Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-15
WHITCHCRAFT.


III "A short time ago we reproduced from
Us The Improvement Era. an article from
|stthc pen of President Joseph f. Smith,
|1hbn the folly OF believing in wltchoraft
|arTnis has been followed with another
|o..paper on the same subject. In the Ju-
[blEenle Instructor Of September Is. II
rs so clear and forclble and oppor-
batune. that We copy It in its entirety,
rand commend it to the careful atten-
htion Of all persons who have been led TO
boplace any dependence upon the preten-
ns:ons of modern wizards, necromancers,
trpeepstone sothsayers and other pro-
MESSED disciples of occultism and the
/ y'black art" 1t is also profitable for
general information and is as follows
4 The reason for these words Of admon-
vtion and counsel to the Saints viii APP
pear from the following extract taken
TErom letter OF one Of the stake pres
sedents, dated August 0, 1902:
M "In the - Ward of this stake there
Ftlives sister who has been confined to
ee,her bed In sickness for nearly six years,
hand recently her father who Is a promi-
9hnent and very good man IN that CONF
qnunlty, was persuaded to believe that
t1is daughter was bewitched, and
aifhrough the persuasions Of friends In
|e[ogan and Salt Lake consulted wo-
man IN Salt Lake City. who Informed
aim that his daughter was bewltched,
rnnd assumed TO describe the persons
Who had placed the spell upon her.
Fhe description seemed 20 agree exact
|eiy with that Of brother and sister
residing in the ward, both Of whom are
''Sonsidered among the best people of
nshe Church In that community. This
aSrother seemed TO doubt the state
nents Of the woman. and in order to
hiJstisfy him perfectly she proposed to
hehow him their faces In her glass or
tpeepstone, which she did with the de-
tired result. He was convinced, and on
acturning home explained matters In
netail 10 his family and friends, and
The sensation spread steadily until now
the ward Is greatly agtated and the
etory Is being told and to some ex-
.ent believed In other wards In this
stake as well as In -. The persons
eiccuscd Of this dreadful thing object
no the stigma and have entered a COM
plaint IN the Bishops court against the
hlather Of the sick lady. made a visit
kecently, heard the matter fully, and
strongly advised all parties concerned
against believing in such false theory
rs that known as witchcraft, but the
xnatter seemed to have gained such
b. stronghold upon many that It appears
Difficult TO root 1t out; and yesterday
lnother lady came from the same ward
90 so me about her husband, who has
peen sick for about year, and she
Jays the people tell her he Is bewitch-
ed"
After all the horrors. persecutions,and
li.ueltles that have been brought about
~ the senseless belief In witchcraft, 1t
}eems strange in this age of enlghten-
nent that men or women, especially
hose who have received the Gospel
IAN be found anywhere who believe IN
such a perniclous superstition. The
Bible and history alike concusiyely
brand the superstition as child OF evil
n ancient times God required the lsra-
elites TO drive the Canaanites from
heir land and witchcraft was one OF
he crimes which He laid at the door OF
ne Canaanites, and for which they
we're adjudged unworthy OF the land
hat they possessed Reference to this
fleet will be found In the 18th chapter
BIZ Deuteronomy. verses 9-li inclusive.
Chey read as follows
when thou art come into the land
which the Lord thy God glyeth thee,
hou shalt not learn TO do after the
nominations OF those nations. There
hail rot be found among YOU anyone
hat m aketh his son or his daughter 20
bass through the FIRE, or that useth
1lvinatlon. or an observer OF times, or
In enchai,ter, or a witch. or a charmer,
pr a consulter with familiar spirits, or
wizard or a necromancer For all that
ho these things are an abominatlon
into the Lord. and because of these
nominations the Lord thy God doth
brlve them out from before thee Thou
halt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
FOR these nations which thou shalt pos
less hearken unto observers Of times.
md unto OWNERS: but as for thee. the
ord thy God hath not suffered thee so
10 DO"
Witchcraft has not infrequently been
Inc last resort of the evil doer, Men be-
left OF the Spirit Of God, when the voice
II the Lord has ceased to warn them
have frequently resorted TO witchcraft.
IA the endeayor TO learn that which
Heaven withheld. and the people OF
3od from very early days TO the present
have been troubled with superstitious
Ind evil-mlnded persons who have re-
orted TO divinatlon and kindred devices
Tor selfish purposes. and schemlng de-
.fens. In the middle ages It rested like
nightmare upon all Christendom.
Even such man az John Wesley, the
reat reformer, In l7sS, wrote; THE
living up OF wItchcraft 10 in effect Civ