The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-28
THE HIERARCHY PROVED.

In the decision of a purely theological
question, neither Noah Webster D.,
nor any other photographer. be he ever
so eminent. is the final authority.
That is from the ,DesereJ News, in
regard to the existence of a hierarchy
in the Mormon church. And it is
typical of the usual nonsense and per-
versity Of that most worthy journalistic
representative of ecclesiastical tyranny
and polygamous godship. OF course,
in the matter of words, the News has
its own peculiar definitions; and i'll its
consistent Misrepresentation of fact, it
has its own infallible guide. 1t may be
true that neither Noah Webster nor
Doctor johnson were theologians-and
certainly not Of the Mormon stripe
but people all over the world have
come to place considerable reliance in
their ability to define the meanings
Of words.
There can be no disagreement with
the professed organ Of the Mormon lord
in It's contention that there is no hier
archy within its church, if considera
tion of the meaning of the word were
confined solely to 'Fdominiou or au
thority in sacred things" There is
nothing sacred in the acts Of the hier-
archs; and there is nothing sacred to
them excepting polygamy and robbing
poor people In order TO maintain that
immortality. And in the hlerarchical
manipulation of affairs supposedly re,
ligious. but really lawless, there will
be no quarrel about the fact that there
is no Correction OF things sacred.
Nor can umbrage be taken at the I'M
plication OF the News that the .hicr-
archs arc not ga sacred body Of
rulers.
But in its excessive ccclesiology, the
church organ must not overlook the fact
that. mere photographer that he was,
Noah Webster defines a hierarchy as
ga form of government administered
solely by the priesthood. In his
more or less veracious testimony at
Washington-and his own confession
of untruthfulness, made in tho taber-
nacle at Salt Lake, is the only cause
for the expression of doubt--Joseph T.
Smith said:
The general authorities of the church
consist of three presidents. twelve apos-
ties, or twelve high councillors II you
please. seven presidents Of the seventies
and three presiding bishops.
All Of these men hold what is known
as the Mechizedek priesthood IN The
Mormon church. They claim and prac-
ticc tho right To govern in all things
temporal as we'll as spiritual as ex~
Ia. de nf hn
prophet himself: "iffa man saws YOU
can direct me spiritually but not tenn
porallv, he is liar in the face of
God - " would seem TO be a reason
able assertion, therefore, that there is
within the Mormon church "a form
Of government administered solely by
the priesthood. The twenty-six men
thus designated by the president OF the
Mormon church to be the hierarchy
would doubtless be surprised to learn
that they do not exist, were it not for
the fact that they are so well acquaint
ed with the WAYS Of the News.
The Mormon hierarchy, therefore,
does exist; and il rules over its people
with IN iron hand and in all things
1t anoints them; it trades them; it
exploits them; it votes them; it robs
them-and all in the name of God,
Not long ago the Supreme Court Of
this State loosened the greedy clutches
Of this hierarchy from the property of
a defenseless woman, of which, it had
robbed her in its lnsolent assumption
Of legal civil authority.
Let a member Of the Mormon church
utter publicly word of criticism
against II, and hc will soon discover