Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-01-20
Calnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, d. D.

In this sermon, the text for which the
preacher takes from Isaiah Ill. .. "rhey
declare their sin as Sodom: they hide
II not"
The study of the lives of great men
has always been with me passion.
Next TO reading the works of the great
authors AMI the speeches Of the great
orators | have always had longing to
know how these leaders of thought
looked and lived and acted In their
public and private lives. Thus as
young man when had the opportunity
of entertaining in our home Dr. Byron
Sunderland. who was to preach IN the
Brooklyn tabernacle couple OF Sun
days. | literally pumped the old man
dry ~ all his "reminiscences. Great
was his well of information and per-
sonal experiences.
DR. BYRON Sunderland for nearly
half n century had been resident OF
Washington. lie was not only known
as the pastor of presidents. but for
years he had been chaplain OF the Unit
cd States senate. Webster and Clay
ana Benton and Pierce and Lincoln
and Conkling and Blaine. all the
mighty political giants north. south,
east and west. had been his intimate
friends or acquaintance. Hour after
hour would speed by rs the old man
talked to me. remember well the last
night we were together. II was nearly
! O'Clock In the morning when I said:
''Dr. Sunderland. you have been de-
scribing TO me many men. Tell me
the strongest personality you have ever
known" Then the old man said:
''rhe scene was not In Washington; IL
was In Salt Lake City. The man was
not Webster or Clay: he was Brigham
Young. Many years ago the Mormon
church challenged the gentiles to de-
bate. and some Of the leading ministers
of the east took up the challenge Blsh-
op John H. Newman OF the Methodist
church and myself were delegated to
meet the Mormon representatives The
debate took place In the Mormon taber-
nacle. which holds some 10000 audi
tors. The debate had been going on
for some days. and we had come 10 the
closing night. Bishop Newman was
summing up and making his perora-
ton. With the skill of an accomplished
orator he was wheeling his facts into
line. and he said substantially: There
fore. II this Is so and II that il so and
Ii the other thing Is So then we are fore
ell TO the conclusion that MOrmonism
stands for nothing else besides licensed
libertinism and wholesale fraud" Ten
thousand angry men and women In
stantly leaped 10 their feet and began
TO press down toward the platform.
The cry was taken up everywhere:
Lynch him. Lynch him! Kill him!
Stab the hcretlc's heart, XIII him!
Lynch him now"
Il sat beside Newman at the time."
continued DR.. Sunderland. Il did not
see one avenue of escape. Suddenly
Brigham Young arose and stepped to
the front of the platform. He swung
his arm out over that cursing. swear
Ing. angry mob and uttered just two
words. Sit down. They dropped into
their seats rs the grain falls before the
hiss of the scythe. That was 10 me the
most marvellous scene ever witnessed.
As came under the leaders spell ]
realized that he was one of the greatest
of men and one of the most dangerous.
II not the most dangerous. TO American
liberties who had ever trodden Ameri-
can soil"
What Byron Sunderland said to me
over fifteen years ago was absolutely
true. Brigham Young was one Of the
greatest and one Of the most corrupt
men who ever lived on American soil.
His evil influence Is bringing forth Its
baleful harvest today.
have been to Salt Lake City. have
carefully read many of the books writ
ten both for the advocacy and for the
condemnation of Mormonism. and from
the mass of conglomerate testimony
into which I have delved can come
but 10 one conclusion-that Joseph
Smith was crack Drained epileptic,
who. with his fits OF hysteria. was just
the man for little while to appeal TO
the ignorant and superstltious people
with whom he came In contact. But
Joseph Smith could never have created
the Mormon church. II needed more
than an eplleptic visionary TO do that.
No sooner was Joseph Smith dead land
he died some fifteen years after he had
begun to proclaim himself prophet)
than this monster manipulation, this
modern Blue Beard. this leprous Frank
enstcin. this robber OF mems gold and
OF women's morals. Brigham Young,
stepped forward and gathered together
Smiths crazed followers and nodded
them together into social organism
OF which he was to he the chief blood
letting vampire. And all that Brigham
Young stood for fifty years ago the
present head OF the Mormon church
stands for today. though the claw may
have temporarily sunk out OF sight In
the soft flesh OF the tigers paw.
stands the Same To-day.
To show that the Mormon church to-
day stands exactly where II did In Brig
ham Young's time would quote part
OF the interview which Irving Sayford