Discourse 1895-04-05 [D-121]

THE CHURCH DEBT.

The venerable president of the church rose at the close of Elder Teasdale's remarks, saying, "I have felt it my duty to speak of a subject that has been brought up here to-day, and that is the debts of the church. Personally, I never run into debt myself. I made that a rule from my boyhood up, but since I have been in the church in this valley I have certainly deviated a long way from that principle. I think it my duty to tell you how I came in debt as president of the church and trustee of a trust. It is well known how the United States Government took possession of all of the property of the church. Receivers were sent to Utah, one of whom I will mention. His name was Dyer. He came to me and demanded all of the personal property of the church. He demanded $500,000 in money, believing we ought to have that much. We did not have that much money, or anything of the kind; had never had it. President Taylor had given to the different stakes in Utah for the support of the poor, wheat and vegetables, and other stores which in all the Territory amounted to about $150,000. Mr. Dyer gathered up these accounts and wanted money for all that. As a compromise, rather than have lawsuits brought against us in every stake of Zion, we agreed to pay him $75,000, and did so. Then wherever he could find a sale of land, or money expended and paid out, or any other expense the church had gone to, he demanded it of us.

Rather than have lawsuit after lawsuit, we agreed to give him this money. It amounted to about a half million of dollars. We had never had that much money. It was money we had paid out and given away; but we went to the banks and borrowed $500,000 and gave it to him. We gave our notes for it and that was the beginning of our debts. We have had to pay rent for our own church property. When a portion of our money was restored to us, we had the blessed privilege of taking up a portion of our notes. The money was about $100,000 short, that amount having been spent by the receivers. We are still in debt, however.

President Woodruff thought the members of the church were doing wrong in not supporting their poor and paying their own way. The people, he thought, ought to do more than they were doing and take the burden off of the church. He was satisfied the church wanted to get out of debt, and if the various wards and stakes would keep up their tithing and fast offerings it would help a great deal. The presidency wanted to help all it could, and would do so, but it could not respond to all that asked. In conclusion, President Woodruff was thankful that the United States Government had done so well in restoring their property, and he felt confiedent that the Government would yet return the real estate of the church.