Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-27

worthy Of death But this Is not sane
toned by modern civil law therefore,
tho penalty cannot be executed. f0r
the Church Is commanded OF God 10
obey the laws Of the land. Excommuni-
cation from the Church Is the extreme
penalty which II can lnaict, and this
cannot be imposed until after the trial
Of the accused with Il full opportunity
for defense The idea that the Church
or any Of rs authorities claims the
right to XIII anyone for apostasy, or in
deed for any ofrense, Is utterly false
and unwarranted by any tenet or teach-
ing thereof
The only excuse that Is offered for the
PRONUNCIATION OF the fasehoods that
have been told concerning Blood
Atonement" is that, during the time Of
what was called 'the Reformation In
the Church, President Brigham Young
and other leaders dwelt very strongly
on the sins that had been committed By
some unfalthful members OF the
Church, and expressed the opinion that
| II would be better for them In the
world to come, IL their blood had been
shed az q penalty for their transgres-
sIons. these being OF the helnous
character herein mentioned. CARRIED
and isolated extracts from those dis
course have been published, accom-
panied by strained interpretations and
unwarranted comments for the pur-
pose of prejudicing the public mind
against "Mormonism.' and thus the
very mention OF rBood Atonement"
horriiies the uniformed reader,
All the horrible stories about people
being blood atoned' by destroying
angels" "Danltes' avengers and the
rest OF 1t are sheer fiction. People
who have regaled willing listeners
with these bugaboos have lived among
the "Mormons' whom they have thus
traduced for many years in per-
feet personal safety. They have never
been in any danger Of life or limb
They know the Latter-day Saints to be
peaceable, patient and forglvlng, and
the very last In the world to imbrue
| their hands IN the blood Of their fell
lows 1t Is not surprising that people
and papers at distance copy the sto-
ries that have been circulated by the
clergy and that have been uttered
from the pulpit. thinking that proceed
| ing from such q source there must be
some foundation for them, Yet IN
view Of the increasing knowledge OF
the true state OF affairs In Utah and
Of the character Of the people who built
up this State. II would seem that re-
spectacle journals would hesitate be-
fore giving place to the aspersions
against the "Mormons" which have
recently found their way into print.
Now in all fairness and reason, how
can il be made to appear that de-
generate member Of Mormon" fami-
~, who has not been connected with
the Church for many years, commit
ted murder. as alleged, TO carry out
the Mormon" doctrine OF blood
Aionement upon a person who Is not
and never was member Of that
Church, And supposlng that he is
sull connected with the Church, what
sense is there In affirming that the deed
was done in conformity with Mormon"
doctrine, when. according 10 that creed,
the act would be a sin for which there
Is no forgiveness for him in this world
or ia the world 10 come? The theory
advanced as to the motive for the
crime. ia exploded in the same papers
In which Il appears by their own mar.
ration o. the facts. "Mormonism"
teaches that murder should be pun.
ished with death In this world and
everlasting condemnation in the world
to come, and therefore, man alleged
to be a Mormon committed murder
that he might carry out Mormon doc.
trine! Is not that an admirable speci.
men Of pulpit and journalistic logic?
We affirm that there are no people on
earth TO whom the shedding Of human
blood Is more abhorrent than to the
Iatter-day Saints, commonly called
"Mormons" They have no fellowship
for a murderer. but forbid him the
saoraments and privileges OF the
Church. While believing that the death
penalty should be inflicted on the viii
ful assassin, they leave it's execution
TO the officers of the civil law. They
believe that the blood OF Christ cleans.
rs from all sin on conditions OF faith,
true repentance, baptism by immersion
in water and the reception OF the
Holy Ghost, when the ordinances are
administered by those having divine
authority, After thus entering into
covenant with God to serve Him and
keep all his commandments, II men
stain themselves wllfully with the
crime of murder they will have to an
swer for their guilt. and the only Offer
Ing they can make to offended justice.
human and divine, is the shedding OF
their own blood. at the hands Of duly
appointed officer Of the law.
All the stories ooncocted and pub
lIshed to the contrary are false. and
originated In malice against a people
who love truth and virtue. and a rell-
gion that cannot be overturned by rea-
son or scripture, nor suppressed by in
tolerance and mobocracy. Let our
contemporaries everywhere take notice.
and cease to deface their columns with
oc-curdling and sensational anti.
Mormon" romancesl
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