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Show 122 DOCTRINE OF THE in Salt Lake City. They are collectors of tithes, keep the census of their several districts, and settle difficulties existing among the saints, when they can do so, subject to appeal to higher authority. They are supposed to admin ister to the spiritual wants of the people of their charge, and visit their homes for this purpose. In this respect their duties are made similar to those required of Metho dist class- leaders, and are discharged about as inefficiently as the majority of our Methodist brethren discharge theirs. Bishop Hunter is the chief of the Bishops, and is the channel through which any matter of business the Ward Bishop may be unable to settle to the satisfaction of the parties, or any grievance, must be communicated to higher authority. VII. The High Council. This consists of twelve High Priests, with the President of the Church at its head. It is the highest authority to which parties may appeal when they feel aggrieved by the decision of their Bishop or other local authority. The President is required to give the de cision in all cases brought before the Council when the others vote upon it. The reader may imagine how far the opinion of one who is thought incapable to err has to do with the vote of the Council. Its jurisdiction is confined to temporal matters. Litigation, which should properly come before United States courts, which the Mormons decline to recognize further than absolutely compelled to, is decided upon by the High Council, and from this there is no appeal. It is true that such cases might then be taken before a lawful court,, but no Mormon dare do such a thing. Besides the officials of the church here enumerated, there are several other classes, known as Elders, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons ; but as the duties of all these are included among those of higher grades, and as they inter lace and overlap each other, so I will not occupy more space in referring to them. It will be seen by the foregoing, that the church is vir tually a State organization as much as an ecclesiastical, but |