Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-06-22
EXEMPT FROM TA .i.

Z, :. + ~ q . 4 - Is
The Tribune has worried a great deal
lately about the exemption Of the Tenn
9ple from the taxable property. 1t has
. a writer WHO has asserted repeatedly
that that sacred building ought to be
4 taxed. because the Mormon temple IS
neither Il church, nor Il public place OF
worship The writer in question be-
5 lieves he has made out a case by quot
4 ing a recent pamphlet issued by the
Bureau OF Information for the benefit
Of tourists, in which It is stated that
1.-THE Temple is not q church or pub
\ lie place OF worship. But the paper,
as usual, is entirely off.
IN the first place. the lines quoted
from the pamphlet are not intended I'D
Nh authoritative definition Of what the
Temple is. They are part Of a con-.
u versation between a visiting clergy
9 man, another traveller who had Joined
one of the numerous tourist parties and
a guide. The clergyman thought IT
strange that the Temple was not open
% visitors, and expressed himself to
/. that effect, Whereupon the other tour rs.a
list remarked: have Travelled around
4 tho world and have entered the church
es where, TO which the guide
RENTED:
II grant that you may find many
peeuliar;things about us;ss but the Tenn
pie as not q church or a public place
OF worship. 1t is to rus what Solo
,te. Gin
holy place, devoted to sacred ordi-
nances. We perform, here marriage
4 and baptisrnal ceremonies and other
sacred rites, some Of which arc for
the dead
Is no reasonable excuse for quoting
the pamphlet as authority for the AS
sertion that the Temples not place
Of worship. The author Of the little
book which, blythe way, is a very
excellent publication merely quotes
what the guide told the tourist party.
And lie did not say the Temple IS not
4 a place OF worship. On tho contrary,
lie said it is to us what the Temple Of
solomon was to the people that built
that, magnificent edifice.
b In another pamphlet, by D. NJ. Me-
& Aiiister also published by the Bureau,
asirailar idea is Expressed thus:
81 Unlike sypagogues. churches, cath
5edrals. and Dther places of Worship the
temples herein referred to, 1.-THE Temple
Il OF Solomon and later structuresl We're
not designed, and notaiised, as places
of: public asselnbly for the people IN
general. These temples We're reserved
for special holy purposes, in which
onlyla limited number Of the priests and
people could participa IA
y so Il Is evident that the alleged quo
tation, by eliminating the explanatory
context, u S misleading and therefore
false.
s45ln the second place, the law does not
say that a. building must Bea church
or a. public place Of worship, to be ex-
ernpt from taxation. The law express
Sly says that lots with the buildings
thereon used exclusively for either re-
5liSions worship or charitable purposes"
are exempt IT does not specify Church
5es, nor public places Of Worship
4 ,rhe only specification is 'buiIdings
used clusively for, religio purposes y
And that As overlook by the Tribune.
{ insits hunger for taxes. The Temple is
q sacred building used exclusively for
religious Worship and for that reason
1T is BY the law exempt from taxation.
s But we presume the Tribune would
gladly see that law broken II thereby
z more money could DO secured for the
American" administration to control,
especially at election time.