The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1906-11-17
Half the Truth.

A few evenings ago the writer attend.
ed lecture In the Central N. Z. church,
wilkes Barre, on "Mormonism versus
Americanism. The lecturer was the
Rev. DR.. T. @. Iliff, a former superinten.
dent Of missions In Utah. The DR.. Is a
very eloquent speaker, and although the
people who heard him paid him half a
dollar q head, his orstoricsl gymnsstic
exhibition was probably worth the
price. For nearly two hours he lam q.
basted the Mormons with all the energy
he could command. He said the chur.
chos had spent four million dollars on
missionary efforts In Utah and had made
but q handful Of converts, while Nor.
mons had added to their numbers from
one to twenty Ave thousand year. He
said Brigham Young was one Of the
smartest men he ever met, but that the
Mormon people were the most dcluded I,
that Utah had violated her pledge to the
United States government to secure state
hood, that her people were traitors and
that polygamy was on the increase, that
the State was . hot bed Of vice and the
black spot upon the national escutcheon.
He said the Mormons had placed the flag
st hslf-msst In disrcspect to the Cover.
ment and that no one there had objected
except = few faithful Christian mission.
aries. At the close v. s. Poet Of Salt
Lake City. who IL the representative of
the Merchants and Manufacturers As.
ISOLATION Of Utah, and who had come to
Wilkes. Barre on purpose to hear what
the old gentleman would have TO say
when he was outside Of Utah. attempted
to answer the speaker by offering some
rewards II DR., lliR would prove certain
assertions that he had made concerning
the celebration Of plural marriages by
the Mormons, the interference Of the
church In politics. etc. The lecturer
recognized Ms. Peet and promptly de.
cidcd not to allow any answer at that
time. and DR.. MogR. pastor Of the chur.
Oh. ordered the choir TO sing, which
drowned out Mr., Poets voice, and the
audience left the church.
We have given this brief report Of
that lecture for the purpose Of saying
that we have the word Of men In Utah,
seutiles. whose word would be taken In
any court Of law justJa readily n DR.,
Ilii's. that many Of the statements he
made are only half the truth. and half
the truth many times makes gross and
malicious fslsehood. Az q property
owner In Utah. the writer believes that
lectures like that Of Dr.. Iliff do more
harm to that state than any other one
thing, and that the lambasting which he
gives tho Mormon people does moro to
strengthen their belief that they are the
true Christians than almost anything
else. He never spoke one word Of praise
for any Of the people Of Utah, but de-
nounced them altogether as though they
were the offscourings Of creation. He
denounced In scsthing terms Senators
Foraker, Beveridge and others, members
OF his own church. who were members
OF the committee In the Smoot investiga
ton and who had voted with the minor
lily on the report Of that committee. He
classed them as traitors and Williams OF
the deepest dye. II he or any one else
expects TO make converts by treating
people a. be does, the Home Missionary
Society might better keep their money
In their treasury Dallas Post, Dallas
Pa.
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