Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-07-02

MILAN, who has lived most of the last
twenty-five years In Utah, win write
against the Mormons-not an unusual
th Ing for even thote members OF the
clergy whose divine worship 10 10
their lips but whose hearts are filed
With hate and envy. An alleged item
Of Information is ihst "polygamy lie
being practiced to an increase ! extent
since the Introduction OF Utah in the
UHion OF stntes;" and the following
excerpt from q Presbyterian ofllcial
paper, the Church ut Home and
Abroad, is auoted:
From every part of Utah comes over
wheming evidence that statehood has
repaired the power of the Mormon
Priesthood, just as Brigham Young, in
1877, said 1t would.
AS to polygamy being praotioed to
an increased extent In Utah sine, adj
mission, the NEWS cannot say what
may have been done In that liie by
PresbyterIsns, II anything, but 1t does
know som thing about the Norm me.
The Church manifesto on that subject
wac issued in September, 1890, nearly
seven years ag,; md fer more than
seven years there has not been Nor.
mon polygamous marriage--the rule
OF the manifesto has been absolute.
Regarding the alleged repairing OF
"the power OF the Mormon Psiest-
bnod - thara Ia utao 1, Ilttla ,.l.t N b q,
about that: 1t needed no repsiring,
hence none was done. That Priest.
hood is used to heal the sick, bless the
I'll cted, comfort the widow aud
orphan, feed the poor AMI needy, az
minister In tho ordinances OF the
Gospel Of Christ, snd work righteous.
ness among men. all Its operations be-
Ing In Church capacity, and 1t never
has wsneu, or falterej, and never Will
willis the Mormon people are true to
the mission Of peace and goou will
they have been called to.
A further statement In the dispatch
Gays the Mormons are proselyting In
Europe and Amerlcg--as they have
done all alsng, and have
iuet as much right to do as have
the Pfesby terians, but have not
the right to misrepIesrnt ts the latter
ale doing. Dr.. MCMILLAN also com.
plains that the Mormons are deter
mined to rule Utah, and says tho pro-
vision in the Constitution concerning
polygamy is dead let,er--all Of which
H. very amusing TO those who dwell
here and knuw the iacit; and he addf:
1 will give one instance OF how the
Statehood OF Utah has helped Mormon
ism. When Utah was Territory the
directory and professors OF the Agricul-
tural College were all Gentiies, persons
who were opposed to Mormonism.
Since Utah has become q State almost
all tho direci9rs and professors are Nor
mons.
Were the former directory and pro.
feesore Of the College opposed 10 III or
mUnism in the sense that they ueed
their official positions adverse to Nor.
mons or their religion? II they were.
they were unfit for the State positions
they hell. Are the present directory
and proieesors-who, by the way, are
not "almost ali' MISUNDERSTANDING
Mormons on religious groundt? 1 So,
they, too, are not fitted for their iii olai
stations. But Ia view of his otle
assertions the NEWS could not accept
this expsrie statement OF the Pfesby.
terrain preacher, even II there were no
evidence at hand to contra dict 1t,
which evidence 10 abundant.
There 10 one other point, however,
which the NEWS desires to call special
attention to, since 1t comes to vital
spot In cur Stats institutions. DR..
Mcmillan is au authority among Pres
byterians, and In the dispatch referred
TO ia quoted as saying that al Utah
had been a Territory ten years longer,
Mormo ism would have been stamped
OUT" the leading Presbyterians here
and throughout the country are wag-
Ing persecutive war against the
Mormons, and are quoting non.Mor.
mon school teachers as being
'oppo,ed to Mormonism"ln their opel
ations in State schools here. At the
same time number OF public school
officials. and an especially large pre-
portion Of public school teachers in
this city, are Presby terians in faith.
Are they using their positions In the
public service to oppose Mormonismf
Presby lerian papers and leaders say
they are, as well us words and actions
can expires II. 1t is time 10 know
whether or not the charge Is true, that
those interested in the n3n-sectarian.
ism OF the public schools may know
where they are at. The accusation
comes from tue church organization
10 which the I'll stalls and teachers re.
ierred TO belong. What ia the resp -se
tha-etI?