Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-29
now no STUDY "MoRMoNIsM'


spondent to Salt Lake city 20 investi-
gate Mormonism." These are some OF
the statements we find Ia different
newspapers published In the East and
in the South. This would be both In
terestlng and encouraging TO the Nor
mon" people, II the pretended inyesti-
cations were conducted with any degree
of fairness, and a desire to obtain tacls
and correct information as TO the doc
trlnes, spirit and intent Of the Church
of Jesus Christ OF Latter-day Saints,
commonly called the Mormon Church "
It depends a great deal upon the state
Of mind and the purpose in the heart
Of an Individual who makes a study OF
any religious, social or political ques-
ton. II he begins with settled eonylc-
ton that the system he is about to pry
into is wrong, and his object is to dis
cover. II possible, evidences Of It's
falsity, he viii no doubt find many
things which will 1T into his design and
confirm him In his original position
Nearly everybody who comes to Utah
for the nominal purpose Of "inyestgat.
ing Mormonlsm," takes 1t for granted
that the whole concern is either a
fraud or a delusion, and he does not
look for anything but what Will estab'
lish one or the other Of those PROPOSE.
lions.
In nearly every instance, too, the
pretended inquirer goes to sources from
which flow only Misrepresentation,
abuse. burlesque and carcature. These
fall In with the desire OF the querist
and he adopts them at once. In max
ing out his communications to the jour-
nal or magazine which he represents,
he sets forth these distortions as Nor
mcnism." II he quotes from Mormon
literature he does not take the trouble
10 go to the standards Of faith OF the
Church, but accepts from its enemies
garbled quotations from works that are
not recognized as authoritative, or iso-
lated sentences from old sermons with
out giving the explanatory context. In
relating Mormon history, he cites
anti-"Mormon' stories as though they
were authenticated facts, and in depict
ing Mormon" society he repeats alb
surd and monstrous tales told by repro
bates who revel in everything salacious
and who delight In scandal
That Is how "Mormonsm" Is usually
studied by newspaper representatives
and clergymen who pay a brief visit
20 this city. and have the sublime ego
tlsm to assume either that they knew
all about IL before they came, or have
lmbibed a complete understanding OF
Che many questions involved in its the.
oloey, its remarkable organization and
the practical questions involved in the
system by a forty-eight hours or
weeks eojourn among its most vlgor-
Gus and subtle opponents, IT is rare
indeed that any Of them SO TO the foun-
saln head for information. II they do
mlngle with people who can give them
light, 1t Is merely that they may be
able TO say that they had interviews
with prominent "Mormons."
How often one may read in magazines
and eastern newspapers about what Is
in the Book Of Mormon, and find that
the alleged quotations are either not In
,he book at all, or so changed as TO DO
the opposite Of what the book conveys!
That work is frequently denounced
from the pulpit as "a religious To-
nance" or condemned as a blasphem.
Gus and ridiculous counterfeit Of the
Bible. Ask the Rev preachers II
they have ever read the book, and when
pressed into corner for direct re-
ply, they have 70 acknowledge that they
have never seen anything but alleged
extracts from IL. The most extravagant
end nonsensical notions that could be
invented and called religious opinions,
are commonly presented 10 the public
as "Mormonlsm."
Some Of the very worst Of the delam-
ers Of the Mormon" people and their
doctrines, are among the ministers OF
the different christian denomina-
tons. They are deserving Of all the
denunclauOns heaped upon the pharl-
sees and scrbcs and doctors and law
yers by the Savior OF the world.when He
mlnistered among men. They are en-.
gagged In a similar occupation. They
VIII be entitled 60 the same reward.
Men Of their class Were the chief cause
OF the Prosecutions and bloodshed that
came upon the Iat,er-day Saints In the
early days q the Church. They are
following In the same course but with
other weapons, today They will I'm
up the full measure Of the Guns Of their
iniqulty and then 20 TO their own place
w warn our contemporaries az
distance, that It is useless to send
clerical or journalistic representatives,
10 Utah TO gather up antl."Mormon"
paoulum to dish out to their readers.
~ Is a waste OF time ana money. They
can CLEAN all the kind Of STUFF they
want from anti-"Mormon" literature.
II they desire Mormon" works. they
can set them from Mormon sources
ihey can also be visited by mission.
ar'es who are out among them for the
ton. ''''-
We notice in the Chattanooga Tenn
NeSs' that an invitation was recsn,ly
soa.s ueu from the President Of the
a'nern States mission to ministers