Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-29
a GREATER EVIL

The people Of this country are begin
ming to realize that there are evils
threatening the social structure. more
alarming than that which some fancy
they can see In "Mormonism." In the
great cutlery u fanatlcism against a
religious denomination. the fact Is not
entirely lost sight Of by some OF the
most clcar.seclng minds. that evil prac-
ticea obtain. without scarcely a protest.
Thus Cardinal Gibbons IN an article
en- divorce In the New York World not
long ago characterized the marriage
system II this country rs more dam
gerous" than "Mormonlsm." This IL his
point of View
The reckless facility with which
divorce H. procured IN this country II
an evil scarcely less deplur-
able than Mnrmonism' In
deed II II m some respects more
dangerous than the latter. for divorce
has the sanction ~ the civil law, which
'Morinonism' has not II not the law
Of divorce virtual liberation Of Nor
monlsm' In modified FORM Mormon
ism consists In simultaneous polyEimy,
while the law u divorce practically
leads 10 successive polygamy."
The preiate IL, Of course. mistaken
when he compares the custom Of break
Ing up marriages on all aoris of pre-
texts. and entering upon new relations.
10 "M0rmonlam." This II not Mormon
lsm." either straight or modified"
The latter IA regards marriage holds
that what God has Joined together. let
NJ man separate" hut the point Il this,
that while a great crusade f. being car
Rcd on oatonsibiy for the purpose ~
retaining the sacred ground Of tho
American home. the crusaders them
selves. Notwithstanding their Hare Of
trumpcts and roll OF drums. are nuf-
fcring the grosscst violations In their
own midst II no, actually by thcm-
selves. o. that for the sanoity Of which
they claim to have armed themselves
Wen does the Savannah News re-
mark
Tho women Of the country are nlllnE
the land with their protests 60 Congress
against allowing the polygamous Hob
erta ~ Utah, TO take the seat IN the
House TO which he has been elected.
Would they not do the country an
equal. N not greater. service II they
we're 10 make an effort 20 have uni-
form divorce law In this country. a law
thai would permit divorce for one
cause only. namely. adultery"
Cardinal gibbons makes the mistake
of regarding "Mormonifm" and "polyE-
amy ~ synonymous terms. which they
clearly are not. Plural marriages have
been the custom among people 81 tho
earth thousands Of years before Nor
monlrm' was given to the world
by divine revelation. II IL praciiced bv
millions who have never accepted "Mor-
monium."
on the other hand "Mormonlsm" was
preached and fiourished before the doe
trinc % plural marriage was taught. II
has been preached and accepted In
many parts OF the world. where such
marriages have never been soicmnihed
by the Saints. II IL be-
ing preached anf accepted to-
day In this country and else
where. though the doctrine IL not
taught or practiced. and has not been
since the issuance Of the Manifesto. ],
IL an injustice TO the church To make
IT, creed synonymous with "polyEamy''
pomewha, analogous. 10 the Profess
tant notion that papacy and jeiulilHm
are synonomou. terms. Thus TO con-
found the truth may serve the pur-
pose Of sectarlans who do not know
how TO nsht an opponent with the
weapons Of truth. but II should not be
necessary for learned prclate TO
stand on the platform Of popular pre-
judice when discussing u question OF
natlnnal inheritance.