Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-14


profession Of teacher; and it Is sur
missed, though this paper is not pre-
pared 10 make the statement I'M
qualiiedly. that one reason for MS |
leaving the ministry was the lack OF
support he received from his col
leagues of the clergy in the policy he |
Now IL is notorious among all peo- |
pie at all acquainted with the faith |
upon which MIR. Lockwood
opened war. which consisted in part
of Sunday liquor selling, gambling and |
prostitution, is utterly abhorred by
them; that 1t receives no patronage
nor tolerance from them, and never
exists in towns in Utah where It con-
siderable element OF non Mormons ls
not found.
During the long and bitter contest
in regard to plural marriage, prose
cutting officers in Utah, in seeking to
secure convictions in cases against
Mormons charged with polygamy or
unlawful cohabtation. repeatedly
cited the court to the fact that Il Nor
mon is never known to cohabit with
woman not his wife: and that where
a child is born to Mormon woman,
It is proof that she has been married;
and courts have often taken judicial
notice Of these characteristics Of the
Mormous. Has the morality OF
any other denomination ever been sub
jected to so severe test. and received
such n striking vindlcation?
When there were none but Mormons
in Utah, there We're no saloons, no
gambling dens. no houses Of prosti
tuition, no Legitimate children and no
jals. History has demonstrated that
these things are no part of the fruits
Of Mormonism. and that they cannot
exist where the Mormons are so COM
pletely in control that they can have
their way fully. Can this be said OF
other sects Of modern Christendom?
OF course Rev. Lockwood never
dreamed that his letter would be
made public among the Mormon peo-
pie, and in view of this fact. 1t is not
nearly so bad as 1t might have been.
In fact, It is an exceedingly
rare thing for preacher of any of
the sectarian denominations to give a
just and truthful account OF the faith
and practices Of the Mormons.
Judge" Brandon replied to Mr.. Nash
as follows:
Centervllle, Utah, Aug. 90, 1897.
Mr. w. c. Nash, Loneplne, La:
Dear slr-Your questions with re-
gard to the Mormons and their re-
liglon are before me, and / believe that
l can answer them truthfully, having
spent my whole life with the Mormon
people.
No. 1.-The Mormons do believe in
polygamy most thoroughly, and the
leaders practice it on the sly the same
as ever.
No. 2.-They are very selfish.
No. 3-They arc not open in their
transactions. They hold more private
or Priesthood meetings than any other
community among the American peo-
pie.
No. 4.--They do not worship with the
Methodists. nor do they acknowledge
the authority of any other creed on
| earth. The Mormon Church is to the
American nation what the Catholic
church is to Europe. They claim the
right to rule in all things, both tempor-
ally and spiritually. They claim they
have the power to bind on earth and
loose in heaven, and that they mold
the keys Of the mysteries Of godliness
and the keys to the salvation OF the
whole human family. II you love your
country and Individual liberty. Nor
monlsm is n good creed TO let alone.
Please let me know who referred
| me to you.
Very respectfully yours.
THOMAS j. BRANDON
1t Is not worth while to comment ut
length on Judge" Brandons letter.
The animus Of the writer towards the
people OF whom he writes IS so obvious
upon the face Of what he has written
as TO destroy its character for fairness,
| and consequently for reliability
1t is highly proper that Mr.. Nash
should investigate Mormonism and the
traits of the Mormon people before de-
Gliding whether or not he viii accept
the former and unite with the latter
But does he think It proper t.
apply to the enemies of a people
for correct information Of them
Can he depend upon what he re-
ceives from such Il source? sup
posing some one desired to learn what
kind Of a man Mr.. Nash Is; would h.
like to have the inquirer apply to hi.
enemies, who have prosecuted and Sian
dered him half a lifetime? Woult
those enemies be likely to tell the truth
about him?
Nicodemus was anxious to learr
something about the Savior, and fo
this purpose called upon Him. Blu
Nicodemus was evidently coward
because he made his call at night, pre-
sumably for the reason that he wa
ashamed TO be seen in the company o
the despised Nazarene. But with al
his cowardice he appears 20 have ha'
sufficient Intelligence to understand
that. in order to learn the truth abou
Teeus, His doctrines and His works, h
must obtain the information from Hin
or some Of His friends. How mucl
correct information concerning Je
sus and His work could Nicode
mus have obtained from the scribe
and the Pharlsees? Would the!
not have told him that the Naza
! rene was an associate Of publ
cans and sinners, false teacher ;
blasphemcr and that He performed
miracles by the power of Satan?
Some of the persons who thus &c
cused the Savior were as well ac
| .....t.4..t Nth t,fy, ,,.renVgIIsr s,-F 81