Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-10-05
A VIGOROUS DEFENCE.

The Portsmouth, Ohio, Daily Blade
not long ago published a vile screed,
said TO have been furnished by one
Fred Underwood. who claimed TO have
spent several years in Utah, Some OF
the grossest accusations against the
"Mormons" that could be penned were
made in the article. which showed signs
OF deft manipulation by a Blade re-
porter. more anxious to make a sensa-
ton and please the prurient reader
than 10 expose error or tell the truth,
The Blade. however. had the fairness
and courtesy TO publish a reply, which
We here reproduce without copying the
first letter, as the answer covers the
most important charges and shows
their nature:
Ed Blade:--
Kindly permit me to reply to some
statements made by Mr.. Underwood
regarding the Mormon people and
their teachings and published In your
issue OF August 18th.
notwithstanding Mr. Underwood
claims 20 have spent several years
In Utah. he seems 70 have failed IN
spending any time whatever In study
ing the faith and teachings OF the
Mormon people. or else he would not
he guilty Of making so many glazing
misstatements and OF appearing 80
inconsistent In his conclusions. |
desire TO point out some OF his false
accusations. and TO show the unrelia-
blity OF his information and that he
like many others. has taken common
hearsay and rumor for fact II he
had obtained his information from the
proper source he would not have SO
wlfully transgressed the ninth com
mandment.
In the article referred 10 he says
Each ward has a teacher and
meeting house. the teachers duty Is 20
conduct meetings and 70 collect the
weekly donations Now / doubt very
much II Mr.. Underwood was ever in
side one OF those meeting houses or
he would have found that a Bishop and
not a teacher conducts the meetings.
and that no weekly donations are re-
ceived but that ONCE a month fast
offerings are received at close Of SER
vice. which are used as a fund 10 sup
port the poor and needy. His misin-
formation and unreliabllity In regard
% mode Of procedure In our meet
ings is but an index TO the unworth-
mess Of some OF his other statements
as TO our teachings.
"His assertions as 10 what occurs
during tho meetings at the Tabernacle
are like his other statements, mere
conjecture. No report has ever been
read In that building or any other
giving information as 10 who pays
tithes or who does not. The same
glazing untruth Is told about the Tenn
ple' as members OF the Church In
good standing are admitted, and
privileged TO 20 through that building
ana not merely the Apostles or Grand
Moguls.' as he sneeringly calls them.
"He gives US credit for memOTizlng
Mormonism before leaving Tor our
missions. He gives US more than our
due. and shows his ignorance Of what
the world pleases 20 call Mormonism.
II would be impossible for any man
70 commit 20 memory as II Is the Cos
pei Of Jesus Christ revealed anew IN
this age and includes and comprehends
ALL TRUTH IN heaven and on earth,
and Is the power OF God unto salvation
20 every one who VIII believe ana obey
it.
"Under the subterfuge OF his resi-
dence In Utah he pretends 20 speak
authoritatively on moral conditions
there but the whole tenor OF his are
ticla reveals deep underlying preju.
dice and dlsrespect for sacred things
and iucapacitates him as fair Judge
He SAYS the Mormon religion does
not prohibit drunkenness, debauchery
and RIGHTEOUSNESS and that every sa-
| loon and gambling house IN ogden is
owned by Mormon. The Nor
mon religion cannot compel any per.
son from engaging IN the saloon busl-
ness. debauchng himself or commit
| ting wrong OF any kind. az
Every soul II free
To choose this life and what he'll be-