Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-12
WHATISMORMONISM
The Question Answered by Rev. Dwight
Spencer, for Two Years Home
Missionary in Utah.
1t is Relic Of Asiatic Barbarism-It is
system Of BigOtry With
out an Equal.
New YORK Tribune

What ia MormoDisu?" asked reporter
recently of the Rev. Dwight Spencer, a Bsp-
| fist minister, who has been Tor two years d
| home missionary in Utah.
"Mormonism," wa the reply, ''is relic OF
| Asiatic barbarism. tits a system Of bigotry
! without an equal. 1t is hostile to every form
I Of government which It does not control. Its
/ followers may obey existing lava mere
/ matter Of policy, but never as duty It's
| strength is 10 its badness. POlygamy is Its
| chief cornerstone, without which the whole
| structure would fall. 1t is a crime against
/ civilization, it, aim being to re-establish the
! barbarian of the past centuries by destroy
| ing the Institutions upon which the stability
Of the nation depends. Mormonism is no: a
| religion, but crime against religion. 1t
has no conscience and ne sense OF sin.
/ 1t Is Impiety wearing religious gar
ments and vice disguised in a sanity
| robe. Instead Of curbing the animal
| passions, il teaches that their gratifca-
| ton is the highest evidence Of growth in
grace. 1t deihes vice by destroying virtue.
Marriage, the family and the home-life can
not exist where this terrible curse prevails.
1t is guilty OF every form Of uncieanliness,
of crimes which heather nations would net
tolerate. 1t Is treason against the govern
ment of the nited States, for it is founded
in disloyalty and only waits for sufficient
strength before ii proceeds to carry out its
doctrine that all nations must eventually
become subservient to it."
'What is Utah?"
"a Mormon kingdom. with settled gov
ernment and a public sentiment already
shaped. The Gentle population is only a
mere speck in that Territory. The Mormons
own the stores, the churches and the schools,
and they are rapidly extending their bane-
full influence into other Territories. When
we consider that the Territories cover an
area as large as that of all the States in the
Union we see the vast field that the Nor
mons are seeking to control. Twenty-Five
years ago the system was weak, but il has
become no mean antagonist in Utah. 1t has
a present annual income of nearly S3,000,-
900. The increase of its population by i'm
migration is about a thousand a month II
has become power not to be laughed at.
Settled in the very heart of this great ma
ton, it ia making itself felt?'
"What is the remedy for this evil?'
Legislation and light, but legislation first
Let Congress pass law making polygamy
crime, and let the leading polygamists be
sent to prison, and their property be placed
in the hands of trustees for the support of
their wives and children, and Mormonism
would not be heard of in ten years. 1t can
only be rooted out by an enactment of Con-
gress. Having a statute of this kind the
government should enforce it, and then send
teachers to educate the children, and the
problem is solved"
as missionary work encouraging in Utah?'
"On the contrary, it is very discouraging.
Mormonism units persons mind for every
thing else. 1t even demoralizes the Gentiles.
as the non-Mormon population is called
The Mormons dance and guzzle beer like the
denizens Of the Bowery, but take the curse
off their bacchanalian performances by open
ing and closing them with prayer. The |
Gentiles, seeing religion thus degraded, and |
its pure garments bedraggled in the filth and |
slums OF sensuality, come at length to reject |
it altogether, and either rest satisfied with |
heather morality or fall into the vices of the |
people among whom they live"