Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-01

n. Fl. Scott, curator Of the Victoria,
Museum at Launceston Tasmania,
Is the author Of the following letter re-
celyed today by President snow.
Launceston, Tasmania, Aug. 5, 1901.
Lorenzo Snow, Esd President OF me
Church In Utah and Governor Of the
Latter-day Saints
Sir.--l am taking the liberty OF ad-
dressing you as a man OF the wolld,
who. without any special claims to one
religion or another, has yet been con-
stantly brought into touch WIN me
teachers OF your special articles OF faith.
The object OF my letter is. IN the MAN,
to show you how the actions OF your
workers In the field impress an un-
biased thinker. Let me once again say
/ make no profession Of religion al all
and for the sample reason that the man
ner in which the 80 called CHRISTIAN
religion" Is presented to the world Ia
this age lays II open 10 the charge
OF being both IN genius ana species, a
vast commercial transaction. AS one
looks down the vast line Of welt fed,
well housed, opulont men who distort
the Gospel Of Jesus Christ 90 the time
OF hundreds Of pounds per YEAR, one Is
inclined TO say, when the son OF Man
c0meth fhall fe lind faith on II,
earth" Let the worker have his hire,
by all means, but when we remember
land | have seen II again and asalm
that the money which ministers ire
quently claim very much in excess q
all real need, Is too often pnched on
the miserable pittance Of men. whose
lives arc spent IN white slavery 60
keep body and soul together We can.
not but ask, Are these the generation
evolved from Him, VINO knew not
where to lay His head?'
The men you send into the world
have come to me again and again, and
| have told them. Il have nothing to
give you, | shall not accept your re-
lgion. nor join your Church. | cannot
say you are wrong In your IDEAS be.
cause no man can In the end do more
than account for himself and Judge
of others az their actions depict them.
hut vs long as you care to spend your
time In beating the wind with me !
will listen" Eighteen months seems not
to have tired them, and as | write |
have two OF their latest books before
me- II Is not my business TO say how
the Gospel Of Jesus Christ should be
taught, as my work in life Is 20 teach
nature, but II IL a fair conclusion 10
deduce, that the men, who, having
nothing to gain, still continue the work,
must be far nearer the spirit of the
thing than those who only teach when
a possible gain Is In view. II In the
great hereafter (of which both nature
and science. in their wisdom are silent.
and only religion attempts TO talk
about, there Is, as many claim, IA
judgment Of the earth life's data, sure
ly the records OF these simple men WIN
convince so few and gain 80 little
should prove wonderful archives.
With the best spirit Of fairness
known TO me, | have read very mucn
against and an equal amount In favor
OF the teachings Of the Latter-day
Saints and as both have failed to con-
vince me infer that. as In most other
matters. the truth lies midway between
them, although this has, Of course.
nothing TO do with your Church as
with the other churches Of
the world Qf the latter, II, Blessed ara
We when men shall revlle you is to be
the standard Of greatness, then all /
can say is, you are about the richest
AHHiNH hilFN
never can see why people should
not discuss religion, and approach re-
llgion IN exactly the same way that
they do tho other affairs OF life. II IA
man wants TO go a sixty-mile journey.
he sits down quietly and thinks out the
best way to get there, and even II his
friends DO not consider his ultimate
Judgment wise one. they do not EN-
bitter themselves against him. yet In
religion this seems 10 be the normal
condition OF things. and Il Is treat to
meet with people who viii argue quiet
~, ana who know when 10 stop,
For the third time, 1 am not OF your
Church, or any other church, but must
you on your system OF
sending out men Of single heart, ana
strength OF purpose TO explain the truth
las II seems TO you) and wish you ana
your people every prosperity In your
day and generation.
Trusting you viii pardon my freedom
IN addressing you at all and believe
that the seeker after truth is often
called upon to outstep the small round
OF social customs. and laws, have the
honor TO be. dear sir,
Yours faithfully,
II. II. SCOTT.
PSI may Just add. that the Elders
chiefly known TO me are as follows: j.
b. orion. Esq. j. r. Gibbs. Esq, w. II.
BRYAN. ESQ,