| 316 preparatory to the reëstablishment of the church in Zion, when the scattered saints on this land will also be commanded to gather and return to Zion, and to their inheritances, in fulfillment of the promises of God. And it is the duty of the saints to turn their hearts and their faces towards Zion and supplicate the Lord God for such deliverance.' . .
"That E. C. Briggs and C. G. McIntosh prosecute a mission to Utah, Nevada Territory, and California.
"That Brn. Joseph Smith, J. W. Briggs, and W. W. Blair be appointed a committee to prepare a preface to section 110 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, to make known our political faith. 1
1 THE DECLARATION OF LOYALTY.
To the government of the United States by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:- The Annual Conference, of April 6, 1863, at its recent session at Amboy, Illinois directed that the article on "governments and laws in general," which are in Doctrine and Covenants, section 110 be published in the Herald that all may know the ground that the saints of God occupy with regard to civil rulers and civil laws. It furthermore appointed Joseph Smith, Jason W. Briggs, and W. W. Blair a committee to write a brief preface to said article. We therefore submit the following:-
It must be evident to the saints that the time has come when the wrath of God is beginning to be poured out upon the enemies of God and his people agreeable to the word of promise, and that the most striking and prominent event in bringing it about was the rebellion first of South Carolina, then of all the Southern States, who have been and are now warring against the Northern States. When it is admitted, and indeed declared, that South Carolina and the Southern States are in rebellion, it is easy for us to tell where our government is. It is that authority to which they will not submit and which they are resisting by force of arms. Without legal and rightful authority properly vested, there could be no such thing as rebellion, for rebellion is resistance to rightful authority. Now rebellion, we are told, is as the sin of witchcraft, and witchcraft was anciently a crime, punishable with death. Rebellion is no less obnoxious now than then. The evils resulting from it are as great now as then, and it should find as little favor and sympathy with the people of God now as it has in any past time. The fact is, God has always called his people to peace-to be obedient to kings, governors, and rulers in general, except when they dictate in matters of religion-in matters pertaining to the salvation of the soul. It is therefore the duty of all saints to set a bright and worthy example in this respect to the erring and disobedient family of man.
Jesus, our blessed Master, paid tribute to Cæsar, and he was far greater than Cæsar; yet he recognized and respected the civil power of him who had by force of arms put an iron yoke of bondage upon the once favored but now disobedient people of Israel. He said: "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Following Christ does not lead us into contact with civil rulers, but to honor them and respect them as ministers of God who are
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