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Show A PLAIN DUTY NEGLECTED, It is observed that in the official notice no-tice of the excommunication of Elder Charles Woolfonden of Beaver, signed by Elder William G. Bickloy, clerk of the high council of the Beaver stake, the cause for excommunication is givon in that Elder Woolfendon "violated the manifesto issued by tho late President Wilford Woodruff, and adopted by the church." Tf there is honesty in the membership of the Salt Lnkc stake of Ziou, some resident in that ecclesiastical subdivision subdivis-ion will now prefer a chargo against Joseph F. Smith upon the same ground on which Elder Woolfeuden was excommunicated. ex-communicated. Elder Nephi L. Morris, who is president of that stake and of its high council, will entertain the charge and proceed with a trial of the president of the church for violation of the Woodruff manifesto. Proof to sustain sus-tain the charge can bo had iu Joseph F. Smtih's own interpretation of the Woodruff manifesto, and in his Washington Wash-ington testimony to the effect that he Is not abiding by the same. Of course, tho case will have to go to the bishop of the ward in which President Smith lives. Ho claim" residence in tho sixteenth six-teenth ward, of which Elder Edwin "F. Parry is bishop. Edwin is a meek man and a good one, as we know, and ho is usually particular as to attendance to all of his ecclesiastical duties; but we doubt very much if he could have the ctfurage to now proceed against his superior, su-perior, as would seem to be his plain duty toward his church and his State. The Tribune is competently advised that if any infraction of church rule were committed by anj' other member of his ward, Bishop Parry would cause the formation of proper complaint against the man; and at this time it is evident that if he hns sufficient, stamina to pro-coed pro-coed with his duty he will vindicate the most, earnest pretense of the Mormon Mor-mon church that it has faithfully made up its mind to abide by the Woodruff manifesto, and that it is sincerely holding hold-ing to that determination. In this matter mat-ter he would undoubtedly be upheld by President Nephi L. Morris of the Salt Lake stake (if we are to believe his frequent public utterances), and by Elders El-ders George R. Emory and Edward T. Ashton, counselors to tho president of tho stake. It ought to make no difference, in justice, jus-tice, that Elders Emery and Ashton are themselves polygamists and likewise violating "tho manifesto of tho late Wilford Woodruff, and adopted by the church." The matter of performance of a plain duty should not permit that fact (0 stand in tho way of that performance. perform-ance. But when wo come to think of it, Mr. Smith testified in Washington that the members of tho Mormon hicr-archv hicr-archv wero mostly in tl?e same status with himself, and that neither could consistently find fault with nor nroceod against the other, whatever Bin ho may commit. |