Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-19
FOR LUTHERAN REFLECTION.

FOR LUTHERAN REFLECTION.
A clergyman from Philadelphia was
IN this city on Sunday for the purpose
Of installing A missionary pastor Of the
English Lutheran church. The gentle
man preached az both the English and
the Swedish Lutheran churches. lie Is
superintendent in North America Of the
English home missions OF the Lutheran
church. BY way Of arousing interest
IN his remarks. he dealt what he mag
ined to be some heavy blows against
Mormonism" As Is usual with these
travelling ministers. he succeeded in
showing that he IS very ignorant Of
that which he attempted TO assail The
idea OF a comparative stranger coming
! here TO enlighten the natives and resi-
/ dents Of this region on matters that
they would naturally know a great deal
more about than he knows
II Is a little strange that preachers
Of that type do not use the time and
! opportunity afforded them 20 explain
the doctrines OF their own sect, instead
Of wasting their efforts IN assailing
that which they imagine TO be the ten
ets and doings Of some other church
They are Of the same stripe as the
writer's who spend day IN Salt Lake
City and then write book, or a series
Of articles. on the "Monstroslties Of
: Mormonism" and the peculiar kind Of
people whom they describe as is yota-
ries. They are IN very poor business
and leave very bad impression con-
corning themselves on the minds Of
thinking and ordinarily decent people,
We notice the Philadelphia Lutheran
preacher on account Of two points
which he set forth In his disoourses
as reported by the press of this city.
Referring undoubtedly to the Book Of
Mormon. he said that 'Mormonism at
rempis TO foist upon humanity as the
revelation OF God. a book written as
fiction and stolen from It's author" This
can have no other signihcatlon than n
reference 10 the old. defunct and de-
oayed spaulding story. which many de-
csdes ago did pulpit duty TO account for
the origin OF book. the truth Of which
has not and cannot be disproyed by all
The speclous and sophistical TRADES
that have been preached and published
against II.
The spaulding story answered It's
purpose for a long time and until The
Manuscript Found" written by that
overrated Individual. was found indeed
and placed IN the library OF oberlin
College. II is now thoroughly estab-
lished that the Book OF Mormon bears
no resemblance 10 Il OF any kind, and
every candid investigator comedies the
fact that the Book OF Mormon certainly
was not derived from The Manuscript
Found as Was alleged and proclaimed
for many years II Rev J. c. Kunz-
mann, Of Philadelphia, does not know
" these circumstances. he is ignorant
Of tho history Of his own times. ana
II he IL aware of them he Is a wilful
retailer " exploded falsehood, present.
ing It in the garb OF truth
The other point he made against
.Mormonism" was that 1T attempts
even to disguise It's scnsualty with a
religious cloak. and appeals 10 the
faults and vices Of the Patriarchs az
work OF righteousness. Il assumes
the form OF sodlincss hut II both denies
and nulhes the power thereof Against
this abomination the Lutheran church
Is set a. witness"
OF course the preacher referred to
The plural marriage system which
once was instituted ana supported by
she Mormon" Church but the further
practice 81 which was dobarred by a
formal resolution ana announcement by
the Church. II he does not know Of
the action taken concerning that mat
ter and the effects Of Il upon the people
who compose the Church. again he Is
evidently In ignorance and n he is ao-
ausinted with the facts De Is wIllfully
nniruthful
But passing that by what about the
position and mission Of the Lutheran
church concerning the main question
Mr.. Kunsmann held up Martin Luther
as the grand hero OF the reformation
and the author Of civil and religious
liberty FOR these modern ages" While
admitting the greatness 90 calvin and
zwingli as religious reformers, he pro-
claimed that Luther 'overtowerod then,
In qualities Of intellect and heart" and
:. 1-z>vosel man in church and state
IN the sacred precincts Of the family
home and In the realm OF thought and
principle"
simply for the sake Of showing what
Luther ala or consented TO and approx.
81. wo have been requested by a gen'
.,~ma- who appears To BE- acquainted
Min the preacher that lsuds Luther p,
h,rhly. 10 publish some documents thai
have before been placed 10 print and
ave taken from History o. the varis-
,<ons OF the Protestant Churches" hs
Jsmss Benign Bcssuet, celebrate,