Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-29

Our attention has been called to
ilaring double-page article In a Chicago
paper, with Illustrations aud big bill
poster headings, the chief OF which Is
Secrets OF the Mormon Church Expos
ed The reader who wades through
the several columns of stun when
make upthe story, told by a reporter
and containing statements made to him
by an alleged Elder, zone OF the Nor
mon council of TO- will wonder where
the "secrets' are revealed which are re-
ferred TO In the startling title TO the
tale. II Is only n rehash OF stun that
has been d!shed up over and over again
and has not even the spice OF novelty
To give Il new flavor.
The elder spoken of IN the article
is one Don Carlos W. Musser, about
whom some people may have heard as
a rash and rampant scion of an honor
able house, who fell into the dark sew
eral years ago. and has made some at
tempts TO distinguish himself by railing
nj Church TO which he has every red-
son to be grateful, and attacking the
very vital principle that gave him birth.
The old adage Is recalled: ITS nasty
bird that fouls It's own nest"
II appears that this person Is about
90 publish book. and the reporter re.
fers TO Il as "a new Book of Mormon"
II the quotations made from It and
published IN the Chicago paper may be
regarded as specimens of the work. Il
Is not likely that IT Will obtain very
wide circulation, nor will the stories It
will PROBABLY contain create very deep
impression on the minds Of It's readers.
One sample. which is given in very
large type we VIII here insert
president Smith declares he has the
power and authority TO guide any man
IN the Church in all matters Senator
Reed Smoot cannot get out from under
thnt authority without apostauzlng
from the Church. II President Smith
saw NJ 10 instruct Reed SmoOt how TO
vote on any legislation that was up be-
fore Congress Reed Smoot AZ menu
her Of the church, Il bound to take
that instruction as the word Of God
unto him. And II Is the same way with
every member in the Church In full
standing Joseph 4. Smith ~ not only
his spiritual guide but HIS guide IN all
things of temporal nature, He has
not only the right thought TO be d.
vinely bestowed upon Hin-to proclaim
the spiritual law unto members of the
Church. but also the right 10 say who
shall hold the political offices the Gem
tiles have always believed to be within
the gift OF the state and that he eNcr-
cIses this power no person Informed on
conditions IN Utah can truthtully
deny
That paragraph looks like an excerpt
from an anti-"Mormon' paper which
has gone daft on Mormon affairs, and
ragcs and rants 90 furiously ana falsely
that it's rawlings have no effect except 10
disgust people Of all classes who take
the paper for the news Il contains, but
express tho utmost contempt for lts
editorial utterances. and usually skip
them as either too vile or too silly to
engage their attention,
Nothing can be found on record In
witch President Smith declares any
thing OF the kind expressed IN the fore
going President Smith Is no more like
" TO instruct Reed Smoot how tc
vote" on any legislation. than he Is to
attempt 10 control the weather or th'
ebb and now OF ocean tides or the mo-
tlons Of the planets. Nor II he should
ATTEMPT 10 do anything Of the kind Is
Senator Reed Smoot undor any obiga
ton 80 take that instruction II Il
equally false to state that Preslden
Joseph r. Smith has or claims to have
",he right TO say who shall hold the 20
itical offices within the gift OF m,
state It is the fashion with calum
niators Of the class to which the writ
or Of the paragraph belongs, to back vi
their baseless allegations by hombas
iically announcing that mo person IN
formed on conditions in Utah can truth
fully deny them.
We have paid this much at
tenlion to tho efforts Of III
pretended Elder because the chile
point Of his attack, like tina
OF few "mlserables' who have Sc
eeded from the crurch which they hay
solemnly testified before God and ma
g e. divine origin. &c the gentl"na
who represents Utah In the Senate {