The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-04-12
Seventy-Eighth Annual General Con
ference of the Church of Jesus
Christ of tatter-day Saints a
Memorable one.

salt Lake C1ty.-The chief featul
of the opening session of the sever
ty-eighth annual general conference {
the Church of Jesus Christ of La
ter-day Saints, which convened In thi
city on April 5, was the reading {
the declaration of principles and ii
approval by the thousands of member
of the church present at the mornin
session; together with the address
of President Smith, which was large
| ly In the nature of review of tn
work of the church during the veal
Addresses were also made by Apostle
Hiram Smith, George A. Smith, {
0. Mckay and George r. Richards
Their addresses were devoted large
ly to theological themes. Thu
tabernacle was crowded, at least 500
people being present.
With the assertion that the mem
bers Of the Church of Jesus Chris
Of Latter-day Saints are living better
lives than ever before, that they pait
more tithes during 1906 than in any
other year in the history Of the
church, and that as a 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
diverting the tthes to their own per-
sonal use, by saying: mot one gen.
eral authority Of the church draws a
dollar from the tithing fund for his
own use and profit"
President Smith then proceeded to
explain where this money goes, say
ing:
Il want to take you into secret.
In the past money belonging to the
church has been used to help start
number of institutions, such as the
2. G. 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 1t was intended. When
you go home and hear some of the
old 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
l 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 Dor.
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. I hope
to see the day while yet live in the
flesh"
President Smith referred to the dec.
laration of principles which had been
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, a rising
vote being taken, the vote being
The document is quite 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
church are widely misrepresented
and seriously misunderstood.
The religion is founded on the rev.
Citations of God. 1t teaches pure Chris
tianity 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, 10
accept his teachings as a guide, to
comply with the requirements pre-
scribed by him las essential to mem
bership in his churchill this be
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
eaders the personification Of all that
s bad Priesthood and the people
ire inseparable and stand together.
The charge that the church relies
IN duplicity and shuns investigation,
s 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
receipts of its leaders are sufficient
'roof that the charge that Mormonism
S opposed to education is false.
1t is impossible for a man to be
saved In ignorance. A man is saved