Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-18
CalnnaSe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. d.

Los Angeles, Cal. Jan. IA. - That
Mormonism constitutes real danger
to the republic and that it is growing
rather than decreasing peril is shown
In this sermon, the text for which the
preacher takes from Isaiah iii, 9, They
declare their sin as Sodom; they hide
ii not"
The study Of the lives Of great men
has always been with me passion.
Next to reading the works Of the great
authors and the speeches of the great
orators I have always had a longing to
know how these leaders of thought
looked and lived and acted in their
public and private lives. Thus as a
young man when had the opportunity
Of entertaining in our home DR.. Byron
Sunderland. who was to preach in the
Brooklyn tabernacle a couple of Sun
days, literally pumped the old man
dry of all his "reminiscences. Great
was his well of information and per-
sonal experiences.
DR.. Byron Sunderland for nearly
half century had been a resident OF
Washington. He was not only known
as the pastor of presidents, but for
years he had been chaplain Of the Unit
ed States senate. Webster and Clay
and Benton and Pierce and Lincoln
and Conkling and Blaine, all the
mighty political giants north, south,
east and west. had been his intimate
friends or acquaintance. Hour after
hour would speed by as the old man
talked to me. remember well the last
night we were together. It was nearly
1 o'clock in the morning when said ::
"Dr. Sunderland. you have been de-
scribing to me many men. Tell me
the strongest personality you have ever
known" Then the old man said:
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. Bish-
OPP John =. Newman Of the Methodist
church and myself were delegated to
meet the Mormon representatives. The
debate took place in the Mormon taber-
naclc, which holds some 10000 audi
tors. The debate had been going on
for some days, and we had come to the
closing night Bishop Newman was
summing up and making his perora-
ton With the skill Of an accomplished
orator he was wheeling his facts into
line. and he said substantially: There
fore, if this is so and if that is so and
If the other thing Is so, then we are fore
ed to the conclusion that Mormonism
stands for nothing else besides licensed
libertinsm and wholesale fraud" Ten
thousand angry men and women in
stantly 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 now.
II sat beside Newman at the time
continued DIR. Sunderland. II did not
see one avenue Of escape. Suddenly
Brigham Young arose and stepped tc
the front Of the platform. He swung
his arm out over that cursing. 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 me the
most marvellous scene ever witnessed
AS l came under the leaders spell
realized that he was one of the greatest
Of men and one of the most dangerous
il not the most dangerous. to American
liberties who had ever trodden Ameri
can soil"
What Byron Sunderland said to mt
over fifteen years ago was absolutely
true. Brigham Young was one Of thu
greatest and one Of the most corrupt
men who ever lived on American soil
His evil influence is bringing forth it.
baleful harvest today.
have been to Salt Lake City. hav
carefully read many Of the books writ
ten both for the advocacy and for tn
condemnation Of MormOnism, and iron
the mass Of conglomerate testimOn.
into which l have delved l can com
but to one conclusion-that JOsep
Smith was crack Drained epilepti(
who, with his Ats of hysteria, was jus
the man for little while to appeal t
the ignorant and superstitious peopl
with whom he came in contact. Blu
Joseph Smith could never have create
the Mormon church. 1t needed NOR
than an epileptic visionary to do thai
No sooner was Joseph Smith dead IAN
he died some fifteen years after he ha
begun to proclaim himself a prophel
than this monster manipulation, tbi
j. modern Blue Beard, this leprOus Frank
enstein, this robbcr of mems gold an
Of women's morals. Brigham Young
stepped forward and gathered togethe
Smiths crazed followers and molde
them together into social Organism
of which he was to be the chief blooG
} letting vampire. And all that Brigham
, Young stood for fifty years ago tn
present head of the Mormon churc
: stands for today though the claw ma
!, have temporarily sunk out of sight
the soft flesh Of the tigers paw.
Stands the Same Today.
To show that the Mormon church Il
day stands exactly where 1t did in Bril-
liam Young's time would quote pal
of the interview which Irving Sayfor
, had a few months ago with one Of tn
, chief men of the hierarchy. Marine
W. Merrill Is one OF the twelve apostle
Question: "Mr. Merrill. have any {
the doctrines or covenants in the Mo