Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-29
THAT EXPULSION ORDER.

] h
Of the American missionaries from that
country In the view Of that contem-
porlry. the fact that these missionaries
are Lotter-day Saints, appears TO be a
valid reason for any kind Of annoy
ancc. "The state religion In Prussia, g
we are told us Lutheran, and conse-
uuently that ministers Of other religions
can be prevented from carrying on any
propaganda In this country, we do
not undertake TO say, officially, that
one form IL right and others are wrong.
IN Prussia they do so declare and that
makes an the difference it is said
With regard to the religions In Prus-
sia il is well known that the official
church Is a kind OF union of the two
large Protestant bodies, the Lutheran
and the CalyinIst But besides these
sects there are Old Lutherans and old
Calylnists Catholics, Jews and some
dIssenters, such as Methodists, Baptlsts,
Mennontes, etc The Catholics receive
financial support from the state Just
as the state church. The dssenters are
generally granted charters Of incorpora-
ton and this secures them measure
Of toleratlon So much for the suges-
ton that a country with state church
is iustid IN eSpelIng the missionaries
Of any unpopular denomination. A gov
eminent that approprates the peoples
money TO three different churches, and
giants charters 10 a multitude OF sects,
must have special reasons for an ex-
pulsion order against a particular sect,
and If these reasons do not exist the
order is arbitrary aud must be chaTac-
lerl1ed as persecution.
European governments have had an
impression that the Mormon" mission
aries encourage emigration and pos
slbly that Is referred to, when It is said
that the "Mormons" are propagatlng
faith Incompatible with the laws of
the state If so, it would be we'll to
enllghten the authorities on that point
The Mormons" do not encourage i'm
migration. They even warn against It.
as can be abundantly proved And as
regards polygamy the "Mormons' ney-
er did teach anybody to practise that
form Of marriage In any foreign coun-
try whore II is forbidden by law. There
Is consequently no more reason for
the expulsion Of Mormon misslonsr-
les, than there would be for the expul-
sion Of Baptists, or bloraylan Brethren.
These, too, We're once prosecuted on the
ground that their teachings were dan
gerous to the state
Were the secret motives Of the order
known, It would in all probability be
found that ant-Amencanism is at the
bottom of It, Judging from recent Ut
terances Of portion Of the German
press, there is strong anti American
sentiment In parts Of Germany, and II
would not be strange II this were given
vent in this manner BuJ no matter.
The expulsion order win not accom-
pllsh the overthrow of the Church In
Germany. On the contrary 1t win grow
and become stronger. Something must
be done all the time to place the truth
before the world, in order that II may
become known. And this Is undoubted-
~ one OF the incidents through which
1t viii become better known throughout
the German empire,
In the meantime, the German govern
ment should not entertain the idea that
It's action IN this matter, gains UNI
divided admiration and applause In this
country The enlightened public |
opinion here places the right estimate
upon the measure The San Francisco
Can OF April a. for instance, says edl- !
torlally:
While all countries are denying 10 |
China the right to exclude missionaries !
it is interesting that Germany claims |
the right 10 expel the Mormon mission
aries who are working In that country |
There are 235 American Mormon mis- |
sionarles now working among the Ger
mans and the Kaiser orders them all |
TO leave, using the authorities Of the |
kingdom Of Prussia and Of the Grand
Duchy OF MeCklenburg as instruments
of the expulsion.
THE reason given is that the Nor
mons are propaga,lng a faith that Is In
with the laws Of the state.
But in this country the Mormons are
citizens. and except az TO polygamy.
there is no opposition TO their creed eX-
cept such as originates In the prejudice
of all religious sects against each other.
Their essential declaration Of faith is
not held 20 De inconsistent with good
American citizenship. But Ger
many holds that public author
ity is endangered my permitting
TO be preached
China held the same position rs 70
the German missionaries who pene-
trated the middle kingdom, but Ger
many was ready 10 follow them with an
army end support their preaching by
making war Just why China has less
rights On respect 10 missionaries than
Germany has is not explained There rs
every evidence that Christianity as
preached by the German and other mis-
si0narics. rs destructive OF the civil au.
thorlty OF the Chinese government. and
get the western nations deny 10 China
he right 20 protect herself from strange
doctrines.
There may be some interesting d.
rlomauc exchanges ana congressional
Inquiries over this expulsion of Ameri-
.ar missionaries from Germany"
That is an opinion from an unbiased
source and which Is very largely held
In this country where discrimination
against Crecds Is INDUCED IN only by
religious bigots