| Show ELDER REPLY salil LAKE LAIC CITY utah december 1896 elder ogden utah dear brother what I 1 must consider as your very extraordinary communication muni cation of the dinst to hand this evening my first thought wae as to excuse myself rom from making any reply to it on the ground of being hurried first with my preparations for returning to my missionary labors labon to la the east second of being harassed with business cares at present and third a desire to spend the he few remaining days between we and my departure for the cast quietly with my family without being drawn into the consideration of those matters to which your letter invites my attention on stand seo nd thought however it occurred to me that the matters ol of which you letter treat are of such importance that it if I 1 could throw any light upon the subject it was my duty to do so go even though it should be at the sacrifice of my personal convenience and desire to escape fr m entering into any controversy concerning the question involved you inform me that the faith of the people in the gospel especially the younger el classes asses is being destroyed by the things referred to in your letter and it that bat be true or it if the faith of one even is being destroyed it is cause enough to make one set aside mere considerations of convenience and do what he ORD can to stay the destruction of hith in god gods s great work hence I 1 attempt an answer to your com commini muni cist carlod lori for convenience I 1 have grouped the tee loading topics of your letter what appears to tome me to be appropriate headings and shall offer such remarks upon each cacti as the state of the facts and the principles involved seem to warrant IQ in said grouping I 1 may not have followed your letter strictly as to be order in ID which you have set down ibe be several items but bull I 1 lave have done so is As as I 1 could and preserve the relation of the items to each other I 1 THE RIGHT BIGHT OP OF DISSENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH THE CONNECTED WITH THE EXERCISE OP OF THESE RIGHTS BIGHTS you begin by saying that the admitted for unity in essential liberty in things nonessential but in all thin things its charity scams beeme to be abrogated 21 2 1 mosa meaning irig ot of courso antho i 0 the present policy of the church you claim that the right of 0 dissent rom the views of the leaders of the church is infringed and that whatever dental denial may be attempted 9 the right of free speech is not a fact ID utah at the present time to say that I 1 was somewhat more than mildly at this statement is sneaking king within bounds pur fur a moment I 1 was wae tempted to inquire what change had iskel place in our sad I 1 hope tn riving state during the six months of my absence on missionary labors but of course I 1 knew no change had bad acme 0 me in that time that nothing ha bao occurred to destroy the right guaranteed in the young states constitution concerning religious freedom or the liberty of the individual or of the press to say cay whatever it was thought necessary for the individual or press to 10 say each being responsible 01 course for any abuse of that liberty but I 1 think I 1 see how bow anxious you are at point to say bay you not mean that any restriction had bad been put on free speech or me freedom of the press presa by not abot of the state elate but that one cannot dissent from the opinions of the leaders of the church or indulge to in what yta you would call aree speech without incurring the displeasure of the church leaders lea dere without in fact being threatened with the lose of hie big ecclesiastical position and with the fear of cone bitant complications in his political or corn com mercial fortunes fortune in thinking of free speech and the right to dissent from the opinion of those in authority aul hority I 1 never did so BO without taking into account the responsibility and consequences attendant upon the exercise of that liberty we are free thank god but we mut must be ready in the exercise of that freedom to accept without murmuring its ita responsibilities and the consequences attendant upon its ila exercise to put an extreme case yu you and I 1 believe that a man la in at liberty to re feet the gospel of jesus christ but we also alao believe that if one so 10 exercises exer olsea his hie liberty to reject it he be will be under and it if he persists in it he be will go to hell but because of this can we say that the liberty of man does not exist certainly not it if a man elects to make such use of his big freedom as to brida briix upon himself con and sorrow he ought not on that account to charge it to the want of liberty it if he be deliberately chooses to take that course coune which leads lead 8 to hell be ought not to complain when begets there here because be does not fl nd the joys of heaven and ibis bla principle here preset ted by an extreme case may be seen been operating variously modified all along the line of human ex peri ence the Tha blatant atheist can if he chooses deride the faith of the christian and turn to ridicule what to that christian io in the sublime et st ablog under the sun BUD and atheists atheist often d tha aba but it la Is not to be supposed that mat the blatant infidel can take that course and aad retain the respect and friendship of the me christian but be carife tb the atheist loses loees the confidence and esteem of his bla christian follow fellow citizen by this exercise of nig big right to free speech eau we say that bat freedom of speech does not exle elisi the atheist hie big liberty but he be loses the esteem of the christian that is IB the price he pays for we be exercise of his big liberty ll it la Is for him to determine whether it pays paye or not knot A man die seats from the opinions of our church lea derfie Is at liberty to do that beleas bels at III 11 erty ven even to 0 o oppose a policy they way may determine upon tut but it if so no to in the nature cf can be hope to have bare his aurto approved by them and if he himself Is holding an official position that gives great weight to bis tion can it be expected that they wili will obtain him in that position it if then hew questions were put to relation to a matter deemed by you essential or vital to the church you yourself would not hesitate to te say that such buch an officer meer ought to be deposed but you will say that you are only pleading for liberty in things nonessential gisi ol 01 but bag who is ia to judge fudge of what la Is vital and essential anti what Is ia nut noi I 1 grant you it to Is not always easy to determine on which particular side aide of the line a given action may fall whether on the side of the essential or nonessential non essential but clearly in a matter affecting the tb government of the church the causti authority la in that church whether considered as con consisting slating of its great presiding councils or the body of the church or both of these corn com benej la Is the proper authority to decide what it ie vital and essential and land what nonessential non essential it if individuals individual disagree die agree with that conclusion and rebel against itchey have no just cause of COMPIN complaint Int it if they loee 1060 somewhat the fellowship of those who acquiesce in the conclusion that the matter la ls vital and essential in the matter of the manifesto J to which your letter refers it was adjudged by the brethren bir thren constituting the general authorities of the church whose signatures were atta attached obed to it to involve a principle vital in the eminent of the church and that conclusion was by the action of the general conference of she he church and subsequently by the action of the be conferences at the stakes so that the church thas has passed upon that matter it is the jaw of the church and these who now undertake to over throw it are guilty in my judgment of seeking to destroy a church regula tion decided by the proper authority within the church to be vital vi and essential to its government govern nent if 11 there are individuals who refuse to accept this conclusion of the church that Is their right that is they are at liberty to take that course and there Is no power in the church or out of it to prevent them they can speak against it or write against it denounce it and refuse to be governed by it they have full liberty hourly ta do CIO ali all this and so eo long 1009 as aa this to ie possible the fre freedom edoin of speech la Is maintained but they have no just juet cause to complain that the freedom of speech Is infringed if their oo co re juse to fellowship them in such euch a course the situation helps to illustrate that while liberty to la a glorious glori oua thil liff is is ie also a solemn abing attended by grave ties and it a wrong use uee to ie made of it followed by from which there serious consequences jig is no escaping II if FAITH OF THE PEOPLE ON THE YOU SUPPOSE TO BE THE OP WHAT OF THE RIGHT BIGHT OF DMENT DISSENT ANI of FREE SPEECH on this had bond you say bay that these destroying the faith ol of things are fast the people especially ot or the younger classes clangs and if their faith la is once shaken baken they will have to live infidel and nd will la in all human probability reach the final retting place believing the earth has baa that action authority on OD been the cloak of design a phantom ap pp you are mistaken my ing mon men faith of the friend not even the younger classes la Is of aoh such a sickly hue as aa this paragraph of your letter paints the faith of our it it my judgment into a belief poo people pi a will not wither earth has bas authority on that god gods godin in yv y v even it if it should been a phantom a authorities the ever happen that make serious of the church should mistakes or be guilty of doing positive to individuals though the Prem presidency ideno of the church should hould violate principle of the gospel and every sense of justice and outrage every still remain true humanity it w would uld that god revealed himself to JOP joeeph aph smith gave him power to bring forth the book of mormon and through the ministry of angels ild did restore the abe holy priesthood and gave him blin it a commado conar nanc the church of christ meet meat to organize on earth the action of the first presidency or of the twelve however mut cannot aft ot ct these trutha and both the old I 1 must moat give the saints credit fr for clear more and the young haded headed neM neme than your views would accord to them when you SAY bay that the denial of the right ol of dismant and of the freedom of even it if it I 1 t were true which I 1 do no not allow is ie destroying destroying the faith of the people in the great work of god I 1 must think that the abe faith of the people la Is better founded than that view would represent it to be if in the future the time imo should ever come that the he high offices of the church should loll fall into the hands of corrupt and designing MOD men I 1 can not believe that hat the be saints saint would forsake the truths of which the spirit of god has borne record to them and conclude that they are myths because of the actions of men on the cont contrary 1 should look to see the saints true to their sublime faith arlee under the power of the living god and by the means appointed in the church reject such much men and make way for we tue appointment of others who would not abuse bhae the power of the he priesthood III THE ABILITY OF THE TO GOVERN THE CHURCH ater after paying me what you mean to be a personal ierson onal al 0 you may eay I 1 ought to be the foremost champion of the people in their ability to govern their church instead of permitting its to be entirely dominated as a at present pree ent by a few 10 I 1 merely refer to this in ID la in order to say eay first fire that you seem 0 o take no account 01 the fact that the church la Is the charob of jesus christ as well an ae the church of the be Latt erday salute and that the lord jesus ban bais retained some rights in the matter of its government as well as having conferred some rights in the church government upon the sale baigis N and of which more will be said aider the next heading secund I 1 t say any that so ao far BB as I 1 am able to judge the people now dow have their full share of power in the affairs of the church the offic tra of the church are presented to them in their stakes four times a year and la in tao tae general conferences twice a year anti and if the conduct of any one or all of them to la insufferable they can be rejected or it if any one of them Is ie guilty of grou gross sin no as matter how high in authority he may be there exist tribu tribunals rials before which be may be b accused and it guilty condemned and ana it if unrepentant he be can be cast out As long an aa these conditions eliet I 1 can not see eee that the people stand in i eed of any champion as an against the church authorities IV CHURCH GOVERN government MENT THE DOCTRINE OF CONSENT THE POWERS OV of THE FIRST presidency your communication emphasizes the doctrine of common consent to the exclusion zelua lou as I 1 think of other consideration era tion chiefly chit fly the right of the voige of the lord to a place in the government of the church I 1 would not for or the world be understood as saying anything in disparagement or of the great doctrine of common consent it appeals too strongly to my disposition for or me to do that it is i a principle that challenges at once my admiration and approval ap prova when I 1 read the fact that previous to the organization of the church the lord instructed the prophet attempting such an organization to call together his brethren mind and ascertain it if they were willing that be should proceed to organize the charob anti and it if they would sustain joseph smith as the first and oliver cowdery aa a the second elderk that Is I 1 presiding diug elders in the church I 1 greatly marveled at the condescension of god the lord had called juseph smith and oliver cowdery and bad given them the holy before this he gives his authority thich which Is his priesthood to whom he will but when they are to exercise that authority over others it can only be done by the consent of el those to be governed aej hence the me law of the church subsequently formulated mu no person is to be ordained to any office to in this church where there to is a regularly organized branch of the same without the vote of that mat church P thus from the beginning the government of the church has baa been established on the consent of the he governed and I 1 especially call your attention to the fact that no stop step of im port doe in respect to the affairs of the he church has ever been taken but what the matter has been submitted for the approval of the people the rho action of president dent woodruff in the discon of plural marriages and the adoption ol of this late rule in respect to politics are recent illustrations and proofs of my statement of 0 course in the ibe r atine of administration of affairs in the church it is not practical or necessary to submit every movement made to the people but the be rightfulness and grandeur of the principle of common consent conceded and ample provision made against the abuse of authority by providing tor for frequent elections on the principle of acceptance there yet remains remaina something else to consider nalder co in church government at Att the hevery very meeting at which the church was organized in 1880 and before the session which witnessed the organization was adjourned the he prophet received a revelation in which occurs this passage behold there shall be a record kept among you and to in it thou meaning joseph joaeph halt ahalt be called callea a beer a translator a prophet an apostle ot of jesus christ an elder of the church through the will of god the father and the grace of our lord jeus jesus christ wherefore meaning the |
