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
"Under these several men (the Church Presidents) the social
autocracy has had its varying fortunes, but at the present time
it is probably at as high a point as it ever reached under the
original Joseph or under Brigham Young. * * * I want you to know
that this religion, claiming to recognize and secure the equality
of men immediately established and has maintained for the mass of
its adherents that social equality, but has elevated a class of its
rulers to regal authority and splendor * * * the chief among them
has the dignity of a monarch. * * * In all this social system each
Apostle has his great part. He is inseparable from it. He wields
now, as does the minister at court, such part of power as the
monarch may permit him to enjoy, and it is his hope and expectation
that he will outlive those who are his seniors in rank in order
that he may become the ruler."
There is much more to the same effect, but this is enough to show you
that the existence of both a "monarchy" and a "monarch" are charged as
existing in the Church organization and in its president.
I wish to call your attention to the fact that this is mere assumption.
There is no "monarchy" and there is no "monarch" in the Mormon Church.
It is a fundamental, constitutional, and I might say institutional
principle in the Church that all things in the Church shall be done
by common consent of the Church; (Doc. & Cov. sec. xxvi) and so long
as that remains the great underlying principle of the government--and
largely even of administrative functions,--of the Church of Jesus
Christ, I ask you where the principle of monarchy can come in?
Furthermore it is expressly provided that no officer of the Church
can occupy a place in any of the general or local quorums of the
Church, only as he is sustained and accepted by the members of the
several divisions of the Church named. (Doc. & Cov. xx: 65.) Moreover,
elections, which give the opportunity to get rid of undesirable
officers, are more frequent in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, than in any other system of ecclesiastical government known to
men. Will you tell me how a monarchy can exist in the face of these
fundamental truths? I would like to see some explanation of that.
Again, the President of the Church is no "monarch." Yet let me read to
you how he is described in Mr. Kearns' adopted speech:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account