It will be seen that the mission of all the officers of the Melchisedec Priesthood—the Apostles, High-Priests, Seventies, and Elders—is to propagate the gospel, and make converts; while the government of the church and of the people is committed to the Aaronic Priesthood.
Of these the chief is the Bishop, who is accordingly the civil and religious magistrate of the ward in which he resides.
There are other civil magistrates, whose duties are but little more than nominal, except in Salt Lake City, where the occasional large influx of "gentiles" who will not submit to this spiritual government, renders necessary an approximation to the forms of civil proceedings to which they have been accustomed.
The "saints" themselves are not expected to go before other than the ecclesiastical magistrates. When brought unwillingly before a civil magistrate, the same being a Mormon, the case receives a favorable consideration.
Rare exceptions may be cited where, from motives of policy, this rule is relaxed or departed from. For instance, in the winter of 1863-64, Jason Luce, a Mormon, was tried, convicted, and shot, for the murder of a gentile in Salt Lake City. But the murder was of the most cruel and unprovoked character, the crime was perpetrated on the street, and the evidence was open and abundant. Much indignation existed among the miners, many of whom were congregated in Salt Lake City at the time.
If this had not been the first instance in the history of Utah of the execution of a Mormon, under judgment of a Mormon court, for the murder of a gentile, it might be taken as evidence of an intention to do justice to all. As it is, it should be marked to their credit; and it is only to be hoped that subsequent events may not prove it to have been an act of policy merely.
The machinery of the Mormon Church, through which the people are governed in all their affairs, civil as well as religious, is well described in the following extract from the Salt Lake Correspondence of the "Chicago Tribune" of May, 1863:—
"The machinery of the church consists of Brigham, who is greatly pleased and flattered by the blasphemous title of the 'Lord's Anointed,' the Second and Third Presidents, College of Twelve Apostles, Patriarchs, Quorums of Seventies, Counsellors, Presidents of 'Stakes,' Bishops, Elders, and Teachers; and last but not least, the Danites, or 'Destroying Angels,' who are scattered throughout the Territory, and who superintend the temporal and spiritual affairs of the people in every city, village, 'stake,' and hamlet in the same.
"These various organizations and persons, from the Second President to the red-haired Danite, who is simply the employed assassin of the Great Head, are the shafts, driving-wheel, cog and spur-wheels, belts and pulleys of the great machine called the Church, and as such are made to perform their various functions with a precision and fitness of things, that is wonderful indeed.
. . . "Brigham, like a skilful engineer, stands on the platform