Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-05


over the world II has been the same
our converts have been men and women
OF character, intelligence. and integ-
rity. There is nothing In Mormon
Ism to attract the selfish or the vile,
The effort to differe1ttate the NOR.
mon ptfesth God and the Mormon" PEG.
ple. ny allowing that the latter are
good honest though misguided folk
while alleging that their leaders are the
perS01ification of all that Is bad is Il
most futile one. The great majority OF
the male members of the Church hold
the priesthood and though constituting
the official body OF the Church. they are
a portion OF the people. Priesthood and
people are inseparablc. and, vlndicated
or condemned, stand together
Invites Investigation.
The charge that the Church relies up
ON duplfctty In the propagation OF her
doctrines and shuns enlightened inves-
ttsation, Is contrary ~ reason and facs-
Deceit and fraud in the petuation
~ amy religion must end In failure A
system OF religion. ethics. OK philosophy.
to attract and hold the attention of
men, must be sincere IN doctrine and
honest In propaganda THAT the Church
employs deceptive methods; that she
has one doctrine for the priesthood and
another for the people; that abe teaches
one sci OF principles to her members
In Zion, and another to the worlds
not true. Enlightened investiga tion is
the very means through which the
Ctutch hopes TO promote belief In her
principles, and extend the benencent
influence OF her institutions From the
beginning, emil ehtened investigation
has been one thing she has sought. To
secure this she has sent her mission
aries into all parts of the world, cs-
pcctally To the centers Of civilization
and enlightenment where her litera-
lure has been freely distributed; veg
too frequently her claims have been dis
allowed without inVesti CATION, and
Judgment ha been pronounced without
hearing. AT the Columbian exposition.
which celebrated the four hundred TIA
anniversary of the discovery of Amert-
ca, the relations of the world We're rep
resented In great parliament, for the
purpose of showing Tin the most I'M
pTessive way, what and how many i'm
poTtant truths the various religions
hold and teach In common. 10
set forth by those most com petent 10
speak, what are deemed the Important
distinctive truths held and taught by
each religion To inquire
what Hight each religion has afforded OF
may afford to the other religions Of the
world. To this gathering the Church
of Jesus Christ ot Latter-day Saints
though the most dstiuctivefy American
Church, was not Invited; nevertheless
she sought opportunity to place side by
side with the creeds of all the great his
torlc faiths. presentation of her prln-
cipleS, and TO voice 10 mankind the
truths she deemed most important and
most helpful This opportunity was de-
nied the Church, except upon such
terms as We're humlliating and SUBJ
versfe Of the end sought-a wider pub
lcatton and a more 5ust considefa tion
OF her faith. After such an experience.
ana others Of Hike kind, though of vary
Ing degree, we submit that it i'll be-
comes our accusers 10 charge us with
stunning enlightened investigation
A Friend to Education.
1t has been charged that Mormon
Ism is opposed to education The his
tory of the Church and the precepts of
its leaders are sufficient answer TO
that aceusati ton. Joseph Smith, the first
president OF the Church, founded
schools. and nded them as STU
dent. as did many OF his followers Mn-
der his advice and Influence Brigham
Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith
emulated him as founder and patron
of schools; and every subsequent presi-
dent of the Church, his associates, and
the people generally, have been equally
Jealous IN that cause, In the course OF
their exodus from Illinois. cur people
built log schpolhouses while haltlng
pAl illt NilNnfuIl AANtli lIlttl llAt IIDMllcl
Of the nation aud after they had tra-
versed thousand miles OF wilderness.
and planted their infant colony la the
valley OF the Great Salt Lake, school
houses were among the first buildings
they erected Such has been the course
pursued La every Mormon colony, The
State of Utah, now dotted with free
schools academies, colleges, and uni
versities. institutions which have given
her marked educational prominence
furnishes indisputable evidence that her
people-mostly "NOrmons"-are friends
and promoters of education, To the Lat
ter-day Saints, salvation itself, under
the atonement OF Christ, Is a process of
education That knowledge is a means,
of eternal progress, was taught by JOS
eph Srnith:-It Is impossible for man
To be saved in igllorance,--A man is
saved no faster than he gets knowledge
The glory Of God is intelligence
Whatever principles of intelligence we
attain to In this life, Will rise with us In
the resurrection HE who gains In this
life more knowledge than another will
have 80 much the advantage In the
world to come. These were aphorisms
with the Prophet Joseph Smith,
Morality of Mcrmonism.
Neither IL it true, as alleged that
'M0rmonlsm lis destructive Of the sane
tlty 1r the marriage relation: ON The
contrary II regards the Lawful union of
man and woman as lac means through
which they may realize their highest
and hOllest aspirations. To the Latter
day Saints, marriage Is not designed by
our heavenly Father to be merely AN
earthly union, but one that shall sur
vive the vicissitudes of time and en-
dure for eternity, bestowlnE honor and
Joy I'm this world. glory and eternal
Ewes I'm the worlds to- come
The typical Mormon home " the tenn
pie OF The family In which the members
of The household gather morning and
evening. for prayer and praise to God,
offered In the name of Jesus Christ and
often accompanied by the readGg of
scripture and the singing OF spiritual
songs Here are taught and gently en-
forced, The mora Dreeepts and relis-
ious truths. which, taken altOgc Their
make up that righteousness which ex-
alteth a nation. and ward Oft that sin
which ~ repronch To any people II
such conditions arc NOT a sufficient
answer TO the charge thar our homes
are un-ChflsIIan, suhyerslye Of moral
Influence ANA destructive or the states
stability then we turn 10 the present
generations. mormon American ctI-
Gems, products ~ OAR religion
ana our homes for our Yndl-
cat Ion, Here are our SONS aud
/ daughters. submit them To amy test
truth, yeneratlon foT age. reverence
for God, love Of man. loyalty to ooun-
try. respect for law, refinement of mani
nSrs, and, lastly IN This issue between
us and our accusers the crownlng test
/ OF ALL purity OF mind and chastity OF
/ conduct IL IN not inOrdinate self bra sn
To say OF the generations on our people,