Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-06
now TO INVESTIGATE.

We are told that Miss Helen Gould
has diligently investigated Mormon
ism with the result that she con-
cluded TO throw her wealth and In
huence against the Church. In a letter
published over her name the estimable
lady enumerates a few doctrines she
concelves to be 'Mormonism' and then
says: 1T Is indeed very necessary
therefore, that our people should be-
come better informed as to their pecu-
liar tenets and practice Miss Gould,
therefore, has been persuaded 10 direct
her efforts against the Church, and she
has the courage 10 say so honestly and
unequivocaly, instead Of acting under
false pretenses
While we admire the frankness and
enthusiasm with which the lady like
the distinguished Saul Of Tarsus Of old,
enters upon her Undertaking. We yen-
turc to point out thai her method Of
investigation Is much al fault. She has
heard but one side Of the great con-
troversy for what she has been told
Of the other side has come to her
through unfriendiy and prejudiced
channels.
logical mind cannot but feel the
force and Justice Of this criticism She
has gathered newspapsr clippings and
anti. Mormon" literature; she has
mingled with apostates and anti Nor
mons she has read the doctrines OF
'Mormonism' as presented by those
who do not understand Il. and studied
It through fragments of Mormon"
writings, often presented apart from
the context and therefor unntelligible.
But did she ever read an authentic
history Of the Prophet Joseph, and Of
the church, Did she ever hear
Mormon" Elder set forth the faith?
II not the investigation is no in
yestlgatlon at all
We ask for "Mormonsm" only the
kind Of hearing all Christians demand
for the Christian faith What would be
the verdict on Christianity II It were
to be judged from thu light in which 1t
was presented by the priests that
brought the great NaFarene before Pill
ate? or by the early satirists Of the
Roman empire7 or by Voltaire? or
lngersoll? Let history reply or what
would be the verdict. were we TO
judge from some Of the peculiar no.
tons held by the early advocates OF
that religion who nevertheless fought
and died FOR Il and carried Il to vic
tory against Roman paganism?
This Is an important point for the
enemies OF our Church are IN the habit
OF ignoring the STANDARDS Of our faith
the Bible. Book Of Mormon Doctrine
and Covenants and the Pearl OF Great
Pricc-the books IN which Mormon.
ism Is contained. and TO r,fer 60 opln-
Ions expressed by more or less proml.
ueu, men IN the Church. How would
Christianity fare under a similar mode
OF procedure?
Nearly all the cary fathers OF the
church said and wrote much which
later had TO be forgotten. Clemens
Romanus tells US OF bird called
PhpniX which lives five hundred years
and makes Itself sspulchre OF frank
incense and myrrh upon which Il dies:
hut Of &c corrupted flesh q worm is
generated, which, roldshed by the
moisture OF the dead becomes feath-
cred. Then It removes from Arabia
10 Esyg. and deposits the nest and the
dry bones on the altar Of the sun god"
Tcriulian attempts No prove this fable
by Scripture. and Eus'blus. Lactanllus.
Ambrose, jerome, Gym. all fondle this
miraculous bird as an emblem u the
resurrection. But here is an extract
from Augustine. the father Of the pres
emf orthodox theology
II was already bishop Of Hippo when
/ went into ETHIOPIA with some serv.
wants Of Christ, Their 10 preach the
Gospel In this country We saw many
men and women without head. who
had two great eyes Ia their breasts;
ana IN Countries still more eoutherly
we saw people who had but one eye.
in their forehesds."
Justine quotes Scripture to prove
that Egypt was inhabited by eyil spir.
Its, and accounts for their origin bv
the supposed marriage OF angels with
women And neariy an the early