Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-20
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

We devote much space today to the
old canard revived on Sunday by Rev.
ID. ]. Mcmillan. u. D., OF New York.
At q morning service In this city. he
spoke OF the alleged llberality OF the
Mormon" Church In supporting the
freedom Of religious opinion, and as
serted that not very long ago It was
unsafe for a man in Utah TO say he was
not a Mormon" TO sebstantiate his
statement he repeated the story he told
many years ago, to the effect that when
attempting TO preach IN Sanpete coun-
ty he had to take "a Bible In one hand
and pistol in the other" for the Nor
mons" had declared they would never
allow the feet OF a Gentle TO tread the
sacred soil OF sanpete county" He at
flrrned that this was true, and further
that "They would not sell Gentle any
thing 10 eat II they could get out Of IT.
II Mormon" did sell US anything he
lived In mortal dread Of the conse-
quences."
This story about the Bible and the
pistol was told by Mcmillan first when
on visit to the east, after teaching
school IN Mount Pleasant sanpete
county, for some time, where he had a
number OF Mormon" as well as nom
Mormon" pupils 1t was published In
the Rocky Mountain Christian Advo-
cate and copied into other papers. lie
did not expect II would reach the folks
In Sanpete county. but on his return II
was brought TO his attention, and he
publicly declared he did not write the
story. but promised to deny It In print.
This promise, we understand. he never
fulhlled.
The story was not new. 1t did not
originate with him. He plagiarlsed II,
az he has other anti Mormon" stories
and arguments. 1t had been used sew
eral years before by Rev. ]. p, Lyford,
Methodist minister at Provo, who
was an associate OF the notorious Rev.
@. NJ. Pierce, who fell into dire dis
grace with his own people suisse
qaently. Lyford gathered in consider
able money IN a tour Of the East ON
the strength Of this carard. How
much Mcmillan collected by his adop-
ton OF the story We are not able 10
state. Lyford's story was fully re-
fitted.
That there was not word Of truth
in the terrible tale--unless for dra-
matte and subscription effect either or
both Of them put pistol in his pocket,
that he might be able TO say he went
Into the pulpit armed-was wen known
10 the people Of Utah at the time and
can be testified to by hundreds at
present.
The facts IN che case are that when
D. J. Mcmillan taught school IA
koant Peasant, Gentlles had lived in
Eanpete county and transacted bust
ness thefe for years Non "Mormons"
travelled through the settlements there
and had never been molested or re-
fused food or shelter. The very croa-
lures who mallgned the 'Mo,mons"
b. that way had been treated by them
with the utmost kindness and hos
ritality. To the sin OF lying was added
Ire sin o. ,ngratitude on the part o.
The religious nypocrltes. who proved
themselves TO be OF the same class as
thelr prototypes Of old. whom Jesus Of
Nazareth denounced ss EVOLVES in
tbeeD's cloihlne"
Lyford's romance was stolen by Me
MILAN. The meeting at Ephraim
where the pistol episode was alleged
10 have occurred, was specially ar
:anged for him by the leading Nor
mors' az that place He was received
With kindness ana pleasure. The First
Ward schoolheuse. used also fer d
MEETING house. was made ready foE