The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-07

Soon after this Church was organ
lied His people were told: "for nave
decreed in my heart, saith the Lord,
that / will prove you in all things
whether you will abide in my covenant
even unto death, that you may be
found worthy; tor If ye will not abide
in my covenant, We are not worthy Ui
me-" We scarcely need remind you
that il you live cody in Christ Jesus,
while Satan has power, you Will suffer
persecution.
In the providence of the Almighty
persecution serves most useful pur-
pose. Every faithful Saint must per-
ceive and acknowledge this. Each one
feels its effect upon himself; ne sees
Its effect upon his friends and neigh
bors. Persecution develops charsc-
ter. Under its influence we all know
ourselves better than we did before we
felt its pressure; and we discover
traits 10 our brethren and sisters of
the existence of which, perhaps, we
were in entire ignorance. The perse-
,cution from WHICH we have been suf-
fering during these eighteen months
past, though very painful, has not
been without profit to the Latter-day
Saints. 1t has strengthened and in
fused new zeal, courage and determin-
alton into the faithful. It has also
caused many who were careless and
Indifferent to arouse themselves from
their lethargy and to renew their dill
gence in the work of God. 1t has also
/ brought to light the hypocrisy OF many,
and caused them TO throw on the mask
of friendship and fellowship which
they wore and to exhibit themselves IN
1 their true lineaments. But il is upon
the young of our community that the
effect of this pc -secution has been
most marked. Many of the young OF
] both sexes, when all was peace and no
war was made upon their parents ana
friends, seemed to be OF the opinion
! that they could, without any danger TO
themselves or their faith, be In full
fellowship with the world. The names
Latter-day Saint and Gentle were
alike to them. They appeared to see
no reason why they could not be on
terms of perfect friendship with both
classes. Every Latter-day Saint of
experience knows how dangerous it is
for children to stand upon this ground,
But from this delusive dream they have
been awakened by the rude shock of
this persecution. The line OF demar-
cation between the Batter-day Saints
and the world has been drawn so sharp
and distinct that they find themselves
(unless they become open apostatesl
compelled 10 take sides with their
parents and friends; and the difference
between their religion and that which
is opposed to it is brought home 70
their hearts and conscienceS With a
force never before known TO them.
This persecution is driving the rising
generation together with surprising
compactness. 1t is making impress
sions upon the youngest children of the
community which the lapse of years
can never obliterate. They are learn
ing the truth of the words OF the Sa-
vior by the painful experience which
our enemies are now giving them, "lt
ye were of the world, the world would
love his own; but because ye are not
Of the world, but have chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world
hateth you"
The Lord has said, that the wrath of
mau shall be made to praise Him, and
in this attack which Is being made up
on US and our religion we see this
verified. Our enemies have designed
to destroy the work of God. For this
they plot and toll and descend to the
depths of infamy. So absorbed are they
in their wicked schemes, and so bent
upon carrying them into effect, that
they fail to look beyond the immediate
acts which they perform and perceive
the consequences which follow. They
harass, annoy and torment men, wo-
men and children; they compel men
and women TO conceal themselves to
escape from their cruelties and in
justice and tyrannical abuse of power;
and they consign other men and wo-
men to prison; and from these pro-
ceedings they derive great satisfaction,
as they look upon them as so many evil
dences of their success in sapping the
foundation Of the Church of God and
in uprooting our religion. We Feed
not-say TO you, who have so often wit
messed the effects of persecution upon
our religion and Church, how fallacious
are these hopes OF our present perSe-
cutors. Instead CT crushing the truth,
they are advertising il ;instead of show
ing the world how unworthy and con-
temptlble we are, they are ,unwittingiy,
furnishing US with opportunities 10 ex-
hibit the heroic qualities we possess;
instead of weakening or unsettling the
minds OF true Latter-day Saints, they
are stimulating their faith and sup
plying them with additional proofs of
the divinity of their religion. They
would have the world believe that we
are low, sensual, ignorant and de-
graded, that our religion is a system
of lust; but the thinking people of the
world know that there Is no necessity
to endure that which the Latter-day
Saints are now enduring TO crafty
lustful appetites or desires. Licen-
tious, depraved men and women would
not suffer such treatment as Federal
officials are now extending to us, and
bear ali manner of indignlties and 90
fundamentally to PRISON, If they were
assured, as we are, by courts and pro-
scouting officers that the war Is against
our maxiages aud not against sen
suality II INDUCED in according to
popular methods.
This persecution attracts the atten-
ton of the world. Its disgraceful fea-
lures may be concealed for a while
from public knowledge, through the lies
so industriousiy propogated by those
who are its promoters and instru-
ments; but the truth concerning 1t is
coming to light. For while the feel
ing among those ignorant of our true
character may have been one of inGif-
ference as to our fate, or to any treat
ment we might receive. As the perse-
cution continues the truth leaks out by
degrees. Men and women hear that