The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1907-04-12
seventy.Eiphth Annual General Con
ference Of the Church Of Jesus
Christ Of Latterday baints
Memorable one.

Salt Lake CITY The chief feature
Of the opening session OF the seven.
ty.olEhth annual general conference Of
the Church of Jesus Christ Of lat.
tcr.day Saints witch convened loo this
city ON April o. wa tbo reading OF
the declaration of principles and its
approval by the thpuHaVrr,pf members
~ the church present mihc morning
session. together with the address
of President Smith, which was large.
y In the nature of review of the
work Of the church during the year
Addresses were also made Boy Apostles
Hiram Smith George g. Smith. D.
o. Mckay aud George g. Richards.
Their addresses were devoted large
ly 10 theological themes The
tabernacle wa. crowded ai least 5000
people being present
with tho assertion that the mem.
| beers Of the Church uf Jesus Christ
Of iatter.day Saints are living better
| lives than over before that they paid
more tithuH during 1906 than loo uny
other year in the history of the
| church. and that ns % result the bond
| cd Indebtedness of the church has
been wiped out President Joseph r.
| Smith opened his address.
President Smith denied the charges
/ that have been made tn the effect that
the officials of the church have been
/ diyorting the LthcH 90 their own per.
/ Honnl use. by saying. Not one gen.
/ oral authority ~ the church draws a
/ dollar from the tlthing fund for his
/ own use ana profit"
President Smith then proceeded to
explain whore this money goes say.
Ing:
= want 10 take you into a secret
/ In the past money belonging 10 the
| church has boon used to help start
n number Of Institutions. such an the
/ y. G. ". T.. the sugar factories. and
| other enterprise Every cent OF the
l amount 30 invested has been returned
10 the church, the stock of all these
I concerns ~ now paying dividends aud
/ from these dividends the expenses OF
/ the general authorities of the church
/ are paid We are not using one cont
/ ~ your tlthlng except for the purpose
/ for which u was intended when
/ you go home ana hear some OF the
old charges about what o. being done
With the tithlng fund. I want you To
say that We are not using this fund
for the purposes which they accuse
Ms Of that the tlthing fund IL intact
and We have little 10 spare. Aud
| would like 10 say TO some OF those
who have charged us with misappro-
prlatlon Of this fund Put that In your
pipe aud smoke IT,"
In referring 20 the general imam.
cial condition OF the church the presl.
dent said: To-day the church docs
not az e-1ons,. s,ea,ts a.. ss.s-s... ~
cthhot pay. We do not want to Dor.
row money and we do not have TO
borrow any. We expect 90 see the
day In the near future when we will
not have TO ank you for one cont IN
donations that you don't wish 10 give
with the frcest kind of viii hone
10 see the day while yet live In the
flesh
President Smith referred 10 the doc.
laration of principles which had boon
formulated by the church authorities.
and Immediately after he had finished
hiH address the document was read
10y Apostle o. r. Whitney. aud adoptcd
by tho members present. a rising
vote being taken, the vote being
unanimous
The document Nv quite a lengthy
one, and We are unable 10 give ID I'm
full, but the following covers the
pertinent points:
Declaration Of Principles.
Tho principles aud purposes Of the
church arc widely mlsrcpresontcd
and seriously misunderstood.
The religion Is founded ON the rev.
Citations Of God. II teaches puro Chris.
tlanity and its theology Ia based ON
the doctrlnoa Of the Rcdeemor.
III II be true Christianity To accent
Jesus Christ as divine. to revere him
na tho Son ~ God through whom
alone mankind can attain salvation, "
accept his teachings as "a guide. 10
comply with tho requirements pre-.
scribcd by him as ossontlTl tn mem.
hcrshlp In his church 10 this be-
Christianity then We are Christians
Tho theology OF our church lH tho
theology taught by Jesus Christ. the
theology OF scripture aud reason
Those who accept OF Mormonlsm
nrc among the bost men and women
of the nations from which they come
honest, industrious. yIrtuous and
rovcront They are opposed 10 vice
and crime hy instinct and training
There rs nothing In Mormonlsm tn
attract tho selfish or the vile.
The Mormon people are not good
honest but misguided folks and thc.r
leaders the porsunincatlon Of AN that
Is bad Prlos0 ood and tho penple
are inBcparnblo ana stand together
The charge that tho church relies
ON dup'icity ana shuns investigation.
ls contrary 20 reason aud fact
Enlightoned Investigation Is the
moans by which tho church seeks To
promote belief In its principles.
The history OF the church and the
proocpts OF rs leaders are sufficient
proof thst the charge that Mormonlsm
ia opposed 20 education is false.
II Is impossible for man to be
saved In Ignorance a man Is saved
prsatdaptfg natIr,s E.a-.-a