LEGAL ORGANIZATION by John Norton Loughborough

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1860

LEGAL ORGANIZATION.

By John Norton Loughborough

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

My mind has been led to some reflections on the above subject and text, by reading Bro. White's remarks in Review No. 14, under the head of "Borrowed Money." It seems from Bro. White's remarks that we have come to a point where it is necessary that something should be done. No reasonable man, it seems to me, could blame Bro. White for not wishing to be responsible for the debts of the Review Office. No worldly man would wish to assume such a responsibility, and I seriously doubt whether any of you, brethren, would wish to assume a debt of $1500, without anything to secure you. Bro. White for a long time had on his shoulders not only the care of editing the Review, but also the whole responsibility of the financial department. This burden he bore till his health failed under the load, and the church came up to take it, and relieve him. The church cheerfully took the Office and books off of Bro. White's hands, and thus raised the means to relieve him of the debts which had been incurred in printing the books then on hand. This, of course, was a relief to Bro. White; and not only so, but it also stopped the mouths of those who were forever harping on speculation at the Review Office.

I presume the brethren did according to their best light at that time. But we may readily gather from Bro. White's remarks in the Review above referred to, that the work is not yet completed. In the position the church have placed Bro. White as publishing agent, we readily see that he still has burdens upon him, which could be made easier by placing matters in such a shape that the responsibility of debts, &c., will not rest upon one individual.

He has borrowed means to put into the Review and books, and taken the responsibility of those debts. I, as an individual, do not blame Bro. White for throwing off that responsibility. If the church were in a position to hold property by law, we readily see that the property might then be insured, and business be transacted in the name of the church, or institution, whatever it might be called. Probably no insurance company would wish to insure in the name of Review Office any more than "the sister" would wish a note signed, Review Office, unless it was a properly organized institution bearing that name. Now what I understand is necessary to remedy all the defect there is in this matter, is to organize in such a manner that we can hold church property legally. Then the property could be held in the name of the church, insured in the name of the church, money borrowed in the name of the church, and no individual would have to take a burden upon him, which he ought not to bear.

But, says one, if you organize so as to hold property by law, you will be a part of Babylon. No; I understand there is quite a difference between our being in a position that we can protect our property by law, and, using the law to protect and enforce our religious views. If it is wrong to protect church property, why is it not wrong for individuals to hold any property legally? If it is not wrong to hold farms and village lots in a lawful manner, neither is it wrong to hold church property in the same manner. I should think the same principle was involved in both cases. As Bro. White has requested the brethren to speak out, I would say, I am in favor of organizing by law, that we may be able to hold and legally protect our church property.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Ionia, Feb. 28th, 1850.