Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-11-26
Very respectfully yours,
SAMUEL MERRILL.
The Mornons i'm Reply
to CoifDx,

The New York Tribune of the 18th
gives insertion to the following letter
from Mormon in which there is an
attempt of Mormonism to reply to
the cOmmonsense speech of Vice
President Colfax:
have read with a great deal Of in
terest the speech of tie Hon Schuy-
Ter Colfax, delivered I'm Salt Lake
City, Oct. 9Th containing structures
on our institutions, wherein there is
an apparent faith aud sincerity man.
Tested. Permit me, sir, to make the
following remarks. Mr.. tulfax re.
marks:
II have 10 structures to offer as TO
your creed, on any religious question.
Our land is land of civil and rrligi.
Gus liberty, and the faith of every
man is matter between himself and
God. You have As much right to
worship the Creator through Presi-
dent and Twelve Apostles of your
Church organization, IA have
through the Ministers, and Elders,
and creed of mine, and this right |
would defend for you, with as much
zeal AS the right of every other de-
nomination throughout the land"
This, certainly, il magnanimous
and even handed justice, and the
sentiments do honor to the utterer.
They are sentiments that ought to be
engraved on the heart of every
American citizen. He continues:
But our country is governed by
law, and no assumed revelation JUS
titles any one in trampling on the
law
That our country Is governed by
law We all admit, but when il is said
that no assumed revelation justfies
any one in trampling on the law"
would respectfully ask, What, not if
it interferes with my religious faith,
which you state sis Il matter between
myself and God aloue?" The as
sumed revelation referred to is one of
the most vital points of our religious
| faith it emanates from God, and
cannot be legislated away; ii is part
of the "everlasting covenant" which
God has given to man. Mr.. Colfax
continues:
II do not concede that the institu-
ton you have established here, ana
which is condemned 10y the law, is a
question of religion"
Now, think that if Mr.. Colfax
had carefully examined our religious
faith. he would have arrived at other
conclusions. In the absence of this
| might ask, Who constituted Mr..
Celfax judge of my religious faith?
Mr.. Coliax has II perfect right 10 state |
and feel that he does not believe the |
revelation on which my religious |
faith is based, nor in my faith ut all !
but has he the right to dictate my I
religious faith? / think not. He !
does not consider it religion. 1t il
mine. If revelation
from God is not a religion, what is il?
His not believing it is from God
makes no difference. know it.
"But To you who claim it as such q
reply, that the law you denounce
only re-enacts the original prohibit
ton of your own Book of Mormon.
OH its llSth page, and your Book of
Doctrine and Covenants in its chap.
ter Oh Marriage"
In regard to the latter IF these,
would state that it was only oonsid-
cred portion of the discipline of our
Church, and was never looked upon
as revelation. IL was published in
The appendix to the Book of DO trine
aud Covenants long before the reve
Iation concerning celestial marriage
was given. That of course, super-
ceded the former. The quotation
from the Book of Mormon given by ;
Mr. Co!fax, is only partly quoted. !
cannot blame the gentleman for this;
he has too many engagements to care.
fully examine our doctrines. ! sup.
pose this was handed to him; had he
read little further he would have
found it stated: "FOr / will, saith
he Lord OF Hosts, raise up seeds I'M,
to me; / will command my people;
otherwise they shall hearken unto
these things" In answer TO this
my, the Lord has commanded Il, and 4
we obey the command. l again
quote:
''And yet while you assume that
This later revelation gives you the
right to turn your back on your old
faith and TO disobey the law, you
would not, yourselves, tolerate Others
In assuming rights for themselves
under revelations they might claim
10 have received, or under religions
they might profess" /
Mr. Cblfax il misinfbrned bore. J.