Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-11-17

Of all the opposition AL persecu-
ton which had attended the Latter
day Saints throughout the whole
Christian world; and the answer
came "Because you differ from us
In religion. You preach the giftS,
graces, and revelations Of Jesus
Christ today rs taught in ancient
days, and We do not believe in them.
Those things were taughtin the dark
ages to convince the children Of
men Of the work OF God. We now
live in the glorious Gospel light, and
we do not need them" That was
the kind Of teaching by ministers Ia
the present day: but he 1.-THE speak
eTlrwould say In answer TO this:
Then, for Gods sake, give me the
dark ages Of the woIld.v
He did not believe there ever
lived a people. either in this or any
other generation, who had been
more lied about than the Latter-day
Saints. 1t was astonishing how
little these "Mormons," as they
were called, were known in the
world. Strangers who came lnto
this city would sometimes enquire
OF n man whom they saw standing
on the strickland who had prooao-
ly made up his mind enough 10 lie
about them - something about
the "Mormons," and they learned
from him in five minutes all about
HMormonism.o These people re-
turned home and told what they
had learned, and the story spread
until the truth was hardly ever
heard. 1t had been asserted here IN
years gone by, as reproach against
the Latter-day Saints, that not q
man or woman could send a letter
anywhere ont Of the Territory
without the Presidency OF the
Church first reading il. Such state
ments were Of course false. why,
he had scarcely time TO read his
own letters when written, much
less those of the many thousands oil
people who dwell here. There was
lust as much truth in that as in the
statement that the Presidency told
every 11atter-day Saint how, 70 vote,
He had resided in this valley some
forty-fonr years, and he could safely
say that during the whole OF that
time, so far as he could recollect,
he had never told any man or
woman how to vote. IL he had told
anyone, 1t had only been some OF
his own boys who might have
asked his advice; but he did not re-
member even that.
FaIsehoOd had been spread over
the whole world to such an extent
that the people hardly knew what
TO believe in regard TO the Latter
day Saints. Some persons had &C
tually entertained the idea that the
''Mormons" had hornsi The speaker
reeited an incident bearing on this
absurd fallacy. On one occasion, he
said, a few GENTLE gentlemen got
into the company Of a young "Mor-
mon'' Elder for the first time. He
was a gOOd-looking, bright and in
telligent young fellow, and they
were somewhat surprised to find
that he was like other men. They
all wore their hats AZ the
time, and one Of the company de-
sired the Elder to remove his from
his head. He at once complied with
the request, remarking, however, as
he did so, "You see ! am young
aud my horns have not begun to
grow yet"
President Woodruff related an
other Circumstance within his ex-
perience. Some years ago he Travelled
from Ogien with a party Of clergy
men. Upon their arrival here, and
on passing the Sixteenth Ward
schoolhouse, one Of the number
inquired what that building was used
for. On being informed, the ques-
toner expressed his astonishment,
remarking that be had no idea the
"MormOns" had schools,
The world was opposed to the
Latter-day Saints on almost every
ground; and as TO revelation, Ii was
one Of the worst things a man could
believe in il he wished TO be popular
with the multitude outside.
He urgesi the Latter day Saints
10 exercise faith in God, TO believe
in Him and in His Son Jesus Christ
as the Savior Of the world. Ifthey
were not united they were not the
people Of God. Let them live true
TO their religion, looking forward 10
the promises which God had made
unto them, and which He would
assuredly fulfil II they walked in the
ways of righteousness.
The choir sang the anthem:
From afar. gracious Lord. Thou hast gath
cred Thy dock.
The benedietion was pronounced
by Apostle Abraham II. Cannon.