Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-19
A CHRISTIAN SERMON O.

We find It necessary, once In
while to notice the frantic endeavors
OF two or three religious publications
TO prejudice the country against the
Iatter-day Saints or "Mormonsr as
they choose TO name them, with the Ill
innate object OF bringing religious in
fiuenee to bear on the Senate OF the
United States, In order to deprive a
Senator from Utah Of the seat to which
he was lawfully elected by the repre-
fentativos OF the Republican party m
this State. 1t is little curious to note
the manner I'm which they deftly mingle
religion and politics and bring TO bear
the power OF their church over the az
fairs OF state. while az the same time
they berate the "Mormons' for exer-
olsing that kind of control, which they
nniruthtully attempt to show is
feature Of the Mormon system.
The most recent attack upon Nor
monism," with the same object In view.
appears In the Christian Herald OF jan
uary II, 1906. The copy which has
been furnished TO us is doubtless an
advance issue, as the paper Is published
IN New York, and has been here at
least two or three days. II purports TO
be a Sermon by Rev. +. DE Witt Tai
mage, ID, d." written apparently for
that paper and not yet delivered from
the pulpit. II consists chiefly OF
TRADE OF abuse, plagiarized stories, ex-
tracts from newspaper libels. incorrect
pretended citations from congressional
and state laws, distortions of Mormon"
doctrine. echoes OF the pleas Of men
and women who know nothing Of the
question at issue, TO debar forever from
the congressional halls every represent
alive OF "Mormonisn." and n general
repetition of untruths long ago explod-
ed and cast aside by well Informed op-
ponents OF the Church OF Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints.
There is one paragraph that may be
said to be new, II not original. Tbs
present DE Witt Talmage claims that,
when young man, he entertained IN
Brooklyn Or. Byron Sunderland, OF
Washington, ID. c., who had been chap
lain Of the United States Senate. Tai
mage says, Il literally pumped the old
man dry OF all his "reminiscences"
These, he goes on TO say, covered sto-
rles of acquaintance with Webster anu
Clay and Benton and Pierce and Lin
coin and Conkling and Blaine all the
mighty political giants north, south.
ease and west, who had been his In
innate friends or acquaintance" How
much time this consumed he does not
state. but claims that About one
o'clock In the morning he said DR.. sun
derland, you have been describing to me
many men; tell me the strongest per-
sonallty you have ever known Then
the old man leaned back In his chair
and told the following incident"
1.-THE scene was not in Washington; It
was In Salt Lake City. The man was
not Webster or Clay he was Brigham
Young. Many years ago the Mormon
church challenged the Gentiles to a de-
bate, and some OF the leading ministers
OF the East took up the challenge.
Bishop John y. Newman OF the Metho-
dist church and myself were delegated
10 meet the Mormon representatives..
The debate took place In the Mormon
Tabernacle, which holds some ten thou
sand auditors. The debate had been
going on for some days. and we had
come 10 the closing night. Bishop New
man was summing up and making his
peroratlon. with the skill OF an ac-
complished orator he was wheeling his
facts into line, and he said substantial
~: Therefore. II this Is SO, and ~
that Is so, and II the other thing Is
80, then We are forced 10 the conclusion
that Mormonism stands for nothing else
beside licensed libertinism and whole
sale fraud Ten thousand angry men
ana women instantly leaped To their
feet and began To press down toward
the platform. The cry was taken up
everywhere; Lynch HIM Lynch him.
Kill him. stab the heretiC's heart Kill
him. Lynch him n0w
II sat beside Newman ut the time.
continued DIR. Sunderland, II did not
see one avenue OF escape. suddenly
Brigham Young arose and stepped Ia
the front OF the platform. He swung
his arms out over that cursinE, swear
ing, angry mob and uttered Just two
words sit down They dropped into
their seats as the grain falls before the
hiss OF the scythe. That was TO IN,
the most marvellous scene ! ever wit
messed. As | came under that leaders
spell. I realized that he was one of thC
greatest OF men and one OF the most
dangerous II not the most dangerou,
20 American liberties who has ever
trodden American soil.
We publish these paragraphs verba-
tim, so that the readers Of the News
may form some idea Of the manner IN
which Rev, Doctors OF Divinity wil
manufacture stories lnlmical to the
"Mormons," There is but a single thread
Of truth In that woven tissue OF false.
hood. We do not believe that DR.. sun
derland, who impressed us as de.
cent. respectable gentleman, ever told
anybody such glazing untruths as this
man Talmage puts in his mouth.
In the first place no challenge was
issued at that time by the Mormon
Church or any Of its authorities, SC
no one was delegated" to take II up
Dr. Newman was on his tour through
the country. and on arriving here chal.