The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-05

tempted to direct the thoughts Of my
people through tho medium Of tho press
and it is with reluctance that take up
the pen again But SO great are our in
ternal troubles and so general is the
complaint of the younger men and wo-
men against the present order Of things
that feel to express myself in more
public way than is afforded by our ordi'
nary services.
There is something radically wrong
with our local affairs or there would not
be heard 80 much fault-hnding, My
opinion is that conditions are no differ
eot, SO far as our practices are con-
cerned, but there is woeful disregard of
the authorities-not sufficient enforcing
Of proper discipline. To be plain, there
is entirely too much blabbing about
matters that do not concern us person
ally.
If 7 had the power OF Brother Smith
for while 1 would call in some Of the
tale bearers and fau)t-fnders and either
punish them as we used to do when l
was q boy or drive them out Of the
church They are worse than the Gen
tiles. Why, only yesterday Sister Ann
Bulge told our postmaster, man who
sits up nights trying to get tips for
Charles Mostyn Owen, that my young
friend Judge Tanner at Salt Lake was
about TO go to Mexico where he can
live his religion. Maybe I WASH t hotl
told her to mind her own business and
some other things that she will not for
get soon.
Some Of the brethren, those who came
here amidst the hardships of the early
days, are disposed to murmur because
Brother Smith does not speak to the
people and resist our enemies moro than
he does. They do not believe it was
the act Of his accustomed wisdom to 60
out of tho country when the enemy at
home is becoming so numerous and so
determined. I tell them that Brother
Smith has been very busy man. 1t Is
not right that we should expect his
entire services. He has a very large
family to support and cannot neglect
his business more than he does. ] am
sure he went away to build himself up
physically for the approaching cam
paign. This he ought to do, for unusual
things will be expected Of him, and 1t is
only proper that he prepare himself.
tell them that they should not worry
about our spiritual needs-that Brother
Penrose and Brother Smoot are here, and
since they have patched up their politt-
cal differences there need be no concern
on our part. Somehow the brethren out
this way are skeptical about Brother
Smoot's spirituality. They say he has
convinced most Of the Senators at
Washington that he Is not religious
enough to hurt, have wondered about
this not little myself, and the first time
I see him 1 am going to ask him how
he managed to do this without falling
into the ways of the upgodly.
Everybody says Brother Penrose is
spiritual. He looks It. His sermons
fairly emit the spirit. And this re-
minds me Of the grand advice Brother
Peprose gave US in his editorial in last
Fridays News. 1t is SO pointed and
so timely. L just read and re-read 1t
until I can repeat 1t by heart. He was
writing about the misrepresentation
Of our enemies, One of the things he
said was that "the best reply to vilih-
cation, slander and abuse is an upright
life.' Now there is certainly logic In
this and 1t is comforting to know that
our great editor and apostle is an e1-
emplar of upright living.
Another thing that struck me with
particular force in his great editorial
was wherein he said that "most facts
can be concealed and falsehood made to
take their place temporarily, Logic"
he said, "can be buried in sophisms by
masters of the black art of deception. Z"
Now it required good deal of rea-
soning for me to fully reconcile these
things with my observations, but soon
got the light. For while I could not
keep down the last conference proceed
ings, for I have never thought Brothers
Taylor and Cowley were treated exactly
right. You know we of the Melchisedek
priesthood were perfectly acquainted
with the fact that these brethren had ts-
ken wives since the manifesto and we
were coneealing these facts as we had
been instructed to do, but why the quor-
um Of the twelve concluded TO force
their designations and put Brother Pen
rose and the rest of us in the hole Is
more than can understand.
1 asked Brother John Henry Smith
about this and he said that Brothers
Taylor and Cowley had neglected their
spiritual duties so long that the Lord
had permitted them to be caught, The
quorum, therefore, felt that they should
suffer both for their lack of zeal aud
for their indiscretion. And I suppose
this is the best thing there was to do,
though it Is pretty hard to punish
brother for living his religion.
Every time I think Of the way
Brother Lyman handled that matter
that Sunday afternoon have to admire
him. I do not believe there were forty
persons present who knew Brothers
Taylor and Cowley had not in fact re-
signed. But Brother Lyman did not
crack a smile when he said they did,
and / said to one of my wives who was
with me that day, "There is man the
church needs! He is not only cour-
ageous, but he is capable, 4" And then
next day when Brother Penrose took
up the affair, how masterful he wasi