Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-10-14

The following criticism by Congress
man u. n. Roberts. Of Mirs l.. Doug
ais novel. THE Mormon Prophet was
published In the New York Times SAT-
urday Review OF September %.
Il was expected that sooner or later
some attempt would be- made to ok
plain Joseph Smith. the Mormon Pro-
nhct." such was his character, such
the Importance OF the religion he found
cd. 10 remarkable and thrilling the his
tory OF his people. that be could not
be Ignored.
Already OF biographies there have
been many, some written from the side
OF sympathy and belief in his prophetic
calling. more from the standpoint ut the
pulcmic ContCmnrr. Even ucuuu be-
fore now has found Incidents la his
career and elements In hia character
that promised material Tor 10 purpose.
hut the fiction IN the main has been
sorry stun, utterly contemplate from
ils dialrtiun of fnrtn and sickrninT IN
ltH distortion uf facts ana aiCkenlnE pa
-ilalf-tn IT, childish EFFORTS TO deny the
Mormon" leader or hlH people any
honesty OF purpose, uprightncHa u In
tention, or praise Tor what they have
achieved. The latest work of Miss LILY
DouEall. "1'hc Mormon Prophet. hove
ever. does not belong Co that class "
fiction. Here at least We have strong.
clcar-out. purpose story, lofiy Nh tonei
ita incidents easily within the lines of
probability. and slngulariy free from
the vulrnrity Of nearly All the writer's
OF fiction who have made their work
at any point touch Mormoniam. 10 "
an honest effort to account Tor Joseph
Smith and bis work. and, I may add,
without dcprvciating any one worthy
OF consideration. that u enjoys the dis
tinction Of being about tho hrat hon
est EFFORT Ia the department Of nctlon
| 10 account Tor the Mormon Prophet.
/ This. Il must be- explained. r. not said
| In approval Of the entire book or ita
/ purpose. but In said OF the story ar
/ unoblcctlunnhlo nction and the honesty
] OF cnoft upon the part OF the authoreHH
| TO solve what must have been To hcr.and
| what 10 10 tho world. difficult prob
/ lem.
That Miss Dougan writes from In
innate acquaintance with the early HIS
| tory Of the Mormuna Ia apparent un
every page. that she has followed tn
order OF events. all acquainted with ths
history Of our people well know. ans
| n. as she explains In her preface. chs
has taken necessary liberty with In
cidcnta" those that she has used have
not been violently wrcatcd. and th0a'
| invented have not been much out vi
harmony with the facts Of history.
The point al which her work u vul
ncrabie 10 the point OF Wow from whicl
shc trontn her subject. In studying IN
character and achievements of JOSEPH
Smith. she was evidently not ready &
accept him az n prophet truly Inspire
Of God. nor could she accept the the
DRY Of conscious invention" as a rcn
uOnabic explanation OF hiA life'a work
for had that bscn the source 81 hi
efforts In founding a religion. ~ woul
not have len sufficient power % carr
him through persecution, In which HI
life hung IN tho balance and his caus
appeared 10 be loet." nor could she h.
llcyc that the class OF earnest me
who constituted the rank and flc Of hl
early following would have been -
long deceived by a deliberate hypo
critic" 1T appears 90 me-" she tx
plains more likely that Smith wa
genuinely deluded by the automntl
freaks of a vigorous but undiaclplinc
brain. and that, yielding TO theue. h
bccamcd confirmed IN the hystcricu
temperament which alwaye adds to de
lualon solf-deocption, ana 10 eelf-dccep
ton half-conacious fraud. She call
To the aid Of her theory wit
marked skill. be Il said-thc inclinntio
Of the times toward superstition. e
his day" she remarks, 1T wac nccfH
aary to reject a marvel or admit u
spiritual Significance: granting the hon
at duluHiun 40 TO hla vision and h.
book. hia only choice las between count
ing himself the sport OF DEVILS or IN
agent Of heaven. an optimistic ten
permanent cast the die"
This N Miss Dougalrs point OF vlc1
In the treatment Of her subject. an
Il n utterly untcnhhle. The facts U
which Mormonism had IL origin are q
such character that they cannot b
resolved into dcluHi0n or mistake
Either they were truth or conscious
glmou-pure invention II la not pos
Hihle to place the matter on mlddl
ground. Joseph Smith was either
true prophet or a conscious fraud a
villain. Had his religion found It's orr
gin IN the visions Of his own mind