Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-06-01
TIE MORMON DANCER.
Remarkable Address at the San Francisco
Baptist Conference.

Rev. II. b. Steelman, pastor OF the
First Baptist church, OF Salt Lake, Utah,
delivered an able address on "The Ag-
gressive Attitude Of Mormonism." He
spoke in part as follows:
cat no time has MormOnism been in
the prosperous condition il is today, and
il il growing more and more aggressive.
Word has been sent out by the heads Of
the pernicious faith in Utah that the
Mormon church is about to put two
travelling missionaries in every county
in every state in this country. There
are at present 400 missionaries in the
field, and during the past year they held
II, 600 meetings, gave away l67, 900
tracts, and ll3 600 books. In that time
they have baptized ,225 people. They
are everywhere. In our colleges, in our
universities, all over the country. They
are preaching the veiled doctrine. and
when the veil il lifted it il found that il
IL not God, but Adam, they are preach.
ing. What man Is, God once was Adam
II the only father with which the world
will have anything 10 do. Jesus Christ
was pOlygamist, and what men ought
to be. That IL the teaching that they
are pushing with prodigiOus energy.
They make claims Of great progress, but
no more evidence of il can be found any
where than in the state adjoining Utah.
81 predict that II il makes the same
progress in the next five years as il has
in the past five years, Mormonsm will
have secured the balance OF power in
these states and become controlling
factor in congress. Congress tells us that
Mormonism is only local question. It
is not. II is question that concerns
the entire nation. II is of vital import
ance 10 our political foundation and the
basic principles Of our constitution.
"You ask il polygamy Is being taught?
Yes; polygamy is being taught today
with as much aggressiveness as il was
before the manifesto Of 1890; as it was
when Utah begged 20 be admitted az a
state. The president Of one Of the lead
ing Mormon societies made the state
ment a few months ago in Logan temple
that the women OF Utah, as the result
Of polygamy, were out-heroding HerOd,
in order TO keep out Of prison. / would
not make this statement did | not be-
lieve il To be true. But must add, and
thank God am able 10 do so, that
there are pure and noble women among
them. Women, living in polygamy, car
ried away and swayed by their feelings
ana the hidden poison IN their false be-
liefs.
"As to the fight against b. II. Roberts
to prevent him from being seated in con-
gress, want 20 say that il il not II re-
ligious fight. II is fight against man
who is living publicly ~ a polygamist
living in open violation Of the law Of the
country. He has no right To debauch
women, 10 seduce women, " ruin the
queens Of our homes. All the people Of
this country should arise ~ one aud in
sist npon him being turned out.
"The question Is asked II the Chris.
tians in Utah have ever succeeded in
converting members of the Mormon be-
lief. want 20 say to the American peo-
pie in answer: No. The gospel has
never been taken 10 the Mormons. Here
is a work for missionaries. Send them
out, help them 10 stamp out this poison
Gus belief from our country