Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-04-24
sCOFrlSG Al sAcGtD THINGS.

The New Y0rk Ost. Egprcss, whose
editor 10. We believe, Free Thinker
lmcaning Ia many cases one who
makes Tree 10 DO other peoples think.
ing for thum), riJicules the sug'
gcs.ion OF the efficacy Of prayer
anu places It among tho super.
stiti0us inolinitg 90 81 the day. a co.
tempJfary having noiej pleasing
Incident In connection with the uOml'
nation anu election tf Grover Cievt.
laud, the paper firt named wants to
know why the other ehould talk OF
wi,ehcia't as though IL were thing Of
tho past; as though q bell,f In OF
failure tO oppose the practice OF suppl.
cation anu Invocation caused such
believer to regard witchcmft anu
witches M being features OF present ~
well as OF pact III
The story referred 10 IL from the
baltimore sun IL says mention has
many times tesn made Of tue fact thai
Mr.. Cleveland regards himeeli as u
man Of destiny, aud thilks lac may be
pardoned II INDUCING la such bell, l..
ono day recently lady from distant
state called ut the White Houte. Sh,
had no nppoit uent with the President
anu II was lOng past the hour for the
reception Of general callers. She WA.
one Of those possussing that indispel
sable quality Of personal magnetism
which at the same time chains and
c0mDel-. she said to tho attendants ~
u guile, but peaceful manner, "rakt
my card TO the Psesiient anu ha will
see me-" There was nothing to be-
done but comply with her request, and
almost Instantly word came back from
the President Tor her TO be admitted.
She bau never seen the Piosiient bu.
sue was n believer In his dcstiny aud a
firm believer In the efficacy vi prayer.
Months befjre the meeting Of the
Chicago convention she bad written TO
Mr.Cloveland thatit was his de,iiny 10
DO nominated, mud che was making II
the subject OF daily prayer. After his
nomination Sue wsoto ~ Lin she was
praying for his election, and God
would surely respond iavorRbly. After
the election she again wrote him, and
sent him u little medal Of religious
device, askiug him always TO carry 1t
with nim. Alter the fist greetings
between the two were over the Pest.
Gent drew from his pocket his wa It,,
and opening n, showed her tho hl,le
trinket she had sent him, aud which
lac had carried always since the day IL
had reached him. When shr Lett she
said; "Mr. President, shall pray fir
your administration 10 be credit TO
yourself and glory to the country;
aud US my prayegs have been answered,
~ shall this DO answered"
This little Incident, certainly unob.
Jeclionatle enough viewed f,om any
STANDPOINT, is pUunosd upon with u
tone amounting almost to wrath. 1t
Is pronounced an exhibition { super.
stiuon under "thin disguise Ofprnyer
anu pieiy. President, editor und the
woman with faith Ia the little trlnkst
with tho religious device are, more or
less, believers In witchcrat." Ifthis
Ia not non @QmtW OF the mott
strained character, 1t bears every re.
semblance to It.
We are not PREPARED to uphtl the
idea, az some profess to do, that all
prayers, proper or improper IRE
beard or that all that IRE heard
are ausweTcd; ON the CONTRARY,
our belief Is the other way. But the
disposition On the partof a oonsider,-
bic proportion Of the secular p,ess anu
great numUor OF our pOpul alton to
claim that calling ON the common
Father forAid aud guidance amounts
to nothing more than healhenish
superstition cannot TO too stern.
ly irowned down and con.
demned, and all Ieoplo OF spr.
iluul tendencies aud religious
disposition should DO their part ia pre-
venting the spread u the evil. II isa
form OF infldeh.y much more dtbasiug
to the soul than Is tho doctrine OF the
agnosiic which, while I does not lead
to reverence aud piety, At least does
not put flrth the absolute claim
that tneru To no throne OF Gnc, to
duplicate aud no hereafter to en-.
counter. II IA wofse because 1t ,ubstl.
tutes riiiculs Tor disoelieving oppon.
ton, and ssvks - cast reproach upon
the Christian because he docs believe
ami docs practice ia accordance with
he iaith chat is in him.
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