Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-30
MINISTER'S STORY.
d Methodist Preacher ISLANDERS tho
People Of TOOele.
REV. T. ]. HOOPER,s STATEMENT.
Denied by Non.MormOD3 as We'll as
MUTmons-The Pacis In the
Premises.
TooELE CITY, Utah,

December 2S, 1895.
no the Editor:
Oi iate years many tourists visit
Ulah and the MormoDs, anu because
Of the many misrepresentation that
have been circulated against the latter,
visitors often come expecting TO fad
an ignorant, wicked people. When
they find tho very opposite OF this
their surprise lie great and they gen.
orally circulate good reports of Utah
and her people. But there are those
who Visit us who are 80 prejudiced
against the Mormon people that they
can see no good In them. The Rsv.
Il. j. Hooper lie one OF that number.
He has resided in Tooele City for about
Two years, and II it is possible for him
to be truthful where Mormons are con.
cerned he must admit that the treat
ment he received from the people here
was invariably good. Yet in his die-
cription of "Sunday School Picnic in
Utah." ne published recently in a
Methodist Sunday school journal, he
manifesto HE prejudice and his disre-
gard for the truth, and as he expresses
desire that 1t should have wide
circulation VIC incorporate the srll.
Gle with some necessary explana-
tiDns, SO that the real spirit
and character OF the gentleman may
be understood in Utah and elsewhere.
Here 10 his article:
A SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC IN UTAH,
BY REV. n. J. HOOPER.
Sunday school picnics are the order OF
the day. Last summer | made some OBJ
servations of one very peculiar in its
character. They had before said 10 me,
Our God is a progressive God, and as
His people we are II progressive people"
1 was prepared, therefore, Tor almost
anything. one popularity about this
people ls, they arc compelled to give
one-tenth OF all their income Tor the sup
port OF their religious sys en-, and when
anything special, such as picnics, ami
versary celebrations, building enter
prises, ETC., is projected, they must make
special contributions.
On the occasion to which ! refer the
town was canvassed, and among other
things contributed were two barrels OF
beer, given by the two saloon keepers.
To this an addition OF three barrels was
made by the committee. The day being
warm, frequent appeals were made to the
"cooling draught." and, as Il result, boys
from eight to fourteen years old We're
staggering over the picnic grounds peastly
drunk long before The hour arrived to 20
home. In the evening the festivities were
concluded with a dance. The "bishop'' in
prayer by which he opened the dance
thanked the Lord "ior tho enjoymenls OF
tho day. aad asked Him to bless them
sin the closing exercises At the dance
ball" No doubt many OF them thought
He did for a lady told the writer thai she
"never saw so many drunken men aud
women on the floor of n dance hall be-
fore"
L send this forth hoping that IL will
And wide publication and be the means
of counteracting the pernicious influences
of The emissaries Of that Church: who
are being sent out by the hundreds
every year preaching tho Gospel of the
Church OF Jesus Uhrisps Lauer-day
Saints" One OF them said quite recently
in an Eastern state: 'Drunkenness is
unknown among the Mormon people.
And although the population OF Utah is
seventy-iivo per cent Mormon, they only
commit twenty-five per cent OF the crime
IL the State" This ia an absolute falsity!
The reverse would DO much nearer the
truth.
Tho writer has had thirteen years. ex-
perience in the thinning campsp OF Colo
RADIO and Utah but never saw so much
drunkenness as he has seen in the ire
ligious community" in which he has
lived the past two years.
The Tooele Transcript reproduced
the article with the following sditoriaI
comments;
The above appeared In the Methodist
Sunday School journal OF recent date.
We were very much surprised to see a
communication of this kind written by
Rev. Hooper. Mr.. Hooper knows as
well as anybody that there is not par
ticle u truth in the above, from ono end
to thRther, and for minister TO handle
the nth SO carolessly, we think he
shouB be ashamed OF himself.
II is true, tho Mormon people do pay
n tithing-which is voluntary on their
,sri-but the tihing is not only used tor
the Support OF their religious system"
but it is distributed among the poor,
which is a very commendable feature
that Mr.. Hooper failed to mention.
Contributions to "picnics, building en-
terprises, etc.," are entirely as the people
feel about 1t, and there is no compulsion
about, as Mr.. Hooper well knows. The
pated in by Mormon and Gentle alike,
and the writer has seen Mr.. Hooper him
self take part thorolu.
On the occasion Mr.. Hooper refers TO
there were two four-gallon kegs of beer
donated to tho band by our saloon
keepers, but there was not drop con-
iributed by the committee. Although
there was large crowd at this picnic, it
was sober and gentlemanly Que, and
very pleasant day of pure enjoyment,
Just such as could be expected Sunday
school would give.
As 10 the dance in the evening, the
BISHOP was not even present, so we do
'opened tho dance with PRAYER" We
do not know who the "lady" could be
who informed Mr.. Hooper OF the drunk
enness at the dance, but she evidently
mad az little regard for the,lruth as Mr..
Hooper seems to have.
The writer came here just few weeks
after Mr.. Hooper, and although we have
not been In thinning camps for thirteen
years." we have been about all over this
continent, from the Atlantic TO the Pa
cific, and can say with all honesty that.
compared with other towns OF q size.
this Religious community" il as free
from drunkenness rs any | have ever
been in.
have never seen child within the
age Mr.. Hooper gives under the infu-
ehee OF liquor, nor have l ever seen a
woman in that condition, and surely nv
business takes mo where these things
would be seen iftbey existed.
wish TO say in conclusion that am
10 I