| 526 This committee subsequently reported as follows:
Your committee to whom was referred the application and reasons therefor of the brethren, J. W. Briggs, Zenas H., and E. H. Gurley and three sisters Gurley to withdraw all fellowship with or from the body would respectfully present the following:
1. That the assigned reasons that impelled them to take this step was action of the last General Conference of this body toward the two first brethren named, i. e.: J. W. Briggs and Zenas H. Gurley, and which conference action we find, was the refusal of the body to sustain them as laborers in the office of an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve; and further, that at the time of the presentation of the application to your body by the brethren the cases were in the hands of another committee appointed by you to consider and report upon the same.
2. It is further cited by them that for years they have not believed in certain doctrines and principles more or less accepted and taught by the elders of the church-how many or how few of the elders does not appear-but it does appear as set forth in the last part of reason eight by them, that they never have been affirmed as doctrines held to by the church here represented. And the committee are of the opinion that the matter of the presentation of individual opinions by elders, or others of the body, such opinions not having been affirmed by the body as a rule of faith or practice, does not make them a part of the faith or belief of the body; but relate to us individually upon the issue of toleration, which toleration we believe as was manifested in the action of Jesus while dealing with men here in his ministry, should be so broad as to make no occasion for persons to wish to withdraw from the body by reason of these individual differences of opinion.
3. The committee noticing specifically some of the alleged entertained views set forth in the reasons given, state:
That as to the alleged "temple building and ceremonial endowments therein," that we know of no temple building, except as edifices wherein to worship God, and no endowments except the endowment of the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early Saints on Pentecost Day.
4. "Baptism for the dead" referred to belongs to those local questions of which the body has said by resolution:
"That the commandments of a local character, given to the first organization of the church are binding on the Reorganization only so far as they are either reiterated or referred to as binding by commandment to this church:" And that principle has neither been reiterated nor referred to as a commandment.
5. "Tithing as a law applicable to the church" is accepted in the sense set forth by the Savior in the 16th chapter of the gospel recorded by Luke, that we are stewards of our heavenly Father so far as the riches of this world are concerned and that as such we should render an account of our stewardship here; the rendition is in all cases however, necessarily voluntary on the part of the member complying with the law.
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