Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-09
"run LIONS OF the LORD,

decayed fabricatlons about the Nor
mons" dressed up in fresh garments
ana dsported before the public IN tb'
glamour OF romance, II 1t had beer
favorable TO the "Mormons' II would
probably have had scant recognition
Why It should receive the title giyer
TO Il IS difficult to discover from a care
full reading Of It's Eve hundred and
twenty dolefu pages. In NauVoo days
an Imaginative writer gave l9nclfu
title to each OF the Twelve Apostles
Brigham Young he called 'rhe Lion
Of the Lord" It fitted the man well
as did the other names bestowed upon
the respective recipients bur had no
authoritative Church sanction or sig
nlficatlon, Ard there has been therein
no other Lion Of the Lord"
Novels OF this kind usually have a
purpose, which is dnfolded as the plot Is
developed The only object in view as
disclosed by This literary effort is to
place 'Mormonism' IN ridiculous light
before the pubic paint the 'Mormons'
in hldeous coors, and thus prejudice
the reader against religion and a
people that are making headway in
the world, In spite of the war that Is
waged against them by press and pull
pit and the fierce spirit Of mobocracy.
The book is a work OF fiction 1t DIFF
fers somewhat from other anti-"Mor-
mon" efforts In its adaptation OF a
number of real names and places and
incidents to It's theme and story, and IN
It's superior style and dicton. For II
Is well written, In spite Of It's numerous
errors Of fact and locality and is there
fore interesting although It is In the
main sad and gloomy, and many Of
Its Incidents are as improbable as they
arc grotesque and blasphemous.
The hero OF the tale, Joel Rae Is an
impossible character. purely fictitious
and resembling no Mormon THAI ever
lived or any other religious fanatic in
actual existence. The author has some
what ingenlously interviewer with his
Inventions and reyampings Of exploded
stories, some incidents in Mormon"
history and some fragmentary citations
from sermons and speeches, to give
color to the work and tinge Of truth
to the false pictures It presents The
prosecutions and drivings Of the Saints
and their expulsion from Nauyoo are
mentioned as causes for the bloody
deeds they are accused Of perpetrating
subsequently.
The Mountain Meadows tragedy Is
painted and detailed with all the ex-
aggeratons and distortions and oalum-
MES that could be copied from the Bea-
die aad other novels and sensational re-
ports, and is held up as conse-
quence OF those suferings endured by
the Saints In earlier days. In oppose
ton 70 all the reliable evidence con-
corning It. President Brigham Young
is made responsible for the awful crime,
and his teachings for other atrocities
that dishgure the pages Of the book.
AS a sample OF the stuff Incorporated
in the work, here is what Joel Rae is
made to say after being auolnted by a
Bishop (saye the mark) and taking
ridiculous oath as Son Of Dan"
Good night. Bishop, and thank you
for being kind to me- The Church
Poet called me the Lutte OF the Holy
Ghost. hut feel tonight that must
he another Lion of the Lord. Good
night"
That absurd and blasphemous title,
the sheer invention Of the author. Is re-
peated times without number in the
book. mingled with burleskues Of Nor.
mon" doctrine and carlcatures OF ''Mor.
mon" bishops and elders. There II not
genuine por,raiture Of Mormon"
celebrity IN the entire work. nor fair
statement Of a Mormon" principle or
sentiment The Saints are represented.
IN the earlier DAYS here, as expecting
and preparing for the coming OF Christ
in 1870! Also rs having no understand
ing OF the New Testament but quoting
entirely from the oldl The alleged
prophecy OF Farley Pratt" when he
valley was first settled. Is copied from
an anti Mormon pamphlet as fol.
lows:
within ten years from now the peo-
pie In this country who are not Nor.
mons win be entirely subdued BY the
Latter-day Saints or swept from the
face Of the earth; and n this prophecy
fails then you may know the Book OF
Mormon Is not true"
Numerous statements az false ana
silly as those IN the preceding para.
graphs are given as though they We're
features OF Mormon" history. Il IS
made 10 appear that whenever Presl-
deut Young ordered q woman to marry
him or some other dignitary OF the
Church. she was compelled to obey on
pain Of eternal damnation or of being
''hlood atoned Also that IN country
settlements. bishops sealed people for
time aud eternity and administered |
bapiisns for the dead The ignorance |
,f az This is amazing to every one ac-
inalnied With the faith OF the Saints.
Ind causes doubt as to the common
,,,., ~ tha writer al tho etuef uadged Il