Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-05


F, speaking through It's general confer
ences- The doctrine of the Chureh on
the subject OF government. stands as
follows:
lsvVe believe tn being subject TO kings.
| presidents rulers and magistrates, IN
| oheylns. honoring and sustaining me
lew"
Such Is our acknowledgment Of duty
! 20 civil governments Again
1--WE believe that all governments nee
essarlly require civil officers and maSls'
| trates to enforce the lows of the same,
| and that such as Will administer law IN
/ equity and Justice should be sought for
I and upheld by the voice OF the people
| Qf q republc), or the will of the SON.
! ereign'
we do not believe It just TO mngle
religious influence With civil govern
ment, whereby one religious society ~
fostered and another prescribed i'm its
spiritual privileges. and the individual
rights OF its members. as citizens de-
| MED"
With reference TO the laws OF the
| Church, II is expressly said
Be subject to the powers that be, UNI
I'll He reigns whose right II IL TO reign.
and subdues all enemies under His feet
Behold. the laws which ye have re-
ceiyed from my hand are the laws of
! the Church. and In this light we shall
hold them forth
| That is 10 say, no law or rule enact
ed. or revelation received by the
| Church, has been promulgated for the
state Such laws and revelations as
have been given are solely for the gov
| eminent Of the Church,
The Church of Jesuse Christ OF Lat
ter-day Saints holds to the doctrine OF
the separation OF church and state The
non interference of church authority
! in political matters and the absolute
, freedom and Independence of the In
dlvidual In the performance of his po-
IItical duties r. az any time, there
has been conduc; at variance with this
doctrine. 1t has been In violation Of
the well settled principles and policy OF
| the Church.
We declare that from principle and
policy, We favor,
The absolute separa ton OF church and
| state;
No domination OF the state by the
church;
No church interference with the fnnc-
lions OF the state;
No state Interference with the func-
tons OF the church. or with the free ex-
crcise OF religion;
The absolute freedom Of the rndiyuall
from the domination of ecclesiastical
authority In political affairs;
The equality OF all churches before
the law.
The reafIrrna ton OF this doctrine and
policy, however, Is predlcated upon the
express understanding that politics In
the states where our people reside.
shall be conducted as in other parts OF
the Union; that there shall be no in
reference by the state with the
Church, nor with the free exercise of
religion. Should political parties make
war upon the Church, or menace the
civil. political, or religious rights of its
members as such,-against policy OF
thar kind. by any political party or ser
of men whatsoever. we assert the In
heTent right of self-preservation for the
Church. and her right and duty to call
upon all her children, and upon al.
who love justice, and desire the per-
petuation of religious liberty. 10 come
10 her aid, to stand with her until the
danger shall have passed And this
| openly, submitting the Justice OF our
cause to the enlightened Judgment OF
our fellow men, should such an Issue
! unhapplly arise. We desire 10 live IN
. peace and confidence with our fellow
citizens of all political parties and OF
all religions
AS To Revelation.
IT is sometimes urged that the pernna-
nent realization of such desire is inn
possible. since the Latter-day Saints
hold as a principle Of their faith that
God now reveals Himself TO man as In
ancient Hines; that the priesthood OF
the Church constitute u body OF men
who have, each for himself, in the
sphere In which he moves, special right
10 such revelation, that the president
OF the Church is recognized as the only
person through whom divine COMMUNE
cation will come as law and doctrine TO
tho religious body; that such revela-
tlon may come at amy time, upon any
subject, spiritual or temporal, as God
Wills; and finally that, In the mind OF
every faithful Latter-day Saint, such
revelation, In whatsoever II counsels,
advises or commands Is paramount
Furthermore 1t Is sometimes pointed
out that the members OF the Church
are looking for the actual coming OF
a Kingdom OF God ON earth, that shall
gather all the Kingdoms of the world
into one visible. divine empire, over
which the risen Messiah shall reign.
All this, 1t Is held, renders 1t Inn
possible for "A Mormon TO give true all
legiance to his country, or TO amy
earthly government
We refuse 10 be bound by the intei'-
pretations which others place upon our
beliefs. or by what they allege must bo
the practical consequences OF our doc
trines. Men have no right TO lmpute
to us what they think may be the log
zeal deduction from our beliefs, but
which We ourselves do not accept, We
are 10 be judged by our own interpre-
tations. and by our actions, not by the
logic OF others, as 10 what Is, or may
be, the result OF our faith. We deny
that either our belief In divine reyela-
iion, or our anticipation Of the coming
Kingdom OF God weakens IN any de-
gree the Benulneness OF our allegiance
to our country. When the divine emf
pTe will be established we may not
know any more than other Christians
who pray Thy Kingdom come, Thy
will be done. IN earth as II Is In heay-
en- bur We do know that our allogl-
hnce and loyalty TO country are
strengthcned by The fact that white
awaiting the advent Of the Messlahs
Kingdom. We are under a commando
ment from God 70 be subject 20 the
powers that be- until He comes ''whose
right II " TO reign"
Aim and Spirit
tiNInrr,Nrp Ia tha ,noriN Fnr