Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
I did not call the social system a violation of the pledges to the
country, but I do affirm that the business tyranny of Mormon leaders is
an express violation of the covenant made, for they do not leave their
followers free in secular affairs. They tyrannize over them, and their
tyranny spreads even to the Gentiles. In all this I charge that every
apostle is a party to the wrong and to the violation. Although I speak
of the president of the church as the leader, the monarch in fact,
every apostle is one of his ministers, one of his creators, and also
one of his creatures, and possibly his successor; and the whole system
depends upon the manner in which the apostles and the other leaders
shall support the chief leader. As no apostle has ever protested
against this system, but has, by every means in his power, encouraged
it, he can not escape his share of the responsibility for it. It is an
evil; they aid it. It is a violation of the pledge upon which statehood
was granted; they profit by it.
THE POLITICAL AUTOCRACY.
I pass now to the political aspect of this hierarchy, as some call it,
but this monarchy as I choose to term it.
I have previously called your attention to the social and business
powers, monopolies, autocracies, exercised by the leaders. Through
these channels of social and business relations they can spread the
knowledge of their political desires without appearing obtrusively in
politics. When the end of their desire is accomplished, they affect to
wash their hands of all responsibility by denying that they engaged
in political activities. Superficial persons, and those desiring to
accept this argument, are convinced by it. But never, in the palmy days
of Brigham Young, was there a more complete political tyranny than
is exercised by the present president of the Mormon Church and his
apostles, who are merely awaiting the time when by the death of their
seniors in rank they may become president, and select some other man to
hold the apostleship in their place--as they now hold it in behalf of
the ruling monarch.
In this statement I merely call your attention to what a perfect
system of ecclesiastical government is maintained by these presidents
and apostles; and I do not need to more than indicate to you what
a wondrous aid their ecclesiastical government can be, and is, in
accomplishing their political purposes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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