Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-13
OLD STORIES REroLD.

1.-THE Mormon Elders are infesting
the northern section Of the city former
w known as Lanslngburgh They In
troduce themselves as ministers OF the
Gospel but are spurned when their
identity IS discovered or suspected.
Strange men who call at houses under
the pretext that they are Gospel adyo-
Gates deserve small courtesy. This IL
not the method adopted by reputable
clergymen.'
The foregoing Is from the Troy, n. Y,
Press. which is unintentioneIy aiding
our missionaries in that part Of the
country by that kind OF advertising. II
Is also helping the cause by the publ
cation Of the serial story" which
every few days appears In It's columns,
under the title Of "orIgln. Rise and
Progress Of Mormonism," The Press
imagines II Is printing something new,
while as matter of fact II is all a re-
production of old stories, which the
writer OF the book published in 1867,
had culled from much earlier works OF
the kind, giving some color TO them by
stating that he was a resident Of Pal
myra, New York. when the Prophet
Joseph Smith and his parents lived
there.
We could furnish the Press with a
long list Of such works but few will
suffice. The same tales about the early
life of the Prophet Joseph are related
therein. and the same perversons Of
Mormon beliefs are made. In n work
called "The Mormons," by Mayhem,
published in London In 1852. fifteen
years before the Tucker book appeared,
these stories can be found Mayhew's
book was plaglarlzed by one Joseph A.
Smucher, and published under his name
in Philadelphia as an original work
But these had been preceded by Henry
Caswall's book. THE Prophet Of the
Nineteenth Century" published In
1Si3 in London. That by John c. Ben
nett In Boston In 1912; also by Nor
monism In All Ages" by Prof j. B,
Turner, New York. 1912, and that by
William Harris in Warsaw. Illinois, in
lsii, and called "Mormonism Por-
trayed."
But all these and many more were
taken chiefly from "Mormonism Tn.
yeiled,' by i. d. Howe. published in
1885. Some Of the writer's give credit
TO Howe, others take whole pages from
his work as II they were original with
the copylsts, And II win be found that
Tucker has done the same, in the book
now being copied. piecemeal, by the
Troy n. Y. Press as though II was
rare. and unique. and startling These
oft-told tales are not really substan.
tiated by their frequent repetition. but
put one in mind OF the notions that OBJ
talned In Rome about the beliefs and
doings Of the early Christians as re-
lated in QUO Vadis."
Now as to the course pursued by the
Elders In the neighborhood Of Troy.
The Press has not yet been able, in
response TO the request OF the Deserot
News. to give any particulars Of mis-
conduct on the part OF our missionaries
They 60 from house to house very like
~, distributing tracts. which nobody is
Obliged to receive or read. and II they
meet with the discourtesy described
by the Press and recommended to It's
readers. It only shows how far behind
IN politeness and tolerance the Trojans
are TO the Mormons." who are taught
to treat even their enemies with civil
ity and foTbcarance.
II is true, doubtless, that the methods
employed by the Elders TO spread the
Gospel are different TO those adopted
by the clergymsn Of the different sects.
a missionary who goes out among
strangers without purse or scrip and
receives no pay for his labors, is dIf-
ferent 20 salaried preacher, who has
an assured congregation and support.