Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-06
DECEIvING AND DECEIVED.

Dr. Josiah Strong OF New York Is at
the head Of the organization called the
Social League. It is engaged IN clrcu-
latine anti Mormon literature. We
are In possession OF some budgets Of
the stun, that Is being supplied TO
ministers and congregations through
out the United states, 1t consists
chiefly Of gross Misrepresentation Of
Mormon" tenets. furnished by persons
who have by long practice become
adopts In the art, and II also roundly
abuses the Mormon" people and their
Church leaders,
This kind Of literature does some
harm for time. 1t deceives a great
many very good people and leads
them to regard Mormon as a moral
monster, and the Mormon" faith as
a mixture Of paganism and peryersons
Of Christian doctrine II tends 10 pro
mote that kind Of agitation which cul-
inmates in personal violence. the burn
ing OF Mormon" meeting houses, the
mobblng OF Mormon missionaries,
and the desire to annihllate Mormon
ism" by law n possible, by force II nee
essary.
The gentleman who Is at the head Of
this movement IS, no doubt under the
impression that he Is promoting the
cause OF Christianity and denouncIng
dangerous heresy. lie Is evidently de-
celyed himself while he is decelying
others He has obtained his Information
about the "Mormons' from their in
veterate enemies, and really knows
nothing Of the true character OF the
people whom he is helping to malign,
nor Of their real principles and true
sentiments.
But when an opportunity opens to
show up the falsity and absurdty OF
the attacks thus made upon our people
and their faith. a reaction results The
llbels published and spread abroad by
the ton, create inquiry. Investigation
reaches the truth. The yiler the false.
hood, the brighter the truth appears by
contrast The eyes Of the honest are
opened, they see the beauty of the prln.
cples OF the latter-day Gospel they
feel their force. and so light is spread
and converts are the consequence.
Dr. Strong has been using his innu.
ence recently in a political direction,
That Of course he considers eminently
proper in an orthodox divine. but
shamefully wicked IN a Mormon
Apostle or Elder, His letters to cand.
dates FOR election 70 Congress, and TO
persons whom he wishes 70 support
such as are favorable 20 the proposed
anu-polygamy amendment TO the ma
tonal Constitution, show that the same
Ignorance displayed IN the anu-"Mor
mon literature he Is circulating. Is
prominent feature Of HIS political cor
respondence. For instance, he says
THE Mormon leaders teach that ey-
cry one who opposes their Church WIN
suffer divine retrbution They declare
that LIncoln's assassination was the
judgment Of God because 90 his opp0-
sltion 20 Mormonism. and now claim
that the recent destruction NJ Galveston
was due to It's rejection VI the Mormon
Gospel
Every assertion IN the paragraph we
have quoted is untrue. The Mormon
leader. have mnde no such statements.
They are an manufactured for the pur-
pose Of prejudicng the public against
the M0ruions Their repetition by
d. Strong IS complete evidence OF his
lack OF knowledge on this subject. and
OF his eager readiness 10 adopt any
anti-'M0rmon" accusation, however
gro,gslua and untrue.
On these matters he Is blind
guide dslaIylne and being deceived
lie IS enc ~ numerous class. so con.
iident Boz their own asutcu5ss and clari.
cal position that they never imagine
they may Doe mistaken. Therefore they
take what they hear for granted. do
not Took before they leap. but jump 20
conclusions and FAN into just such
mud-pa3s OF error as ths false
chars. of the paragraph above.
We have 900 desire 90 say N do any.
thing agaIus, The eminent preacher.
personally We do warn the public
against DIS assaults on ths Mormon
Church They ere made IN The sam.
spirit as that which moved ola Rome 90
ma'ign and l.lsl ana make war upon
the e-r.y Christians.
The goal ot Dis present race IS
myth The hsat De ls uaeng Sc against
empty space Hls great EFFORT. in
which De desires 90 involve national
legislators is wasted upon "a phantom
IT DC succeeds 10 wha, De has under
laNen it w.l have poo more effect upon
Aormon.sm' and tha Mormons" than
pun OF wind upon o. deeprooted oak
Without knowing Or Doc BE- merely act-
ing as ,he tool of designing knavas In
"hom h. has lepaseI confidence. but
VINO oie playing bunco with his egousm
ana taking advantage Of his yerdancy.
Moimonism is system Of religion.
ne beauty ana strength and purity Of
winch he is not able az present TO ap.
p'eelale because be Is not willing to
learn. Il will be a power IN the earth