The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-26

its execution were important enough
for communication to his representa-
tives on earth so that they might get
humanity out Of the way. Now comes
the Valparaiso horror; and not one
word of premonition had been accorded
to church headquarters in Salt LakeI
What good is their prophecy, anyway?
1t would be nonsense for them TO an
swer that the Lord governs his uni
verse by natural laws and does not
choose to interfere, either by special
prophecy or by interposed information,
so that human creatures can avoid tho
consequences, for the whole system Of
this modern prophecy is built up on the
idea that God has specially interposed
and has concluded after eighteen hun
dred years Of silence TO take men into
his confidence on all matters pertain.
ing to this globe. And it. would be
criminal folly for them to say that
God does not think il important enough
for him TO concern himself or his proph.
cts with triviality like the San Fran
cisco earthquake or the Valparaiso ca
lamity; for the Doctrine and Covenants
is full Of revelations about the loca-
ton of tannerios and giving up money
TO the Prophet Joseph and what kind Of
a new wife no can have, and other lit
tie personal incidentals necessary for
the individual comfort and profit Of
one man.
~ am sure that it God cares enough
about the daily doings Of his creatures
hero TO lean down from the heavens
and give to Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon and Oliver Cowdery each q
nickname; and il the purposes Of the
Almighty are so intimately connected
with The affairs of men that he must
hold silence in heaven long enough to
tell the prophet Of the Latter-day
Saints that tho people may not drink
pepper tea for fear it VIII burn their
insides, it is not unreasonable TO as
sumo that tho great events like earth
quake and tidal waves and condagra-
tions should also be foretold,
"Since L have grown TO manhood 1
have become acquainted with some Of
the men who say that they are the
mouthpieces Of God. Most Of them are
good men, but no better than other
good men in the world. Most Of them
arc moderately intelligent, but no moro
enlightened than other average men in
American communities. Take the pres
cnt favorite of tho church, Apostle
CO.. t, v,rIor ln l-c,
in any respect with any number OF men
whom YOU can find in any Christian
community Of the land. Among Sen
ators he is low on the list as to ability;
plenty Of uninspired men far excel him
in this vocation. AS preacher he is
not alongside an ordinary itinerant
Methodist exhorter, AS n business man
he is outstripped by tens OF thousands
of men who havo no special enlighten-
ment from the Throne of Grace. AS TO
morals, there arc fortunately hundreds
OF thousands of men just as clean as
he without having had TO be ordained
to cleanliness by any priesthood. And
as to generosity and fair dealing and
in these respects this
prophet who expresses the Divine will
is as little TO be commended as any
other grasping, avaricious, aggressive
egotist among mankind. If any one
among you will tell me what our phoph-
cts do or say that is not better done
or said in the GENTLE world ! would
like to hear from you"