1. Introductory.—It is but reasonable to expect of a people professing the Gospel of Christ, and claiming membership in the one accepted and divinely invested Church, that they manifest in practice the virtues which their precepts inculcate. True, we may look in vain for perfection among those even who make the fullest and most justifiable claims to orthodoxy; but we have a right to expect in their creed ample requirements concerning the most approved course of action, and in their lives, sincere and earnest effort toward the practical realization of their professions. Religion, to be of service and at all worthy of acceptance, must be of wholesome influence in the individual lives and the temporal affairs of its adherents. Among other virtues, the Church in its teachings should impress the duty of a law-abiding course; and the people should show forth the effect of such precepts in their excellence as citizens of the nation, and as individuals in the community of which they are part.
2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes emphatic declaration of its belief and precepts regarding the duty of its members toward the laws of the land; and sustains its position by the authority of specific revelation in ancient as in present times. Moreover, the people are confident, that when the true story of their rise and progress as an established body of religious worshipers is written, the loyalty of the Church and the patriotic devotion of its members will be vindicated and extolled by the world in general, as now are these virtues recognized by the few unprejudiced investigators who have studied with honest purpose the history of this remarkable organization.
3. Obedience to Authority Enjoined by Scripture.—During the patriarchal period, when the head of the family possessed virtually the power of judge and king over his household, the authority of the ruler and the rights of the family were respected. Consider the instance of Hagar, the "plural" wife of Abram, and the handmaid of Sarai. Jealousy and ill-feeling had arisen between Hagar and her mistress, the senior wife of the patriarch. Abram listened to the complaint of Sarai, and, recognizing her authority over Hagar, who, though his wife, was still the servant of Sarai, said:—"Behold thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee." Then, as the mistress dealt harshly with her servant, Hagar fled into the wilderness; there she was visited by an angel of the Lord, who addressed her thus:—"Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou, and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands."[1220] Observe that the heavenly messenger recognized the authority of the mistress over the bond-woman, even though the latter had been given the rank of wifehood in the family.
4. The ready submission of Isaac to the will of his father, even to the extent of offering his life[1221] on the altar of bloody sacrifice, is evidence of the sanctity with which the authority of the family ruler was regarded. It may appear, as indeed it has been claimed, that the requirement which the Lord made of Abraham as a test of faith, in the matter of giving his son's life as a sacrifice, was a violation of existing laws, and therefore opposed to stable government. The claim is poorly placed in view of the fact, that the patriarchal head was possessed of absolute authority over the members of his household, the power extending even to judgment of life or death.[1222]
5. In the days of the exodus, when Israel were ruled by a theocracy, the Lord gave divers laws and commandments for the government of His chosen people; among them we read:—"Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people."[1223] Judges were appointed by Divine direction to exercise authority amongst Israel. Moses, in reiterating the Lord's commands, charged the people to this effect:—"Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment."[1224]
6. When the people wearied of God's direct control, and clamored for a king, the Lord yielded to their desire, and gave the new ruler authority by a holy anointing.[1225] David, even though he had been anointed to succeed Saul on the throne, recognized the sanctity of the king's person, and bitterly reproached himself because on one occasion he had mutilated the robe of the monarch. True, Saul was at that time seeking David's life, and the latter sought only a means of showing that he had no intent to kill his royal enemy; yet we are told:—"That David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord."[1226]
7. Note, further, the following scriptural adjurations as recorded in the Old Testament:—"My son, fear thou the Lord, and the king."[1227] "I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God."[1228] "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought."[1229]
8. Examples Set by Christ and His Apostles.—Our Savior's work on earth was marked throughout by His acknowledgment of the existing powers of the land, even though the authority had been won by cruel conquest, and was exercised unjustly. When the tax-collector called for the tribute money demanded by the hierarchy, Christ, though not admitting the justice of the claim, directed that the tax be paid, and even invoked a miraculous circumstance whereby the money could be provided. Of Peter he asked:—"What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shall find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee."[1230]
9. At the instigation of certain wicked Pharisees, a treacherous plot was laid to make Christ appear as an offender against the ruling powers. They sought to catch Him by the hypocritical question,—"What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar or not?" His answer was an unequivocal endorsement of submission to the laws. To His questioners He replied:—"Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's."[1231]
10. Throughout the solemnly tragic circumstances of His trial and condemnation, Christ maintained a submissive demeanor even toward the chief priests and elders who were plotting His death. These officers, however unworthy of their priestly power, were nevertheless in authority, and had a certain measure of jurisdiction in secular as in ecclesiastical affairs. When He stood before Caiaphas, laden with insult and accused by false witnesses, He maintained a dignified silence. To the high priest's question,—"Answereth thou nothing? What is it these witness against thee?" He deigned no reply. Then the high priest added:—"I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God."[1232] To this solemn adjuration, spoken with official authority, the Savior gave an immediate answer; thus recognizing the office of the high priest, however unworthy the man.