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Show THAT BOGUS TREE AGENOY. In its frantic effort to prove thnt tho members of the Mormon church aro free agents, and thnt tho Saints arc permitted to nso their own discretion and judgment in the nffairs of life, the Doserct News rlocs to one John Thor-geirson, Thor-geirson, of Thistle. Orson Pratt, than whom the Mormon church never possessed a greater logician, logi-cian, once wrote his definition of tho Bcopc and powers of tho kingdom of God, as represented in the assumed functions of his religion. Tt was a comprehensive and enlightening definition, defi-nition, expressed in excellent terms and cloarly and fitty descriptive of the Mormon theory of government. There was merely one fault with the Pratt work, however, and for that reason it has been partly repudiated by the ' church and its organ. If. was painfully pain-fully truthful. Orson Pratt went on lo show that tho claim of the Mormon church, that it was tho earthly expression expres-sion of the will of the Almighty, would naturally procludo legitimacy for any man-made government. Acceptance of the premise naturally includes adoption adop-tion of the conclusion. Mr. Pratt was so eminently frank as to be damaging. While the practice of tho church is ontirely in accord with his thcorj-, tho leaders in that organization realize that effectiveness is best served in an ontirely opposite presentation. Therefore, There-fore, Mr. Pratt is in part repudiated, and the identical need of the hour which fathers that action occasions the present flight to the obscure but convenient con-venient John Thorgeirson, of Thistle. Tho Tribune has no acquaintance with tiro undoubtedly engaging personality per-sonality of Mr. John Thorgeirson, of Thistle, but it is mindful of the existence exist-ence of one lo whom the News contributes con-tributes worship as the world 's foremost fore-most citizen, albeit ho is a law broaker. Therefore, aud desiring always lo quote the best nvailablo authority, The Tribuno will repeat the prophet, seer, and rcvelator of the Mormon church, meantime hoping that Mr. Thorgeirson will rest cas' in the assurance that no disrespect is intended toward his own ideas: The fact of the matter Is. when a man says you can direct mo spiritually, but not temporally, he lies In the presence of God that is, if ho has got IntclllKoncc enough to know what ho is talking about. Joseph F. Smith mado use of that expression ex-pression in Provo, in tho month of April, 189G. The Deserct News will certainly not object to our reference to the personal representative on earth of the Father in .Heaven, instead of pinning our faith to tho utterances of Mr. John Thorgeirson, of Thistle, and thai gentleman himself will undoubtedly un-doubtedly be abreast of the church organ in permitting to The Tribune tho privilege of reposing larger confidence in information at first hand. But there were, other authorities than Joseph F. Smith-and Mr. John Thorgeirson, Thor-geirson, of Thistle. President Wilford Woodruff was onco heard lo deliver himself in the following language: All we have to do Is to live our religion; re-ligion; and when the presidency say "Come here," or "Go thore," lot us be on hand to obey, and all will be right. Then there was President Lorenzo Snow, who followed along precisely tho same line when ho preached lo tho Saints like this: Lot us be like little children, ready and willing to do as we are commanded by the powers that we should obey. Mr. Snow had been speaking of the first presidency of the Mormon church, and the duty, of members of that organization toward them, so that the "powers that we should obey" aro definitely named. President. Ucber C. Kimball was a forceful speaker for the church, and while his utterances are now avoided by the Deserct News and its hierarchical masters and orators, they arc, nevertheless, expressive of the Mormon truth. He says: Well, now, If you will do just as you arc told, you will increase in knowledge ten thousand limes faster than you will to pray six hours; urS If you follow that course, you will no? advance 'in your religion re-ligion one-hundredth part so much as that man that will do just as lie Is told, no matter what. President John Taylor was also considered con-sidered to be a scholarly exponent, of church doctrine, and one whose interpretation inter-pretation was taken as of great value; and his observation is as follows: Nothing hut obedience lo 1)1k law. obedience obedi-ence In fumllles. obedieiu'o to bishops and to the priesthood In all Its ramlllcutions. and especially to Brigham Young as the head, to carry out his law to the whole poople, can accomplish Hie purposes of God, or our salvation as a people. Brigham Young is admitted to havo been the greatest lender that the Mormon church ever had. At the. risk of probable accusation bf disrespect toward to-ward Wr. John Thorgeirson, of Thistle, whoso saving straw the drowning church organ has desperately clutched, The Tribuno is prompted to accept Mr. Young as an authority, when lie says: I am the - controller and muster of affairs af-fairs here, under heaven's direction; though there are those who do not believe this. Conception of the thought may be possible with the' Deserct News; but it is utterly impossible for tho uninspired unin-spired lo connect free agency with the Mormon "obey-or-bo-damncd" doctrine. |