Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-06


ligion I'm Terms Of Life. BY Neis l.. Nelson
Professor Of English in the Brigham Youns
University. Provo. Utah. New York: q. +
Putnsm's Sons.
This book Is chiefly remarkable for what
1t does not contain In the course of dis
cussion of the scientific aspects of Nor
monism' 1t fails to say word relative TO
the practice of polygamy. by far the most
interesting and conspicuous feature OF the
religion founded by Joseph Smith and con-
corning the Mormon Church's attitude to-
ward which the people of the United States
are today much concerned Prof. Nelson
does not dodge the question, however but
relegates 1t to another volume to appear
later, dealing with the social aspects of
Mormonism. He declares that he puts the
case In its logical sequence in thus Offering
the scientific treatise first. The Church
or Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" he
says may be studied from two aspects
from the external aspect, by which are
meant It's organization as a church and its
rites. doctrines. ceremonies and practices
as social body; or from the internal as
pect' by which its philosophy or funda-
mental principles. the principles that must
be- In order that its forms as a religion may
exist"
ne says that to enter upon the first as
pect would, In this day, be a than,Sless
task, Tor the age Of religious polenics is
gone He prefers to ask and answer ac-
cording to the teachings of Mormonism.
such questions as, Whence came man p"
why Is he here?" WHITTIER does he tend %
1t Is too much to say that he answers them
70 the satisfaction Of the reader unframed
IN theological discourse. He has a grea
ueal 70 say, In excellent English as BELTS
d professor OF that branch of learning.
about the close resemblanc of Mormonis1r
10 science. In that 1t is an expression of the
truth. He discusses the aspects of the
personal divinity worshiped by the Mormon
Snurch. divinity similar to man and en-
lowed with human attributes a return in
fact. to the divinity of the prophets of old
!ndeed. the Mormon Church, according to
TINS treatise. is merely a sublimated. mod
ernized. scientific version of the religion
or the ancient prophets of the pre-Chris-
tan era. N ~ :"
Chiefly notable in this work is the evil
oence or the intense hatred which exists
between the Mormon Church and the min
listers or the Gospel of the other churches
IN Utah. There Is clearly discernible at
an points the edge Of a drawn sword.
MormOnism. says Prof. Nelson, will have
the last word. 1t Is either colossal
3! or an eternal truth. That it has
fraud. Ii an eternal truth it cannot be
crushed. Therefore, it must spread 1t
Is, in short, the coming faith of men.
1t Is impossible within a brief space to
describe the Mormon philosophy its con-
ceptlon of heaven and its opposite plane
Its theory of the disposition of the spirits
or the departed in the great cosmic work
SHOP where they labor at God-given tasks
IN the hope of attaining to God-lfke SEM
blance. 1t is interesting however to note
that the author asks How Our Father be-
came God without answering 1t beyond
asserting that the answer must be found
In thn
can attain through psychic evolution to a
resemblance to God. This creates the in
terestlng dilemma of a state Of universal
affairs prior to the existence of God as
now recognized and raises many perplex-
Ing questions as to the scheme of evolu-
ton or promotion which raises aspirants
to the Godshfp and relegates predecessors
to some underlined sphere of retirement
In fact, this exposition of the scientific
aspects of MOrmonism is again chiefly
notable for what 1T does not undertake to
state.
In an appended chapter relative to his
forthcoming second volume Prof Nelson
says:
Il hope to treat, somewhat at length.
that social detail of past Mormonism
which has received such tremendous en-
phasis in the speculations of mankind and
which the world will apparently not per-
nit to subside into quiescence. 1 refer to
plural marriage. which has really not had
a hearing on its own account Such a re-
opening of the subject will not. however,
be with any view to the recrudescence of
the practice, but merely with a view to
lifting the obloQuy which now rests on
the entire social system through a mis-
understanding of this relatively insignifl-
cant feature"
1t is evident that volume two will be
more keenly interesting than the present
one.
PROBLEMS OF THE PRESENT SOUTH Dis
cussion of the Educational Industrial and Po
a.
gar Gardner Murphy. New York: The Mac
milan Company. Washington: Brentanos.
Just as in the case of Professor Nelson's
work on the Mormon Church, this book by
Mr.. Murphy is silent on the subject of most
acute present interest, namely, the PROPOSE
ton to reduce the representation of the
southern states in Congress and the cleo
toral college proportionate to the disfran-
chisement of the negroes. AS in the book
on Mormonism, so in this a promise is given
that this question will be discussed in a
later volume. But Mr.. Murphy does not
leave all matters of immediate interest to
subsequent work. His immediate publication
is of value in it's bearing upon the present
discussion relating to the economic. educa-
tional and political status of the south.
which arises whenever the state of the ma
ton is preached. His view is a broadly
sas, and therefore represents the generation
of southerners who know nothing of the
civil war by direct personal experience, but
inherit strong sentiments on the subject
from their parents. He graduated from a
theological institution and served min
lister of the Episcopal Church for twelve
years, then withdrawing from the ministry
to engage in educational work on a large
scale serving as executive secretary of the
southern educational board and vice
president of the conference for education in
the south. In other capacities he has DEM
onstrated his scholarly grasp of the DIM
culties which confront the south in conse-
uuence of the long existence and final
abolition of slavery. His tone is optimistic.
He sees light on all sides breaking through
the darkness. He speaks for education on
generous lines, and-applauds the remark
able progress toward lteracy which the
negroes of the south are making. He de-
nounces lynching as a degrading, demoral-
izinp influence as well as murderous mis-
conception by the mob of the duty of the
individual His remarks on the subject or
negro Acknowledgement, while, as stated,
they do not lead to discussion of the Is
sue Immediately in view in politics. are sug-
eestiye and interesting. He says that poth
the north and the south were right In their
regarding the Embarrassment
of the former slaves, and that the newt
able conflict that resulted was a moral
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