9 We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.
10a 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;
10b 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 of 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.
11a We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of 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;
11b but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons, in times of exigencies, where immediate appeal can not be made to the laws, and relief afforded.
12a We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world;
12b but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them, contrary to the will and wish of their masters,
12c nor to meddle with, or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men:
12d such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.
DC 113 Intro: SECTION 113
This section is not a revelation. It was published in the 1844 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants and has been retained in all subsequent editions. The Reorganized Church has deemed it better to leave it as it is rather than to omit or revise it. As far as the facts are stated, they are a part of the history of the event discussed. The conference of 1970 ordered its removal to the Appendix.
1a To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we close with the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the prophet and Hyrum Smith the patriarch.
