Show CHURCH INFLUENCE A great deal la Is now no being K said d re church influence so called a ad ia ig charged against of our fellow anat alist they cannot do anything so aa civil officers yead yea fur that bat they cannot accept a nonal nomi aan to public office without ask aek aag cou lamey etc tot a terrible state of to be ours eare one would imagine the public slid and private utterances of 01 certain of the orators oraton that the she inquisition was about to be re nao tod ted and the liras of smithfield to be rekindled in the tb peaceful vales valee of t ovir now new stilts state of utah sll all because Us h whose members per etaf be cow comprise pries dourthe or of the adult population instructions regarding the gorn imant 01 ol its function functionaries aries as aa oh ob the purpose of the so bo called imani deopp feto has aaa been so BO widely and thoroughly lilily and unfortunately bitterly discussed that it is IB almost out of place to 40 reiterate it but the chief ool tion Is that oo no church officer having voluntarily accepted wat that responsibility mud ad whose calling requires his bib time and labors jabon hall accept any employment or office that would hinder binder the portor performance mance of the duties of his big office without advising his hia superiors as aa such euon ot oi intention it appears very tory patent that this rule would be considered an thoroughly consistent in ID any ecclesiastical benevolent or commercial society Booi ety association or corporation the said aid address expressly declared that there la Is no DO desire on the part of the high authorities of the utah dominant church in any sense to influence any in the exercise of their clell or political privilege nor or functions A B I 1 understand the issue for instance inet anoe in a ward a man maybe may be called to be a bishop whose duties are well understood he la is the official representative of the church as ae such buob in his bli locality a father to the people not leek y to him his hie people or any ally portion are liable to look for oc cc guidance guidano eq corn com ort in the time of trouble henna hence he la Is a servant of the people being a citizen of our commonwealth and peradventure in the interests of good govern goverd ment client his hie fellow olti and it may be nil late co partisans politically desire him aim to represent the county inthe in the legislature or his state tn in congress this of course would involve his hie leaving home borne and being absent from his bia spiritual flock flack for a greater or lesser period does it oot not appear to all that so eo far faarae farae as the ecclesiastical body over which be pro presides la Is concerned it would surely offer buffer from being thus deprived of its beau beao does it not appear that cummon courtesy alone would require that hla his ecclesiastical superiors should be consulted before his bis accepting a nomination or election tu to any such civil office I 1 am dent that ware she be same flame tu to occur to an employs of an industrial du or mercantile institution that that much certainly would be required and in nearly every case would tie oe willingly assented aasen ted to it has baa the appearance of being naught but a well defined business rule applied to church discipline even were it a new rule role what exception could be taken to it but as ai a member of alu saiu dominant church for well nigh a third of a century it astonishes we me tuat any should denominate it a new dew rule Is it reasonable should a po polita liti oal office the performance of which would interfere with my carrying out oui my ecclesiastical official duties be red me wat that if I 1 mut must choose the former to the detri dein ment of the latter or despite the desires of my presiding officers io in the church or stake or ward of which I 1 am a member I 1 must abandon the duties of my office without notice or consultation whereby the place could be filled temporarily or permanently by some person berbon in order that that portion of the body religious may be in working trim I 1 take it that any who have given the matter consideration would agree with my view that I 1 would not dot be in good faith in my church to do ao 80 this abia being cubit inflated by my choosing political office and its boners emoluments eto etc in preference to due reelect to my off official loial associates and to my mv continuity and integrity as RD an official in the church which I 1 have voluntarily joined myself I 1 am speaking now of the extreme at phase of the matter the pint at which I 1 would i be compelled to choose between filling my contract which I 1 believe that all religionists would agree to be most sacred and solemn with my and the acceptance of any employment political or other wlee that would interfere therewith I 1 am thankful personally peno nally that I 1 do not share ebare the doubts and tear fears that some gome of my corel co oo rel eglo n iota as aa I 1 think aD unfortunately fortunately and without sufficient warrant have suffered buffered themselves thema elvea to entertain and express ex my political preferences are of the democratic stripe my experience ban baa impressed me thus thua that were I 1 to be chosen for any of the civil honors bonon that my co desire to batow upon me and that would interfere with my ecclesiastical duties voluntarily assumed admed I 1 certainly vonly go to my preely I 1 ng officer car great or orimell ori emu mall 11 not to ask aak him if I 1 should abound run fur for said eald moe amoe but to arrange as a church officer to have bare euch and a recess rece from my labors labora in the church which I 1 had bad agreed to perform I 1 would do the same it if a lucrative business offer would be made to MG me requiring my removal from we be seas of my ecclesiastical duties were my source ol of information on this point the rankest kind of a republican I 1 would still go to him my expert once enoe teaches me that if my charob superior could see bee the way clear to make the arrangement that he would as aa readily assent and so BO tar for as he has ba the power give hla his blessing eing hi even though hough politically his bia and anci my views w would be diametrically opposed I 1 fail to flod and in the said a hint that I 1 or say any church officer shell ball not run ran for or hold public office fice without church permission neither do I 1 find and ane least intimation goat the political views of the applicant shall ball determine the nature of the counsel sought bought it in IB no more nor lew less than a simple rule gover governing church officers as such la in the matter ot accepting any office or employment interfering with toe the full and proper performance of their church official antles dut iee les A grist great deal to la said laid about render lag unto ciar the which are cceal Caal avlo and all the emphasis appears to be placed on that part of the quotation I 1 do not ask that the greater a emphasis shall be laid on the latter clause claire land and unto gad GA the things that ire are geda 10 but do ask aak for it at as Is least W equal import As A a citizen of the united states stater I 1 bold up my hand band and solemnly ol emoly ovo ore aada to support the constitution of the he united states and to obey we the laws jaw thereof As A a member of my church I 1 have hare made an equally at least solemn covenant to abide ise if regulations and I 1 think no good american should hould take exception to my doing this unless my church boball require my performance of aota abts repugnant to me institutions of our body politic in case the burden of proof rests upon the accusers the phrase church li Is me 0 o often and irreverently used and so 10 many vague charges made regarding lt it that one feel fee la to ask aar pardon for mention ing it but so BO much has hag been said in the legislature and so ao many unkind made to it that I 1 could not retrain refrain from thinking that our lour worthy representatives L hope that a majority of them are not carrying out their pet theory of economy in the public oz ex V Endl tures in engaging paid chaplains chaplain t to Is reasonable to believe and hope that hat on the dally daily assembly of the branches brano beB of the legislature prayers ameant to the creator making baking that he III endow them with wisdom and knowledge that the laws law by them enacted shall redound to the benefit of their constituents and aad to the glory of him who to la father of all now it la Is further proe umed that should they be blessed with this heavenly unction their minds would be opened and thereby would be able to legislate Jeni as aa perfectly as ae it to Is within mortal cap abil ly ity to do iiii all I 1 may be permitted to ob solve as aa a result of their seeking and what la in better obtaining coo counsel noel I 1 irom rom their superior officer the father of 01 lights we the great lawgiver himself elf if our legislature la Is so BO opposed to seeking counsel ro afraid of church as aft opposed to trick tricksters influence and would not receive from any source whatsoever even if served on a silver platter then I 1 say eay the service of f chaplains should be dispensed with as aa an expensive nonessential non noo essential but we hope for forgetter better things while shia state forbids any domination of state affa affairs irp we desire that the state w will III keep its ita hands off the so eo long ionic as aa a citizen performs loyally the thereof he hall ahall not be made a civil martyr because of his ecclesiastical fealty JOSEPH LAKE TOWN rich county utah february 14 1897 |