The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-26
Low ATTEMPTS AT WIT.

Since the publication in Mondays Tribune
OF the reprehensible ''descriptionn of the
sunday services in the tabernacle. several
non Mormons have called upon us to de-
nounce the trifiing dissertation and bur
iesque profanity of an article that was
SHOCK 10 their feelings and an insult to
their refinement
The article in question, rather sacrilep
lously coarse for reproduction here. is new
ertneless no new thing in the sheet referred
w. ana we have seen infinitely baser ones
III Gne same paper-the meanest paper In
America. Newcomers are naturally indig-
nant at any fippant ridicule of religious
service, no matter who are victims of it:
Out old residents are so accustomed to re-
sarulng THIS Wanton species of criminality
as Inc sole property, indeed, as the chief
characteristic of the sheet, that they pay
little attention to its impious chatter about
subject of which it knows nothing the
fellgious devotions and feelings of man
kind.
fhe chief scribe Of the SANDER mill was
wont, before he came to Utah, to revile the
Catholics in much the same way that he
now tries to rasp and harrow the religious
feelings Of the Mormons. But his blunted
VIII and Oft repeated jests have lost any
vitality they once had, through long con-
tlnled, sheer abuse of them Nor does the
paper always have reporter on hand who
Is mean enough to follow very closely in
the footsteps of his chief in the matter of
comlnlngilng rehash of the editorial
venom with every current report of any
thlng with Mormonism in it. At present
however, 1t is clear that the eternal illness
OF Tribune reporter is realized in the eter-
nal unfitness for cultured readers of the I'M
speakable yileness of applying the slang
profanity OF street loafer to the descrip-
ton of religious ceremonies.
What would be thought of non Nor
mon church-goers if HERALD reporter
were to attend.their Sunday meetings, note
lne ceremonies and sevices and then lam
poon them with gibes and slang through
the columns of q widely circulating paper,
holding their pastor up to ridicule. linking
his name and theirs with soothing leers
There would be riot: it would be unsafe
for HERALD man to walk the streets.
We are gratified, however, at learning
OF the dlsappoval of honorable non-Mor
mons of the trfliing article; we should not
have noticed it but for their solicitations.
as there is nothing specifically worse init
1nan regularly appears as opportunity to
introduce it offers. We care little about it
IL the readers of the sheet desire its moral
tone to be elevated they must see to that
themselves. 1t is our opinion, however.
that to reform the sheet will be an impos-
sibility without making an entire change |
in its identity
There is also pitiful cowardice in such |
an attack upon religious exhorters, for
they can neither retaliate in any wav nor
reply to the coarse garrulity Of an I'M
known newspaper assailant. Though |
each OF the gentlemen at whom the we'll |
hidden mud-thrower cast his mud daubs |
feels conscious superiority over the |
creature, and though all who know them |
and the weakling that exhausted his feeble |
wit IN reviling them, are also aware of the |
mental and moral superiority of the three |
over their lurking detractor, yet the men |
assailed are hidden by their very position |
as followers OF their lowly Master to turn |
VIC oenOi CHCSh. Lie Grave scribe knows |
this, and exults in his security from
even word of rebuke from the superiors
whom he ridicules with awkward testing.
Whatever else men MAJ agree or disagree
upon, whether in politics, ethics, art or
science, there is substantial agreement
upon one thing-that the gibes of low buff
ICONS shall not be directed without stern
reproof upon the ceremonial of religious
devotees or the simple exhortations of well
meaning spiritual guides of community of |
And from what honorable
nom Mormons have said to US, we conclude
that there is limit to their silent endur
ance of this venomous ridicule of others on
sacred subjects, however clumsy the
however dull the wit or however
trivial and disgusting the nature of the at
tack; just as cat is not permitted to
sharpen her claws on the most delicate
irapery of the drawing room
A writer who supposes it is witty to ap
ply coarse ribaldry to religious services.
and to compare the preachers to horses at
4 race track, is an awful example of PopE's
class: s'E'ools rush in where
angels fear TO tread"