Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-29
",toRMoNso AND CHRISTIANS"

The Washington Post some time ag'
took occasion to say a good word fol
the Latter-day Saints. It was discus
sing the question Of discrimination
against the admission to the Union Of
such States as Arizona, on account Of
the Mormon population, and protest
ed against such discrimination. The
/ Post said In part;
The Mormons constitute a Church
! a Christian Church, and so long as the
/ do not violate the laws Congress Will
| not discriminate against them. To ban
State out Of the Union because part
| OF It's inhabitants belonged 10 a partic-
ular sect would be a bad precedent"
To this emlnenty American and corr
rect view, the st. Paul Pioneer Press
enters lis objection in the following eff
fusion OF gall and bitterness--so strong.
ly contrasted to the spirit Of peace and
good win toward all men, which the
season should have inspired. II says.
II the Mormons constitute a Chris
tian Church then the Mohammedans
are also Christians, and Christians Of a
cleaner type than the Morm0ns. The
Mohammedan conception OF God Is a
far nobler one than that Of the Nor
mons, and the reverence paid to Jesus
Christ by the followers Of Islam Is OF a
more genuine character The persist
ency OF the Post in classifying the Nor
mons IN the same category with Bap-
lists Catholics. Presbyterians and
Methodlsts.as a part Of the great Chris
tlan body. shows either a profound ig-
norance or a studied purpose 10 belit'
lie Christianity and insult It's follow
ers"
The purely acadomlcal question
whether the Latter-day Saints ars
Christians or not. Is really Of very
little moment 10 makes no perceptl.
bic difference TO them, whether in the
Judgment Of So profound a theological
scholar as the editorial writer Of the
Pioneer Press. Mohammedans are OF a
cleaner IChrlstianl type than the Nor
mons" They are perfectly content to
abide boy the decision Of a higher trib.
unal than that. as 10 their true status
IN the broadest sense Of the word, a
Christian Is he who worships the one
true God. through the one Mediator
Jesus Christ, His Son. in a narrower
sense. a Christian" "a he who has,
through the diyinely appointed ordln.
ances and authorities. accepted Christ
as Savior. identified himself with His
cause for his own salvation and that Of
the race. and as consequence, leads |
a life IN conformity with the laws and |
ordinances Of the Gospel BY these
definitions the Latter-day Saints are
willing 10 be tested.
Their theology may not be patterned .
on the lines OF the impossible Athan.
asian creed and the semi latonic Au.
gustnIan theology But their God IL
the God Of Abraham Isaac and Jacob,
the God Of Moses and the Prophets, the
God Of Jesus and His Apostles-the
eternal Being whom they have been
taught 20 worship as "Our Father.
which g. In heaven" Can Christians
have formed any cleaner or "purer"
or more exalted conception Of Cod,
than that? II so, pray what Is II?
But as has been remarked. the judg-
uant passed upon Mormon theology
By an unfriendly and ignorant press,
" even by theological faculties stepped
% prejudIces, IS OF very little conse-
iuence. OF more moment Is the fact
hat an influential newspaper does not
eem to realize the danger Of advooat-
ng a religious test for Territories ap-
lying Tor statehood.
Suppose that there are many Nor
mons IN Arizona; suppose that the
barge So true that Mohammedans are
Christians Of a cleaner type" than
he 'Momons,' suppose that Baptlsts.
atholcs. Presbyterlans and Meth
lists are as much superior to the
Mormous' as the Pioneer Press seems
think, what Of it? What has that
b do with the admission Of Arizona 10
be Union' The Bapusts and the Pres.
yterans, etc. may have an idea that
the next world they shall be given a
.onopoly on eternal happiness from
Re lofty heights OF which they may
ok down into an abyss In which, 70
ieir Infinite Joy 'Normons' and Mo