The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-03-29
THE SALT LAKE HERALD, SUNDAY. MARCH 80 1885.

be saved" This, in short, is the modern
christians" religion-unless it has
turned another somersault, and taken
AS result, the red-handed murderer
strangled out of this life as too vile and
dangerous for earthly society, is told on
the scaffold by his attendant priest that
no hell awaits him, but the full en-
joyment of heaven, because forsooth, he
"repented" just before his neck was
broken and "only believed" on the name
of God. "Jerked to Jesus was the ir-
reverent and sat1rical phrase used by
Chicago paper, not long since, in head
ing an article descriptive of the hanging
of one of these human butchers. Is it
any wonder that crime should increase,
and infidelity be fostered in the human
heart, under such teachings? Is it
wonderful that reasoning men should
lose faith in a religion which almost
puts premium on vice, destroys in
ducements to be good, and has but one
heaven for the gory-handed assassin
and the philanthropist of lifelong
purity?
Are these specimens of that Christian
civilization" of which "Msrmonism" is
so afraid-sample rays from the moon
day of Gods truth" that we are chal-
lenged to bring our system out into.
that the comparative merits OF
their respective teachings may
be clearly demonstrated? Is it
not rather Christianity" that is
afraid of Mormonism - unless
incarnated in little children-which
bases itself upon the Bible and declares
that "a murderer hath not eternal life, :"
and that all men will be rewarded or
punished for 1.-THE deeds done in the
body" whether they be good or whether
they be eyilP
At this point some christian" will
perhaps break in: "But we don't teach
what you assume we do in our schools"
What You don't teach your children
to believe in God? mo, no, / mean
we don't teach that kind of belief in
God" Then you don't teach the kind
that your churches do, and are there
fore false to your own professions.
What confidence do you suppose we
can have in people who "blow hot and
cold with the same breath2"
And, now, as to the insinuatlon that
"Mormonism" cannot bear the light of
christian" civilization. The assumed
proof of it is, that Mormon"
pdlChto dAO " pIdCC
their little children in Gentle
schools. Shades of David and Goliah
here is an argument for you. "Christ-
ianity," having failed to crush "Mor-
monism" by coming in contact with it's
older and experienced champions, sets
itself in battle array and dares US to
send on our babes and Stockings. The
conflict which is to decide the superior
ity of christian" civilization over
"Mormonism," is to be fought with
Gentle men and women on one side,
and Mormon" children on the other
This is coming out into the sunshine"
with vengeance. A skilful fisherman
throws his line among a shoal of min.
nowS, and exclaimS: Come now, give
us bite, just one little nibble, and if
you can't stand the test you will at least
have the comfort of knowing you de-
served to be caughtl"
No, we are not "afraid to let the men
and women of the next generation have
a good broad look around the world for
themselves" but we propose to first
place in their hands the telescope
of truth, which strips the dis
lance of its phantasies,' tears off the
tinsel from hypocrisy, and show things
as they are, and not as they seem TO BIO:
We propose, in other words, to bend
the twigs of our own trees, that they
may grow up in the way we want them
to, and we do not deny you the same
for wishing to do likewise with your
own. The Mormon" leaders have a
perfect right-''one of the commonest
rights of American citizens"-to counsel
and advise their fellow believers for
their good, and would be recreant to
their duty if they failed to use all their
influence to that end.
The fact that these schools are
planted here for the purpose of helping
to pull down the Mormon" power, by
drawing away the children from the
faith of their fathers, is so patent, no.
torious, and all but openly conceded
that it seems strange anyone could be
found, at this late hour, willing to half
deny it, or even beat about the bush after
the manner of my esteemed but some
what sophistical friend, Mr.. Cooley. |
His .'most assuredly not, )" in relation to !
the Turing of Mormon" children from
the religion of their parents, is little |
bit laughable in view of his subsequent
admission that the object is simply to
"broaden their minds so that thev
will "revolt from it" of their own &C
cord. As though anyone supposed they
were to be ''lured'' with Mexican
lariats.
That down with Mormonism" is the
real aim and motto OF these schools
and Mr.. Cooley says as much in other
words-is no more TO be covered up by
such Understanding blazonry as that
printed on the banner of the New West
Education Commission, than it is to be
successfully denied that the most un-
scrupulous misrepresentation of the
Mormon" people and their religion
has been employed by Christian"
teachers, to prevail upon benevolent
men in the east" to donate their dollars
for that purpose. Have they not been
heard to say repeatedly, that the at
tempt was futile to turn the
aged and matured "Mormons" from
the terror of their ways" and the only
hope left, aside from the courts and
Congressional legislation, or the strong
arm of the military, was to work upon
the tender minds of their children?
This being the object, it is not enough
to inspire Mormon" confidence in Gen
tile schools to say that hatred of "Mor-
monism" is not taught there. 1t is
not always necessary to teach thing
audibly, or by written or printed word,
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