New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-16

, , ,pspired according to their light and age-that
what Is called the Supernatural in religion Is maes'eu
now a. much as everin short that God did moi give up
His direct interposition in human affairs after 'he
establishment of Christianity but stil works In all ahds
and among all races
These views are only new inasmuch as they ihciuue
smith as one Of the Prophets and the Book OF Mormon as
one Of the Sacred Books They have often been held by
men, either aAirInatvely negatively The idea OF
prophetic succession" Is more remarkable than that
of an apostolic succession" In fact there Is much IN
the attitude OF these Godbees" las they are calleD
which is Protestant opposed to the Roman Catholic
spirit embodied in Brigham Young and his party
Infallibity" is the watch-word OF the latter; Inc
Right OF Private Conscience that Of the former The
resemblance is all the greater because much OF tne
Mormon faith is only further projection OF Wha' Is
called Orthodox Christianity Te Mormons profess 10
set up the Kingdom Of Christ on earth at once ihs'ea
waiting for millennal future II they make the olu
Testament their guide in choosing polygamy' oers w
the same in advocating capital punishment III they
attempt 10 make their Church supreme IN Civl
Government they do openly what many OF our Digoed
sectarans attempt indirectly. Mormonism Is a natural
outgrowth from the unntellgent side OF Christianity
from the worshpers of the Letter and the sayer OF the
Spirit.
not propose TO change the organization of the Chuch
vet II does not seem 10 that the idea OF nfable au-
thority is inherent in the organization itself, and would
always work against the individual conscience the right
Of which they earnestly assert This latter however,
is an immense service TO the people, and am gad 10
learn that the sect is rapidly increasing in power us
organ is The Mormon Tribune, which has already cir
culation Of coo copies.
In regard 20 rolygamy, they take mixed ground
frat that there are cases of natural selection" which
Justify il secondly that should not be taught to the
people as a religious duty thirdly, that every woman
should be left free 10 decide the question for herself ana
lastly that obedience TO the Government is of their
duties and polygamy, not being a matter OF religion
should not stand in opposition TO the law.
This weak point in their platform, and 1t is the
only thing mentioned in conversation which did not
impress me as bold and frank Admitting that there are
rare cases where poygamy is spiritually justified, we
must not forget that all human law general compro-
mise between what ought to be and what can BE- and
therefore be framed to meet exceptional cases
mentioned this argument, and insisted, further that to
permit poygamy for the sake Of the very few whom 1t
might possibly make happy would be at the same time
to give license to the multitude of coarser natures TO
whom the spiritual glory Of marriage is simply mcom-
prehensble
The Godbeites" have their Tabernacle, which if
crowded on Sundays TO hear the eloquent sermons OF
Elder Lyman The Gentles in salt Lake City informed
me that speech much frcer than ever before, and
that "the Church is criticised with boldness which
would not have been ventured upon two years ago.
Daily intercourse with the world is working its usual
suit In Utah, elsewhere.
Meanwhile admit that Salt Lake City is one Of
the quiet orderly, and moral places in the world.
There are few Gentle liquor saloons; but the Nor
mons, people are the most temperate OF Americans
They are chaste laborious and generally cheerful and
what they have accomplished in % years. under every
circumstance Of encouragement will always form one OF
The most remarkable chapters in history The Terri
tory does not dollar; the people have established
manufactures built roads and bridges irrigated wastes
u sagebush colonzed the of the interior desert
extent OF 400 miles, and made nucleus Of perma
civilization in the most orbiddng part Of the cont
pent We need only TO wait little longer, until they
have outgrown the narrowing effects Of their long isoa
lion, and the problem Of their relation to the Govern
nent will solve itself. BIT.