Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-27

TO the Editor Dcseret News. In the
Tribune OF Nov. %. appeared an article
under the caption '~rhe Ruinous 1.-THE
Tax" signed by Nephl z. Williams,
who. presumably. has been emsncipatod
from the "thraldom" Of "Mormonism.
The article enters into a TRADE against
the leaders OF the church and takes mp
an argument 10 show that the tithing
system is a tremendous drain upon the
resources ~ the people
10 Is not likely that this article has
attracted the attention OF our apologists,
on II 10 had that they would deem IL
worthy Of a reply Bur having an idle
hour I feel constrained % ask the favor
~ little space in your paper for some
reflections which the article has
prompted In me.
TO me. the compelling thought In
reading the article. Is the superilcalty
OF Judgment OF the worldly wise as op-
posed TO the wisdom that is linked with
faith. II recalls Cowper's lines;
knowledge is proud that he has
learned so much.
Wisdom is humble that he knows no
more.
mon" people forsake their leaders and
follow after others. modesty. Of course.
not permitting him to say who their
leader or leaders should be. Shall they
follow one who attacks the basic prin-
ciples OF their faith and who glonties
az q first consideration the possible
material progress Of this people. for
getting, not realizing, that they are
people " faith and spirit FIRST. and Of
material pursuit afterwards? His as
sumed knowledge of history must
teach him that peoples who have sought
material ACKNOWLEDGMENT as an end
have been without faith and without
morals. Gods people cannot truly wor-
ship Him and at the same time wor-
ship wealth and splendor one OF the
plainest lessons Of history to the eye
~ faith is that when a people have
bowed down to worldly splendor and
given themselves up to its attainment,
they have come under the just indigna-
tiOu OF a. jealous God who has anuihi-
lated the works of their hands. and
thus taught them that material ag
glpndlzoment was not 10 be the sole
aim Of his children. One OF the dis
tinCtiYe characteristics OF the Nor
mon people Is that they realize Ina
their lives the maxim Of the Master:
Man shall not live by bread alone"
This does not necessarily imply that
llt9 should not De INDUSTRIOUS anu
progressive, all Of which they are TO
high degree, but this will not turn
their eyes from looking for a city
whose builder and maker Is God" The
great mistake of those who do not
grasp the genius and spirit OF Nor
monism'' is that they persist IN Judging
us from their own viewpoint which
is material. when the mission Of the
church is not material but spiritual.
The church is not an organization pri-
marily for oolonizing and cooperation
enterprises, these things being merely
incidents in the individual life Of the
people, while the mission OF the Church
as an organization is TO carry a spirit
ual message of faith and warning 10 the
world for the healing Of the nations,
and TO impl8nt in the hearts Of its
true followers that peace that passeth
understanding" Those who do not
sense this phase OF "MOrmonism and
il is the ideal toward which both lead
ers and laymen are wOrking-are doub-
~ Intellectual in their attacks upon the
Church because they attack the shsd-
oW and not the substance
The writer refers to the Mormon"
people as my people" Any person who
ridioules the fundamental doctrines OF
Mormon" faith, and who Vilifies and
condemns without exception. the lead
ers who are sustained by the suffrage
and prayers OF that people. cannot call
himself one OF them IL is faith IN
the principles Of the Church and 10y
aty to its officers that stamps the
members as a people set apart. and IL
IL rank presumption and hypocricy In
one who has Joined a camp of our enc
mics and from their watch tower rails
back at US. TO refer to this people as
my people" The obvious purpose he
has IN doing this is to gain a greater
hearing for his sophistries. The Nor
mon people" can only repudiate such
characters as traitors who have for
saken their ranks and gone over 10
those who by their attacks make them
selves cur enemies. And we are not
at all pleased with the gratuitous ref
erence of my people" coming from