Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-24
M0RM0NISM.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
THE CHURCH.

LETTER FROM The PRESIDENT Or
THE CHURCH.
He Processes Great Faith to the United
States on Behalf of Himself and
Followers.
[By telegraph to the Dispetch.l
CHrcaGo. November 23.-In response TO
TELEGRAM from the Associated Press asking
for his statement concerning the lnyestlga-
ton now in progress IN SAT- LAKE 1ity
Mallard Woodruff, president OK the Nor
mon Church. sends the following:
SAL IGLe November 23.--Ihs u the pc
r;odical auti-NOrmon sensation which we
are accustomed 10 expect IN November.
Congress meets I'm December. and II Is pre-
sumed that the usual efforts will be mado
10 secure legislation against the MOrmous.
OF course this cannot be accomplished
unless the public mind is prepared for It,
in addition 20 this might explain that we
are on the eve of an important mumcipal
election here, IN which the anti-Mormon
party. by preventing the naturalization OF
Mormons and IN other improper ways,
hone 10 he successful. / can truthfully say
there is absolutely nothing IN the Mormon
religion Shat IS not consistent with the
mostu9triotic devotion to- the Government
OF the United States. The revelations and
commandments to the Church require that
the Constitution and laws OF the land shall
bc upheld. IL Is also part of our belief that
tine time Will come when this country Will
be Distracted iy the departure from the
shirt and letter OF the Constitution. and
when general lawlcssness VIII prevail, and
that when that condition shall arrive the
Mormon people will step forward aud take
an active part in rcscuing the nation from
ruin. As people the Mormon, have the
hienoat vrueratiOn tOr the institutions OF
the republic. There are among. the COM
munity quite number OF descend
ants from tho. heyoiutlonary, miners
Who fought and bled 20 establish our pc
culiar Government. In regard 20 the clam
that the priesthood or chicf authOriticS OF
the Church usurp the right TO control tho
Mormon pcODle in their temporal ~ well
as pollfical affairs. would say J am the
present head of the Church, and do not
make any such clam. il would be- lmpos-
sible 20 exercise 10 if | did. The Mormon
people would not tol crate such nbsOlutlsm.
Tho CHARGE of undue interference ~ ab-
surd Elections are conducted under q
strictly secrot-ballOt system, 40 that no
man knows how his neighbor votes. All
mauaacnent of elections, down TO the
smallest details. is n the hands OF officers
Of the United States Government and
their appOiutees. True. the MoTmon5
arc 10 70 considerable degree united III
their political Affairs. TINS Is largely duo
totLcir being constantly and YlndieuNcly
assaiiod bv asmall minority an tah, VINO
have sought 10 Wrost control OF puOllc
/ affairs from tho hands Of the majority.
! They have thus been driven together 10y
common interest end compelled 10 distln-
rui.l their friends from their enemies. \
/ GOOD deal Is being made ont of the form OF
PRAYER based on two verses II the seventh
] chapter ol Revelations "a contained IN ire
+ Nov Testament. It relates To- praying That
God nirht aypnge tho blood of tho
rrrphcts. Arattcmpt has since been made
10 connect this with the avenging death on
Joseph and Hiram Smith and to have refer
ouro 10 tins nation. lt can nave no
standardization, a- rndOWmcntsW were gwen
long before the death OF Joseph and H.
ram Smith, and have not been changed
THIS nation or government has never been
charged by the Mormon people with the as
saeiuation Of Joseph and Hiram smith. as
lt rs well known the murder Was the act o.
local mob discussed.
Concerning the cry about blood atone
meat. well there is this; DETERMINATION OF
our ri. glOus faith IS n belief IN Che aioulng
blood of Christ. through which the resur-
rec,ion viii boz brought about We believe
lu the Scripture doctrine. " Whose she'd
eth MINIS blood by man snail hi' blood he
she'd" but we also believe thot ail
cxocutions Tor murder should he I'M
dor the less q tho laud and bv
its officers only. The statements made hy
. tn.inoor thrreapostatc Mormon witnesses
to the effect that the endowment ceremo-
mes involved the death penalty tlos"
who leave the Church and d.o9eY the
priesthood are s'Mp.r untrue. There's mo-
accounting for the bitterness End untfuth-
fuIuc-@ Of .0me men who have been con-
nncted with tl organization, e~p.r'hIl ie-
b ipus and have turned against Dc. J 81,
Catholic and other Churches nave hai
much 10 contend with 800 that line. lho
NlDrnon- Ou tno stand decline % disclose
tine formula ~ hecu3owmonf because the
sr.rnt OF -ii-.lcu- rlt ana Ger .ninNi'S ut.
the property of tle individual cluzcn and
do not belong ~ tine state. lou night
ps wei ask why Hasou, d u,
,.cr. placed on the witue. stand, Should
refuse to reveal the rites ard signs oi that
order. 7 am myself Master Mason. ana
have been informed That MANI ha@o.'s a'
we'll a- people not connected WITH tue irt
teratv have been indignant at fhe attempt
that las been made during the last 10"
dlr5 to cxtolt personal In OrMdtou from
. the Mormon members. "a oller utntN",
lp.t societies can 500 that their rites am
orear,1atisn, would bc endangered should
such proceedings carry, while the Mormou'
have refused ~ dWulge rhe ute % court
they have uniformly sworn that there j.
nothing Iu Ga, euduWra. no ceremonies ILL.,
cou.i tent with cltlIen-nip. 49,.
Several prominent c1-1iormona tes1lu'l
10 the same eject.
Tie cause of the present agitation j.
purely political. There are Two loca
parties. J he peoples party IS compose'
largely Of our people. although a humnt