The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-09
Of his personal character, that he has
only imagined IL after all.
IS IT NEW, OR A FRAUD7

ldIatloH supHllttcu 10 anu auopleu ny
the April conference of the Mormon
church at the first days session, the
moro it appears that it is in fact a new
declaration in many respects, or else
that it is the most astonishing piece Of
duplicity and hypocrisy that has vet
been given out by the priesthood, We
note certain of its conclusions formulat
ed in brief paragraphs ms follows:
The absolute separation OF church and
state;
No domination OF the state by the
! church,
No state Interference with the func-
tions OF the church. or with the free
exercise of religion,
The absolute freedom of the individual
! from the domination of ecclesiastical au-
| thority In political affairs.
Now, either these formulated dec
larations are entirely false and stu
pid piece of deception and hypocrisy,
or else the church doctrine and practice
in the past are absolutely Tepudiated;
| for, it is undeniable that the position
of the church has been lust the reverse
Of this from the beginning. Apostle
! Orson Pratt probably made the best
and most logical declaration of the real
church position that has ever been
printed. He understood fully the in.
ner purpose and workings of Mormon
ism better than any one outside could
possibly understand them, and he stated
them in more logical. concise, and exact
form than any other member of the
priesthood was able to do. His state
ment of the church position as to tenn
poral rule is as follows:
The Kingdom Of God is an order OF
government established by divine au-
thority. II is the only legal government
that can exist in any part of the uni,
verse. All other governments are illegal
and unauthorized. God having made all
beings and worlds. has the supreme right
10 govern them by His own laws and
by Officers OF Ills own appointment. ANY
people attempting TO govern themselves
and by laws Of their own making and
by officers OF their own appointment,
arc In direct rebellion against the king
dom of God.-DocJrres OF the Gospel.
volume l, page 666
Likewise Apostle Farley P. Pratt,
one of the early "martyrs of the
church. took the same position, where
he said
This priesthood holds the keys Of reve-
Iation OF the oraCles OF God 10 man. upon
earth; the power and right to give laws
and commandments to individuals.
churches rulers. nations. and the world
to appoint to ordain, and establish con
Sututions and Kingdoms TO appoint
kings, presidents, governors or Judges.
The priesthood upon the earth is the
legitimate government OF God. whether
in the heavens or on the earth. and It
is the only legitimate power that has
right 10 rule upon the earth.
President John Taylor. of the Nor
N ny ~ of
of tie church power. recognized as
vigorous deb;ter and extremely Jealous
in the defense OF his religion. He was
afterwards president of the church and
stood higher in some respects in the
estima tion of the people than the pres.
ent president of the church does. Pres
idcnt Taylor idea on this question was
as follows:
Some people ask. What Is the priest
rule of God, whether in the heavens or
on the earth and 1t is the only legitl-
nate ma power that has Va right to rule upon
right 10 appoint rulers? None but Him
God-or the man that He appoints
Journal OF Discourses, volume ., pages
lss. ls7.
These positions, taken by those en-
inent authorities of the Mormon church
and kingdom, have never been even at
tackled within the Mormon hierarchy,
much less reversed; they are conclu-
sive on the point that the recent dec
laration is absolutely reversal as an
exposition OF the Mormon church doc
trine and practice in the past.
But does anybody believe that there
has been any change? The Deseret
News says there has not President
Smith in his testimony in Washington
IL the Smoot case three years ago said
there had been no change. Does any
one believe that the weak and con
temptible, the evasive back-and fill
twaddle adopted by the conference on
Friday last makes any real change in
the position Of the church on this mat
ter? There is not the least reason 10
suppose 1t, and among other reasons
for disbelievirg it may be quoted again
the statement Of Joseph f. Smith in the
Improvement Era during last falls
campaign, as follows:
AT the present time we are about 10
make choice of some political leaders 1t
is scarcely necessary TO say that n 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 or affairs in the
Nation for the past two years more
may easily surmise. To vote any other
way would be ungracious. against our
own best interests. and would show a
spirit Of ungraeiousness such as this peo-
pie do not naturally possess.
Indeed, the declaration of itself is real
~ conclusive not only as 10 the ability
of the priesthood to control their peo-
pie in political matters, but in the dec
laration of their intent to do SO; espe-
cially as against the American party,
which 1T falsely assumes is organized
''to make war upon the church or men
ace the civil, political, or religious
rights Of its members as such. -
Against policy Of that kind, by any
political party or set of men whatso-
ever the declaration says, ''we as
4 49, r,,,t,l - 81