The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-07-12
MIsDIREOTED ZEAL.

uo,mo, converts. Two or three weeks
previously large body of such converts
were also reported as having arrived In this
country, and on two or three occasions OF
late the wires flashed the Information that
considerable bodies OF new converts 10 MOT
monism In Europe and in even some oil our
ststes--were ready to start for utah' Inc
greater portion Of the people who came INTO
the limited States last Sunday to cast their
lot with the Latter Day Saints were from
Great Britain, Norway and Sweden. II
will be thus seen that this peculiar ana
polygamous sect whom the craftsmanship
of the country has been attempting by sup
posed vigorous efforts to crush out or per-
mansntly cripple. within the past year or
two, far from being set back, by the action
of congress, has actually heen growing at a
rand pace. 1t is ever thus. All al
tempts on the part OF the government
to regulate people in their religious
or moral belief are futile and generally re-
suit in rendering special creeds and articles
of faith the more popular and powerful.
The halls of legislation are not the places
in which, nor are statutes the means, oy
which to attack a religious or peculiar So
cial organization however improper or ue-
based or revolving these latter may be.
Governments can protect life and liberty
and property, grant privileges of a CONNER
cial character and so secure peace and pros
perity in community or state at large,
but it is powerless to legislate changes OF
conscience or destroy peculiar ideas OF So
cial propriety or right and wrong. In such
matters it is the moral teacher alone who
can perform q good work, eradicate evil
and emplant correct ideas OF religion
and home and society IN
the great masses OF MANKIND.
And it is Just from this fact that this twin
relic of barbarism" in Utah is growing SO
rapidly. The moral teacher is neglecting
the fields where these converts are being
obtained, in the first place, and is leaving
the fountain-head of the religious sham the
corrupt social and moral stream to be dealt
with or to be purified by government
agency. While hundreds OF thousands OF
Europe are left in the grossest religious ana
mental darkness, thousands OF dollars ana
hundreds of missionaries are being rushed
into Africa and Asia and India to lead the
heather into the light. To leave the masses
at home or in Europe and the Americas in
ignorance and religious superstition, ready
TO recruit from their ranks at all times the
crude and corrupt organizations, whether
social. religious or political, that retard
civilization and operate as fostering sores
upon the bodies polite and stencil in The
nostrils of the purer and better elements is
as clear case, as conspicuous
an illustration of misdiected zeal as we
can conceive OF. TIE fields worked are
proper ones for the expenditure az the
right time, of the money and energy ana
the dissemination OF the better ideas OF
civilization, but they are being worked at
the wrong true. Missionary effort, like
charity, should begin at home. To 60 out
among the heather and attack polygamy
and corrupt creeds while the same things
are growing rapidly at home, is absurd and
the church will better impress the world
with its good sense and practical reform by
roofing out iniquity and sweeping away
all Objectionable and vicious systems in
the boosted centers OF its civilization and
power before branching forth and attempt
ing TO take in the swarthy millions OF the
east. who have for centuries lived under
their peculiar systems religiously, politi-
cally and socially, and feel that they might
perhaps with more propriety send mission
aries among the heather OF the New
world.n Let us first make our own gar
ments clean, first regenerate and enlighten
our own peoples, first improve and perfect
our own systems and creeds, first see the
beam in our own eyes, before we travel to
the uttermost ends Of the earth and preach
a gospel to savages vino have only the hui
man organism in common with us q Cos
mel. too. doubted and practically ignored
and condemned by half the people among
the nations from whom these MISSIONARIES
10 the followers OF CoSFUcIus and BUDDHA
and MAHoAEr go. II the efforts that are
put forth in eastern countries to break up
polyRamy were concentrated upon Utah the
lecherous ssiuts would soon be swept from
Lie land aud lie twin Eelle' no longer
be a relic. 1.-THE money and men tina are
sent out from Europe and America to carry
civilization and good tidings to the Islands
of the sea and the millions OF the east were
Kept at home and made TO do the work that
they do undoubtedly accomplish abroad,
this portion OF the world would soon be far
happier aud better than at present. The
church In a word, the morality Of the day
I'm short seems TO be ignorant Of the fact
that we have heathens by the thousands
among rs and indifferent TO the affairs Of
home In their singular and misdirected
zeal for the poor antipodes." IL Is not
selfishness 10 thus first begin at home. IL
\ practical wisdom and justice and self
preservation.
IT,. ..Sn.,for Of the puhiic debt last