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Show Hj CHUBCII DISUIP.LIXE. H The x)eseret News baa an editorial H on Saturday eveointr entitled "Appli- HH cation of Church Discipline" with BNg which we entirely agree with its ex- HH pressed qualification of "within the J1 domain of its legitimate influence" but Bjil if we understand the article we must fjf dlSBent from some of its conclusions. Hif The legitimate influence of churches Hf is in our judgment confined exclue- BjJ ivelv to doctrinal and ethical subjects, HJ with either of which the state has no H; functions whatever to perform. In Brjl matters of doctrine tbe church has the Hg absolute right to Bay what is orthodox Hfjj and what is heterodox, and sofar as Hjif. the practice of what an individual or b a church may' call religion is not in Hy conflict with law, government has HQ nothing to do with it. The only right H the state possesses in this regard is to H punith violations of law if any are per- ffi petrated. The chuich has full and Hl complete authority to receive into, or 1 expel from church commission all per- 1 sons who differ from, or arree with it Hp in religious belief. HE The church has the right to prescribe 1 for its members rules to which each Hfli person should conform in his or her HSl mode of divine worship, and the 1 amount and methods of contributions HH for its support, whether in time, money H or property, but such contributions K cannot rightfully be demanded to an B amount that will prevent any one from Hl performing any duty be may owe to Hj the state, or to society. H The ecclesiasts of a church are H usually, by tuc t comity between church Hj and state, excused from some of the Hj duties of other citizens, but as in the E nature of things every privilege pre- Hj supposes a corresponding duty, that HH some tacit comity excuses them from Hl exercisinc; influences in Btate affairs H to the same extent that other citizens HH may and ought to do. Bl A church has the right to discipline BBH its members to any extent its estab- Bf lisfaed rules not in conflict with H law may prescribe, for conduct H it may determine to be immoral, and it BBfl it its high prerogative and sacred duty BBB to demand of every member to be truly BBfiL a Christian in all of Mb acts, it de- BBBfl mands of eyery member strict and B high morality, but it cannot settle dis- H puted rights to property, determine H amount of, and enforce collection of BBC debts, or dictate or even suggest the BBBg manner in which a citizen shall per- BBflj form any duty, or exercise any priv- HH ilege of a citizen of the state, except BBH that it may and should require of him BBB that he do any or all these things hon- BBB ' estly, and with the fear of God before BBBj his eyes. Hj The mission of the church is to culti- BBH yate within the souls of men and H women an earnest desire and deter- BBVfl mination to do right in every walk of B life, to teach its doctrines as a mode E ef exercising virtue, and to discipline BBn its members for advocating doctrines BBfl it hs determined to be heterodox, for BBH neglect of performing its prescribed BBaB mode of worship, or paying proper con- BBpS tribution for its auppc , and for vio- H lations of its code of n. rality. In per- BBB forming this mission it will never H trench upon the rights of the state or H society, and its members will be gen- H erally respected and its leaders honored BH if that axim of Josub is put in practice H which says: "My Kingdom is not of H this world," |