The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-21
Rev. Mr.. ClemensOn of Logan
Delivers Exceedingly
Strong Address.
TURN ON THE LIGHT
AND ADVISE THE NATION
Churches Urged to Organize
in Effort to Christianizc
MOrmOns.

| Sunday-school room OF the First Presby-
terlan church on The Solution OF the
Mormon Problem" prefacing his remarks
by reading the ninth verse of the third
chapter Of Timothy IL
| MIR, Clemenson first called attention to
the difficulties in the way OF solving the
problem, first because IL Is religious
question and second because the forces
TO be dealt with are ylgilant, and third
because OF the American Idea of fair
play.
Americans" he said "are excessively
sensitive when dealing with a religious
question. and will not tolerate any over
reaching in any direction,
| The fourth difficulty lies In the fact
that the Mormon question Is TOO little
understood by the majority of American
citizens. which adds much 10 the over
coming OF this great obstacle"
In enumeraLlng the success OF past cf
forts to Quell the spread OF Mormonism,
| Mr. Clcmenson mentioned the develop
ment of the public school system: the
establishment of some fifty Christian
| churches in Utah. the Introduction OF tho
! State as under American institutions,
so that it is an American State, not
| withstandlng the difficulty that may OBJ
! tain by the encroachment OF hierarchc
power; the removal of the crown from
the head of polygamy. and placing 1t on
the head of monogamy, so that now Nor
mon people are clamoring for monogamy
and consuming their elders and others for
any leaning toward polygamy; the SEN
| era betterment OF the State, which Is
seen in the very atmosphere ITSELF and
felt by everybody who comes here.
| Strangers Are Deceived.
But this latter evidence OF progress
against polygamy," said Mr.. Clemenson,
often has a tendency TO lead strangers
astray. they assuming that conditions
here are very different from what they
imagined But il they would take the
| pains to investigate affairs thoroughly.
/, the true state OF conditions would be
revealed TO them.
The proper way TO overcome the Nor
| mon problem is 10 turn on the light" he
continued. letting the people OF the ma
ton, as we'll as the Mormons, under
stand our exact situation by disclosing
10 the rest of the nation the success
that has rewarded American effort in
Utah in the past and by calling atten-
tion TO the conditions as they actually
existed"
Mr.. Clemenson then drew a vivid pic
ture Of Mormonsm by describing the flu
neral of a wellknown official Of the
church, where eight wives were grouped
around the coffin, they being surrounded
by composite progeny numbering forty
six, besides nearly 90 descendants being
seated in the audience He said this pic
ture should be laid with lndelible I'M
press upon the minds OF Eastern people.
Absurdities in System.
Absurdites existing in the Mormon
system were then touched upon, Mr..
Clemenson recitiug n humorous personal
experience when he visited Palmyra. n.
Y, and drove with a native TO the hill
where the tablets of stone were alleged
to have been found. and after being trans
lated were carried away by angels He
spoke OF the offer OF Pcet to reward any
one with $1,000 if single case Of polyg-
amy could be pointed out, the president
of the church atterward deposing two
apostles who were alleged 10 have taken
plural wives since the manifesto. namely,
John w. Taylor and Matthias Cowley.
Turn on the Light"
Mr.. Clemenson then reviewed several
suggestions that had been brought forth
TO cleanse the nation Of Mormonism. Two
solutions that had been suggested. ex-
termination or expulsion, he deemed alb
surd the first being cowardly, the second
foolish.
The United States Government. were
II TO eXpel Morrnons into Mexico" he
said. would make itself ridiculous in the
eyes of other nations. We must grapple
with the problem ourselves" He dis
missed the idea Of Gentiles combining
in commercislism. because ii is now
complained that the Mormon church has
so commercialized itself that Gentle
merchants are complaining, and said that
It would be futile TO endeavor TO train
people TO be Independent in politics, be-
cause both political parties were now
under the control of the Mormon church,
AS to Legislation.
In speaking of the proposition to
amend the Federal Constitution so as
to exclude Mormonism from the United
States. Mr.. Clemenson drew attention TO
the fact that the State of New York had
taken the initiative in joint resolution
passed last April, and which measure has
since been passed by the Legislature of
Iowa, and that the law-makers of New
Jersey now have it under consideration.
He declared that the resolution would be
pushed by all Legislatures meeting this
fall.
Education in Utah Is aiding much In
the solution OF the problem" be said.
"and / thoroughly indorse this means of
enlightenment
But the most powerful agent can
imagine that can be used TO solve the
Mormon problem Is for all churches TO
combine in an effort TO Christianize the
Mormon people, because Mormonism is
challenge against Christianity. Chris
tian churches should be increased and
manned with the strongest men that can
be found in the various denominations,
and adequate equipment be given them
Christian publication. representative
OF Christianity, and which shall have the
right TO discuss this problem without fear
favor. regardless of subscription lists
or otherwise, should be established and
In VI this great question should be dis
cussed in all It's philosophical phases and
other directions so as 10 bring light. and
finally. that body OF trained men who
understand Mormonism be sent TO the
Eastern 6eld where Mormons are propo-
eating their system among Christian
churches, there TO meet Mormon repre-
sentatives and to present the situation
as IL is. that Mormonism may be under
stood by the people who are being urged
to accept IL before they yield to the
solicitations of the elders. With this
work under the direction OF Christianity,
the solution Of the problem would be has
tened.
Task Is Great One.
''I concede,' said Mr.. Clemenson. in
concluding. that IT is a great task, but