528 to providing a place of living for certain officers of the church is incorrect and misleading; for said revelation provides for the erection of a boarding-house, a hotel for strangers, in which house the President of the church as such, and his successors, were to "have place;" but neither he nor they were to own said house, neither were he or they to be its "governor," or keeper; and further the commandment to build is largely of a local character; has never been reiterated to this church and consequently under the resolution of the body, before referred to, not made binding upon us.
12. We further believe in an "imperial dynasty" only, wherein Christ is to be King, and the reigning of such of his servants who keep the faith here, with him when he shall come with his rewards.
13. Your committee therefore are of the opinion that the reasons set forth in the application fail to justify the parties in the step they have taken; but believing in the recognized doctrine by the church of individual agency and freedom of conscience in all matters pertaining to religion, we recommend that this body appoint a suitable committee of three of its members who shall be instructed to wait upon the members asking a release, and labor with them as the law provides; and do they persist in pursuing the course outlined in the applications, that they be authorized to report to the church secretary and without impugning the motives of brethren, to authorize their names erased from the records. And to carry out this provision we offer the following:
Resolved, That under the special circumstances attending the application of withdrawal from this body by the brethren named that the rule heretofore adopted by the body governing trials of members, shall be waived in the cases named; unless the said parties desire a trial, in which case the said committee be empowered to appoint the necessary court or courts which shall proceed at as early a time as practicable and hear the cases.
All of which we submit for your consideration.
E. L. KELLEY.
I. L. ROGERS.
HEMAN C. SMITH.
Elder Smith of the committee concurs in all of the report except the matter of waiving a trial of the parties, and thinks they should have a trial before erasing the names.
After some discussion the report of the majority was adopted, and the matter disposed of by the adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That under a suspension of the rules, we grant the request of those desiring to withdraw from the church, and that their names be stricken from the church record.
The following resolution was presented according to notice
(page 528) |