Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-11-30


without intending H. they simply pre-
sent in a different form. the errors and
distortions Of the truth agalnst which
the majority Of the people OF Utah have
had " contend for over half century
Recently noted New York divine
with whose talented literary enott1 the
readers OF the New York Herald are
familiar, came 10 this city and eN-
pressed a desire 20 learn the truth con-
corning the Mormon" religion. and the
circumstances which have led TO the
great agitation In process Throughout,
the land. lie spent a few days here.
had an Interview with President Loren
10 Snow and two or three other mem.
bcrs Of the church. but occupied most
Of the time In obtaining distortions Of
history and hurlcrducs u the Nor
mon" faith from their most malignant
enemies Tho consequence n that the
New York Herald IL now burloncd
with communications, pretending to be
falr and impartial. concerning tho
Saints. their beliefs and their doings.
which are nothing scarcely but eariea-
lures.
For instance; The gentleman de-
votes an oniirc letter of considerable
length 90 series OF conclusions he
claims To- have formed. by the aid Of a
lawyer who 4. an ayowci and rampant
atheist and "a cynical compiler " an.
u-"Mormon" gossip. scandal and pru-
rlent literature. lie confcafcily adopts
the uugFoations u the atheist ana
spreads them before tho American pco-
pic a, length. In another communion.
ton hc mentions a conversation with
President Lorenzo Snow. occupying an
hour and half. and dismlsscs It with
thia sentence; The story of his con-
version 90 Mormoniqm was told In
such slmnic and pathetic fashion that
wish could reproduce Il for your
benefit" That Is the Kind ~ fair and
impartial Investigation conducted for
the public benefit BY Rev. Or. George
II. Hcpworth.
II IA no, surprising. therefore. 60 .
people who hayc ircn accustomed To
mlarcprc particularly by clcr-
Gymcn. from the organization Of the
Church To the present, 90 fnd that this
gentleman inform. th" public that.
"The head Of the corporate Institution
= singled out az the recipient ~ a
special revelation. and that tho mem
horu % that Institution ate bound to
xiv. ~ their personal convictions and
accept TINT revelation Az auth0fitn-
tive" That this "dvatruyH all freedom
~ thought and action and organizes
O. syHlom % intellectual dcrpotism on
IN. one hand and ~ slavery on the
other which puts an end 60 the man
hood ~ q man and the womanhood Of
q woman
or course. starting with these false
promises. II IL natural. II not logical,
that the writer draws the conclusion
that,
"Mormonism therefore IL funlnmcnt-
ally antuEuuiatic 10 the principle ON
which this republic ls founded-name-
~. the right aud the duty N tho citizen
TO think for himself ON every subject.
political and religious"
lie further reasons and announces
that:
However honest the I.atter-day
Saints may be- they are a menace TO our
government the anomaly In our olyili-
zati1n. and the more honestly they hold
they set ON them the greater 10 tho
anomaly and the more serious Is the
menace"
n the Dr. had been az anxious 10
learn what Mormon" doctrine really
II. as he was to gather up fiction and
Tcrvcrrlons VI our faith from It's enc
mics, he would not have fallen into the
same rut OF defamation which has been
troddcn by 90 many other transient
visitors to Utah. It may be a surprise
to him TO learn that the Latter.dny
Saints do not walk, as he declares, Tin
blind faith;' that II IL part OF their
orccd TO investigate for themselves and
their privilege TO obtain light and roycl-
alton individually. that no man or wo-
man Is required to give up personal
convictions or TO accept anything COM
irary to conscience and that liberty Of
| thought which IL urged and cnjoincd
BY tho church to which they belong.
lie calls the blind faith" and obcdl-
cnce which he imagines to be a part Of
| "Mcrmonlsm." THE weakness 81 the In
ftltutlon." He has yet 10 learn that
the very strength Of the Institution ID
the freedom which Il promotes, and the
personal conviction by revelation to
each soul male and female. of the truth
Of the system. and OF every doctrine
and preeept whlsh IA taught and every
measure which IN adopted A funda-
mental principle NJ "Mormonlsm" Is
that IAN things In this Church shall be
done by common consent"
We have not space today 20 take up
other statements and notions which Or,
llepworth has presented 10 the Amcrl-
can public aa "MormonisIn," which arr
foreign TO It's doctrines and rs practice
and which are either dramatically ops
posed TO our faith or are such dlstor-
tons " Il IA amount TO pcrverslon Of
the truth. ~ another time we may re-
vert to this subject. and show stlll fur
thcr how what Is called "a fair and i'm
partial" statement II fact and history
Is a biased and untrustworthy mnss Of
special pleading. against a religion and
a people with whom II was not TO b,
expected the Rev. writer would be IL
sympathy.
IN SOUTH AFRICA,