a written
Constitution, has no authority to pass
a law against an establishment OF re-
llglon, or to prohibit the free exercise
thereof Every establishment OF re-
llgion Is based on the theory Of Gods
supremacy and the free exercise OF re-
llgious liberty must not be infrInged.
If a national enactment prevents a cit
izen from believing, and saying. and
doing that which God commands then
there Is a fault In the law, and If It Is
violated the breaker must take the
consequence But IN doing so he need
not be in any sense a traitor
We think that judy Tayler. when he
laid down his rldIcul ous theory that a
man Is traitor to Il s country for say
Ing that the law Of God is superior 20
the law OF man, must have forgotten
the guarantee OF freedom OF speech ana
OF the press, which is embodied In our
national Constitution; or was he talk
ing nonsense for fee? And did he
mean that a man who Is not CON
sclentious and sincere" might hold and
utter the sentiment that the law OF
God Is superior to the law Of man with
out being a traitor TO his country"
while the conscientious, sincere pro-
olaimer OF the same principle Is neces-
sarily traitor to his country
IL Ia noticeable that In every en-
deavor to bring "Mormons" and "Mor-
monlsm' into obloquy and contempt,
their adversaries invariably resort 20
misrepresentation, abuse, sophlstry or
pettifogging in order to make out their
case. "Mormonlsm,' pure and simple,
has never been met with truth In de-
fning rs doctrines or fair argument
in attempts to overthrow them, Nor
monlsm' does not teach defiance OF
human law II proclaims the divine
word, but does not require dsobedencc
to the law Of the land.
In all the controversies that have
arisen through an apparent disposition
to resist the power Of the state against
the Church, the enactments which were
az first contended against were passed
specially and purposely against fea-
ture OF the faith Of the Latter-day
Saints. one part Of the Mormon"
creed requires obedience to oonstlu-
tional law. After those provisions were
fully tested before the court OF last
resort In this nation, they were submit
ted 10. And a most wonderful compll-
anoe with them, under the circum-
stances, has been the result, which
must be a marvel to all beholders who
have a disposition to be Just and fair
and reasonable,
However that may be viewed, Il must
be patent 10 ever. Christian in the
United states, including the preachers
and the women's societies that engaged
Mr. Tayler to conduct their case against
an honorable, upright, law-abding be-
lieyer IN Almighty God and IN the Lord
Jesus Christ, that their champion has
not only assailcd the object Of their an
ger, but has dealt a mighty ala direct
blow against their own faith and prin-
ciples We hope they duly enjoy the
sentiment expressed by him which has
called forth this article