The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-20
PERSISTING IN INFAMY

IAe loNer, SAID LON MOORE, may
doubt that glance which steals his soul
away; the alchemiast may doubt the gold
his crucible gives out; the child may cease
to think that it can play with heavens rain
bow; but faith, fanatic faith, once welded
fast to some dear falsehood, hugs it to the
last" Just now the Illustrated American is
demonstrating the truth of what MOORE
saw In human nature. The american some.
time ago undertook to make it appear that
the Mormons were prepared. to fight the
government of the United States. Either
the American was imposed on by some
blatherskite, or else it was, as we believe.
party to damning plot to defame the peo-
pie of Utah.
There are motives to prompt such an I'M
scrupuloas and sensational journal as the
american to take such course, prominent
among which would be the following con-
sideration: The Mormon question is still to
the fore, anu anything published in rela-
ton to it of sensational character is sure
to attract wide attention The food of
falsehood which has swept unchecked over
the country so frequently in regard to Utah
affairs led the american to suppose that it
could publish anything about the Mormons
and Utah with impunity. 1t never dreamed
thatl 1t would be called to book for its utter
ances, however absurd or untruthful they
might be. 1t was doubtless thought by it's
managers that notoriety could be purchased
cheaply by an assault upon the Mormons.
In this the american was something like
the church trustee in his advice to the min.
lister who had been invited to preach at the
dedication services of q Baptist church in
Iowa. There were three denominations in
the little town, and two of them. ont of
respect for the Christian brethren who had
built the new church, adjourned their SER
vices in order to attend the dedication. The
result was crowded audience, circum-
stance very gratifying to the trustees, as #
was arranged to takeup collection to paw
off the Indebtedness of the bui, ling com
mittee. AS the minister chosen to preach
on the occasion entered, he was stopped bv
the deacon who hurriedly whis-
pered to him that there were a
large number of Methodists and
Presbyterians present and it would hardly
be prudent to insist too strongly that i'm.
mersion was the only method of baptism as
it might affect the contribution. The min
lister bowed assent and passed on. Midway
up the aisle he was stopped again by an in
fuential member Of the church, who eau
toned him against dwelling too strongly on
the absurdity of predestination, as there
were many Presbyterians present and 1t
might affect the contribution. Again the
minister bowed assent and passed
on. Entering the pulpit he was
met by one of the trustees who
told him there were quite a number
OF saloon-keepers and men engaged in the
liquor traffic present, and it would scarcely
be prudent to say anything about intern
perance, as it would likely effect the con-
tribntion. 'Great heavens" exclaimed the
perplexed minister, "what can preach
abouta" This puzzled the trustee for a
but presently bright idea &C.
CURED to him. "Preach about the Nor
mons' said he, "they haven't friend in
the house,
So thought the american. 1t thought the
Mormons hadn't friend in the country.
But it went too far in its presumption.
The Mormons no longer stand alone.
The uniustitiable assault upon the
Mormons is also an assault upon Utah and
her material prosperity. This led a num-
Der of gentlemen in this city, not Nor
mons, and yet not under the lash of the
Tribune, to take in hand the refutation of
the base fabrications of the american scribe.
This they did; but notwithstanding the
most direct refutation of the slanderous
both by Mormons and
non -Mormons, the american, with fanatic
faith, still hugs the fiimsy tissue of false
hoods it first published. Confronted with
the proof OF its own lying its
contortions to escape frank,
admission Of it is excruciating,
and only makes it contemplate. In it's
latest issue 1t purports to give in its edi.