The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Latter Day Saint churches; Latter Day Saints
"5. We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the
respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their
inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments;
and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus
protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments
have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgment are best
calculated to secure the public interest, at the same time, however,
holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
"6. We believe that every man should be honored in his station:
rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of
the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws,
all men owe respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony
would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted
for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals
and nations, between man and man, and Divine laws given of heaven,
prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to
be answered by man to his Maker.
"7. We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and
are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free
exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they
have a right in justice, to deprive citizens of this privilege, or
proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are
shown to the laws, and such religious opinions do not justify sedition
nor conspiracy.
"8. We believe that the commission of crime should be punished
according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery,
theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be
punished according to their criminality, and their tendency to evil
among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is
committed; and for the public peace and tranquillity all men should
step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good
laws to punishment.
"9. We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil
government, whereby one religious society is fostered, and another
proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of
its members as citizens, denied.
"10. We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal
with their members for disorderly conduct according to the rules and
regulations of such societies, provided that such dealings be for
fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious
society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to
take from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either
life or limb, neither to inflict any physical punishment upon them;
they can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from
them their fellowship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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