Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-14
A CONSERVATIVE VIEW OF UTAH.

Elsewhere Il > print an article from the
New York Posi- on the situation in Utah.
The article is moderate in tone but COM
prehensive in view. 1t describes the stu
ton in Utah about as it is, and it is the
fact that such papers as the Post, paper
conservative in all things, radical and
sensational in none, looks upon the con-
dition Of affairs here as serious that should
give the people OF Utah pause. 1t is
with sorrow and regret that we are COM
PEELED to admit the truth of the Posts
assertion that ''the Territory Of Utah, and
considerable portions of Idaho. Nevada,
Arizona and Colorado are inhabited by a
people as hostile to the United States
as the Tories were in the Revolution, or
as La Vendee was TO France in 1893, or
as the Fenians are to Great Britain to-
day" The vast majority OF the people of
Utah know absolutely nothing about the
genius of American institutions, and what
they do know of those institutions they
have learned from Mormon elders who
have taught them that God instituted
this Government and established its Con-
stitution for the express purpose of estab-
fishing and protecting His kingdom. With
such teachings is it at all strange that the
people of Utah, who are isolated from
intellectual contact with those who differ
from them, should look upon the institu-
tions Of the United States as created
specially for their benefit and for the pur-
pose OF advancing the welfare of the
church of which they are members? This
false idea is to a very great extent the
cause of all our woe in Utah, and SO long
as lasts this false idea so long will last the
woe. How shall this false idea be eradi-
Gated and true ideas of American institu-
tions be inculcated? This is the question.
The simple fact that such a powerful
church as the Mormon church could arise
in the nineteenth century and grow and
spread in spite of all opposition is one of
the most remarkable facts in history. |
All religion rests more or less on |
faith, and among Christian churches |
the Hebrew Bible is the foundation of |
their religions. The reverence which is
paid to the Bible forbids the majority of
Christians to examine it in the light of |
true criticism and to apply to it the same
rules that are applied to all other books.
To the devout believer in the Bible the
criticism of Mathew Arnold is as OBJ
noxious as the criticism of Strauss or
Renan. Still the criticism of the writer's
is not alike. There has been no influence
of authority working among Christians
to prevent them from testing the
peculiar theological works of the
Mormons, and the consequence
is that people have condemned without
measure the pretensions OF the Mormon
works. Thc.y are not so grand or SO in
stinct with the highest hopes of man as
the Hebrew Bible is, but taken by them
selves have they not as much right to !,
claim Of divine origin as the Hebrew
Bible? The claims of divinity and inspi- {
ration for anything cannot be success
'ully disputed, while the evidence of such
livinity will be found in the heart of each i
believer. The Mormons find plenty
,f evidence in their hearts for l
he divinity OF their belief, and to destroy ! |
his is most difficult matter There is
10 objection to their beliefs, but only to a
heir practices, but unfortunately these h
ire but the outgrowth of the beliefs. Here !
s the problem q