| 415 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 judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest, at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.
"We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery 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 tranquility [tranquillity] all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws, to punishment.
"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 put them in jeopardy 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 for 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."
The church by her President Joseph Smith in 1844 (just prior to his death) gave to the world an epitome of faith and doctrines which were held sacred-and the only principles necessary to salvation, this, if we mistake not was made in answer to the inquiry of Honorable John Wentworth of Chicago and published by him in his paper, the Democrat, and also published by I. Daniel Rupp, in his History of the Religious Denominations in the United States during that year, and is as follows:
"We believe in God the Eternal Father and 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 that the rest of the dead will not live again until the thousand years are expired.
"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
(page 415) |
