The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-12
ALWAYS PROTESTING.

church issued what it imagined was
a greeting suitable to the day. But,
for reasons best known to the presid-
ing high priests, it seemed to have
been necessary therein to make GER
tain protestations concerning the
aims and objects of the church. Par
ticular attention was given TO the
meaning OF the phrase, so often used
by the hierarchical spellbinders, "the
church and kingdom of Cod In the
document to which reference is now
made, the first presidency said:
Therefore the church does not dictate
a members business, his politics, or his
personal affairs. 1t never tells a citizen
what occupation he shall follow. whom he
shall vote for. or with which party he
shall affiliate
That sounds as righteous as it does
fsmiliarly false. AS is customary with
the polygamous cult, the object in
this instance was TO set out the i'm
preston that within the Mormon
church the freedom OF the indi-
give 10 the world the idea that
citizenship in the Kingdom of God
on earth is j guarantee of the
greatest liberty obtainable in the
world. 1t is evident. however, that
one of the great faults with the
priesthood in any declaration which
they make to the world, is utter for
gettulness of the practice and teach
ing among the saints themselves. For
purposes OF comparison, let us quote
from the political manifesto of the
church, issued by authority of the pre-
siding tweutv-siX, and see how it
talies with the Christmas greeting of
1908:
We unanimously agree to. and pTomul
gate as a rule that should always be
observed I'm The church and by every lead
ing official thereof. that before accepting
any position, political or otherwise, which
would interfere with the proper and COM
plete discharge Of his ecclesiastical duties,
and before accepting nomination or
entering into engagements TO perform new
duties said official should apply TO the
proper authorities and learn from them
whether he can, consistently with the OBJ
legations already entered into with the
church upon assuming his office, take
upon himself the added duties, lahors and
responsibilities OF the new position.
Innocent as that rule may appear
to be, it has yet been made TO work
considerable mischief in this State.
Its operations have been the means of
placing in the hands of the president
of the Mormon church the political
control of this commonwealth. The
explanation is simple IN that no man
dares TO aspire 10 Office without first
soliciting and obtaining the permission
of the high ecclesiaSts. Then the con
sent being given. the matter Of ballot
ing becomes a mere formality; because
certain man has been granted the
privilege Of seeking an office is ample
notice 10 the saints as to what are the
desires of the authorities. Proof of
the truth of this assertion is written
upon every page of the political history
of Utah. With the exception of here
in Salt Lake City, no man has been
elected to Office whose candidacy was
opposed by the chief polygamists; and
no man has ever failed of election who
had their appreciation.
And, if further evidence is needed of
the determination of the Mormon
priesthood TO dictate to the member
ship of the Mormon church in all things
whatsoever, 1T may be recalled that Jo
seph f. Smith, whose nimble falsehoods
are extremely useful upon occasion, has
nreached after this fashion.
The fact of the matter is. when a man
says You can direct me spiritually but
not temporarily. he lies in the presence
OF God--that Is, il he has got intelligence
enough to know what he is talking about
In additional exposition of the utter
falseness of the statement made by the
first presidency in the Christmas
greeting referred to, and which was
merely published to the world as de-
ception behind which tyranny might be
exercised, here is an extract from an
article printed in a church periodical,
over the signature of Joseph f, Smith,
president, prophet seer, and revelator
of the Mormon church:
AT the present time We are about to
II is scarcely necessary TO say that a man
who has the interest OF himself and his
people at heart, will choose his friends.
Who are our friends Men who have
kept Informed on the trend OF affairs In
the Nation for the past two years or
more may easily surmise, To vote any
other way would be ungracious. against
our own best interests. and would show
a spirit of ungraciousness such as this
people do not naturally possess.
But it makes no difference to the
first presidency what sort Of falsehood
they put forth to the world, If only by
means of 1t they are able TO gain
the point for the moment and per-
petuate their power for the future
in secular affairs. Even in their latest
manifesto the hicrarchs have reiterated
their familiar expressions concerning
the freedom Of the Mormon people,
and when their insincerity in this docu-
ment was pointed out, they set upon
the stand in the tabernacle, TO defend
their falsehoods, man who had once
been defeated for office because his am
In tim WAS disaOproypd NV them and