The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-21
Where the Tithes Go

Editor Tribpne:-A circular from the
bishopric to the Saints of a certain
ward of the Mormon church in Salt
Lake was shown to me recently, in
which were two paragraphs Of interest,
as follows:
eve have two funds in the ward
which are maintained by the voluntary
fering fund, exclusively used for the
support of the worthy poor, anl the
General Ward Expense fund. used for
current expenses, such as lighting,
heating. repairs, care of the meeting
house, etc.
cat the end of the year, when you
come before the bishopric to settle your
tithing, the accounts of your dona tions
to both the Ward Expense fund and the
Fast Offering fund will be shown you
for your approval. As TO the dis
bursement OF these funds, a financial
statement will be read at our regular
ward conference for your acceptance. -
Another circular which was shown to
! me some time ago, and issued from the
bishopric Of another ward, made the an
nouncem TO the Saints that It was
not contemplated that the tithing be
| used for any ward purposes whatever,
and that the maintenance of the ward
was to be by voluntary donation Of the
Saints aside from their tithing.
At the end Of the year the Saints
are hailed before the bishopric TO "set-
tie theiI titbing;,' and at this time
the faithful are shown how much they
have paid BY voluntary donation for
the maintenance Of the ward The oc.
casion is also improved by the bishopric
| for the purpose of telling the good
brother that he has not paid his share
toward the ward expense fund, The
lnvarlable question also is, DO you
think that is fair tithing, Brother
Blank7' This is supposed to consist
OF ten per cent Of their increase,
The circular quoted from is careful to
say that an accounting will be made to
members OF the disposition Of the funds
specified; and the circular is just as
careful TO omit reference 10 any ac-
counting for the disposition of the
tithing fund. If a ward member asks
his bishop what becomes Of the tithing
he pays he will be told that it all goes
| TO the church--rether indefinite but il
must suffice.
If such an accounting were made,
what food for thought would be fur
nished to the toilers who pay their
| hard-earned cash into the greedy nav
of the hierarch! Who knows but it
might tell how much Of it was paid
to defend Brother Smoot at Washing.
tonl no" Hlucn LOT Ine HpOSCis 3 OF
gan7 How much to maintain Joseph F.
Smith in many palatial honest How
much for the purchase of lands in
Mexico for homes for Joseph F. Smith
and other runaway polygamists7 How
much for the acquisition of domain in
Canada as an exile for fugitives from
justice in the United Statesl How
much for sugar and other stocks to be
held in suspension by Joseph f, Smith
the ownership of which to be deter
mined by their future appreciated or
deprecated valueG How much to in
stitute and prosecute legal proceedings
to drive widows and orphans from their
homes? How much as contributions To
political campaign funds and to pay
lobbyists! How much to bring under
the domain of the prophet, seer and
reYelator the States of Idaho, Wyoming
Nevada and Colorado and the Terri.
tories OF Arizona and New Mexico
How much for rubber plantations-and
how long will the Saints "rubber' try.
ing to find out7
And how much for the poor?
FORMER MORMON.
Salt Lake, September 10, 1906.