Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-25

w Hbl lpuh ltI lay III hNoi
future when the greatest truths Of God
will BE- universally popular. The people
OF God have always been contrasted
with the world. The world and they
have seemingly been opposed. Call TO
mind the counsel and the encourage
ment given by the Savior just before
He babe farewell to His Apostles In
days gone by. These are His words:
III the world hate you, ye know that II
hated me before II hated you. II ye
were OF the world. the world would love
his OWE. but because ye are not Of the
world, but ] have chosen you out Of
the world. therefore the world hateth
you"
TRUTH ALWAYS UNPOPULAR.
Christianity was unpopular In the
time on Christ, and In the days Of His
Apostles. Christianity has been I'M
popular ever since. Perhaps that
remark may be questioned by
those who call to mind the
fact that a very considerable proportion
OF the human family profess 10 be fol-
lowers Of Christ But Christianity Of
the true kind--the Christianity that
Christ taught, the Christianity that His
Apostles practiced, the Christianity
that was offered as a saving grace to
the wofld--thct has ever been unpopu-
lar The so-called Christianity Of the
last fifteen centuries may have been
growing in worldly favor. but, judged
by that standard, Christ himself was
very poor Christian. ] shall not be
disappointed, therefore, IL for many
years TO come we find that the people
Of God are peculiar that they are sep
arated from the world and that the
command still Is In force, Come out OF
her. my people" The wickedness of
the world is appalling. and one must
substitute for that worldly spirit bet
ter one II he would truly serve his God.
SCHOLARS INVESTIGATING THE
TRUTH.
We have reason to be thankful that
popularity Is not always to be relied
upon as a criterion Of propriety Not
only was Christ maligned. not only
were His Apostles denounced, but the
standard-bearers in the march Of truth
have ever been unpopular. The spirit
Of martyrdom has been in them, and
the spirit Of murder has ragged against
them The work OF God is spreading
and will continue TO spread; but | be-
lieve that for long time TO come the
Church Will be less extended than the
Kingdom, and therefore there will be a
distinction between those who are In
truth the people OF God, and the world
But this work will demand greater and
greater recognition, and will receive IL.
II has already challenged the attention
Of the thinking world. / call TO mind
incidents In connection with opposition
that has changed in its nature and
phases Of persecution that have been
altered. 1t Is no longer considered Ut
terly bad TO investigate this much ma
ligned people here. nor 10 seek to ascer.
tain the truth or the fallacy
OF the doctrines taught by this Church
IL has been my pleasure and privilege
in the recent past, In response 60 In
vltations unsought and unexpected, TO
deliver addresses upon the teachings OF
this Church In some Of the large and
Influential universities OF this country,
and In other influential circles abroad.
l have been surprised 20 find that 90
great a change had been wrought. and
that schoOlmen and coilegemen now
deem II proper 60 investigate, 70 some
extent at least, the claims made by this
ch-misrepresented Church.
Let me give you a specific example.
The Book Of Mormon, which Is regard.
ed by the people on the outside, who
have not Investigated for themselves,
as the sum total Of the scriptures recog-
nized by this Church--the Mormon
Bible" as II Is derisively and improp-
erly called-is now claiming and re-
ceiving attention at the hands OF litera-
ry men and scholars But few
months ago, In the city Of Edinburgh,
! Listened with much interest to dis
cussion among certain professors OF
the great university there, concerning
the Book Of Mormon. Some Of those
who had looked into II had found for
themselves the Inconsistency OF many
OF the false statements that had been
made as TO Its coming forth-notably
the Spaulding story, which had dis
proved itself unto them.
Perhaps | may be permitted 60 give
another instance. I had the honor OF
addressing a large audience In connec-
ton with the university OF Cornell some
time ago by request and invitation; I
had been asked 10 speak upon the story
Book Of Mormon received some atten-
ton In the course OF my remarks, The
meeting was presided over by Professor
Moses Colt Tyler. one Of the leading
authorities In contemporary American
history. At the close Of the address
he arose 60 speak. He called the at
tention OF the distinguished audience
10 the fact that they were then living
within few miles OF the place
at which the plates from which the
Book a Mormon has been translated
are said 90 have been found: and,
speaking with care and dellberstlon, he
expressed himself to this effect: I'VE
have notably failed In our efforts 10
properly solve the problems Of Ameri-
can history, and the chief reason is that
we have persistently refused to take
note OF certain essential factors, among
which Is this Mormon question, which
must receive attention at the hands Of
the historians OF this age, II the cor
rect answer TO the problem OF current
history shall ever be found" Concern
Ing the Book Of Mormon. said he later,
III the report had come that of in the
interior OF Africa plates Inscribed IN
ancient characters had been found, and
tnat by any means, miraculous or ma
tural, a translation had been effected,
and the translation were as consistent
and as seemingly authentic as the Book
or Mormon is said 20 be, We would be-
fore this have sent on an expedition at
great expense 10 investigate and ascer-
tain the evidence supporting the truth
OF such statements. But here are we
within a few miles Of Palmyra, and OF
the hin Cumorah, where the plates are
said TO have been discovered, and we
never go near the place, nor do we make
earnest inquiry as 90 the truth OF the
claim" Such a remark coming from
such source was 10 me instructive and !
significant Today the educated man
the one who lays any claim 20 such dis
tnctlon-deems il as necessary 10 be
acquainted with at least the principal
facts concerning the history Of the Book
OF Mormon and the history OF this
Church as TO know something about the
Koran and the Mohammedsn religion.
VITALITY OF "MoRMoNIsM"
The vitality Of OUT organization has an