Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-28

judicial decision or verdict. inquire
into the question OF .Christianlike
conduct and decide whether the offend
er can be held In fellowship? Most
decidedly they may There is moth
ing In law which forblds such inquiry
and such action as the church may
deem Just and right so far as It may
AFFECT the Church standing OF the Of
fender.
Consider the question Of Just debt
The civil law limits the time in which
debts contracted IN different ways may
he collected. Some are "outlawed'
after period Of four years from the
time they we're contracted. IN other
instances the limit Is still further eX-
tended. But before God and His
Church q just debt is never outIaved.
II the debtor is able hut unwilling. 10
settle with his creditor while the
Church has no power aud does not at
tempt "a make collection Of debts or
compel payment. rs courts have the
right to decide the question Of un-
Christianlikc conduct on the part Of
the Individual who refuses to settle
with his brother I'm the church, accord
ing to Righteousness and honesty and
decline TO fellowship him or extend to
him the privileges Of Church member
ship
Inability to pay debt is ot course
10 be taken into consideration Mercy
and charity as we'll AS justice, are 10
be exercised bv creditors and by ndiu
dicators. \ person may be declared
bankrupt and legally absolyed from the
payment OF claims which in themselves
are valid but rendered By the law nm
collectablo subsequently he may
come into possession Of ample means
10 settle with his creditors on q fair
and equitable basis. and may refuse to
do SO. taking advantage Of the laws
protection and enjoying afnuence
While a brother in the Church to whom
he remains debtor suffers from the
loss sustained and has mo legal re-
dress Can such a person be sustained
In fun fellowship by the church, when
complaint is made against htm2 And
Is he not guilty OF -Christianlike
conduct even though the ciyil law
cannot reach him. Most decidedly. we
say. for justice does not die and can
not be set aside by human edicts. II
is an everlasting principle and viii
surely claim It's own Ia duo season.
A thief. who does not repent and
strive to make restitution for his crime
is not Christian, and one who de-
frauds his nelghhor and when able to
do so viii not make compensation for
his ofense is guilty OF un-Christian
conduct should not be fellowshppcd
by the Saints, and may properly be
tried by the courts Of the Church and
his case be- investigated on the prin.
ciples Of Justice tempered by mercy.
The Church Of Jesus Christ of Lat.
tcr-day saints makes clear distnc.
ton between the jurisdiction OF It's
courts and those Of the civil and Grim.
inal law. In theory It holds that
neth,r should In any way infringe
upon the other, In practice this is
always carried into effect, unless
through misunderstanding or ignorance
an error is made IN the manner of
procedure The church claims simply
the right to decide as 10 whether II
viii hold in fellowship members ac-
cused Of improper conduct That II
possesses such a right. we believe no
fair-mlndcd person OF any creed or
party or position win deny.
Whatever may he said or intimated
to the contrary by oalumnlnators. the
fact remains that the Church takes this
position and has no design or intention
to interfere I'm any manner whatever
with the judiciary Of the state or the
Nation Its courts are ecclesiastical
in their character and affect It's mem-
bers only ~ 10 their standing and Eel.
lowship. They arc governed by church
rules and discipline and are bound to
act upon the principles of righteous
ness, fairness and truth before God
and the church They act under d.
vino authority and In the fear OF the
Almighty, and the extent Of punishment
they have the power to innict is ex-
communication All other penalties
are left to the powers that be" which
must DO respected within the sphere Of
their jurisdiction.