The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-02-03
MORMON SCRUPLES.
Moses Thatcher i'm Reply to the Ac.
CuSati0ns Of the Rev. ID. j.
Mcmillan.

L
Washington, Jan. 21.-In you
issue of the 18th inst. I notice com.
ments based upon statements said Il
have been made by the Rev. D. ]
Mcmillan. superintendent of thu
Presbyterian work fn Utah.
Among other things asserted il
that "the Mormon priests scruple q,
nothing. and have absolute control oil
all elections"
In this matter the reverend gentle.
man lie certainly in errcr, for to my
knowledge Mormon priests scruple at
many things. They. for instance
entertain scrupulous adherence of
ialsehood in every form, and always
try to be consistent and truthful, be-
lieving that the measure they meta
to others, regardless of prompting
motives, will. in the dispensations OF
providence, be melted back to them.
As the Peoples party the Mormons
in Utah have generally elected friends
rather than thoss who misrepresent
them, and they have not thought il
criminal to do 90. Do not Republi.
caDs and Democrats, whether Pres
byterian, Methodist, Catholic or
infdel, do likewise where they have
the necessary majority with which to
accomplish it?
Al to elections in Utah, 1 had
supposed that the honorable United
States Commissioners, acting by au>
thority of National law, and not
Mormon priests, controlled them.
The Commissioners-the statements
of the reverend Christian clergymen
TO the contrary Notwithstanding
evidently think 90, and I am quite
cure that the Mormons have no rea-
son to question what to them lie q
stubborn and
WELL-EsTABLIsHEDF FACT,
the existence of which-tbough not
the justice of it's beyond the domain
OF argument.
II the Rev. Mcmillan really be
lieved that the young Swedish far
mer and his promised bride were put
out Of the way by Danites or any
other ties, why did be not notify the
officers OF the law, scquainting them
with the facts. if such existed, upon
which was based his belief? As q
minister, why did he not voice from
the pulpit at the time his horrible
suspicious? Failing to do 90, would
he have intelligent people believe
that foul murder could be perpetrated
in populous Territory and nobody
know anything about it, or even
hear OF it, until he announces the
dark suspicion through the columns
of a daily newspaper published hum
dreds OF miles from the place where
the alleged crime was supposed to
have been committed?
Where were the Is. 900 Gentiles of
Utah when the young Swede and his
betrothed Disappeared
Free speech and unfettered press
exist in Utah as elsewhere in this
land OF liberty; why. therefore, did
not this servant of q truthful master
invoke their ut.ersnces in arousing
to action the majesty Of the law and
its officers. that the whereabouts
(dead or slive) of those yeuug and
innocent people might be ascertained2
telegraph lines, and swift
horses were there at the service Of
the United States Marshal, and ldep.
uties ever ready to act under the di.
rection of judicial authority. District
and Supreme Court judges were
there. Did our Presbyterian brother
invoke the aid of any of these7 II
not. why not?
Would such course have spoiled
the sentence, 1T is fatal for Nor
mon to become an spostate, the ven-
geancs OF the church pursuing him
to deatn?"
WHAT BLOODY WORK
would necessarily result If this were
true! 1t is not so easy to establish
negatives as to make assertions, and
it is less difficult to prefer charges
than for those against whom they are
made to disprove them. In this case,
however, the United States census
reports afford the RECITATION of
the baseness of which must
be apparent to ell acquainted with
the facts. The census reports show
that Utah contained in 1880 6.9S8 |
apostate Mormons, or nearly 5 per
cent. of the entire population of the |
Territory. Have these been pursued |
to death by the vengeance of the |
church? Why. sir, such crime would |
almost equal the foul deeds perpet-
rated in the name of religion in the |
darkest days OF the Inquisition. Think
Of it, murder in single Territory at
the rate of day, 81 a week, 124
month, ], 407 year. This story over.
leaps the mark. Our Christian friend
should revise. remembering that a
little molasses mixed with vinegar
travis more flies. and that truth con
perts even "Mormons."
It is appropriate here to quote from
he writings of the Rev. Ballard 8.
Dunn, Presbyter of the Protestant |
church, whose letters,
written from Salt Lake City, were |
published in the New York Tribune
n 1877. and subsequently, in PAM
L.