The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-09
A Mormon Satire

Editor Tribune: Il have been waiting
| III panied surprise and impaticnce Tor
some adequate answer by the Deseret
| News to the startling article of Mr..
Frederick VI. Smith. in which he quoted
! the various leaders of the Mormon
! church as teaching "unquestionnS obe-
| dionce to the priesthood" 1T is almost
| hoping against hope To remain In
state OF expectancy and, In behalf OF
| myself and other believers in Joseph
Smith mot Joseph F. SMITH, ] take
| permission TO quote the only tangible
| reply which the News has attempted to
| make, and to comment upon the same.
| The News says editorially:
What those dead and gone orators proclaimed
| under conditions that no doubt juetincd their
| remarks, wero their own views governing their
| own acts. and are not binding upon this
| church nor are they cited as written authority
| In tho twcntieth century,
Under the circumstances, this APP
pcals 10 me as a hazardous subterfuge,
| and | presume there are many, ltko
| myself, who wonder Just what is meant
| by II. Those living during the regime
| of Brigham Young were taught to re-
| we're him as n prophet of God, one in
whose breast burned the fires of in
| Splration, VINO "Spakc as he was moved
upon by the Holy Ghost" likewise,
Presidents John Taylor, Wilford Wood
/ ruff and Lorenzo Snow. If this was
| true, and l don't see how any Latter
| Day Saint can consistently deny II and
| hold the faith, would like TO ask how
| their uttersnccs can. by any deduction.
| become merely "their own views" and
| mot binding upon this church" The
Master proclaimed principles under
| conditions peculiar to his time, and yet,
| wherever Christianity is praCticed
those principles are always operative.
obedience TO Cod was a salient doc
! trine Of the Christ, and no one has ever
| had the hardihood to set IL aside with
| the hhnsy 1ictum that II was only the
Masters opinion, and not binding on
| Christians. If Editor Penrose's state
| ment Is 10 be considered as n taclt ad-
| mission tnut these men were not repre-
| senting the Lord as prophets and reVe-
| lators, what can be said to constitute
| Joseph F. Smith as a prophet OF God?
| or If II Is 10 be assumed that these men
| were what they claimed TO be. and now
| having answered the summons Of the
| grim reaper the binding effect OF their
words Is dissolved, the pertinent ques-
! tion is. why should prophet cease to
| be regarded ls one after death. and
! why should hia words cease 10 be bind
ing upon his folowers?" How can We
! logically determine this point of con-
| trary neNure?"
| It seer,s 10 me, Mr.. Editor that in
| tho light Brother Pcnrosc places this
| situation, IT can be looked upon I'm at
least two different ways. Giving him
| the benefit OF the superstition, perhaps
! II Is the intention that the church be
no longer Viewed in the light OF divine
| unchangeability, but rather as a vast
| mercantile institution, which, In order
10 escape the fate OF on organization
| too rigid TO adapt Itself TO q mutable
environment must continually read
| just Itself, the Yarious presidents OF
! the church to be regarded in their ca
pacity as officials Of a great corpora
ton, their duty and prerogative being
| TO conserve and protect the business
| interests. What one official may do
| during his incumbency his successor
| may deem impracticable, and reverse
the policy If In one decade It Is advis-
able TO teach "unquestioning obedience"
| for the enhancement Of the secret tlth-
ing fund It is perfectly permissible to
do so. ard when conditions change so
20 10 make the exploitation OF such
| stock an uawise venture. another line
| OF procedure may be taken, and the an
| nouncement OF freedom OF speech.
| thought and action may prove as good
| collateral Is the old time reliable "un-
| questioning obedience
Taking TIE matter seriously, how
| ever. II is obvious that II the editor Of
| the News is right In the assertion that
''unquestiouing obedience to the
| priesthood Is not n true principle, and
| Is not n doctrine Of the church, every
| president of the church up TO Joseph F
| Smith was wrong. and in that adnis-
| sion Of Wholesale fallacy is involved
| the shattered claims OF divine inspira-
| ton and prophetic vision, While graf
| tude to the editor for correcting errors
| previously existing Is his just need,
| that gratitude must be given at the eX-
| pensa OF moving the very foundation OF
| the Mormon philosophy-"the rock OF
| revelation"
The elders OF Israel have persisteptly
| twitted the various Christian sects on
their inconsistency in accepting dead
! prophets and rejecting living ones. II
certainly must be just & 3 embarrassing
| TO reverse the terms and proclaim '1lv-
| ing 0racles." prophets, seers and reVe-
| lators, and in the same breath re-
nounce the prophetic office OF the
standard-bearcrs who have passed into
the great beyond. The natural conclu-
sion is that Editor Penrose Is merely
offering a rop to tho living Cerberus,
while he petulantIy ond irrevercntly
kicks aside the dead who have faith
fully guarded the Shechipah Of Nor
mon mystery.
I subscribe myself rs I am. not a be-
lever In Joseph F. Smith. but stu
a BELIEVER IN JOSEPH SMITH.
Salt Lake City. Utah March T. 1906.
BROADLY HINTED AT