Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-17
THE "NEws" AND FAITH CURE,

1
In reply TO a question from an es-
teemed contemporary. the Deseret !
News explained on Tuesday evening |
the doctrine and practice OF the Church !
In reference TO the sick. II was shown |
that faith is curative. That when ex-
ercised In SUFFICIENT force the sick are
healed. That the absence Of faith Is not |
a sin. That the ordinance Of the laying |
on Of hands Is the means employed by
which such faith is exercised and
aroused. That It Is a divine institu-
ton. That testimonies are numerous in
support OF the doctrine, and that 1t is
Christian establishment.
At the same time, and In the same
article. we advocated the skilled use Of
remedies which the Creator has rrovld.
ed for human disorders, in all cases
where faith does not exist or is insult.
Client TO heal. We invite special atten-
ton to our article on this subject, that
the position taken BY the News" may
NC 4diiiJ un1tlENNoNs luz ltdcUh wi
this is that the Salt Lake Tribune has
endeavored to place the matter In a
false light before the public. using the
explosives which 1t usually mistakes
for argument, and also refers 20 other
matters with which It untruthfully con-
meets the Deseret News. and exhibits
throughout its whole attack spirit Of
personal spite and malice Characters
tic Of the author of the assault
The Tribune picks out and isolates
from the context, the annexed sentepce
OF paragraph In the News" the
rest Of which It purposely eliminates:
'There are many Elders In this city
the writer OF this article among the
number. who have laid hands upon per-
sons afflicted with the malignant as
well as the mild form Of smallpox. and
the patients have recovered. while the
Elders administering have escaped the
contagion."
To this II makes the following COM
ments under the appropriate heading OF
Pure Wickedness."
Nov we believe that in all his shin
ing record the editor Of the News new
er told more monumental or wicked
falsehood than the above We believe
that the Mormon people ought to in
sist upon his going to the pest house
today and proving his power on men OF
his faith. or made to publish In this
evenings News that he has lost the
charm He says only a little faith
on the part Of the patient Is neces-
sary, that II the Elder has the power TO
rebuke the disease that Is sufficient and
that he has that power We believe
he IL Il liar We believe that the men
who keep him as editor of the News
know that he is liar, that he Dos-
sesses no such power and hence when
they permit him 20 spread such stuff
among the credulous and unprotected
people outside. they are accessories
after the fact TO his crime"
In order that the animus and wilful
misrepresentation Of the foregoing ele-
CANT remarks may be fully appreciated,
we here copy from the article under
consideration. some Of the remarks
which accompanied the sentence se-
lected by the Tribune as an excuse for
It's gentlemanly criticism. The News
said.
THE fact is, II Is not claimed that
the Elders who lay their hands on the
sick. as commanded, possess the infalli-
BILE power OF healing the sick. The
curative force is faith, When there
Is sufficient faith the sick will be
healed. When there Is not sufii-
Client the cure is not accomplished.
Faith Is the moving cause, restoration
the visible effect"
when II is necessary to call In q
physician and his prescriptions are fol-
lowed. would we recommend the faith
treatment and the laying on Of hands?
Yes, most decidedly There are doctors
In this city who are ready to acknowl-
edge that II has been a potent help TO
their skill and attention. and that in
some cases death would have resulted
without II"
Nov we would like our contemporary
20 understand. that the Deseret News
does not oppose and has never objected
TO the services Of competent physicians
and surgeons. on the contrary, 1t has
cautioned the people against relying
upon persons who are unsklled and
without experience. We have pointed
out the fact that remedies are provid-
ed In nature which we believe were
ordained Of God for the Ills that afflict
the flesh, and that these should he used
when necessary with the wisdom es-
sential to an understanding OF their
properties and effects Especially should
this course b. pursued by persons who
have not faith TO be healed IN the sim
pier way"
1t Is well understood by the Latter
day Saints. and others who have made
themselves acquainted with the doc
;rines Of the Church, that none OF It's
ministers lay claim 10 any such power
as that which the Tribune says they
assume to have. They simply perform
duty which is enjoined upon them by
divine command. II Is similar TO that
required Of the Elders in the primitive
Christian Church, as may be seen in
James " IA, 10:
rs any sick among your Let him call
for the Elders OF the Church; and let
them pray over him, amounting him with
oil In the name OF the Lord:
And the prayer OF faith shall save the
sick. and the l.or shall raise him up;
and n he hath committed sins they shall
be forgiven him"
That order with the accompanying
promises, have been renewed in the
present age. And there are thousands
OF living witnesses 20 the efficacy OF
the treatment The same effects mar
rated in the New Testament have been
witnessed IN the Church Of the latter
days. in all kinds Of cases OF sickness,