The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-19


above caption, in ono Of your editorials.
az II appeared In the columns Of The
| Tribune for Sunday. December I. 1910,
was Interested in reading the follow
ing:
The lato Reed peck was one induced
10 attend u meeting Of the Mormon
Danitca at Far West. Missouri. Although
! he never became actively engaged with
the murdcrous gang, he saw and heard
enough at that meeting TO give value to
MS testimony upon this matter.
! Mr. Peck claims that tho origin of
the panitee. or the order of the 'Daush-
,eE OF Zion as It was frst called. was
! 10 rid the church OF certain prominent
! men who Gisapproved tho wicked acts of
! the hTst presidency and other leaders.
| II seems. according TO Mr.. Peck, that yhs
! Itowdorys tho Whitmcrs. Lyman Johnson.
ana others. were most active in oppos.
ing Joseph and Hyrum Smith and sid
neN Rigdon. IL was desired by tho first
presidency that these men be driven out
| OF the community at Far West. and IL
was on that account that a meeting was
called b% Jared Carter and DimiCk II.
! Huntington 10 form secret organization
! 10 enforc" the demands OF tho Mormon
chiefs and to crush all opposition that
might be offered TO their wishes. sid
| ney Rigdon was tho chief figure a the
hrst meeting. and his teaching WAS such
| thnt II melted TO snnguino deeds. even
though the actual yerbage could scarcely
be regarded as inc"ndiary That he was
well understood by the elders present.
however, was amply proved In tho sub
|
We're secret signs adopted by which mem
pers OF the gang could make themselves
known 10 each other wherever they might
be, and passwords and appeals in dis
tress were impaired TO those present. AS
10 tho object Of the outtlt. MIR. Peck gives
us good idea. He says. The blood of
my best friend must tlow Dy my own
hands II | would be faithful DANTE.
should tho prophet command it Said
\. McRac. in my bearing II Joseph
should tell me 20 kin Van Burcn in his
IL flN .N.H. Hot IL
start and do my best To assassinate him.
let tho consequences he as they would
1T is hit strange that. after having
made a promise To investigate this DANTE
matter and 10 report its findings there
on. the pescrct News should maintain
such a hlAnk and continuous silence. II
Is about a year ago that the church or
gan made It's promise. and tho public has
heard no more from II upon this sub
lect sine" tha, time II ought at least
10 say something. even II only 10 con
Tess that II was mistaken when II as
So ted that there never was band Of
pnnit"s connected with the Mormon
church
/ have been roador of The Tribune
Tor several years. and during that time
have noticed moro than once that you
nav" called attention 30 the readers OF
your paper 10 the disreHEtahic methods of
the Deseret News IA covering up and
""nr"dIlnE the facts as they have been
made In the history Of tho Mormon
church. II | have understood the editors
OF / he Tribune correctly, they have con
tended that the facts should be pub
lshed. not concealed. that tho church
and the public In general may learn all
~" facts relating 10 tho history Of the
Mormon church. and that is what they
nave been doing FOR many wears past.
! VIII ask YOU 10 kindly publish tho fol-
lowing excerpts taken from tho writings
Of Joseph Smith. Jr., as published In
diitcrcnt periodicals In the early rise OF
IN" church along with tho above edi-
torial which you have once before pub
!lshcd. BY so doing you viii furnish to
ono on Your readers proof that in this
dealing With tho facts that go 10 make
Ep the history of tho church YOU call
the Mormon Church" than the Deseret
News Is.
am not 2 member Of tho church here
IN Utah. neither do [ want II understood
mat ! am defending the pcscrct News !
tar from it ! have but little patience
10 read editorials published IN any paper
nave respect FOR the man who writes |
The facts, when they are known TO him |
IN MS editorials. What are the facts
relating 10 that organization Mr.. Reed !
fcck refers 10 at Far West. Missouri? /
The. following excerpt is taken from |
ihc history Of Joseph smith as pub /
nshed ~ tho Miliennal star vol l6. pp /
i'N- 4hp lFirst written in 1880:
And hcrc ] would state thai ubuo
nc ne evll spirits were raging up and down /
IN" state 10 raise mobs against the /
Morm"ns. satan himself was no less ,
hpkF IN striving 20 stir Up mischief I'm
the camp of the Saints: and among tho
most conspicuous of his willing devotDe,
s "as orc Doctor sampson Award. who had |
p"en IN tho church but a shnrf tir,n
and who, although he had eenoraIi,, 10, |
haEeG with toerablc degree OF cxter-
ndI ueCorum. WAS secretly aspiring Ia b.
nc greatest OF tho great. and become
VIC leader ~ III" people. This was his
pride and bis folly. but as no bad 10
hopes OF accomplishing IL nv gaining the
nclris Of tho people In open strife. he
watched his opportunitv with the hr.,L
ren. AZ a time when mohs opn-esssd
robbed. WHIPPED. burned plundered ard
SLOW till iorebearance seemed no longer
= SrIu". ana nothing but tho grace ot
Jod without measure could support mon
under such trials. TO form a secret com,
hinaiion by which he might rise a n,igbf,.
,,t"nqn'ror' al the expense OF the over
TO accomplish by his smooth Hattoriny
ana wlnning speeches. which he freouenf
y made TO his associates. while his room
msS Tesd,, We, ~ srarded , by son1e Of his pupils
proa"h Of any one who would moi az
prove 81 his measures.
In this situation. he stated that rs
y nsa me sanction of IN" heads OF the
ana by his smiles and ha,terv. persudei !
mem 10 believe a. and proceeded to g5 |
minister 10 the few under his control
an oath binding them to cvorlasti,, |
communicated 10 them bv himself Thus !
Award initiated members into his bapJ
1FiniS hinding them by al that v,,e /.
sacred IN the protecting or each otbar
IN az things that were lawful and was
az az 'iiL 10 picture out great glory that !
was men hovering over the church and
%oulG soon burst upon the Saints as
loud nv cay and u pillar of fire nv nIobf
and would soon unyen tho slunbnTlnC
mysteries Of heaven which Womb -id
~ me hearts and arouse the stunjd
,plIl,H, OF me saints Of the latter da;
400 MI fh"lr hearts with thai love u.If,
rs "nSpeakahc and fun Of glory ard
irn Them With power that the ento. ~;
lel could not prevail against then. al
would often affirm TO his comnan, ,iiai Iii
ne % PrIho,pai mon Of the church had mi
lim forward as spokesman and
Dsnites. nc named
nus nus he duped many. which rov.
-" iig opportunity OF figuring largeI,
le helI meetings daily. and carried ~, ~
ms WORN OF craft In great haste. 10 nre-
'eht "a mature reflection upon Tho ~
L, no, |