Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-10
IMpERIUM IN IMPERIo.

from the anti" Mormon citadel ana
Is being nssiduously circulated through
out the State. Although 1t is addressed
TO readers who think for themselves, y
It is. clearly intended for persons who
do noe think for themselves. 1t is so
chock-full of deliberate falsehoods, mis-
representations and sophistc reasoning
as to be almost disgusting 10 anyone
who has acquired the habit of think
ing for himself. as Is the case with
all intelligent Latter-day Saints.
20 rofpi to only one point at present:
The author OF the pamphlet says the
object of the President OF the Church
is TO build city and to effect an or
ganized government of which the Son
of Man may take possession at His
second coming. and then he adds.
Necessarily such an organization
would constitute an imperium In i'm
perio, or a government within a gov
eminent"
Note the ambiguity of the terms. The
writer Of the pamphlet, whether inten-
tionally or because OF ignorance, as
sumes that the Latter-day Saints are
endeavoring to establish republic, or
monarchy or some kind of worldly
form OF government, IN the Republic
of the United States. for the Son of
Man to take possession of. Only on
that assumption can the reference to
"imperilm In imperio" be regarded as
anything but idiotic glbberish. Moth
ing is further from the aims and ideals
of the members and leaders of the
Church. The church and kingdom of
the Christ is not of this world. 1t Is
a spiritual government. and can there
fore never form an Emporium in i'm
perio,' The two governments" are
entirely differeh.. They influence one
another, as the spiritual world neces-
sarily influences the material creation.
But each has Its own sphere. 1t Is as
rational 10 refer to the Church as i'm
perium in imperio" as 1t would be to
SO designate a fraternal order, or the
Salvation Army.
II is true the Latterday Saints be-
lieve. as the Scriptures teach. that the
Kingdom of this world will, finally, be-
COME the kingdom of the Son of Man.
IL this is treason. make the most OF IL.
The I.atter-day Saints are not the
only Christians who look forward to
the golden age of the universal trl-
umph upon this earth Of truth, justice,
and righteousness. That the Church is
the agency through which the Almighty
IL bringing about this great victory
over the forces of evil, the Latter-day
Saints also firmly believe. but in this
they are not different from some other
Christians.
Lately Rev. r. j. Campbell of Lon
don, whose new theology" has caused
some discussion. has expressed himself
on this important subject, and he has
rather strong views He said; ut is
our business TO realize the kingdom OF
God on earth and nothing else, to
preach universal brotherhood: and TO
sweep away those existing conditions
which throw pail over the lives of the
larger proportion of our people" Would
the author OF the pamphlet accuse the
Rev. occupant of the celebrated City
Temple pulpit in London of traitorous
aspirations for the establishment OF
Emporium in impero?"
At the thirty-sixth annual convention
of the Y. NJ. C, A. held at Washington.
d. c., a couple of months ago. the Brit
ish ambassador James Bryce spoke OF
the influence of religion upon state af-
fairs. He said In part, as reported by
the Christian Statesman:
People have sometimes said that
Christianity was intended only for the
Individual and the family, but not also
for the state aud for politics. That is
not so. It's principles run through every
part of life and every kind of action.
What Is the state but the greatest OF
all our organizations for promoting the
welfare OF those who compose Il?
What are politics but the striving of
the citizens to find the best means Of
directing the great organization which
we call the state to the aim for which
1t was constructed, peace, order ana
the happiness Of it, members2
Every honest, simple upright, kindly
life goes 10 make the nation great ana
happy. You cannot all be strong. or
rich or successful. as the world reckons
success. But you can all seek to lead
your lives IA submission to Gods will
ing Hin and serving His children, who
are your brethren
Would the author Of the pamphlet ac-
cuse the British ambassador OF treason
because he speaks about religion
that should apply 10 the affairs Of the
state? Probably not But he Is as In
consistent as he Is ignorant OF the sub
Ject about which he writes. The world
has no more loyal citizens than the
Latter-day Saints IN any country II
is part Of their religion to sustain the
powers that be, as far as II Is morally
possible 10 do so.
A very significant fact is apparent
all through the pamphlet. There is de-
sire manifested TO rldcule and deny the
testimony that God has spoken IN this
h9e through His chosen servants. But
az the charge OF blasphemy cannot very
wen be used as a political asset the
charge of treason 10 added. Those who
take no notice OF strictly religious
controversy may listen TO false repre-
sentation that the state Is in danger.
Such tactics brought the Savior of the
world 10 the Cross. And the similarity
OF tactics IL one evidence OF the common
origin OF tho enmity manifested then
and now. IL Is inspired from the same