Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-05-18


Hence, " argues the World, "if pres
oBt vitality were test of future growth,
Meihodism and Catholicism are dying
faiths, and Mormonism is thriving and
living faith" The general result, at the
same ratio Of respective increase, through
the present and the next two decades,
would be as follows:
1850 1880 1900.
Methodists .......7, 900 900 100000 900
Catholics -. 100000 $4,000 100000
Mormons. ........ $4,000 $4,000 22,750,0O0
The Tribune replis to the World by
presenting the simple fact that the growth
OF Utah has been from emigration TO the
United States, and not from legitimate
increase within the United States. This
fact is of itself suggestive, for it shows
that Mormonism is not the thriving and
living faith" in America, where for the
last quarter of century it has not made
scarcely any converts, and refers the
whole problem Of growth to Europe.
The Tribune then proceeds to show that
in the exact proportion that the peculiar
faith is extending and strengthening in
Utah it is declining in Europe, where it
has all its prosely;ing centres. The
World denies, however, that the facts
show a decrease Of Mormonism in other
countries. 1t says:
The British census Of 1871 returns
eighty-siX Mormon churches in England
and Wales. Conceding that these num-
her no more members than the Mormon
churches do in Utah, and We have
III IS o3,s3s, showing that there must
be now in England and Wales over A, 0O0
Latter-Day Saints, in spite OF the i'm
msnse immigrations which are supposed
to have drained those churches. -
The Trbune rejoins that 'ths 1900
L4tter-Day Saints now in England and
Wales is another Of the Worlds statisti-
cal fctions, there being not more than
from 5000 to 10000. We are also told
the British census of 1871 returns SC
Mormon churches in England and Wales,
which IS supposed to give this $4,000;
but lay the So by the side Of 500 Nor
mon churches in Great Britain in 1850,
as shown in the church statistics, and
surely these are signs of decrease.
The explanation is that the 500 churches
have been partly broken up by this de-
crease"
Leaving the figures with our cotempor-
aries, We would ask if there is, in view Of
the rise and progress of older and similar
institutions, any probability Of the com.
plete eradication Of Mormonism? Is il
not as strongly organized to withstand
opposition and perpetuate itself as hoar,
Mohammedanism, which, having its orr
gin in the deserts of Arabia and with al
unlettered man, over twelve centuries
ago, has withstood every opposition
known to human energy and ingenuity
and multiplied until it now numbers its
devotees at 100, 000,0 900? We know it is
somewhat irritating to consider the ques-
ton deliberately-it is "almost enough
to make a preacher swear but who can
reasonably work out a negative answer
Denouncing the fraud by which the Book
OF Mormon was foisted on ignorant PEG.
pie as a work Of inspiration, adducine
facts to show that the leaders of Mormon,
ism. are upholding it for self-aggrandize.
ment, demonstrating that only the weak
minded and the superstitious can BE-
proselyted, proving that its practices are
abhorrent to Christianity and violative Of
the laws of ciyilization--all this will dc
IN maintaining general line of argu
ment; but from such reasoning can thu
philosophizing moralist reach negativ,
answer to the vital question, Is Nor
monism ineradicable? The longer it ex
lists the deeper does it become rooted, ant
the further it is removed from its fraudu
lent origin the more difficult it must be
to expose the fraud. Must it not sue.
cumb to moral progress? That is the
knotty question; bnt the peculiar faith is
SO organized that it is itself progressive,
the prophet of the age being fitted to the
circumstances Of the age, and the danger
is that the moral progress" which is to
annihilate Mormon progress will always
find the latter just as far out of its reach
as it is now.
SUPPOSED STAGE RoBBER.-Says the