TO MR. EDITOR
1840 JANUARY 22

LS. Joseph Smith, Brandywine, Chester County, Pennsylvania, to Mr. Editor, 22 January 1840, 4 pp., in possession of Dr. J. C. Hayward, Logan, Utah.

Brandywine Chester Co Pa597

Jan. 22d 1840

Faith of the Latter Day Saints in governments and Lows in general

Mr. Editor Sir

For as much as many false rumers are a broad in the world concerning my self and the faith which I profess and that my belief with regard to Earthly goverments and laws in general may not be miss interpreted nor missunderstood I have thought proper to present for your consideration and for the consideration of the public (if you will do me the favour) through your valuable and interesting paper my opinion concerning the same598

First I believe that goverments were instituted of God for the benefit of man and that he holds men accountable for their their acts in relation to them Either in making laws or administering them for the good and safty of Society

Secondly I believe that no goverment can exist in peace except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of concience the right and controll of property and the protection of life

Third I We believe that all gover<n>ments necessarily require civel officers and magistrates to inforce the Laws of the Same and that such as will administer the Laws <of the same> in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voise of the people (if a republick) or the will of the Sovreign

Fourth I believe that a religion is insulted instituted of God and that men are ameniable to him <and to him onley> only for the exersise of it unless their religious opinion prompts them to infringe upon the rights and <liberty privaleges> privalegs of others But I doo not believe that human Law has a right to interfear in prescribing rules of worship to bind the conciences of men nor do dictate forms for public or private devotion That the civel magistrate should restrane crime but never controll concience should punish guilt but never supress the freedom of the <soul> [p. 1]

5 I believe that all men are bound to sustane and uphold the respective governments in which they reside while protected in their inherent and in alienable rights by the Laws of such Governments and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every Citizen thus prote[c]ted and should be punished accordingly and that all Governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgements are best calculated to secure the public interest at the same time <however> holding sacred the freedom of concience

6 I believe that every man should be honoured in his station Rulers and magistrates as such being plalaced [placed] for the protection of the inocent and the punishment of the guilty and that to the Law all men owe respect and deference as with out them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and confusion terror human Laws being instituted for the express purposs of regulating our interests as individuals and Nations between man and man and divine laws given of heaven prescribing rules on spiritual conserns for faith and worship both to be answered by man to his maker

7 I believe that rulers states and and governments have a right and are bound to enact Laws for the protection of all Citizen[s] in the free exercise of their religious belief. But I do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive Citizens of this privalege or proscribe them in their opinions so long as a regard and reverence are is shown to the Laws and such religious opinions do not Justify sedition nor conspiracy

8 I do not believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offence that murder treason Robbery theft and the breach of the general peace in all rispects should be punished according to their criminalty and their tendancy to evil among men by the Laws of that government in which the offence is committed and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing the offenders aggainst good laws to justice punishment

9 I do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civel government whereby one reli [p. 2] gious Society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privaleges and the individual rights of its members as citizens denied

10 I believe that all religious Societies have a right to deal with its <their> members for disorderly conduct according to the rules and regulations of such societies provieded that such dealing be for fellowship and good Standing but I doo not believe that any religious Society has authority to try men for <on> the right of property or life to take away <from them> this worlds goods or put them in Je<o>pardy either life or limb neither to inflict any fisical punishment upon them they can onley excommunicate them from their society and with their with draw their <from their> fellowship

11 I believe that men should appeal to the Civel law for redress of all wrongs and grieveences where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of propperty or character infringed where such laws exist as will protect the Same but we <I> believe that all men are Justified in defending themsSelves their friends and property and the government from <the> unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exingencies where immediate appeal cannot be made to the Laws and relief afforded

12 I believe it just to preach the Gospel to the Nations of the Earth and warn the Righteous to Save themselves from the corruptions of the world But I do not believe it right to interfear with bond Servants neither preach the gospel to nor baptise them contrary to the will and wish of their masters nor to meddle with th or influence them in the least contrary to the wish to cause them to be dissatisfied with their sittuations in this life theirby jeopardiseing the lives of men Such interfearence we I believe to be unlawful and unjust and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude

13 It has been reported by some vicious or de[s]igning characters that the church of Latter Day Saints believe in having their pro[p]erty in common and also the leaders of sade church controlls saide propperty This is a base fabrication without the least the least shadow or collering [coloring] of any thiing to make it out of but on the contrary no persons feelings can be more repugnant to such [p. 3] a principle than mine every person in this Church has a right to controll his own proppe[r]ty and is not required to do any thing except by his own free voluntary act that he may impart to the poor according to the requirement of the gospel "Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn <not> thou not away" I Math 5 chap 42 v.

I believe in liveing a virtuous upright and holy life before God and feel it my duty to perswaid all men in my power to do the same. That they may cease to do evil and learn to do well and brake off from their Sins by Rigteousness I close this by subscribing my self your mo[st] obedient Servent

Joseph Smith Jr