The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-01
A TAIlKFEST.

The Rev. n. e. Clemenson Of Logan,
Utah, a Presbyterian minister having
proposed debate upon significant sub
Jects with President Joseph f. Smith
of the Mormon church. the offer is
wrongly called a challenge; In reality
it is but an acceptance. The Mormon
church has thrown down the gauntlet
to the whole world IT avows Itself
the only authorized organization upon
earth to bear the name OF Christ and
to speak in the name of God. That
has hcen its challenge to the world fo-
sevsnty-six years If 1t should please
the venerable president OF the domi-
nant clement In Utah to enter the llsts
with Mr.. Clenenson President Smith
would thereby merely be defending the
defiance which he and his progenitorS
of the blood and OF the presidency have
flaunred In the eyes OF mankind since
the original prophet OF the cult rejected
the Christian sects of his day by aps
nouncing that God had revealed to him
that sll of them were wrong.
There is nothing disrespectful in the
is there anything In the subject mat
ter OF the proposed debate as defined by
him which exceeds the ground claimed
by the Mormon church. 1t is true. q 9
stated by him. that the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly
called the Mormon church. proclaims
that IT Is the only true church OF Jesus
Ill 1lSI
Christian churches have apostatized
from the teachings Of the Saviour. 1t
Is true that the Mormon church claims
to be the Kingdom of God" and the
only authorized and legitimate govern
ment on this planet. 1t Is true that the
Mormon church teaches that plural
marriage IS an essential of religion, Is
necessary to salvation. and, wanting
which, so-called Christianity Is with
out foundation"
These doctrines are all-important, IL
they are false they should be refutsd
in order that men may not be misled .
II they are true they should be sub
stantiated In order that all men may
have a fair opportunity for eternal ex-
altalion
Inasmuch as the Mormon church has
made and has insisted upon the chal-
lenge for the seventy-six years OF It's
! existence, and inasmuch as the founder
Of the faith had antecedently rejected
all existing churches with the challenge
that they were wrong, 1t scarcely seems
possible that the proposal for debate
can he ignored. At the same time it
| is doubtful II President Smith Will him
self cpter the lists OF debate. IT Will be
recalled that when the Rev John P
Newman challenged Brigham Young to
| a similar contest on a. more restricted
ground, the very shrewd head OF the
! Mormon community insisted that IT
/ would be an improperly for him. as
| the head of the church. to meet a more
minister, and so he presented Apostle
Orson Pratt In the lists as On opponent
| for DIR. Newman. Also ii will be re-
called with Significance that Orson
Pratt was the ablest debater OF the
| Mormon church-and this, more than
| the dignity OF President Brigham
Young, occasioned the selection. SINH
| larly it Is probable that II Mr.. Clemcn-
sons proposal shall be accepted .he
Hon Brigham H. Roberts or the Hon.
William II. King Will be chosen as de-
| fender of the faith,
Both of these gentlemen are suff1-
ciently supple and sufficiently subser-
Went that they could affirm or deny ns
directed, and could accept subsequent
| endorsement or reputation as the
church might please. Whatever Of ar
eumentativc merit was in their work
would be attributed to the divine aP-
polntment received from the president
of the church; and whatever was injur-
ious to the church In their presentation
could be denounced as the error of the
mere politician.
Anyhow-even II the controversy did