The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-08
THE HOPE OF PEACE.

In a way the declaration of the Nor
mon church at this conference marks
an epoch i'm it's history almost as strik-
ing as the proclamation of President
Woodruff regarding plural marriages.
The simple fact that the heads of the
church consider the time opportune for
a statement of its attitude toward
other creeds, the state and the nation,
is of itself a recognition of the pro-
gressive spirit which has come with
The agitation Of long years. Time was,
and not very long ago, that such a
frank appeal to the reason of others
would not have been considered neces-
sary: now it comes with good grace,
in a spirit of liberality. and with such
comprehensive detail that no point Of
the controversy is left uncovered.
To those Of the west familiar with
the creed of the organization, much Of
the declaration is only a reinstatement
of doctrinal belief well understood: but
to the outside world and particularly
those of the east who have taken their
information from hostile sources, it
may be a matter of surprise that the
Mormon church claims TO derive it's
inspiration from Christian sources and
follow Christian beliefs only, with
such modern Interpretation and addi-
tiou as has come to it from the founder
Of the church and its leaders, whom
they believe to be guided by direct in
spiration and revelation.
x x x
Further it may surprise the outside
world to hear the claim that the Nor
mons as a people have the highest re-
gard for the sanctity of the home. a
devotion To their religion which leads
them To accept it as a guide in their
daily walk, and a deep reverence for
government as part of their religious
obligations taught by their founder
and expounded by their present-day
leaders. Fairness impels recognition of
the fact that the Mormons as people
have right to claim high standards of
morality, singular freedom from the
commoner vices. the practice of tenn
perance and just dealing in their rela-
tons with others. Their enemies have
never conceded these virtues and have
too often mis-stated the facts. but
those who have had occasion to live
among them and meet them constantly
know that the declaration is within
bounds in its claims for the mass of
its people as citizens and members of
society.
One object of attack the so-caIIed
commercialism and tithing system of
the church, cannot be properly regard
ed as a matter for outsiders to discuss
critically. The Mormon church is a
voluntary association; its rules pre-
scribe the tithing system as a funda-
mental principle OF faith. 1t is no.
body's business but their own what
disposition is made Of the funds con-
tributed so long as they are not used
for the subversion of society or applied
to obviously dangerous purposes. If a
church member objects to the system
IL is plainly his duty to get out of the
church; but an outsider has no more
right to attack 1T than he would have
10 attack the contribution system Of
the Presbyterians, or Methodists. or
Catholics
As for the commercialism which has
been discussed, and frequently with
more malice than honesty, its purpose
has been understood from the founda-
tion of the organization. In the early
days it was a form of socfalistic enter
prise intended to affori means for the
development of the country on a larger
scale than could be attained by indi-
vidual capital or effort 1t doubtless
did great gooG IN the primitive DAYS
and seems to be cherished still by some
Of the church leaders. There has never
been any question as to the legality of
the practice and at worst it has been
obnoxious only because it interferes
now with the individual efforts of
church members and non-members in
some directions. 1t parallels exactly the |
methods of such organizations as the
Oneida community and other commu-
nal undertakings Of the same sort. In
the natural evolution of the church it
will probably be abandoned entirely,
or modified so as to be used only in
new enterprises which need paternsl
assistance to secure a successful foot
ing.
On all these questions the fair mind |
ed viii find themselves willing to ac-