Show AND STATE some of our religious co temporaries are strangely agitated about the alleged lebed danger of church domination in the civil affairs of utah it is all on account of the earnest appeal of president wilford woodruff at the october conference to the latter day saints to stand united for the election of it good men for the management of the business affairs of the community thus the christian work an undenominational nomi national paper in new york hastens to suggest that the disestablish genf dept of utah may perhaps be feces bary the independent another new york paper also comments upon the J situation but does not suggest quite to 80 radical 6 a measure it finds the outlook for the future rather dark but hopes kapes that the gradual enlightenment vad and the increase of bep wattle tile voters will prove a sufficient remedy there Is 18 absolutely no cause for fear of a union of church and state in utah in the sense that our eastern co temporaries seem to anticipate nor in any way not perfectly legitimate president woodruffs address at the eon conference ference to is not susceptible of the interpretation terp given to it lately leading men of nearly every denomination have said substantially the same thing as did aid the president or the mormon church they have claimed to have a right to lift their voices against political corruption they have urged christians christiana to unite in the interest of good city government ern ment even at the sacrifice of party interests thus dr parkhurst telegraphs a concerning election results in Ge dotham thama may the ta lord have merey on new kew york it never will become a r eatable city till its ita clergy are so possessed of the spirit of the old pro peets as to be prepared to put a governing pressure upon secular events have prominent men in the mormon church not the same rights of free speech as other christian ministers Is it not their sacred duty to stand up for public morality and good government the matter would hardly deserve comment but for the fact that our co temporaries although conversant with the plain teachings of practical theology for the sake of a fling at mormonism either forget or deny one of the most self evident axioms concerning the relation foh of the church to the state their words seem to imply that the only mission of the church of christ in the world is to explain abstract doctrines and perhaps keep up sociability and charity among the members this is a great mistake fro from the very first moment of the aearl a earl ear ance of the church at the beginning of our era it boldly announced its mission to be to penetrate all human affairs to act like a leaven to regenerate the world and to make of the kingdoms of the world the kingdom of god or which is the same to make the kingdom of god a universal kingdom in furtherance of this great mission the first followers ot of christ very clearly indicated the rights and privileges of both state and church they inculcated loyal submission to all human institutions not established in violation of divine law yet maintaining their right to proclaim against the sins even of emperors and rulers and to break down established social prejudices as for instance when they accepted a slave as a brother and invited him to the same table as his master in this way the church frequently came in contact with the state as the church is pretty sure to do as aa long as it is true to its mission on earth but this contact was not and can never be undue interference with the state ecclesiastical history offers many instances of such interference when church officials have claimed the right to dispose of secular functions at will and also cases of state officials usurping the prerogatives of the church tt it is against this kind interference so detrimental to human progress that the constitution of our country seeks to guard the citizens and never will this provision of the constitution find more ardent supporters or more watchful guardians that the leaders and members of the mormon church to believe in the right of the church to exercise an hi influence fluence for good on the state by being by word and example a regenerating power this we shall pot got deny nor disclaim but seek to mix Church and state to effect the union of the two is a matter entirely different and one which the mormons cormons are as much opposed to as anyone else possibly can be |