The record-union., 1896-09-07

reports 10 the Secretary Of the Interior,
SAID: l shall not arraign the Mormon
people as wanting in comparison with
otner people in religious devotion, vir-
tue' honesty, sobriety, industry, and the
graces and qualities that adorn, beauti-
~ and bless 1ife.'
Governor Stevenson of Idaho, in his
report, said: Paris (Bear Lake County,
has population of 1900, all Mormons,
ana there is not a saloon or gambling
mousse, or any other place where intox1-
eating liquors are Sold
The Governor Of Arizona said: I have
seen and spoken to and lived with Nor
mon men and women of every class,
ana never in my life, in any Christian
country, have / come in contact with
more consistent piety, sobriety and
heighborly charity. / say this deliber-
ately-these folks are in their words and
actions as Christian as I ever thought
to see men and women
Il also desire to introduce the teSti-
mony of Bishop d. S. Tuttle, for many
years an Episcopal clergyman in Salt
Lake City. In lecture he delivered in
New York on Mormonism, as published
in the New York Sum- he says: We Of
the East are accustomed to look upon
the Mormons as either a licentious, ar
rogant or rebellious mob, bent only on
defying the United States Government
and deriding the faith Of the Christians.
This is not SO. I know them to be hon
est, faithful, prayerful workers, and
earnest in their faith that heaven will
bless the Church Of Latter-Day Saints
Another strong and admirable feature
in the Mormon religion is the tenacious
and effective organization. They follow
with the greatest care all the forms of
the old church.
Il have given you the convictions OF
some OF the leading minds regarding the
Mormons and their fruits. In the words
OF DR.. Miller, editor Of the Omaha Her
ald,' To the lasting honor of the Nor
mon people and system be it said that
for twenty-five years such machines OF
moral tnfamy as whisky shops, har-
lotries, faro banks and all the attending
forms of vice and iniquity were totally
unknown in Utah Are these not
symptoms of a good tree? Can cor
rupt tree produce such fruit? Is there
Christian community on earth of
which more can be said?
But say some, You practice polyg-
amy So we did, but we educated our
OiiAidl C1l dliQ gave IIlGIIl SuCIl duN dllL-
ages as we were able until polygamy
was legislated against. Friends, all the
Mormons were not living in polygamous
relations. According to statistics. be-
tween and per cent. are all who ever
entered that relation, and yet it has
been used as a club to brain the other
81 per cent
I'VE have never been law-breakers.
We believe in being subject to the laws
that are, and In granting religious free
dom to all people. We have been mis-
understood and nisrepresented. We be-
lieve in all the saving principles ever
given for the redemption Of humanity,
and are doing all we can to elevate the
people and further our Masters cause.
Judge US by the law and the testimony.
Compare our actions with those of other
people. We are willing to live for our
religion and stand upon our own works.
If of God, this plan will yet cover the
earth; If it be Of man, 1t will come to
naught.''
Elder Tanner closed his discourse by
exhorting his hearers to be eclectic and
to live by every word that comes from
God, that the divine within them might
he cOpSiStpnt1v daua1Onad