Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-21
ANTI-MoRMoN CRITICISMS,

The Utah Presbytery convention OF
teachers appears to have been ASSEM-
bled, chiefly. for the purpose OF attack
ing the faith OF the Latter-day saints
rather than to cucldate the doctrines
OF tire Presbyterian creed, All people
have the right to criticise the teachings
Of "Mormonism,' ana II possible 10
show that they are incorrect. The only
effectual way, however 10 accomplish
that end, so desirable to sectaran min
listers, Is to present the principles OF
"Mormonlsm" fairly and clearly before
proceeding to refute then. This Is not
to be fully expected Of the opponents Of
cur faith, but It Is pleasing 20 see That
there IS some approach to this course
Oh the part Of the gentlemen @ho In
,cnu TO capture our children II they
cannot convert as.
The reading OF selected portions from
the writings Of mormon" authors anl
authorities has the appearance, on the
surface of fair attempt at criticism.
But when II Is seen that other por-
lions which would throw greater Hight
on the subject are ignored or avoided
II looks more like cunning than candor
Also to attribute 10 the Prophet Joseph
Smith as alleged divine revelation, pas
saees from lectures delivered by en-
ether person without such a claim. does
net SAVIOR OF a sincere purpose or hon
EST investigation.
The principal subject before the
Presbyterian teachers on Monday was
the Mormon" doctrine concerning the
Holy Ghost The speaker read a pas
sage from the Doctrine and Covenants
Which, says "The Father has a body
Of flesh and bones as tangible as mans
the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has
not body of flesh and bones, but Is
parsonage Of Spirit" He then quoted
from the Lectures on Faith which
were delivered at an early date In the
Church by sidney Rigdon. but which
the speaker attributed to the Prophet
Joseph Smith. But he made no refer
ence to those parts OF the Doctrine aud
Covenants In which the subject OF the
essence. the powers and omnipresence
OF the Holy Spirit are set forth by rev.
elation more completely. For instance.
sectlonc 50 and %,
One point presented by several Of the
nssailants OF the Mormon faith which
Is very noticeable. is that they re-
verse the. statements made by Nor
mon" writer's, and in the revelations to
the Church. and instead Of saying, I'VE
believe hat man is In the form and
image Of God" they put /; IN this way.
'rhe Mormons believe that God Is
made like man." In the quotation We
have given from the Doctrine and Cove
nants, It states that the Father has a
body Of flesh and bones as tangible as
mans But our Presbyterian critics
make Il appear TO state that God is "a
person Of tabernacle like a man." Thus
instead % presenting man as a coy OF
the form and personality Of God, they
convey the impression that we reduce
God to be the image Of man.
Objection was made to some express
sions used by Mormon" writer's in ref
erence TO the Holy Spirit. In the key
TO Theology" the author speaks OF tina,
spirit IN comparison with electricity and
with spiritual iluid," and also uses the
pronoun 1T" instead Of "He." But the
author aid not say that the Holy Spirit
Is electricity and the term fluid" was
used by him simply by way OF COM
parison His Presbyterian critic sin
gled out tnose expressions, but ignored
the explanation given By the writer; as
for instance in these passages from
that work;
AS the nina passes the boundaries
a. the visible world and enters upon the
confines Of tho more refined and subtle
elements Il finds Itself associated with
certain substances, In themselves in
visible 20 cur gross organs, but clear
~ manifested 10 our intellect by thelr
tangible opClations and effects"
'The purest most refined and subtle
Of all these substances ana the one
least uneO stood. or even recognized,
by the less informed among mankind.
Is thar substance called the Holy Spirit.
'This Is the great positive, controls
Ing element ~ all other elements. Il Il
omuipreseni by reason Of the innnitude
of its Particles. and Il comprehends an
things
II is endowed with knowledge. VIE
dom, truth. love charity Justice and
mercy. In all their ramihcations In
short II is the attributes Of the eternal
power and Godhoad,"
II Is evident from these expressions
that the writer used the terms OBJ
jecied TO in a comparative sense. II Il
was necessary we could quote from the
scriptures comparisons OF the Deity 10
iiAhA'i thi NNNN tfAilNNFH NAAAt NNNIl IINN-
ably shock our Presbyterian critic quite
rs rudcly as a word or two in the "Key
to Theology" seems 90 have agitaied
his sensitive nerves. We are reminded
OF the saying Of the Prophet Isaiah
about those persons who make a man
an offender for a word"
the universally dInused Spirit which is
the light and life OF an things. The
third person In the Trinity the Holy
Ghost, the Comforter who was scnt
by the Father after the ascension OF
the Son 10 sit at Ills right hand. Is
"a parsonage Of Spirit aud The pro
noun "He" IL used when speaking az
Him. When the pronoua 20" Is uscl