The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-08-22
MORMONISM
By ALFRED II. HENRY, d. D..
Pastor First NJ T.. church, North Yakima in "The Pilgrim"

THE Menace of Mormonism' is a
phrase that has long done good serv-
ice. Like other phrases, 1t can mean
little or much. If by the term Nor
monsm' you mean a System of re-
ligion' there is very little menace"
about ii.
In one sense the religion of Mormon
ism is rather formidable; that is. for
the student who attempts to master It
have been personally acquainted
with Il good many Latter Day Saints.
and the proportion of those who have
made any effort to master the authors
tative system Of belief as laid down by
their own prophets, seers and revelat-
ors Is astonishingly small. Occasion
ally an apostle or elder who is to speak
In the tabernacle at Salt Lake city
will cram up on the writings of Or
son Pratt or the published 1iscourses
of brigham Young or Joseph Smith.
and will deliver n rambling talk upon
the Pre-existence Of Spirits, the ABB
surdities of Immaterialism or the Keys
of the Celestial Kingdom, but there Is
a sermon sounds learned enough to the
unlearned. and there are very few in
the audience who are sufficiently post
ed to follow it's drift.
The real religion Of Mormonism is
not for the many; it is for the few
This fact is recognized by the apostles
and prophets themselves; their instruc-
ton to missionaries Of their faith Is
"Preaci only the principles of the Cos
pei; leave the further mysteries alone.
Meat rs for strong men; give only milk
to the babies" There is very little
danger of the religion of Mormonism
ever becoming generally known. to say
nc ching about it's being comprehended.
Occasionally the effort has been made
by those outside the fold TO write of
Mormon religious beliefs in such way
that the general readtr might gain
some clear conception of them. The
more perfectly they have succeed ed.
the more absolute has been their fall
ure to make an impression. The pre-
sentiment has been altogether too gro
tesaue to be impressive. Plurality Of
Gods Plurality of Wives: Baptisms
ment house oaths and ceremonies
adapted from the ritual Of the Ma
sonic order of which Joseph and
Brigham Young were members until
they were expelled by the grand lodge
of Illinois; Blood Atonement! the
Aaronic and Melchesidec Pricsthoods
Celestial Marriage; Celestial Vege-
tables; the Adam-God theory of Brig
ham Young; the Holy Spirit of refined
fluid finer than electricity: Jesus Christ
the polygamous husband of Mary.
Martha. and that other Mary; God an
exalted man---being of flesh and bones,
| of body and parts, as tangible as mans;
Man an embryo God; and all the rest
of it, constitutes as grotesque carl
cature of religion as this long suffering
world has ever known. No wonder
men fail to take the subject seriously.
IF people want to believe such mass
of absurdities l suppose it is their
| privilege" we are inclined to say, but
it is hardly worth my time to wade
through such an unsavory recital"
Again, every honest endcavor to
state what Mormons are supposed to
believe is met by the lurking sus-
| picion that the picture is overdrawn.
| A few years ago l welcomed whim-
| sical-appearing couple at the door of
my church in Salt Lake City at the
close of the service. / had never seer
| them before that morning and l In
quired Are you strangers in the city,"
| The man replied: mo, we've lived in
| the city forty wears We're NTOrmOnS
| Don't you see our horns?" The fact Is
! they We're Mormons and neither of
! them had horns One of the striking