Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-06
SALT LAKE CITY, JULY c, 1901
"MoRMoNlsM" AND MoNTANIsM

"M0RMONlsM" AND MONTANlsm'
From the very beginning Of the Lat
ter-day dispensation opposition TO us
principles and spirit has been Naged
by different forces and powers Chlef
among them has been the religious an
tagonlsm. which has come from most II
not all the multifarious scots Of modern
Chrlstendom. This has been manifested
in various forms Sometimes In mon
violence in which professed ministers
Of the Gospel led infurlated hosts
against ,hc Latlcr-day Saints. destroy
ing their property abusing their women
and killing their leaders, at other
times in other ways. Persistenty the
doctrines OF the Church have been as
sailed by Misrepresentation, rdicule'
sophistry and vehement denun' latioh.
The utterancos of its adyocat'l have
been distorted and wrested from their
real meaning. and the motives and acts
~ prominent persons IN the Church
have been mallgned and held up 60 the
execratlon OF deceived mankind. The
press In both hemspheres has very
largely followed in the work Of the
pulpit IN this particular.
II would be impossible for any news
paper TO meet all the calumny that has
been poured out In a deluge against the
Church OF Jesus Christ Of Latter-doy
Saints. But once In u while the Des-
FRET News has taken up the defense.
met alleged arguments against the
Church, and exposed the untruth Of the
opposition. II we were to attempt to
refute all the errors Of the enemies Of
our faith, or notice 1.-THE OF those we
are requested 60 answer this paper
and a hundred Others would be entire
ly filed with that kind Of pabulum.
our attention has been specially d.
rected 10 an attack proceeding from a
Dean OF the Episcopal church, In this
city, on Sunday evening, June SOth, and
we viii briefly notice some OF his asser-
tions. The chief point In his discourse
was the announcement that Mormon
ism was but duplicate OF Montanism."
The similarity which he endeavored TO
establish between the two systems, ac-
cordng TO the reports Of his discourse
given In the morning papers, was that
the Montansts believed in the proph-
etic Inspiration Of Montanus as the
"Motmons" do Of Joseph Smith and his
successors; that both believed IN the
continuance of the miraculous gifts Of
the Apostolic Church, and that the
Montanlsts believed In the establish
ment of the heavenly Jerusalem at
Pepuza, Just ms the "Mormons" be-
lieve in the establishment OF heaven
ly Zion in Salt Lake city"
Now either the Dean il sadly def
cient In historical learning, or his anti
patty TO "MormonIsm" has got the bet
ter OF his judgment and his veracity,
"Mormonism" Is no more a duplicate
Of Montanism, than the sacred calling
Of an inspired Apostle is duplicated by
the fabricated Office OF an ecclesiastical
Dean
Montanus figured in the second cen
fury. chiefly at Phrygla, in an endeavor
to revive the spirit Of primitive Chris
tianity. and had as his chief ASSISTANTS
two women, namely Prisca and Maxi
milla. They claimed the prophetic
spirit simply IN the same sense as
Agabus. the daughters ~ Philip, and
Others who In the early church had the
gift Of prophecy as one Of the gifts Of
the spirit Their utterances were de-
livered In a kind OF frenzy, and their
purpose was TO urge increased fasting
and prayer. entire separation from the
world. READINGS and even anxiety for
mmtyrdom, the prohibition of second
marriages. ana the establishment Of a
more igid standard OF moral oblga-
tions.
They belonged 60 and were associated
with the Roman Catholic church, They
sought to do their work within its pale.
They did not wish for a separation.
They were opposed by the authorities OF
that church. and some OF them were
compelled 90 stcede from 70 and form
distinct congregations But history
states that, ION doctrInal ques.
,lons there was no real differ
ence between the Catholics and the
Montanlsts." This IS emphasized by the
fact that the celebrated Tertullian om-
hraced Montanism and his writings
show that Montauism aos merely a
reaction against seculausm in the Ro-
man church The Carthaginian Mon
tanists stroye hard for years 90 main-
tain their standing within the church.
ana the only real dispute between them
and II was on the question whether
or not virgins ought 20 be yelled.
Now what is there Co.. an
that which Is duplicated by Nor
mommg' Joseph Smith. Che pro-
phet ~ the dispenmuIn Of the
ulluess VI times came as "a Moses not
as an Agabus. He was clothed with the
fullness Of apostolic authority ana pow
CO.. which h. received from the hands