The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-07-08
SUNDAY, JULY S. 1883.
MIsprREoTED ZEAL.


Mormon converts. Two or three weeks
previously large body OF such converts
were also reported as having arrived IN TINS
country, and on two or three occasions oil
late the wires flashed the information thal
considerable bodies OF new converts to Nor
monism In Europe aud in even some OF our
states were ready to start for Utah. Inc
greater portion Of the people who came INTO
the United 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 statesmanshp
OF the country has been attempting by sup
posed vigorous efforts to crush out or pei
manently cripple. within the past year or
two, far from being set back, by the action
OF congress, has actually heen growing ut
rapid pace. IL 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, by
which to attack a religious or peculiar 30
cial organization however improper or de
based or revolving these latter may be.
Governments can protect lie and liberty
and property, grant privileges off CONNER
cial character and 50 secure peace and pros
perity in community or II state at large
but II Is powerless to legislate changes OF
conscience or destroy peculiar ideas OF So
cIal propriety or right and wrong. In such
m alters it is the moral teacher alone who
can perform a good work, eradicate evil
aud emplant correct ideas OF religion
aud home and society in
the great masses OF mankind.
Aud II il Just from this fact that this twin
relic OF barbarismn In Utah is growing 80
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 d moral stream to be dealt
with or to be- purified by government
agency. While hundreds Of thousands o.
Europe are lett In the grossest religious and
mental darkness, thousands Of dollars and
hundreds OF missionaries are being rushed
Into Africa and Asia ana 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
rs clear case, as conspicuous
an illustration of misdirected zeal as we
can conceive OF. The fields worked are
proper ones for the expenditure at the
right time OF the money and energy and
the dissemination OF the better ideas OF
civilization, but they are being worked at
the wrong time, Missionary effort, like
charity, should begin at home. To 80 out
among the heather and attack polygamy
and corrupt creods 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, polli-
cally and socially, and feel that they might
perhaps with more propriety send mission
aries among the "heathen of the New
world" Let us first make our own gar
ments clean, first regenerate and enlighten
our own peoples, first improve and perfect
our own systems and oreeds, first see the
beam incur own eyes, before we travel to
the uttermost ends of the earth and preach
n gospel to savages vino have only the hui
man organism in common with us Cos
pei, too, doubted and practically ignored
and condemned by half the people among
the nations from whom these missionaries
TO the followers Of CoNFuoius and BupDuA
and MAHoMET 20, II the efforts that are
put forth in eastern countries to break up
polygamy were concentrated upon Utah the
lecherous saints would soon be swept FROM
the land and the twin relic" no longer
be 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 word, the morality Of the day
In short seems TO be ignorant Of the fact
that we have heathens by the thousands
among US and indifferent to the affairs Of
home In their singular and INSTRUCTED
zeal for the 'poor antipodes." 1t is not
selfishness to thus first begin at home. 1t
is practical wisdom and justice and self
preservation.
-lh---AAs--s-A-
THE reduction Of the public debt last
month to the extent Of $ls,0O0.0OO is the
largest reduction that has been made in