Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-24

man being judged according 10 ms
works" when the claims OF justice are
satisfied to the "uttermost farthlng''
then mercy viii be extended and re-
demption will come. so that ultimately
through the atonement OF Christ every
soul that can possibly be saved viii be
brought out OF misery ard darkness In
TO that degree Of light md toy which
the Individual Is capable Of receiving,
The Chronicle proceeds 10 rive an
alleged history Of Joseph Smith, the
Book of Mormon and the growth Of
"Blorrorlsm." II Is drawn from works
written BY the enemies Of the Prophet
the opponents Of bis doctrines, and
apostutes who are all interested IN plac-
ing the subjects In an improper llGht.
when we state that the Chronicle gives
as "hlstory" the detunct and buried
Solomon spaulding story. to account for
| the origin OF toe Book ~ Mormon our
readers may place the rest ot the alleged
| Mormon history al Cos proper val
ue Every modern newspaper that Is at
| an Informed on the Mormon question
and It ought not to DE treated by
those who are not Informed knows
that the Srauldlne manuscript about
which so much has been said, hrs been
brought 10 light in late wears and Is de-
posted In the library Of Oheilln college
in the state Of Ohio, There ia not the
slightest resemblance or connection
with that story. and the volume known
as the Book Of Mormon.
The ISLANDERS ana romances about Jo-
seph Smith and his Immediate assoc-
ates may BE placed on the same shelf
or rather ought to be inferred in the
same grave as that to which the de-
caycd Spauldng story Is consigned. The
old distorted and shameful version Of
the tragedy that took place at Noun
tain Meadows is repeated by the Chron-
lcle. and then comes the inevitable
DANTE" or "Ayenging angels fiction,
The Chronicle states however that II
was organized by Or. Award, and thus
opens the way to the little speck of
truth that there Is In the terrible tale.
The Dr. Award mentioned was once a
member OF the Church, but was cut
off for his misconduct, and II was he
who subsequently drew to him band
OF followers TO whom he gave the name
Of Danites, Real history shows that
the clan was never feature " or con-
nected with the Church OF Jesus Christ
Of Latter.day Saints, and the repudi-
alton Of Award and oil his works was
published at the time Of the Prophet
Joseph Smith yet priestly and Journal
istic enemies Of the Church persist in
attaching that Infamous but very short
lived band TO the Church and to
prophet and a people who utterly re-
pudlated 1t.
The Chronicle. after INDUCING in
those fights OF fancy, or rather repet-
ton of exploded ISLANDERS, makes this
statement.
In spite OF this bad beginning Nor
| mOnism has grown. In spite of the cru
| SADIE OF the purists and the fulmlna-
| tions and anathemas OF the Christian
| church throughout the world Mormon
| ism has increased IN power Warnings
| are unheeded--the missionaries are
| still active. and the converts many
Persecution Is worse than useless. II
IL thunder"
The writer Of the article to which We
are paying this attention. after review
Ing the denunclations Of preachers and
| quoting some things alleged 10 have
been spoken by Brigham Young, mem
| tons few facts that have come 10 his
own knowledge and these are what
give him surprise and bewiderment
He says:
"Tbe writer Of this article has not
| only found a certain fascination In the
! literature OF this extraordinary sect,
| but has happened 10 meet a fair NUM-
her Of the Mormon community In Eng
| land. Truth compels him 70 say that
1
| pier women. or healthier families. But
this vas In England II may be diff
| ferent In salt Lake city.
1T IL only fair, after showing the
grim, dark and forbidding side Of the
| picture, 10 show also the brighter side.
| My own acquaintance aud frequent
| conversations with Mormons have Of
| ten led me TO wonder whether the his
A - III w1ssf
be all fiction. The men are fine specl-
mems Of manhood, courteous, sober.
obiging. cultured hard working. and
! thrifty They are as well disciplined as
soldiers, and nj the word OF command
they 20 70 Utah or depart, dig the soil,
or become missionary agents. The wo-
men, such as have met, bear no signs
| of hard treatment or Of slavery OF body
| ana mind. and are cheerful wives, dot
ing mothers. and absolutely devoted TO
| their husbands and children.
THE brightest side Of Mormonism IS
that II has converted wilderness into
| a fertile land and removed the curse
from a hard and barren region which
an others Of the human race had aban-
doncd. II claims 10 have succeeded in
a mighty work Of social reform. II
| SfllVN bhl tNHNA'l0 W an ldl ~ bl inc
world. and they are among the most
successful the world knows
No wonder that the candid inyestl-
gator IA In somewhat Of a maze over
this ruhlect when he listens 10 or
reads the stories circulated against a
people OF this character by their
ayowed enemies. No wonder that he
is led TO cxclatm as he does
What is the secret OF II all? What
Is the mystery? What Is the at,rac-
ton? What is the potent factor which
has enabled Mormonlam to endure? In
other words what is The truthg'
uut why should he not take the EVIL
dencs Of his own knowledge and pit It
against The rumors and groundless
charges Of pcrsons who evidently de-
sire to put "Mormonism" and the Nor
mons" IN as dark a position as possl-
lie before the world? Why not prefer
substantial evidence and good common