Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-30

NJluEGll, Us ~ an
and that such consent and approval.
means a desire for the election of the
apostle. This is emphasized IN the
present case by reason of the tact ina I
so far as the public is advised, 1t is
the only instance wherein an apostle
has had such consent.
Such View, however, is not my UNI
derstanding of the situation but rather
that the presidency of the Church adj
here to the view that every man, what
ever his ecclesiastical position may be-
shall. so far as they are concerned
be free to engage In politics when
he can be excused from the perfor-5
nance of his religious duties, and to
take any other position would be q
curtailment by them of a mans poll
teal rights and an interference IN
politics AS to the proprietX of such
condition do not understand that the
presidency of the Church has ever
taken any action.
1t is frequently asserted and COM
monty believed by many good citizens
and many members and officers of the
Church, and such is my view, that as
members of the Church believe that the
apostles are divinely called and IN
spired and that as the people are
taught to daily pray that they pc 50
divinely guided, it is difficult for them
at the same time to desire their defeat
and oppose the political leadership and
policies OF an apostle, or draw nice
distinctions, and be able to say whether
the#leadership of such q favored char
acter Is not to be followed implicitly
irrespective of his fitness for political
office, rather than to follow the leader
ship even to a limited extent OF one.
not so favored although he may be;
greatly superior in natural SendoW-
ments, training and experience. IL
such is the case, then 1t would seem
that the only successful way TO such
political preferment would be through
some such high ecclesiastical office. Z
To my mind another most serious
condition arises, when such Divinelys
favored person enters the political are
ma T find that to discuss such person
as one would q laynlan, or one holding
a lesser ecclesiastical Office. is
at once charged With attacking the n,
Church and lacking the respect which
one should have for al apostle, and
ridiculous as this may seem it appears
to be a successful campaign argu--5
ment.
4, 1t is not uncommon for political par
ties to place men in nomination for
office who will attract the most votes
That Is often of the first Importance
with politicians, irrespective of the.
qualifications of the candidate. For
political leader to have behind him
I the prestige of a most exalted divine
calling with the powers and influence
attending the same as does an apostle
and at the same time the power and
prestige OF a United States senator,
( is combination in one person of
power which places all others not so
favored at such disadvantage, that fair
competition is practically eliminated
and the ablest and best men are made
Ito feel that it is useless to compete
and this would seem to naturally tend
toward a union of church and state
against which all are opposed The
union of the sources of such power il
one man makes. him doubly strong
even though he be naturally weak and
untitled for political office. This state
nent is general and has no reference
to the apostle mentioned.
1t is true, that to deny q man his
legal right, Is a great wrong, and that
to say that an apostle should not, un-5
der any circumstances occupy a high
political office would be contrary to
my ideas, but generally speaking It
would seem that as q rule i Is an
5impropriety which will inevitably leao
to bitter discension and strife. because
the sentiment of the American people
has always been against 1t although
there may be some rare exceptions
which only serve TO prove the rule
The propricties often required a denial
OF the exercise of legal and constitu-
4tional rights. That should be clear to
ALL
In your editorial you base your dis
cussion only upon legal rights. A dis
cusSion by you OF all the phases of
this question would, in my opinion. be
of far more interest and instruction as
i believe all agree: on the one PROPOSE
ton, and a great diversity of opinion
Z Is entertained by our people on the
other. / know very many, including
myself would like to have the line
drawn in such a way as to plaza the
matter, so far as the members of the
Church arc concerned, beyond cavil, /
and remove the opportunity for the
discussion on that subject which now
exists.
1t is the opinion OF very many Latter
day Saints that II they vigorously OPP
pose an apostle in his political leader
ship and ambition for political office
that II strongly tends to effect a
lack Of the harmony 50 essential to
the lives of Saints who are not only
accustomed to daily pray for their
Church leaders, but almost idolize
them in the appropriate belief that they
are Gods special messengers to them
in matters pertaining TO the general
welfare.
I appreciate the fact that all male
Iatter7day Saints over the age Of
fourteen years hold more or less Inn
sportant ecclesiastical offices, but there |
is q broad distinction between such.
and men who are apostles and pro. |
sphets of God to all the people.
trust l have sufficiently elabprat- |
ed this question to make clear my |