Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-24
AN ACT OF INTOLERANCE

A press dispatch from Berlin "ni,'
finds q place in our Geographic depa'', y,
mont announces that the Mormon
Elders now laboring as missionaries ~
Prussia and Mechlenburg are to DC ca
neled. Police interference has peeh eA-
perienced there 20 some extent hereto
for but now It appears the government
has taken action, and the consequences
NAV be easily anticipated Whetnei
this will be followed by the authorizes
in other parts of Germany is an open
question.
II will be seen from the dispatch 'lial
the source Of the trouble is, as usual
the enmlty Of the clergy. Those pro-
fessed disciples Of the Savior are IKE
the Pharisees Of old yehemently OPP
posed TO any creed or system tha'
places their craft IN danger and lays
open their pretences Of authority 10
public question. They dread the lish'
that has come into the world, ana IN
stead OF meeting that which they de-
nounce as error by argument, scripture
and superior information, they appear
10 force and the strong arm OF the ciVil
law. to crush out that which they are
unable to meet with spiritual or intel
lectual weapons.
The pretext on which the expulsion is
founded Is really amusing In It's lack Of
sound reason. The Mormon mission
aries are 70 be banished, not because
of anything wrong or immoral In their
conduct, but because II Is alleged, they
do not exclude polygamy from their
doctrines" This is sort Of negative
accusation. 1t is not claimed even That
they include polygamy in their doc
trines. II could not be proved that
they teach polygamy or that they en-
courage its practice, or that they take
any affirmative position concerning il.
They do not come out against II and
formally exclude It from their faith, It
Is claimed. and so they are TO be pre-
vented from exercising the rights and
privileges enjoyed by other American
citizens IN those countries That is a
very singular and Illogical pretext,
VIII every American who arrives in
Prussia or In Meohenburg be exam
ined by coterie Of priests or police
men, to find whether he believes polyg-
amy under any circumstances 10 be
right? And " he does not positively
exclude" II from his IDEAS Of propriety,
Is he also 10 be excluded from the coun-
try? And what will those governments
do with the Bible? Win they allow
that book to remain within their jurls-
dicuon with all that II contains on the
subject seeing that those scriptures do
not exclude II? 1t is a funny kind Of a
pretence but will prove serious in It's
results TO the nation or people, thus de-
prived Of an opportunity TO receive the
blessings of the everlasting Gospel as
revealed from heaven in the nineteenth
century
The responsibility for this act Of In
tolerance with its consequences, TO
millions OF human beings, viii rest prl-
marlly upon the preachers OF the dying
creeds OF modern Chrlstendom who
have used their clerical power in that
direction, and secondarily upon the
heads Of the governments who are
swayed by those manipulators Of the
affairs of state by clerical influence.
1t viii not be contaminated, however,
without a protest, and efforts win
doubtless be made by the Elders TO OBJ
tain an investigation Then the mat
ter viii be appealed to the Eternal
throne, and He who has commanded
His servants 70 go TO every nation, kim
bred, tongue and people ana proclaim
His everlasting Gospel win proceed ac-
cordlng to His own good win and
pleasure In His hands are the issues
Of the acts Of all men and an nations