Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-05-11
TABERNACLE TALK.
RfshOP W hftney Speaks of the Absent
Ones and Their Attitude To-
wards the EdmundS Law.

noon was divided into three heads, Per
secutions," 'Prisons " and Protest.
The attention paid to each of these three
subjects was about equal.
Beginning with - Persecution, the
speaker, Bishop o. F. Whitney, said tina
the handspring of all actions and the
cause of all states of being was "faith''
and "anti-faith." Those who lived by
faith had always been opposed and per
secuted by those whose rule OF living was
anti-faith. This had been the experience
of the Saints from the foundation of the
Church. They had been reviled and per
secuted beca use by direct revelation they
were living close to God, and the world
seeing this, has always hated them on
that account. OF late this persecution
had eliminated in some OF the most
ATRoCIoUs ACTS OF OPPRESSION
Ever known in the history of the country
and this, too, in a country in which a
Washington and a Jefferson had lived
and died to secure the blessings Of liberty
and religious freedom to all alike But,
/ continued the speaker, while the late in
! dignities which have been heaped upon
! the Mormon people may have caused
some fiuttering hearts and some trembling
hands, those who supposed that by the
means they had taken the Latter-day
| Saints could be deferred from living their
religion in its fullest and most complete
sense were most fearfully mistaken. The
day was coming when those who now
seemed to have the upper hand would
awaken to the fact that it was the sons of
God whom they were prosecuting instead
of poor, weak people as they supposed.
With saddened hearts they missed from
their accustomed places the familiar forms
and countenances of those beloved breth-
rem who now
LANGUIsHED IN YONDER PENITENTIARY.
And why? Because a set of bigOted and
perjured men had set their wills against
that of God Himself And as TO the in
famous Edmunds bill, which made the
acts Of these good and pure men crime,
every Saint who is true to his religion
loathes it as a drink of hell 1t was i'm
possible to convince the Mormon people
that that law was passed in the interests
of morality Did not prostitutes ply their
trade in open day with perfect impunitv,
knowing that the officers of the law were
their friends and would protect them?
The Saints know too well the rotten hearts
Of those who framed that law to suppose
that one thought of morality entered
into them. No; it was aimed at the
DESTRUCTION OF THE MORMON PEOPLE
And for no other purpose. This was a
land that gave every one the right to do
as they please, so long as they do not in
fringe on the rights of others. The Lat
ter-day Saints claimed the right and chal- |
lenged the world to show that they had /
ever interfered with the rights of anyone. |
The prayers of the whole people were
with their brethren who were being per-
secuted for the sake offthe gospel. But
they were made of the right kind of ma
terlal and would come forth to show the
world that the martyrs were not all passed
from earth; that there were some brave
hearted ones who could suffer and he
true. Let the Saints stand up for them
selves and claim their rights. 1t was not
necessary for them to shake hands with
he devil to show how humble they were.
They should take position of
FIRM AND UNCoMPRoMIsING RESISTANCE
To the oppression which was being
leaped upon them. 1t was to be hoped
hat the petition of the people against
hese things would be of avail. and that
something would be done before the peo-
Die were driven to desperation. None
Who were true sons of God would falter
n this hour of trial, but would hold I'D
heir heads boldly and adhere to the
glorious principles of their faith in all
helr completeness, knowing, as they did.
ull well, that the hand of God was with
hem and that all that man could do
Igalnst them would be but the passing of
cloud that Tor moment obscures the
sun and then passes, leaving !
tlll greater splendor than before. Those
Vho were called upon to suffer might
onSole themselves with the thought that !
n them the '
WHOLE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERING :
md was being glorifed. 'Be steadfast
INTO death and your reward is sure. y
hose who We're now incarcerated with
nleveS and murdurers were better off
han their oppressors, for they had shown d
y their attitude when an endeayor has Y
cen made to eXtort from them promise :,
renounce their faith, that they would
9maln pure and uncontaminated under b
IL circumstances, and would come forth b
ON bondage still true to their convic- b
ons h
With considerable more exhortion along d
he line OF remaining steadfast," the il
oeaker closed his remarks by hoping p
nat he might endure to the end. h
During the course of the address vari- fC
is remarks were overheard. such az a
es,, yes, That's it, )" we will, !" etc. OF
ld the supposed points made bv the h
'eaker seemed to receive Il hearty en- b
'rsement from all present. The conpre- d'
luon then received the benediction and
sPersed amid similar remarks of appro-
ltion. "Pfi'