Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-09
MArrrR or nEyrNuE

Tho local anu-"Mormou' sheet iu-
sis,s that the President Of the church
claims the right to rule' in call
things" and quotes iu its own way
certain parsonage is said TO quote
ecripture-frou sermons Co suhstau-
tiato its charges which by the way, 10
makes for the benefit of its dupas. ana
not because 90 believes iu them.
We need only answer that the creed
OF the I.attar-day saints does not in-
cludc the belief In rulers 600 the sense
IN which malice. or ignorance. applies
that term 90 the venerable leader- "
the Church To prove this let us refer
10 the Doctrine and Coyeu1nts' Let
no man think he is ruler but let God
rule" etc. doc ANA Cow, IS; -o) The
reply OF the Prophet Joseph to stephen
A Douglas. who asked him by what
means DC ruled the people, is familiar
70 all. He said that he did not rule
but hc taught correct principles, ana
the people governed themselves. That
Is the truth terscly and forcibly put.
The duty of the leaders OF the Church,
as Of the -eryants of God in all dispen-
stations. is 10 teach correct principles.
These principles may De applicable TO
all things. both temporal and spiritual.
But 10 follow them, rests with the In
dividual Self-governmeut Is funda-
mental principle Of the Gospel. There
are no two opinions about this, among
the Latter-day Saints. The following
expresses thclr ideas:
NO power can or ought TO be main
tanned by virtue os the Priesthood only
by persuasion. by l0ng-suferiug, by |
Rentlcness and Ueekncss and by love /
by kindness and pure knOwl- /
edge which shall greatly enlarge the /
soul without hypocrisy and without 1
guile; reproving betimes with sharp
ness, when moved upon by the Holy
Ghost. and then showing forth after
wards am increase of love, lest those
reprlved esteem those reprovlng as
enemies Such Is the spirit of govern
ment under the priesthood 10 may Doe
summed In this Men are 90 be taught
correct principles ana then govern |
themselves. Outlines of Ecclesiastical |
History boy b. II. Roberts.
This Is the position OF the Latter
day saints on the question at issue No
matter how loudly the critics proclaim
their own pervcrsions as pure "Mor-
monism," they are dcclaiming against |
counterfeits OF their own making.
But why should there be such
strong desire to misrepresent the NOR
mons" In everything? The reply Is sim
pie and direct: Because it has been
found profitable. There has always been
a class Of individuals who have made
money out OF "Mormonism." and
the species Is not yet extinct Offices
ahd en0luments form a strong incen-
tive, with a certain class. TO almost
any kind of iascality that can be COM
mitted in safety
The mobs that drove the saints from
Missouri and Illinois hoped to profit by
their lawless acts. The prosecutors in
later times prohted by their inhuman
activity. or hoped TO do so. And that
Is the secret Of anti "Mormonism". now.
The leaders OF II are IN IL for revenue.
as the empty Golfers OF the city amply
testify.
There Is a story by Jules Verne about
two neighboring cities that had lived IN
A''At' 'Aah AAA HiNlle i'l centuries SUI
denly the citizens became seized with /
d mania for quarrel They had found
an old grievance. A COW belonging 90
a citizen Of one OF the cities had died ON
the border line and the tail OF the dead
animal had been found on the territory
of the other CITY. And as no repara-
ton had been made, and none was
offered hostlties were about TO COM
mence II was an a question of oxygen
Some scientist Experimental, ana thr
gas with which he charged the atmos-
phere had the effect OF causing quar-
nolsomeness.
So IL Is with anti" Mormonlsm. Z,
ls AIT q matter or gas with which thos.
Interested in strife are charging an.
etmospherc. Destroy thelr gas bags
ana there win boz nothing to ou8rral
about Ant-"M ormonism" ls fed ON
falsehood. But why should Intelligent
men and women lend their aid ana sun.
port 10 the manufacturer of hes. f.r
revenue?
N.farl ALa.s.