Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-25
WILL MIND ITS BUSINESS,

patCh from ms CITY about the Nor
mon" Church going 'out Of business
In an editorial which we reproduce IN
full in another part OF this issue Of the
Deseret News, that paper gives duo
credit to the "AIormons' for their in.
dustry and business sagacIty ana the
leaders OF the Church for their wise
management Of its temporal affairs
But at the same time the Herald makes
remarks that show II to be IN error on
some important points. as nearly every
newspaper in the country Is when
touching on Mormon" topics. on the
whole, however. the article is Web
worthy Of consideration
We have 10 lpeat our denial OF the
story about the Church going out Of
business and to express regret that
the press agent who sent the bogus
news over the wires did not exercise
Judgment enough to find out n the story
was correct or had any basis In fact
before echoing uncertain sounds and
taking for granted statements from a
VIGOROUSLY deceptive source. The
Church sold ts interest tn the saltair
Beach and Railway "a responsible
company. and that was all there was
20 report. The rest was fiction and
conveyed nor only Measurements as 10
alleged transactions. but differences that
were unwaTsnted and absurd
brings into lts control various kinds Of
property, The tenth Of a members
interest annually Is paid I'm kind"
tina, is, in whatever Is produced by the
tabor or enterprise ~ the individual.
whether cash, produce. csttlc. sheep.
horses or anything else. This sort ~
income requires careful management
and also investment In other kinds Of
property. Prudence and business saga
city have 70 be exercised 80 that tho
Church shall gain and not lose by tho
change. Tho establishment and malh-
tenanco OF Industries FOR the employ
ment of working people has been one
Of the results Of that system. and there
has been no announcement or intention
on the part Of the Church to go out
Of business
The idea that "the laity" only are
the tithepayers and that they are taxed
OF IN any way compelled to 1.-THE their
income Is Incorrect. The leaders of the
church both loca and general are
np.nnO tha gttI,.arf ,N,a ~ ,ta
law Of uthing. They believe In it as "A
principle Of religion. They show their
faith by their works. TithIng Is a vol
untary contribution, attended with both
temporal and spiritual blessing to the
honest observer. Tho income h not the
property Of any individual or body OF
persons but belongs 10 the Church and
;s sacred to the Lord. every cent 20 he
used for the interest and benefit Of His
work on the earth.
AS q matter OF fact II is 50 held and
used, no matter what people may think
or sey who have no business with It's
payment or disposition, not being menu
bcrs OF the Church.
As 10 the Hierarchy limiting rs au-
thority TO ecclesiastical propagation
and defence OF the faith" as mentioned
by the Boston Herald no intimatjon
has been given by the Church To
begin with there is no hierarchy" In
It, ard the policy OF tho Church as to
IT'S temporalitles has not been
changed. The laity' AS the Herald
designates The body NJ the Church, al
though most Of its members hold the.
Priesthood, cannot be- any more free
than they are and have been TO serve
their interests hy Independent aud IN.
dividual discretion Like the MEM
bers of other churches they now have
personal freedom" There Is no such
communal order Of living or business
among them as that paper and many
mistaken persons suppose is
part OF the Mormon" system
Every member OF the Church
who has property OF any kind. holds II
IN his or her own right, and is free to
20 into any trace or business OF oc.
cupation that the individual may select;
The operations OF the Church In the
field OF business are also much mlsuu.
derstood II has no monopoly Of amy
kind or character ID has embark
ed IN some industries as we have stat
ed, but usually as share
holder therein and not to the exclusion
OF individual partjcipat0rs in the en-
terprise. Concerns which the Church
Is popularity supposed to control are IN
the hands OF stockholders. some o.;
them nom ormons," ana the Church
Of the shares, Business nSHY
does not even hold a majority of the
shares. Business In an its branches
and diversities IL ~ nee ln Utah as
elsewhere ana an the stories about
"church domination nre utterly nctlu-
Gus and most Of them malignant and
vile.
The Mormon" Church will mind its
own business according 10 one OF rs
notices, and attend to- It faithfully
whether II be spiritual or temporal, and
viii leave other peoples and other
churches business alone. II would be
well II they would follow this example,
The properties of this Church belong
20 it legitlmatcly and will doubtless be
managed IN the future With as much
Intelligence, acumen and care as In tht
past. While It's members are satisfied
with It's conduct il Is no concern OF
anybody else and when ~ becomes wise
and beneficial to dispose Of any Of It's
temperatures or to engage IN others, II
ia likely to do so without eonsul,ing,.e Il
Eurek
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