| OCR Text |
Show ONE MUST GO. A man who was born and reared in the Mormon church, and whose family name Is one of the most significant in tho history of the movement, called at this office recently and expressed his conviction that tho labors of The Tribune Tri-bune were for tho benefit of all tho people of Utah, and for the Mormon people particularly. In his mind a rectification rec-tification of existing wrong was essential es-sential if the community would endure en-dure as a community; and since the present leadership of the church refuses re-fuses to give voluntary thought or attention at-tention to reform, external pressure was not only Justified but was made necessary In behalf of the common people. His final conclusion Is so striking that It dewrves a place In the record of this remedial endeavor. He said. "The Mormon church must bo either a financial concern or a religious organization. or-ganization. It cannot be both. Either tho church must domlnato Joseph F Smith, and curtail his present tendencies, tenden-cies, or Joseph F. Smith will own the church." Thoso brief sentences constitute a pocket edition of The Mormon Situation Situa-tion of today. Commercialism and theology the-ology cannot be Intermingled to the advantage of either. A prophet who forgets his mission and utilizes his church organization for tho advancement advance-ment of his selfish purposes will absorb ab-sorb his church and all its possibilities possibili-ties unto himself, unless he can be forced to recede. In whose Interest, then, la the work of The Tribune? In whose interest, then, Is tho quiet labor within tho church of such men as the visitor who uttered tho sentiments above stated? If The Trlbuno hated the Mormon people peo-ple It could not ask moro than that they should go on, unchecked and un- f warned, to the community perdition which the purpose of the present fulsc prophet is preparing for them. It Li because of love for mankind a desire that no worthy work shall bo destroyed de-stroyed und that no human being shall be unnecessarily Wounded tha t thc-Chrlstlan thc-Chrlstlan ministry, that Ihe American citizenship of Salt Lake and Utah, are united In an effort to force a correction cor-rection of the wrong which Smith is doing, more to Mormons than to Gentiles Gen-tiles And the young man who expressed ex-pressed his clear view- eo strongly In the language which wo have quoted, demonstrates that he understands tho need and recognizes the motive which prompts an answer to tho need Himself Him-self and many others arc conscientiously conscien-tiously engaged in pressing upon their friends within the church the truth that reform 1 as necessary as It Is certain, and that, voluntarily or involuntarily, in-voluntarily, the Mormon church must discard Its untenables ve-n if, as a means to that end, it shall be compelled com-pelled to dislodge the cormorant leader who misuses prophettc title to achieve profitable s-lf-iijrposes. |
