Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-26
THEY FIGHT A SHADOW.


city wAs visited by members Of the
Grand Army Of tho Republic and the
occasion was taken advantage OF by
certain anti.Mormons to have q
demonstration with series OF more or
less eloquent denunciations OF the PEG.
pie In this Territory. In the audience
one evening was stranger who, after
having listened for a while, turned to
n Baptist clergyman, a friend OF his,
well acquainted with the conditions In
Utah, and asked him what tho true
cause was OF the warfare against the
Mormons. "well," the minister said,
"to be frank, I hardly know. As for
the Christian churches, they desire
that Mormonism shall be put down,
because II IL wrong re.
ligion, and those whose only ambition
Is political distinction and remunera-
tive offices join US, because they know
that they can depend on our votes"
"But why do you not then meet the
esoAihphn oh N bluAiOal ktouhu huA
show them that their religion IL wrong,
instead Of threatening them with the
sword as rome OF these speakers have
done? lis making martyrs Of them"
"fhat Ia IT," the minister raid; shut
We cannot reason with them. We have
tried In vain. The only point, seem.
ingly, on which Mormonism can be
assaiied Is Its peculiar doctrine on
marriage, and We are going 70 work
that for all 1t Is WORTH"
The minister stated no doubt the
position Of many Of the anti. Mormons
at the time correctly. twas not any
particular love for morality that
prompted their actions, but II was their
desire for plumber on the one hand and
for the establishment OF sectarian
churches on the other. The calculA.
ton Mt that time was that the Nor
mons should be led on to defy the laws
and tho government OF the cou ntry,
until In the conflict they should be
broken to pieces, when the agiiators
would be ready to seize the spoils In
the ruins they had wrought. But this
calculation was sadly upset. The Nor.
mons, instead Of defy ing the government
or eluding the laws, Loyalty accepted
the decision OF the Supreme Court, an
evidence OF the sincerity Of their faith
In the supremacy of the lawfully con.
stituted authorities Of the country.
When this became known to the
whole world through the action OF the
Church authorities sustained by tho
unanimous vote of the people, 1t was
~ II an earthquake had shaken .hs
ground ON which the anti Mormons
were waging tho battle. Many OF them,
who were honest, left tho ranks, while
others, perhaps the majority, were In
the position OF an army suddenly cut
of from Its base OF operations. For
time they hesitated. But at
last they rallied again. They
could no longer plead polygamy as
cause for continuing the hostilitles.
They had 10 shit their ground, and
the almost forgotten charge OF "Church
rule" was again raked up. Formerly
It was always said that II polygamy
were given up, the Mormons would DO
oil right. But when that was accom-.
plished the organ Of hatred and villa.
cation hasiened to Inform Its decreas-
ing circle Of readers that polygamy
had never been the worst feature OF
Mormonism; II was "Church rule"
that was the real sin of the system,
and as long as that existed the war
had TO DO kept up.
1t 10 the history OF the wolf and the
lamb over again. In u controversy
Of that kind, argument, have no
power. Even innocence IL defense,
LEES. 1t is simply IA question OF war
aud vandalism with or without a
oasus 6elh. The latest allegation on
the part Of our belligerent morning
contemporary is that Joseph Smith
established u Theocracy, from which IT
concludes that the Mormon Priesthood
rules the people politically. Now, this
statement Is us wrong as everything
else on the same subject by that paper.
Joseph Smith did not establish Th,-
ocracy In that sense OF the word. lie
did not establish a state governed by the
Almighty. lie did not even endeavor
to do that. His mission was to iounda
church-the Church OF Jesus Christ
and this mission no faithfully fI.
Glled. In this Church God 4. the
supreme Ruler just a, other churohe,
profess, with this difference. tina