Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-18

I once, II liz only this; he IL Ineii,,e
/ and officer Of the Mormon Churcn-
| nothing more There Is no other cil..rs
brought against hun. All other cnarg
| es arc Included IN or grew out Of th'
fact that he liz Mormon. ana one OF
| IN. advisory counsel 10 the presidency
ar thar church Clearly, that IN itsell
can not dlsqualify him IN this govern
inert. where. rs Mr.. Justice story said'
'eThe Catholic and the Protestant wy
Calviulst aud the Armenian, wy ~
and tho inildcl may at down at tne
cannon table Of the national councils
without any inqulsition into their falth
or mode of worship.
II is eaid. however, that the Mormon
Church is q theocracy, hierarchy, a
government OF priests, claiming TO rule
bv divine authority in matters tenn
poral as well as spiritual whom all its
adherents must obey absolutely, even
TO the disregard to the laws of the land.
IL they should conflict with each other.
that every Mormon's allegiance Is first
To his Church and secondly to his
country that the kingdom of God MS
ii is termed, Is the only legal govern
ment that can exist IN any part OF
the universe, and that all other govern
ment sare Illegal and unauthorized; ana
that Senator Smoot, being member
and an officer OF this organization, is
dominated thereby and would Yield obe-
dence 10 the dictates of his Church
rather than to the laws of the land, ana
therefore is not and can not be q loyal
citizen of the United States. and con-
sequently is not qualified to sit as
senator of the United states.
one thing must be borne in mind in
connection with these claims and that
is that we are to take into account
only what the Mormon Church is teach
ing and practising today, and NOT Wt.ac
It taught and did twenty TO fifty years
ago.
Now is it true that Mormons must
absolutely obey the Church even to the
disregard OF the law of the land; that
a Mormons allegiance is tlrst TO ms
Church and secondly to his countr!
and that as a senator. Nj, Smoot would
obey the dictates of his Church rather
than the laws Of the land?
inquire again, Is this true For II
1t is. Senator Smoot should be expelled
for disloyalty to his country, estab-
ished by the fact of a higher allegl-
ance.
OF course. Mr.. President, no one is
unreasonable enough TO ask the senate
to assume these charges to be true or 20
ask us TO deprive Utah of her senator
ial choice unless they are proven TO be
true.
1t would seem in respect Of charges
of this nature that they could be east
ly and overwhelmingly proven. II true,
because Of the nature of the offenss
and the publicity that would be incl
dent to its commission.
II you want to know as 70 the loyal
ty of II great number Of people organ
lied into AN ecclesiastical body whose
doctrines are publicly promulgated ana
whose acuops may be daily witnessed,
ii seems to me the obvious way to as
certain the truth would be to exam
inc their doctrines and search Into their
acts. Their teachings and their acts
ought TO furnish the best evidence. OF
which the case In it's nature is suscepl-
ible.
II ought to be very easy TO ascertain
it the Mormon Church requires mem
her to obey its law rather than the law
of the land, and to ascertain II 1t re-
qulred a Mormon senator, or other pub
lie officer. to submit his official judg-
ment TO church dictation.
The thing to do in such "a case is to
examine the doctrines of the Church
as they are now promulgated. and If
you find they teach no such disloyalty
as IS chprged but quite to the contrary,
then, If still dubious. the next, step
would seem to be to look over the rec
ords of the various Mormon officers who
have served Utah since her admission
as Al state, aud see If such disloyalty
can be SHOWN as a TACT,
4 third step might be taken for the
benefit OF those who insist upon the ut
most suspicion against absence OF any
legal proof. and that Is to subject each
Mormon officer 10 an inquisition as to
his mental state OF loyalty.
/ propose to submit these charges to,
all three tests,
Now. how does the Mormon Church
treat this duty of loyalty to the coun-
t@ty In irt 1an "a nd
lations?
| find upon an examination of the
Articles of Faith of the Mormon Church
and its Book of Doctrines and Cove
nants that the Mormon doctrine re-
latng to human governments and the
duties of citizenship is set out in great
detail.
quote Church Articles of Faith, No.
We believe In being subject to kings,
presidents. rulers, and magistrates in
obeying, honorlns, and sustaining the
law"
Also from the Doctrine and Cove
nants. pages 4s3-4S5, verses to ii:
Il. We believe that governments We're
instituted of God for the benc-
fit of man. and that He holds men
accountable for their acts In relation to
them, either In making laws or admin
istering them, for the good and safety
OF society.
20. We believe that no government
can exist In peace, except such laws
are framed and held inviolate as Will
secure to each individual the free ex-
ercise of conscience, the right and con-
troll of property, and the protection OF
life.
%. We believe that all governments
necessarily require ciyil officers and
magistrates to enforce the laws of the
same, and that such az VIII administer
the law In equity and justice should be
sought for and upheld by the voice of
the people Of a republic) or the viii OF
the sovereign.
"a We believe that religion is Insti-
tuted of God and that men are amen
able 10 Him, and to Hin only, for the
exercise Of H. unless their religious
opinions prompt them 10 infringe upon
the rights and liberties of Others: bur
We do not believe that human law has
right to interfere in prescribing rules
of worship to bind the consciences OF
men, nor dictate forms for public or
private devotion; that the civll magis-
trate should restrain crime, but never
control conscience: should punish guilt.
but never suppress the freedom OF the
soul.
"5 We believe that all men are
bound 10 sustain aud uphold the re-
spective governments I'm which they re-
side while protected in their inherent
and inallenable rights by the laws of
sueh governments; and that seditlon
and rebellion are unbecoming every
citizen thus protected, and should be
a iaer1af nj ~