Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1905-03-10
Friday. Mar. 10, 1905.
THE BETRAYER.

by Ezra Christiansen, has the follow
ing editorial in it's issue of Feb. %
From the day of Pansanias, the
Spartan general, who offered to sell
the results of his glorious victorey ut
Plataea to the Persian king, and be
tray his country that he might be
come its ruler, to the dark days of the
Revolutionary war, when Benedict
Arnold sold himself aud his great
name for British gold, mankind have
detested and abhored the very name
''traitor. " That term carries with
it stigma that no repentance or re-
grets can wash out
IL is the capstone of wickedness.
All other crimes may have some justi-
ilcation; this can have none. Wheu
judas. upon whom Christ had bestow-
his master and gave him into the
hands of his enemies, he shut himself
out forever from all sympathy and
forgiveness; He committd an act that
has made his name execrated and in
famous throughout the ages. No gem
Grafton of people have ever forgiven
him for that awful deed. None ever
will. He stands forever condemned
and abhorred by mankind.
The "Mormon" Church aud its
leaders have suffered and been misrep-
resented more through traitors and
apostates than through any :other
source. From the very beginning of
its history it has had to contend with
treachery from within their ranks.
Joseph Smith suffered death at the
ipstigation and assistance of traitors.
Y Those whom he had loved and
trusted plotted against his life and
brought about his murder. And from
that day to this the Church has been
misrepresented and falsely accused by
this class Of people.
Today 1t has no greater enemy than
Frank j. Cannon, man raised In
the church with every opportunity of
knowing from his childhood how
false are the statements that ne II
making from day to day in the col
umns of the Salt Lake Tribune. His
father travelled over sea and land to
establish "Mormonism" in the
nations of the EARTH He gave tn,
best years of his life to the promulg
ate the doctrines that his son is try
ing to destroy. He wrote and spoke
the truths OF "Mormonism" for over
30 years. While yet boy he left
his home, and without purse or script
he succeeded in establishing the Cos
pei in the Sandwich Islands. NJ
voice was ever more eloquent in de
fense of the church and its doctrine,
than his, no pen was ever more gifted
Frank j. Cannon knows this. III,
knows that his father was good man,
and sought the welfare of mankind
He knows that nothing has ever beer
taught him by the church but what
was elevating and enobling. III,
knows too, that the leaders of tn,
church today arA good men who seel
only to bless and establish righteous
ness and happiness wherever the,
minister.
He speaks of hierarchy that con
trolls the life thought and votes of al
Latter day Saints. He knows tn,
church does nothing of the kind anC
never has attempted to do so. ii,
accuses the leaders of breaking thu
laws of God and man, and classe
them with criminals who ought to b'
in the penitentiary because of thei
moral conduct. Perhaps he renem
bers the time when his own mora
character was called into question ant
it was Necessary for him, at the tim,
he first ran for congress-, TO send {
recommend ahead of him, signed boy
his bishop and other church leaders.
And how, notwithstanding this GER
tiflcate of endorsement, he failed OF
election, because the people were free
to vote az they pleased. Does it moi
sound little inconsistent for him t.
whine about church influence which
no tried 30 hard TO secure for himself
Ii IL not also little strange that hs
should call in question the morality
of men whom he once begged tC
certify to his own moralityS
He also makes light of the ordin
nces Of the church and the powers OF