Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-05-27

aNfttus ''tf' y" 49, 49,
of tho World.
To-. -. cess,saiincgs. May LIST. 1899.
TO the Editor:
one u tho peculiar conditions Of the
world II the religious freaks II pro-
duocs. Some have strength 20 produce
marked impression upon It's immcdi-
ate associates, and even upon commu-
mites and nations. while othcrs are
doomed 10 die IN obrcuriiy. lin they
widely known or not they are none the
less interesting when met BY one who
interests himself In the social and re-
ilFious concerns OF the grcat human
family.
In our wide awake America We have
"a homemade expression for all such.
We name them ''crankn" This because
they devote their time and thought In
onc direction. They frequently become
enjoying 60 associated, and sometimes
very dlnaErccablc 10 persons who arc
not Interested In their theories. In
deed. n they knew how 10 be more dis
Greet with their views they would be
more successful.
Some OF these strange characters are
known In history an rcformerr. because
they have boon able TO combine ncccr-
sary elements 81 success. Then thcy
seem to have bccn placed here on earth
Just at the proper time 20 accomplish
a certain work for the bcncnt 10 the
human race. ana the term crank IN
no longer applicable a. thcm. hut they
ore STYLED great mon. What a strange
mixture OF thought there must have
baen In our xintcncc, u this prv-
sent life Expresses or reflects our form.
er VI pro-exintani state TO a very iarBr
sNtent
We sometimes use tho homcly cx-
precision that q child II "a chip Of the
old block" This may be true IN u gen
crni sense. but there are many cxecp-
lions
The religious freaks are not confined
60 Christianity. They can o. iounu w
all the world. The Mohammadhn
world h ~ prolific as any. 20 far nH
the circumstances win permit. They
produce diryishcH, which are a species
IT monks. who afv held In the curious
position uf being both respected ana
Tidloulcd. They combine some virtues
which. when looked at exclusively aro
admired because tho weak becomes
blind To the ridiculous side while
uthrrs dcrido them because Of tho
ntfanreness Of drcnH and life and man
ner They are all freaks. Some dance
othefa stand In one place and whirl
with outHircchcd arms while Their
flowing garments float round and round
like "a balloon. They VIII continue thus
who behold them are dizzy looking At
them They claim wonderful healing
powers because Of their holiness.
uthcr who nre more bnfhnroua, VIII
stick knives or other sharp Instruments
into their flesh. while some Will charm
snakes and handle them IN the most
astonishing manner, All this II IN tho
name Of religion. Many laugh at them.
but 80 great II the superstition that
they would not like to onend one ~
them, lest he should by some means
leave u curse instead OF blessing.
Others are pretended rcformcru, others
again claim 10 know something
about futuv events, that tradition has
handed down. These. whether Chris
tlnn or Mohammedan. arc often NOR
ally good persons with good aims In
life, but are not altogether susceptible
60 gospel Influences. they arr lust pre-
ciscly as the Lord said about the shak-
ers. with whom there was much good,
but also some ,hinsa which which
cannot be reached m this
dark sphere. They are Eenerally much
farther on from Gospel ilght than nre
sinners humble and rcpentcnt. l have
met many u those singular pcrronh.
AZ first Il would seem as though u was
u preparatory WIN lHt WV t'sPNh hNN
by closer contact u was found thnt theS
consider themselves the pivot ana tho
great chosen instruments.
am reminded uf Mrs. Spanord'a
colony at Jerusalem, Mr., and Mrs.
spaford were from Chicago formerly.
hut they are now OF Palestine. ar,
Spdnord IL dead, but Mrs, Spanord "
Carrying On his spiritual work. Here IL
a combination NJ virtue, good works,
hrothcrly love nnd unity based ON a
ray Of that light which dod has re-
Venlcd 10 His servants tho prophets.
They gather TO fulnll prophecy, but how
or what for thcy cannot tell. They eau
only tell that "Goi In love" and that
lie requires all 20 overcome the flesh
md IN love one another. In THIS enort
they excel. Thcy have a community OF
about 1875 members, male ana female,
who live rs brothers aud sisters and
really they have neat home ana All
faces seem happy and content ~ hrst
ono would any. What could hinder
these from receiving tho truthf hut
nlnsi when approached on such mat
tora, they are not even Wiling 20 near.
They consider the whole world fallen
Mark the freak Adam. lhey say
made tho greatest mistake ~ his HE
by associntlnH with HIS wife eve, be-
cause he waa not prepared by the prin-
clple OF love The results, said Mr.
baldwin, an elderly, earnest man, were
that calne was born and sin was IN.
troduced into the world. whereas, II
Adam had waited ana H0-on, they
would have overcome the world FIRST,
but now the world oyercame him and
the rest Of us. The spanord society II
bound that this shall not be their mis-
take. so they refrain from marrying,
and with marrlod people do not nFso-
elate. They haye many nice young
men and women who are waiting. Mr.,
Baldwin could give no answer how long
hay lhQuld walt. but u u clear that u