The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-21
|THE CONTRAST
BETWEEN THEM
Reorganized Mbrmon Church Is
Governed Rules That
Are Democratic.
no ONE MAN DOMINATES,
AS IN THE UTAH CHURCH
All Acts of Church Officials Are
Open to the Scrutiny of
the Body.

n LAMONT. Ia, April l6.-Thc fifty
sixth general conference of the Re
urganized Church of Latter-day SAINTS
has closed its session here.
Tho eve of the physician looks for
Rejects. the eonstuctionist for points
Of durability, but tho eye OF the
iournaIist secs things as they arc.
therefore. 1 shall view the proceedings
OF this general conference from inc
Viewpoint Of the Journalist.
This. the ffty-siX,h conference OF
The Reorganization, convened at Ia
moni, Ia. April 6 AT 10 a. M. with
President Joseph Smith in the char,
This date being fttiugly observed as
The d1v upon which the original church
was organized in 1890; which also cor,
responds with what they understand
To be the season Of the year IN which
Christ was born In this they arc not
alone. as many theological writer's fix
The time of the Savior'S birth TO have
occurred in the spring Of the year. ow-
inc 10 December being the Eclght oi thc
rainy season in Palestine.
After a solemn PRAYER by Patriarch
Alcxander RI Smith. President Joseph
Smith delivered brief address, from
which is quoted the following:
"lf over there was n time IN the
world. if ever there was n time IN
tho Reorganization, which. from the
prospects before il. those engaged in II,
and from tho things which are within
md without. demanded surrender OF
What We call mental reservation
and engaging in the work with the
spirit of self abncgation fully resident
ia our hearts. that time is now; that
period is present.
"a az trust that each Of MS viii rcmcm-
.bcr that. I shall strive 10 do that and
81 has been impressed upon me since i
left home.
81 have profcsscd 20 be copsccrated
to God IS work. and under the influence
Eof His spirit. and if, under trying cir
cnmstances, ! retake 10 myself that
which belongs 10 me otherwise, as a
man, and engage in the work, without
fhe presence Of the spirit, or am disrc
Eardful of il, / am not in the line of
my duty. as ! understand it.
81 have sometimes thought that 1T
was great mistake TO pray that VIC
tshould be directed by the spirit of
God. and then give way 10 what may
be within us-in short, the spirit OF
man that is within us. and that under
stands only the things Of man.
"a The reports OF the leading officers and
quorums of the church were then read,
Including that of the presidency. the
Individual report of each member of the
twelve, historian, secretary, church re-
Itorder. librarian, etc.
H. II has ever been the custom Of this
body TO hear read the itcmized and
printed report OF the bishop. together
with the report of the standing board
iof auditors on bishops accounts. And,
kfrne 10 the general concession that any
board of auditors can, with a little
Mathematical juggling. make the null
IMPLICATION table look like a Chinese
tlaundrv ticket. said board Of auditors
brought in report which did not in
fnll respects natter the work in the
office of the bishop Then followed n
discussion which covered the better part
Iof four days.
The report OF the board of auditors
was taken up section by section. to-
gether with the bishops reply thereto,
and subjected 10 a severe cross.irc, the
Bishop being sustained throughout, with
the exception OF "A few suggestions be-
fing offered in the way OF correcting
iclerical errors.
NJ One Of tho leading features Of this
lfbody which characterizcs them before
<the world as n people who are thorough.
7ly democratic and believe in an open
land square deal is the manner in which
the conduct Of every officer. commit.
Tee and board is held mp 20 open
'fserutiny Every cent of receipts aud
disbursements must be fully accounted
for; the secret conclavc Is thing un.
Known. The man who sets out in the
! lkcorganization with covert motives
will end mp in an inglorious tbrashing.
u AS stated, the bishop was not found
10 be at fault in any respect, but the
eyer watehful eve had merely con jured
nrp n black horse which. in reality, did
mot exist, ms the sharp debate brought
out 10 the satisfaction Of all. But the
|anestion which most interests at this
juneture is. suppose there had been q
ttniggerh found IN the bishopric wood
'tpilel Just picture for moment, will
Won, tho shower Of retributiye cuffs
horeriug over the crrant bishopl
While tho Reorganization has made
rather slow progress in proselytlnG, con
,.Sidering tho number OF years il has
Z ffbeen in existence, the numbers OF mis-
|sionaries sent out, etc. II has 4 mem
bership now of nearly 10000, 22Sl hav-
s5ing been added in the last year. This
scems to be due. not only 10 the stigma
cast upon the name Latter-day Saint
by the avowed abomiuatIons of their
Rpostnte children in the west. but 10
another important fact aud that rs that