Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-02
MoRMoNIANIA.

rs there such disease as Morno-
mania?" asks the Liverpool Daily Dis
patch, paper widely circulated in
England We copy the entire article
from the current number Of the Mil
lennial Star.
rs there SUCH a disease as Mormo-
mania? Some people say quite conf
IDENTIFY that there Is. and the numbers
holding this belief are increasing to
such an extent that the contention can
not be overlooked.
'rhe chiefs OF the Latter-day Saints
feel that their beliefs are being grossly
mtsrepresented by opponents. to whom
the term 'Mormomaniacs is said TO b.
a very fitting one. The recent expan-
sion Of Mormon activity has given the
movement considerable prominence, but
far from being alarmed at the attacks
made upon them. the elders state that
the opposition IS doing them a wonder
ful amount OF good, and increasing the
number Of converts daily.
Liverpool Is the head Of the Euro
pean mission, and from the Mersey
port the work Of the British Isles Is
directed, in addition 10 that carried on
In Sweden. Germany. Holland, Belgium,
Norway, Denmark, Turkey, and South
Africa. A fine old house in Ddge Lane
has been acquired, and here we'll
attended meetings are regularly held
When a representative or the Daily
Dispatch visited there one evening a
meeting was in progress. but Mr.. c. w.
Penrose, who has charge of the Euro
pean branch, left the gathering for a
few moments In order to clear up what
he stcted are the general fallacles. 1t
IS qul-5 true said he. that a large
number OF Mormon elders have Just
arrived at Liverpool but the occur
renee Is by no means new. and GER
tainly not alarming. No new mission
Is contemplated. IL is simply a carry
ing on OF the work which has been go
ing on In Liverpool for sixty years.
The exact number OF arrivals (for
Great Britain) was twenty-one, and the
elders we're accompanied by several
friends. one a Liverpool lady who went
out some years ago and has returned
on "a visit. These elders viii take the
place OF those IN The British Isles who's
term OF labor has expired
We have now IN all parts Of the
world about two thousand mission
aries, and they discharge their duties
without payment from anyone.
Where do they get money from 2
Well. as a rule they are young fellows
who have earned good wages In Utah.
and have saved sufficient 10 bring them
over here and keep them for about two
years. In some cases their fathers
help them along. but they certainly are
not paid by Us.
Going on 20 talk OF the progress OF
'MOrmOnlsm in this country. Mr.. PEN
ROSE said that their success was large
| ly attributable 20 people who vigorously
| opposed them This opposition caused
/ others TO investigate the beliefs OF the
I latter-day Saints, and in the end 10 be-
come members OF the Church.
The most eXtravagant things are
said OF us, but they are AN untrue. IL
/ WAS stated the other day. for example,
/ that an letters from Salt Lake city are
| opened before reaching this country.
| Why that "a impossible. for the post
office Is under the government
The statement that residents are
| unable 90 leave Salt Lake city is equal-
/ ly absurd. Surely there are railway
/ lines enough FOR anyone. Equally silly
l are other charges, which are promptly
/ rcfutod when we get the opportunity DO
us there such disease a. Mormo-
manlae'
Some people in this country seem
90 have been afnicted very severely
that way They are maniacs ou tho
subject OF "Mormonism." But thoir
afnictlon is seif-imposad. % Is some-
thing on the order OF the old time
berserkor rage. when the old herser-
kers went 20 war they would work
themselves up 10 such fury thar they
howlod foamed al the mouth and
gnawod their shields. In their sane
moments however they d.d not seem
20 he particularly proud Of their pore
formances. Cor one of them Is said 10
have killed DIE wife FOR reminding him
of his wlldnoss. But our modern ber-
sorkers glory in their froth ana foam.
in spite of the fact that modern civil
i1ation demands civilized methods Of