Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-05
PERSECUTION IN NORWAY.

According to advices from Norway
some OF the clergymen OF that country
nave evidently decided 10 celebrate the
new conditions there by prosecuting the
Elders Of the Church who are Iaborina
as missionaries among the people. Some
Time ago, Elder L.. c. Henrichsen o,
Provo arrived home from mission 10
norway In Bergen he was closely ex.
amihed by the chief Of police, concern.
Ing the affairs OF the Church. there no.
ing complaint against him signed b.
certain clergyman and assistant,
The accusation was that he had been
holding divine services, and preachinp
immoral doctrines" And now We no.
lice In the current number OF "skandi.
naviens StJernc," published In Copen-
hagen. that Elder Niels Evensen VIII,
presides In the Branch OF the Church
at Drontheim. has been sentenced 10
pay fine OF 500 Kroner. or suffer i'm.
prisonmeut for Is days. for having ofn.
clated IN the ordinance of beptIsn,
Two other Elders have been fined 50
Kroner each for officiating m the
ordinance Of the Lords supper. The
clergynen seem 10 be determined 10
break mp the Church in that country. II
this can be done by means OF fines and
prisons.
The prosecutors take their stand on
supreme court decision Of Nov. 4
1883, based, We believe. on a learned
dlsqusition by the theological faculty
OF the university, according 10 which
the Latter-day Saints are not Chris
tian sect, As tho dissenter law give.
liberty only to Christian sects, Jews.
and Untarians-.who, by the way. are
also declared Christians by tho
same infalliblc authority--the Nor.
mons" are. OF course, barred from prac.
Using any tenets Of their religion under
the protection of the law. In fact. as
"Mormons' they can be fined and i'm.
prisoned FOR reading a chapter in the
Bible. praying, or singing, because
these acts are religious practices Just
as much AS baptizing, partakiug Of tho
Sacrament, or preaching. No person
who does not belong to a sect recog.
nized by the dissenter law, or to ths
state church, has any right to perform
an act OF a religious nature. In Norway.
The very absurdity Of that restriction
has caused the law To remain deao
Ia in
that Elder Eyensen has appealed to the
higher court IN the hope Of obtalnins
some further legal light on the question
Of religious liberty
II is perfectly clear that. according
to the law aud the supreme court de-
cislon referred 10, "Mormons" have no,
religious liberty But the Saints IN
Norway who have not by a formal
declaration to the ecclesiastical author.
titles severed their connection with thu
established church, are not "Mornons," |
IN the view Of the law. but Lutherans,
They should have all the rights ana |
privileges OF Lutherans. as far as the |
civil law Is concerned By a declara-
tlon OF the eccleslastlc department Of |
the government. the ordinance Of bap-
tlsm az performed by the "Mormons"
Is not 70 be considered as Christian"
baptism. II it is not Christian" II Is
not baptism at ALL and. consequently,
no more subject 70 ecclesiastical lega,
than any other secular act,
which the citizens have an lndsputabls
RICH, to perform. There is some con.
In the Interpretation of the
ilssenter law, which the supreme court
possibly may take eognlzance Of, when