The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1907-04-11
Seventy-Eighth Annual General Con.
ference of the Church of Jesus
Christ Of Latter.day Saints a
Memorable one.

of the opening session of the seven
ty-eighth annual general conference of
the Church Of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter-day Saints, which convened in this
city on April 5, was the reading of
the declaration of principles and its
approval by the thousands of members
of the church present at the morning
session; together with the address
of President Smith, which was large
ly in the nature of a review of the
work of the church during the year.
Hiram Smith. George A. Smith, d.
o. Mckay and George +. Richards.
Their addresses were devoted large
ly to theological themes. The
tabernacle was crowded, at least 5000
people being present
With the assertion that the mem
bers of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latterday Saints are living better
lives than ever before, that they paid
more tithes during 1906 than in any
other year in the history of the
church, and that as result the bond
ed Indebtedness of the church has
been wiped out President Joseph f.
Smith opened his address.
President Smith denied the charges
that have been made to the effect that
the officials of the church have been
divertlng the tithes to their own per-
sonal use by saying: mot one gen
Ith nrit of hA oh Il
dollar from the tithing fund for his
own use and profit"
President Smith then proceeded to
explain where this money goes, say
ing:
II want to take you into a secret
In the past money belonging to the
church has been used to help start
A number of institutions, such as the
q. c. M. l., the sugar factories, and
other enterprises. Every cent of the
amount so invested has been returned
to the church, the stock of all these
concerns is now paying dividends and
from these dividends the expenses of
the general authorities of the church
are paid. We are not using one cent
Of your tithing except for the purpose
for which it was intended When
you go home and hear some of the
Did charges about what is being done
with the tithing fund, want you to
say that We are not using this fund
for the purposes which they accuse
us of; that the tithing fund is intact
and we have little to spare. And
| would like to say to some of those
who have charged us with misappro-
priation of this fund Put that in your
pipe and smoke it,"
In referring to the general finan-
cial condition of the church the presi-
| dent said To-day the church does
not owe one cent to anyone that it
| cannot pay. We do not want to bor-
row money and we do not have to
borrow any. We expect to see the
| day in the near future when we will
not have to ask you for one cent in
donations that you don't wish to give
| with the freest kind of will | hope
to see the day while | yet live in the
flesh"
President Smith referred to the dec
| laration of principles which had been
| formulated by the church authorities.
and Immediately after he had finished
| mis- address the document was read
| by Apostle o. F. Whitney, and adopted
by the members present, rising
vote being taken, the vote being
unanimous.
The document is quite a lengthy
one, and we are unable to give it in
| full, but the following covers the
| pertinent points:
Declaration of Principles.
The principles and purposes of the
nb rrph 1Alx, 4
and seriously misunderstood.
The religion is founded on the rev.
elations of God. 1t teaches pure Chris
uanity and its theology is based ON
the doctrines of the Redeemer.
IF 1t be true Christianity to accept
Jesus Christ as divine to revere him
as the Son of God through whom
alone mankind can attain salvation, -
accept his teachings as guide. to
comply with the requirements pre-
scribed by him as essential to mem
bership in his church-if this be
Christianity, then we are Christians" "
The theology of our church is the
theology taught by Jesus Christ, the
theology of scripture and reason.
Those who accept of Mormonism
are among the best men and women
OF the nations from which they come
honest, industrious. virtuous and
reverent. They are opposed to vice
and crime by instinct and training
There is nothing in Mormonism to
attract the selfish or the vile.
The Mormon people are not good.
honest but misguided folks and their
leaders the personifcation of all that
is bad. Priesthood and the people
are inseparable and stand together
The charge that the church relies
on duplicity and shuns investigation
is contrary to reason and fact.
Enlightened investigation is the
means by which the church seeks to
promote belief In its principles.
The history of the church and the
precepts of its leaders are Sufficient
proof thst the charge that Mormonsm
is opposed to education is false.
1t is impossible for a man to be
saved in ignorance. A man is saved
Presidents Policy Endorsed.
raIt I