The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-01
IN THE MATTER OF PROPHECY

| 10 those who do not believe that
The Tribune is a fairly good propnos.
ticator of events to transpirc at ap.
| ProachinG Mormon conferences, we dc.
| sire to refer to one incident. In its
issue of February II, 1905, this paper
editorally said
Watch next conference and hear the
sermons OF love for country and this adj
| minstration,
The Tribune did not then. and does
not now, claim TO be either prophct
or the son Of prophet; but it is in
the habit of making some rather close
guesscs as TO the future in Mormon
activity. On this account we may Law
claim to having demonstrated in this
line an ability, or prcsciencc, superior
to that displayed by the gentleman who
is semi-annually "sustaincd TO fore
sec for the church. We do not know
of any instance where the present head
of that organization, for example, has
prophesicd anything Nor do the records
show that Joseph f. has at his beck
and call the reaching perception
L
open fact that he has never received
any revelation, because he has so con-
fesscd TO all the world. As to the
latter, il was a poor excuse that he
gave to the Senate Committee on Priv.
ilcges and Elections, when he said that
he had received such revelationsp as
any good Methodist minister might have
received The reason for this poor val
uation Of Joseph F.'s apology on this
line is plainly evident in the fact that
he announces to tho world-and the
saints sustain him as such--as being
the vicegerent of Almighty God, dis
obedience to whom or disbelief in whom
is tantamount to offense against the
Great Creator. The Methodist minis
ter, though, without the Smith pre-
tense, is quite as capable as a revelator
as is Joseph +. Smith, according to
his own statement. And while this
may be bit aside from the subject
il appcrtains thereto; because the ques-
ton now is as to whether or not The
Tribune, as well as good Methodist min.
istcrs, may not be in position to
receive accurate and cnlIghteulng rev
elation.
1T transpircd that at tho April con
ference following the prediction made
by this paper, Apostle Hyrum NJ Smith
delivered himself of the following (thc
precise date Of the outgiving being
Sunday, April .. 1905):
that in President Roosevelt we have
friend and We believe in the Latter-day
Saints President Roosevelt has the great
est friendship among them; that there are
no people in the world more friendly unto
him just so long as he remains true, as
he has been. to the cause OF humanity.
VIC have beer, true to him, and, further
country. even though he and all the world
prove false 10 MS. We arc true people
believe he Is a man who has the cour-
acquante with us, and nc is not a man
that can be moved by the cry OF preJu-
dice. but l believe that honestly and tru-
ly he will stand by his great policy OF a
square deal to all men. and ] believe we
will have In full our portion Of the square
deal so far as no is concerned.
| do not believe that he is the weak
and vacillating man that he was who
knew our position, who occupied the same
position that President Roosevelt occu-
Say, your cause Is just. but 1 can do
nothing for you" I believe that he is a
man who. just so long as he believes our
will be able and willing, to do something
for u.s. And VIC Will do all we can Z"
sustain him and all other good men.
With respect to the coming confer
encc there will be no such laudation
of President Taft-for significant rea-
sons. The brethren, TO speak commonly,
are up a tree. They feel that they
want to be Gin harmony with the ad'
ministration. - But there are certain
elements in the present situation that
puzzle even the prophetic mind.
There ism Il one in the entire Mormon
hierarchy who knows-notwithsta
their blatant professions to superior
rescience-whether Mr.. Taft is to sue
ceed himself. or whether Mr.. Roosevelt
shall capture the prize, or whether there
is a remote chance that Democratic
President and Congress will be the force
with which they must get Gin har-
mony.n So, upon these grounds, The
Tribune feels bit justified in assum.
ing that the matter of currying Ma
tional political favor will be left en-
tireIy alone next week.
Besides, "My son Hyrum' simply re-
peated an old falsehood In one respect.
because no President of the United
States ever said to Joseph Smith, ''YouI
cause is just but / can do nothing fol
YOU" 1t is false statement.