Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-27
NOT AN INTERPOLATION.


letter OF inquiry from the north con-
corning the passages in the Sermon on
the Mount about pucklng out an eye
and cutting of a hand. We showed
that these expressions were hguratlye,
and doubted II any really sane person
would take them In literal sense, We
also showed that the omission In the
Book Of Mormon OF the passages as
they appear in the New Testament did
not constitute discrepancy" because
one account was a report Of a discourse
delivered on this continent and the
other OF d sermon in Palestine. We
are now favored with another communi-
cation from the same source, explain
ing some facts and taking the ground
that the passages In Matthew V: 20, 30,
are probably an Interpolation.
We are aware that. as related by our
correspondent, there have been instan-
ces Of the voluntary mutilation Of the
body By individuals who took literally
the instruction Of the Savior, If thy
right eye offend thee pluck 1t out" etc;
"And II thy right hand offend thee. cut
II on" ETC., and, through a morbid sense
OF sin, have proceeded to carry the
counsel into effect, but we have not
regarded such persons as OF sound
mind II may be true that In other
respects they were intelligent and re-
liable, but the very fact Of their acts
in this respect seems TO us sufficient
to Indicate that they were monomani.
acs.
There is no good reason that we are
aware Of TO believe that the passages
referred to are an interpolation" They
contain nothing which would favor any
particular religious sect or notion. As
Jesus clearly intended by their utter.
ance, they conveyed sound and excellent
advice. They signify that no matter
how dear TO US and how much a part
Of our nature some besetting sin or
great fault may be. II must be plucked
out or cut OF II we desire 10 reach that
perfection which win ~ Us for associ-
alton with perfect beings There are
so many flguratlye expressions In the
Sermon on the Mount and in
other dlscources by the sa-
vior that these passages
appear to US so clearly of the same
character that It is a marvel they
should be considered otherwise by any
person Of sound mind.
Our correspondent thinks that these
passages do not harmonlze with the
saying, He that overcometh shall in
herit all things" IL is strange that
any one should discover any dlscord be-
tween them, To pluck out a sinful de-
sire 10 cut of degrading habit. Is in
effect 10 overcome II. To us there ap-
pears TO be perfect harmony between
the instruction and the promise. or
course II the pluckng out and cutting
OF are to be taken literally there might
possibly be some contradiction between
the two scriptures; but understanding
the teachings of the Master IN the sense
In which He conveyed II. there is moth
ing discordant about them but on the
contrary perfect union and concord.
Our correspondent also lmagnes that
the following. In the discourse delivered
by the Savior 10 the Nephltes. is a
Substitute" for the passages In
Matthew
Behold give unto you n command.
ment, that We suffer none OF these things
10 enter into your heart sfor IL Is better
that ye should deny yourself these
tnings wherein ye viii take up your
cross, than that ye should be cast into
hell"
But Il will be found on examination
that this Is not Substitute" for any.
thing, but refers 70 the previous pas
sage concerning adultery in the heart.
Reference to the translation By the
Prophet Joseph Smith referred TO by
our correspondent, corroborates this
view. Il gives the passage exactly a.
In the Book Of Mormon, and then fol-
low the verses about the right eye and
the right hand. and then this oxplana.
ton:
And now this I speak a parable con.
from you that you may not be heWn
down and cast into the IRE"
AS we have heretofore stated. the
translation by the Prophet has not
been published by authority Of this
Church, yet 1t ia evident that this ex-
PLANTATION was given By the Savior in
His sermon on the mount and Is one OF
the precious things that have been
omitted. In the transmission Of the sa-
cred writings from agc 10 age. 6ut was
manifested TO the Prophet IN his work OF
translation.
We see no need Of further discussion
on this simple matter The expressions
about the right eye and the right hand
are clearly as hgura,lye as those which
called the disciples 'the salt of the
earth and a Hight to the world," 20 be
"se, on a table and not mid under a
bushel,' about The mote In the broth.
er's eye and "a beam IN ones own
eye ana other symbolical language
common to the age and place where
Christ administered
There Is nothing in the figures OF the
eye and the hand Incompatible With the
others used by Christ as illustrations OF
His meaning; therefore We DO not regard