Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-18

straln.' She hints mysteriously az
some horrible proposition made 10 her.
which was $50 revolving that she could
scarcely believe her ears" What II was
neither she nor the enterprsIng re-
porter who processes 10 give heI
statement, attempts 10 dlyuge. and SO
the reader is left to imagine Just such
wlckedness as his imagination mas
conjure up,
Cardinal Gibbons IL credited With
couple OF paragraphs which convey no
special information but he denounces
"Mormoniun" as "a plague spot on our
civilization and cites as the principal
grievance against IL, that IT f. gaining
converts, not only In European coun-
tries but from many parts Of the United
States. That Of course IS fearful
crime, one which, no doubt, as he Is
made 10 say. "the country at heart
cannot fail TO view with alarm" Dr.
Porkhurst l. quoted IN a headline as
saying that "Mormonism Is II Peril, p"
but IN the body OF bis article he re-
marks, II viii not say however, that
| consider the Mormon movement a
peril lie goes on TO give q number
uf comments the value OF which, how
ever is taken completely away by
his admitting. virtually that he knows
nothing whatever OF the matter under
consideration.
There IN this, however to the credit
Of the Herald that a dispatch sent by
Elder b. H. Roberts In response to
request from the Herald, Is given in
bold type Also vigorous defense
from Elder John G. McQuarrie, presi-
dent Of the Eastern states Mission.
These insertions exhibit a degree of
fairness In the Herald that ls not found
IN many Of It's contemporaries, But
critical and unbiased readers Of that
paper viii be very much puzzled to
reconcile the candid and straightfor-
ward statements Of the Elders, and the
figures given of the work Of the Church
with the sanguInary tales, dark suspic-
ions and strained differences, by which
the Latter.day Saints are held up TO
mankind as an oppressed, superstltlous
ana criminal tt, IN bondage TO crafty
unprincipled and domineerng leaders,
unfit to be recognized as opponents Of
a Christian creed
We once more announce to our con-
temporarles. everywhere, that Nor
monism' does not teach, as alleged, the
horrible doctrine that person who
apostatlzes from the Mormon" faith
must atone for his offense by the she'd
ding of his blood All the stories that
have been concocted based upon that
absurd allegation, are utterly and stu
pIdly untrue Numerous apostates live
in Utah and have resided here for
many years. and have never been mo-
Tested IN any manner whatever. one
OF the fundamentals Of our faith Is llb-
erty Of conscience and OF worship. We
regard II as a universal, human right
to be not only protected by the civil
law, but maintained for friend and foe
alike by every member Of our Church.
The origin Of the foolish errors pro-
mulgated throughout the world con-
cering blood atonement" is our belief
IN the atonement by the blood Of Christ
for the sins Of the world, and the fur
Their belief that a murderer should be
executed by the shedding OF his own
blood by the proper civil officer The
commandment of God by revelation TO
this Church is Thou shalt not kill, but
he that Rilleth shall die" Also that II
member Of the Church commits such
crime, he shall be delivered up un-
to the law Of the land"
It is an integral part Of our creed
that "a murderer hath not eternal life
abiding IN him" ana that Church
member who has entered into covenant
with God to serve Him and keep His
commandments, II he commits wilful
murder Cannot be forgiven in this
world or in the world TO come" All
the alleged quotations from old SER
mons, preached by Church leaders, that
refer to the shedding Of the blood Of
persons guilty Of capital crime, have
reference to II ~ the only means by
which they can make atonement. The
idea that people ought 10 be or may he
slain for apostacy never was enter
tanned IN this Church but Is an inyen-
tlon Of its enemies.
Now to come down TO existing facts
and TO the logic Of preachers and writ
ers In relation TO the New York trage-
dy. The accused person has not been
apmemher Of the mormon" Church
for twelve years, as testified to by his
father He Is not a Mormon there
fore his crime must be attributed to
the Mormon relglor' That re-
ligion proclaims that Mormon MUIR
derer cannot De forgiven here or here
after therefore "Mormonsm' in
nuenoes men TO clmmit MURDER One
of the articles Of faith OF the Church
Is eve claim the privilege of worship
ping Almighty God according TO the
dictates of our conscience, and allow
al men the same privilege. let them
worship nowhere or what they may"
therefore the Church teaches that per-
sons who change their views and leave
SIS fold should be put to death "Mor-
monism" receives as divine revelation
the command "rhou shalt not Kill, but
he that Wloth shall de- therefore,
the young man who IS said 20 have
killed the woman in New York, ala so
that he might gain favor with the
Church from which ne had seeded
Is not this reasoning certain and con.
elusive? lt IS the logic Of the preach
ers and the papers Il is N TO be pub
1iehpd side by side with thn v-Ien CIV