Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-13
THEIR USUAL WEAPONS.

~ called Josephltes" for there are no
more vIrulent opponents OF many Of
the teachings Of Joseph the Seer than
those professed disciples ~ the Prophet
They are today among the most malig-
nant assailsnts Of our missionaries, and
do more to fomcnt hostility and pro-
woke mobocracy than almost any other
agency Of that kind
The purpose Of the pamphlet sent to
US Ii clearly to incite prejudice and
stir up animosty against tho Nor
mons" as tho writer calls the mem
bers Of the Church Of Jesus Christ OF
I.atter-day Saints II consists largely
Of garbled extracts from remarks al
legged TO have been made many
years ago by prominent men
IN this Church which, separated
from the context arc made 20 appear
In an improper light, and which have
been explained time and again by quot
Ing the context. and thus making clear
the true meaning Of the speakers, And,
after all, the ideas advanced were those
OF the persons who argued In their ia
yor and are 20 be So understood, as
this Church has repeatedly formulated
It's adoption OF the Bible, the Book Of
Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants
and the Pearl OF Great Price as its
written standards, leaving other print
ed works 10 stand on their own merits
or dement's and as the views OF their
authors.
The animus and falsehood Of the
writer OF the pamphlet which Is enti-
tied THE Mormons" and purports TO
be published by The Australian Board
OF Publication OF the Reorganlzed
church." are exhibited in these opening
sentences:
Almost every one has heard Of Salt
Lake City, Utah. and the people VINO
reside there. Utah is today synony-
nous with Mormonism, and Mormon
ism Is q synonym for polygamy.'
This assertion is followed by a con-
temptible effort on the part Of the writ
err 10 create prejudice against the FL
ders from Utah, In their endeavors TO
preach the Gospel In Australia, There
is nothing in the pamphlet giving light
on the principles Of salvation. II Is filled
with malicious contentious and false
accusations, with no other apparent OBJ
ject than TO inclte anger against the FL
ders In their labors Of love, The writer
attempts 10 deceive the public by draw
ing a distinction between "the Nor
mons, whom he represents ms the Utah
Church, and the Latter-day Saints who
are represented as the Recognized
church.
Now, everybody acquainted with the
history Of the Church Is aware that
from its organization I'm 1880 to
the present time, the Latter-day Saints
have been nicknamed "Mormous' and
their doctrines have been called "Mor-
monism" This was long before the
principle of plural marriage was in
troduced into the Church. All the
hostile works written against the fol-
lowers OF Joseph Smith, during his life
time, dubbed them "Mormons' and
their faith as "Mormonsm." 1t waa
this fact that led the Prophet Joseph
to publish over his signature the we'll
known explanation OF the word Nor
mon" showing that It was not derived
from the Greek mormo, as alleged, but
from the Egyptian mon with con-
struction OF the English more, and It
thus slgnihed more good" We are
not arguing in favor Of this interpreta-
ton just now, but simply showing that
the term Mormon was applied 10 the
Latter-day Saints, as the history Of
the Church shows, long before Utah
was peopled or mentioned.
That "Mormonism' is not "a syno-
nym for poygamy' is understood by
every well informed person and by
none better than the preachers Of the
"Reorganized' church. In trying 10
make the distinction. which others OF
them are setting forth besides the
puerile writer In Australia, they unwt-
tingly use a weapon against themselves.
II they are not "Mormons' and their
doctrines are not "Mormonism" then
they cannot possibly be, as they pretend,
the original Church, nor their teach
ings be It's original tenets, for these
We're known by those names and were
so attacked and defended from the very
beginning,
"Mormonlsm' means the doctrines Of
Mormon. That Is easy to understand
There is nothing in Mormon's writings
that inculcates poygamy, There is
nothing In the root meaning Of the
word that makes Il a synonym for po-
lygamy. The assertion OF the Austral.
ian "reorganiser" is a palpable false
hood, and his whole pamphlet Is Of the
same nature and spirit, But we adj
wise our Elders there not to enter into
any contention with him or his ik, but
to preach the pure Gospel Of the Son
Of God which is the essense OF Nor
monism," and leave the would-be IN.
citers Of strife and exciters OF wrath
entirely alone. The testimony Of the
truth viii win the hearts Of the honest.
and It will shine in glowing contrast
to the clouds OF calumny that sec
taries raise with evil intent