Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-09
ANTI. MORMON EXPOSITIONS.


A writer TO the New York Evening
Post who signs himself Cleveland Allen
is very much stirred up over an attempt
OF another correspondent to show that
the Mormons" do some good In the
world. That appears to be utterly UNI
bearable TO Mr., Allen. so he responds
with what he calls "a few facts to as
sist the public to judge Of the good ac-
compllshed." and says "Mormonism" is
based on and teaches,
"First--That at death every Mormon
male becomes a god OF greater or lesser
degree, according to the posterity he
leaves on earth. thus demanding the
practise OF polygamy In order that he
may ettain 10 greater godshlp.
Second-That no Mormon woman can
enter heaven except she Is called by her
husband. This means that every Nor
mon woman who dies unmarried Is eter.
nally damned; hence her one chance OF
salvation Is marriage. thereby compel
ling her TO accept polygamy We are
all glad TO do good, and to assist In do
ing good among those who are In need,
Dul II IN upuDllul III u NHdHbf ll'AH pliD
form OF evil TO another though done In
the name OF good, really accomplishes
good"
on the basis OF these "few facts" as
he calls them, the gentleman builds up
his argument that persons who have
mo more than one wife are not good
Mormons." We do not know where he
obtained his information, but II was
certainly not from any authorized ex-
position Of the faith Of the Latter-day
Saints. II was probably derived from
come OF those shamefully misleading ut
terances and writings OF alleged Chris
tlan ministers, who make 1t their prn.
cIpal business to bear false witness
against the "Mormons.'
The doctrine OF our Church concern
ing the condition OF faithful Latter
day Saint ''at death" u.s. that he will go
into paradise, as disembodied spirit
in spiritual sphere and associated
with beings Of his own status, The
spirits OF the wicked go to their proper
place and mingle with their own kind.
There is separation of the two classes
and neither is In a perfect final state,
Not until the resurrection are the
righteous exalted to the glory for which
they are fitted which will be accord
Ing to their works" and not according
10 the number Of their posterlty left on
earth" as so positively and foolishly as
serted By the writer to the New York
Post. Therefore his conclusion about
demanding the practice Of polygamy'
Is untrue, being founded upon fal.
lacy
II he really desired to know the facts
he could easily learn that there are
many thousands Of good 'Mormons
who never had more than one Wife
which he regards as an impossibllity
Well Informed people understand that
only a minority OF the "Momons" ever
entered into plural marriage even
when it was sanctioned by the Church
and was not forbidden by the civil law
either OF the nation or the Territory
where they lived, His ignorance Is not
unique but he should not try to explain
something he does not comprehend,
Equally false Is his assertion about
Mormon women, There is nothing
IN the doctrines Of the Latter-hny
Saints which "moans that every Nor
mon woman who dies unmarried Is
eternally damned That notion Is a
fabrication OF anti-"Monnon' preach
ers who employ their time IN dIstortlng
"Mormonlsm' 10 suit their own dis
ordered fancIcs and prejudice the pub
lie. That there are benefits, both In
time and eternity, that result from
honorable marriage Is true, for "the
man is not without the woman nor
tho woman without the man, IN the
Lord That N scriptural doctrine
Those benefits are mutual, and are as
much for one sex az for the other They
are enjoyed in this life as well as
in the next The difference between the
married state and the single in this
world is apparent, 1t Is significant Of
conditions In the world to come.
"Mormonism' unfolds the principle
of eternal wedlock, il Is that which
was solemnized between the parents
OF the race before death came into the
world through sin II may be entered
iuto now. IN the manner revealed from
on high and sealed by the Holy Spirit
Of promise, through that authority
which Is recognized Of God, and that
which Is sealed on earth Is sealed in
heaven" It enters into the eternal