The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-01
THAT BOGUS FREE AGENCY.

and Judgment in the affairs of life, the
geirson, Of Thistle.
Orson Pratt, than whom the Mormon
church never possessed greater logl-
clan, once wrote his definition of the
scope and powers of the kingdom of
God, as represented in the assumed
functions of his religion. 1t was
comprehensive and enlightening def
milton, expressed IN excellent terms
and clearly and fitly descriptive of the
Mormon theory of government, There
was merely one fault with the Pratt
work, however, and for that reason it
has been partly rcpudiated by the
church and its organ. 1t was pain
fully truthful. Orson Pratt went on 10
show that the claim of the Mormon
church, that ii was the earthly expros-
sion Of the will of the Almighty, would
naturally preclude legitimacy for any
man made government. Acceptance Of
the premise naturally includes adop-
tlon of the conclusion. Mr.. Pratt was
While the practice of the church is
entirely in accord with his theory,
the leaders in that orga nization realize
that effectiveness is best served in an
entirely opposite presentation. There
fore, Mr.. Pratt is in part rcpudiated,
and the identical need Of the hour
which fathers that action occasions the
present flight 10 the obscure but con-
venient John Thorgeirson, of Thistle.
The Tribune has no acquaintance
with the undoubtedly engaging per-
sonslity Of Mr.. John Thorgeirson, Of
Thistle, but it is mindful of the exist
ence of one TO whom the News con
tributes worship as the world S fore
most citizen, albeit he is a law breaker
Therefore, and desiring always to
quote the best available authority, The
Tribune will repeat the prophet, seer,
and revelator Of the Mormon church
meantime hoping that Mr.. Thorgcirson
Will rest easy IN the assurance that no
disrcspcct is intended toward his own
ideas:
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.
Joseph F. Smith made use Of that cx-
preston in Provo, in tho month
of April, 1896. The Deseret News will
certainly not object to our reference
TO the personal representative on earth
of the Father in Heaven, instead of
pinning our faith TO the utterances
of Mr.. John Thorgeirson, of Thistle,
and that gentleman himself viii un-
doubtedly be abreast of the church
organ in permitting to The Tribune the
privilege of reposing larger confidence
in information at first hand
But there were other authorities than
Joseph F. Smith-and Mr.. John Thor
geirson, Of Thistle. President Wilford
Woodruff was once heard to deliver
himself in the following language:
Al we have to do is 10 live our re-
ligion; and when the presidency say
Come here" or Go there" let us be on
hand to obey. and all Will be right.
Then there was President Lorenzo
Snow, who followed along precisely the
same line when he preached to the
Saints like this:
Let us be like little children. ready and
willing to do as we are commanded by
the powers that we should obey.
Mr. Snow had been speaking of the
first presidency of the Mormon church,
and the duty Of members Of that
organization toward them, so that
the ''powers that we should obey" are
definitely named. President Heber C..
Kimball was forccful speaker for
the church, and while his utterances
are now avoided by the Descret News
and It's hierarchical masters and orators,
they are, nevertheless, expressive of
the Mormon truth. He says:
Well now, If you Will do Just as you are
thousand times faster than YOU will to
pray six hours: aE.S " you follow that
course, you will nos advance in Your re-
ligion one e-hundredrh part so much as
that man that will do just as he is told,
no matter what.
President John Taylor was also con
sidered to be a scholarly exponent. of
pretation was taken as of great value
and his observation is as follows:
Nothing but obedience 10 his law. obedi-
enee in families. obedience 10 bishops and
to the priesthood In all It's qualifications.
and especially 10 Brigham Young as the
head, to carry out his law TO the whole
people. can accomplish the purposes OF
God. or our salvation as a people.
Brigham Young is admitted to have
been the greatest leader that the
Mormon church ever had. At the risk
of probable accusation of disrcspect to-
ward Mr.. John Thorgeirson of Thistle,
whose saving straw the drowning
church organ has desperately clutched,
The Tribune is prompted to accept Mr..
Young as an authority, when he says:
l am the controller and master of af-
fairs here under heavens direction:
though there are those who do not believe
this.
Conception of the thought may be
possible with the Descret News; but