Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-07
CHRISTIAN IGNORANCE,

secular press OF the country II almos'
unanimous ih sustaining the United
states Senate In It's decision IN the case
against Senator smoot the religious
periodicals are. with very few hut COM
mendable exceptions hardly concealing
their chaerin. IT is really sad TO see 50
many religious editors on the side of
blgotry and defiance OF law. Bus theiT
position is not more strange now than
that OF so many Of them. at an earlier
period In the history OF our country.
who declared In favor OF slavery. and
1ibeied God Almighty by besing de-
tense Of that barbarous institution on
Bible texts In fact. we believe history
Will bear anyone out In the statement
that many leaders OF religious seilti-
,nent have, ever since the completion
OF the great apostasy. oftener been on
the wrong side Of the great controver-
sizes Of mankind, than on the other. 1t
is, therefore, not unexpected to find 80
many OF them at this time sustaining
xrypto-ansrchlsts IN an assault upod
the Constitution OF the land.
The Northwestern Christian Advo-
gate, published in Chicago, Is one of
the religious periodicals that has the
misfortune OF being committed TO the
wrong side OF this controversy The
editor OF that journal issues long wall
and threatens the senator's who voted
for Senator Smoot with the Judgment
of history" "A new ISSUE it says
At. a,ia Il ta
the preservation OF the American wo-
manhood. from the nslduous assaults
OF Mormon poIygamy.' The other
po1gyamy IL not mentioned. The
Christian Advocate may not fear that
kind. AT all events, 1t preteuds 70 see
dark days for the country, because the
Senate of the United States refused TO
dc the bidding of the misguided crowds
that cried 'crucifyi''
But the Christian Advocate, as most
of its clamoring colleagues. must. per-
haps, be Judged charitaby because %
the prevailing ignorance concerning
Utah affairs. II il true that the Lat
.er-day Saints have done all IN their
power to enlighten the world on the
questions relating 70 the people here
II Is true that honorable men ard wo-
men not OF the Mormon faith are do
ing much to correct misconceptions.
tourists who travel through here do
what they can to place the state and
the people before the world in their
true light but. Notwithstanding all. the
unspeakabIe individuals who make a
living by telling Infamous falsehoods.
and the other equally contemplate
specimens of humanity who pay their
slaves for slandering an inoffensiye
people IN the hope of finally attaining
to political power ana honor thereby.
are so numerous and SO oInnpresent
that the progress Of truth Is but slow.
The Christian Advocate is ignorant,
II proves this by saying that Senator
smoot ought 10 have been refused his
seat in the Senate, because he belongs
10 a Church that teaches doctrines de-
structive of the American home; also
because he is a member OF n 'hierar-
rhy which is defyine tho law and con-
tiuping practices which It had solemnly
pledged the nation 10 abandon How
ienaciously ignorance clings to those
who love it, The Church Of which
Senator Snioot Is an honored member
md high official does not teach any
thing that has a tendency to destroy
The home. The American home has its
strongest support in the Church OF Je-'
rus Christ OF I.atter-day Saints. II
poyganly is alluded 10. that Is an issue
OF the past. The Church has no "hier-
Rrchy," II that term Is used az the
enemies OF the Saints would have il.
and anyone who does not know that is
not entitled to an opinion ON the Nor
mon" question, until his Ignorance is
removed. The ecclesiastical associates
Of Senator Smoot are not law-defying,
The Advocate is simply repeating, par
rot-tiie. the false statements OF the an
ti-"Mormon' conspirators against the
institutions OF this country.
In all eyes, when the spirit OF peTsecu-
ton has RACED, there have been honest
but ignorant souls who have Joined
the crowds hoping do the Almighty q
service thereby. Give us Barrabas!'
WIS the cry OF the multitude.
to which PLATE finally yielded.
Nero, Dioclstinn, and ali the rest
or them, found many supporters among
honest Romans who thought the Chris
tlans We're Il menace 10 the state
'ldOly simplicity" If always present
when blgotry IL about to burn Illus,
nj the stake, And so It is today.
We are a little doubtful however tf
what eXtont the ignorance now pre-
Talling IA really eKcusAble For years
the anti-"MOrmon' agitators made
every possible allegation against iht
Church and called upon the Senate Il
Investigate. IN The hope OF brlnginl
something TO light that would jpstlfl
she country In excluding every member
Of that religious organization from III
councils 81 the Nation The evldenc,
offered was all slfted and ansly zed
Every particle was put IN the crnclblu
Sut when the opposition had done al
H. ~ power the Senate by an over
whelmlns majority declared there wa
no ground for adverse action. To com
out after that decision, as the Adyoeat
does. and say that Senator Smoot is ia
ISOLATED with lawbreakers ana there
fore should not be- senator Is MOI
than ignorance. II is psryersity
mind II is ohstlnaey that might q
credit 10 a pig, but not TO a huma
beins supposed to be governed by rea
son Had the Senate found that IN