The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-25
USURPING FALSE FUNCTIONS.

The duty OF high priest is TO ad-
minister In spiritual and holy things, and
TO hold communion with God: but not TO
exercise n1onarchial government, or to
appoint meetings for the elders without
their consent.-Joseph Smith, founder OF
the Mormon church, in Times and Sea-
sons. volume ). number 2i, page 152.
Here is a showing in support of the
contention that the doctrines and prac-
ticcs Of the original Mormon church
were not what they arc today, as ex-
empliied in the Utah branch of that
organization.
1t is hardly necessary for The Trib-
uue to reproduce the many quotations
which have been presented in these
columns, and taken from the sermons
of the high ecolesiasts who have ruled
the church since its establishment in
this valley. 1t will suffice TO say that
these have been the utteranccs Of every
Mormon president who has reigned IN
Utah. including Brigham Young, John
Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo
Snow, and Joseph T, Smith. We have
also made extensive quotations from the
apostles who havo held position in the
hicrarchical body in Utah. All Of these
20 TO show that as soon as Joseph Smith
was killed at Carthage new system
was adopted. The rulers determined to
rule by force, even If they were com
PEELED to rcpudiate many of the doc
triues set out by the founder Of the
church. To achieve this end the priest
hood organizations were compacted into
secret agencies Of the chief prophet.
Brigham Young has been given the
credit for being great leader of men
and In many respects he was. But
hrs chief power over the people was
generated by the fear Of Brigham
Young that this notable inspired in
their hearts. In that respect he was a
great leader. Ho never could have
brought about the complete enslavc
ment of the Mormon people 20 his own
will had he adhered to the doctrine of
Joseph Smith as he delivered it through
the Times and Seasons at Nauvoo
Realizing that the broad freedom that
Joseph gave to the people from possible
tyranny by the high priests would not
tend TO build up his own complete
power, Brigham Young at once set
about TO overturn that doctrine and 10
substitute for it one Of his own inven-
tion. He assumed 10 himself. first OF |
all, the right to dictate TO the entire |
church in all things whatsoever-even, |
as he once declared, to the manner of !
of DIT h.
was wise enough TO know that he would |
not be able TO succeed IN his object |
without belp; so he delegated 10 tho
different grades of tho higher priest
hood certain lesser powers over the peo-
pie, but demanded that the final ac-
counting in all things must be made TO
himself The bait was effective, for
the prospective gains TO be achieved
from a temporal point of view were
sufficient to work upon the hearts OF
the mercenaries. And the system of
complete despotism thus established has
been perpetuated from that time to the
present. II anything, in fact, the tyran-
~ has grown to be even more complete
with the growth Of the membership Of
he church
Joseph i. Smith. now presiding over
The Mormon organization, claims the
night to dictate in all things temporal
aud all things spiritual--iu business,
inance, industrial affairs, manufactures,
politics, and religion. There is not one
ict of one member of the priesthood
hat does not come under his personal
supervision and direction, If he shall
'hoose to exercise his assumed right.
&c has threatened business men; he has
cursed rivals in manufacturing enter
>rises; lie has taken lands and homes
rom their owners without process of
he civil law; be has compelled politi.