The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-06-27
POWER OF ATTORNEY

The entire case for the Mormon
church and the entire case against 'he
Mormon church is presented on the
following sentences quoted from the
report Of a sermon delivered by Presi-
dent Brigham H. Roberts in the pres
ence OF other members of the ME-
rarchy, at the priesthood meeting OF
the Pioneer stake Of Zion in this city
on Monday evening
President Roberts said: what
then, Is the priesthood? 1t is a power
which God delegates TO men, by which
God makes men His agents. TheS
exercise Gods power and what they
do Is lust as IL God did 1t In person.
ITO illustrate his meaning the
speaker recited the relations of busi-
ness man and a person TO whom ne
gave power of attorney, making both
to be equal In principle.
The Mormon ls taught from his
earliest childhood that tho voice OF the
priesthood IS the voice of God. He can
In nowise disregard the counsel or dis
obey the instruction of his presiding
authority, without being deemed
guilty OF transgression. If he would
be called faithful II he would receive
the encomium of a servant OF God, he
must obey implicitly: because. as
President Roberts says. the priesthood
has received a power of attorney from
the Almighty and Is the equal of the
Almighty in exercising His Authority
upon mankind. There is never any
question OF these propositions when
the hierarchy are dealing with their
followers In all the long contro-
versy which has ensued in connection
with the Smoot case, and no matter
what the deniais abroad, there has
never been taught to Mormons at home
any other doctrine than the one so
succinctly delivered by the chief theo-
Logan OF the church. President Brig
ham Fl. Roberts. before the assembled
priesthood of the Pioneer stake OF
Zion. The preacher who would dare
to utter any other dogma from pull
Dit would be charged with teaching
false doctrine; and the member OF the
church who would dispute the dogma
would be charged with apostasy.
Now this Is tho entirety of the
charge made by the opponents of
Apostle Reed Smoot in his claim to
seat In the Senate Of the United States.
They assert that he is at once a MEM
Der and a creature of the hierarchy
which assumes thus to speak for God
In all things. All his denials In Wash
ington go for naught. since he is not
governed in Utah by those denials or
by any other principle OF action than
the one enunciated by the authorities
Of the church. Upon all his subordi-
mates Reed Smoot exercises the power
OF attorney which he receives; under
all his superiors Reed Smoot de-
fers to the power Of attorney
which they hold from the Creator Of
heaven and earth. In the view Of the
church, no man. subordinate to Reed
Smoot, can legally dispute his dicta-
ton; nor can Reed Smoot legally dis
pute any commandment received from
his superiors.
II the doctrine thus declared by Pres
ident Brigham H. Roberts, and which
doctrine Is exemplif1ed constantly In
the faith and practice OF the Mormon
hierarchy. does not unfit q man to be a
Senator OF the United States. any other
allen owing and paying any other allie
glance is qualified to make laws for
the citizenship of the United States to
obey