| 575 coming properly within the province of an organized government; that Mark H. Forscutt be that secretary; that this
public peace and tranquility [tranquillity], all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders, against good laws, to punishment.
We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in it spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens denied.
We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct according to the rules and regulation 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 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 their fellowship.
We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted, or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons, in times of exigencies where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.
We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them, contrary to the will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with, or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.
We, your memoralists, regret that a necessity exists for the faith of the Reorganized Church being presented in contradistinction to that of other churches claiming the same name that we bear; but there is so manifest a tendency to confound the Reorganized Church with the polygamic factions, that we deem it but just that we be placed aright upon the record, theologically, socially, and morally, as well as politically. We therefore respectfully submit the following epitome of the faith and doctrines of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:-
We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression. We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all men may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. We believe that these ordinances are: 1. Faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Repentance. 3. Baptism by immersion, for the remission of sins. 4. Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 5. We believe in the resurrection of the body; that the dead in Christ will rise first, and the rest of the dead will not live again until the thousand years shall have expired. 6. We believe in the doctrine of eternal judgment, which provides that men shall be judged, rewarded, or punished according to the degree of good or evil they shall have done. We believe that a man must be called of God, and ordained by the laying on of hands of those who are in authority, to entitle him to preach the gospel, and administer in
(page 575) |
