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96 John Tanner and His Family to pinpoint some fundamental cause which is common to all the unfortunate Mormon clashes and which still remains, though possible not so apparent at present. The author believes this common denominator is the Mormon belief in the almost inerrant or infallible judgment of its leaders, whom it sustains as "Prophets, Seers and Revelators." When these men speak, they do so though the power of the Holy Ghost, and loyal Mormons accept their judgment over all others. On the other hand, the non-Mormons accept the American tradition of separation of church and state. Most people take it for granted that church leaders have a right to counsel their church members on matters of faith and morals, but maintain that there should be no mixing of church and state. The Mormons have an "Article of Faith" which upholds this separation idea. "We believe in being subject to Kings, Presidents, Rulers and Magistrates. "27 But in actual practice Mormon leaders have sought to control their people in matters unrelated to religious matters. This has offended and in some cases infuriated non-members who held civil the Mormons made it next to impossible for them to duties. positions and perform their The unfortunate incidents of Ohio, Missouri, and lllinois were but natural outgrowths of the hostility resulting from Mormon church officials attempting to control the political and civil lives of members. Saints will not agree with this conclusion, but show that time after time the main issue between Mormons and their enemies revolved around the determination of the Saints to have their own civil as well as religious organizations. The best example, of course, is the struggle in Utah in the 1880s and early nineties as Utah sought statehood. It was the leaders of the Many Latter-day the author can Mormons whom the non-Mormons objected to, and that largely they claimed the right to direct their people in things civil because as well as spiritual. In the fall of must leave 1838, when it became apparent that the Mormons Missouri, the military leaders decided that since the Mormons were in rebellion against the state of Missouri they should be required to pay for all they had cost the state. To the Mormons this was the last straw in poor reasoning and injustice. Nathan spoke in disgust as he recounted the incident: