The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-04-07
THE CONFERENCE DEN1ALs

II is not easy for the non theological /
mind TO understand the denials made
at the Conference, upon which is based
charge of misrepresentation OH the
part=of enemies of the church" The
points covered in chief are two.
First. there is an absolute and en-
phatic denial of commerciaIisn on the
part of the Church And yet it is not
denied that the, President Of the
Church is the head of large mum,
Der of commercial enterprises; in fact,
In the very papers that report the first
days session Of the Conference. there
is report of the H. C. NJ l., showing
large profits by that concern, and
showing that President Joseph r. Smith
of the Mormon Church is also Pres
ident of that institution. He is also
president Of a large number of other
commercial and manufacturing enter
prises, and many of his brethren 10
high authority in the church are also
actively concerned in the management
and the profits Of these commercial en-
terprises. A denial that the church is
in commercialism can therefore be only
technical, since church money is un.
doubtedly used in these enterprises:
and it is with q view to what NAV
possibly come at some time in the fu-
ture when the church officials will clear
their skirts of all connection with such
institutions, that the denial can prop.
erly be made. In this view the denial
is prospective rather than actual, some.
thing that will be "A fact in the future
and is not so at present.
The next main denial is in the mat
ter of tithing, this denial being that
tIthlDg is IN any way compulsory This
also is denial technical rather than
complete, For it is certainly true that
member of the church who does not
pay his titbing is not considered to be
in good standing. But the very fact
that he is held TO be in bad stand.
ing is In itself practically compulsory
Tor the payment of the tithing. since
no one wants TO be in bad standing in
his church. Besides. as is we'll known.
good deal Of the zeal and effort of
the Mormon speakers is devoted TO the
insistcnce that the members shah paw
their tithes duly and fully. 1t is also
n matter Of common knowledge that
many of the ordinances of the church.
such as admission for various purposes
to the Temple and the privileges of
the church ordinances in MANY desirable
things, IS denied TO those who fail to
pay their tithing. Here, also, is a
very direct and effective method of
compulsion in the payment of tithes.
1t Is probably true, however. that if
one Is mere nominal member Of the
church, caring nothing about the church
ordinances and having little or moth.
ing 10 do with the activities of the
church, could get along without pay.
ing tithes- He would get nothing from
the church. and he would give nothing
to the church IL is true that in such
case there would be no compulsion
about the payment of tithes; but to
those who desire something of the
church and who are not able to get il
except through the payment of the
tlthes. the announcement that tithe
paving is not compulsory will seem like
a bitter sarcasm.
In the treatment of all questions of
this kind. as in all questions of life,
II is desirable TO be completely can.
did, straightforward, and unreserved.
A statement that is true in a merely
qualified sense, and that requires a
ernIty. s>s-S.- --.--...ay
corupleted tsi that county next week.