Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-29

the midst Of these holy associations.
dcnounce as false-I hope 1t was not
maliciously made-thc charge that the
mormon faith gives out low ideals in
inc homes and lacks In its respect and
honcr for woman" The charge is not
true.
UNJUST CRITICISM ANSWERED
word. in conclusion. on the proper
,Ii''i'S OF reilgious controversy In 1924
hoCcrt Southey. Esquire. poet laureate
OF England at the time. wrote A book
under the title of The Book OF the
ChuFch. II was a defense Of tho
rrotestant position with reference tn
tne molly Scripture. and n comparison of
IN" respective attitudes OF Catholics
anG Protestants in relation to tho
scriptures The book was replied to
oy Charles Butler, ESQUIRE. a Roman
Catholic; and In the preface OF his
book, which he dedicated to Charles
Blundell. Esq., he says:
Il willingly admit that TO produce
against our creed OF conduct all that
research and fair argument can sup-
ply Is legitimate controversy; hut
surely 10 conceal our merits. or IN
represent them very briefly and i'm
perfectly. and to display our defects
at length and with the highest color
wnat In Justice is only chargeable on
INDIVIDUALS: or to estimate the writ
liigS or actions of our ancestors In the
dark ages by the notions and man
ners OF the present age, is a CRYING
injustice"
Ihat states a true principle, and
registers Just complaint. 1t voices
protest that precisely fits our case.
In the controversy waged against us
our merits. hnth 10
TO practise. are either concealed or
represented very briefly and mper-
| 1ectly. while our defects are displaved
at length and with the highest color
ing; TO the general body of the Church
| IS imputed what. In justice. Is only
charGeable ON individuals: and 1 NAV
aud TO this enumeration that we ara
| JuuEed as to our settled convictions
ana established sentiments respectinp
| our relation to our fellow citizens. nor
OF our religious faith. and our atti-
| tude as citizens of the great repubIIc
our country. by the ill-adyised and
| sometimes harsh expressions Of
| some leading men when in a state of
| irritation and disturbance thus con-
| travening the principle long since laid
down by the great Edmund Burke.
1T is not fair to judge OF the temner
or the disposition of any man or ser
of men when they are composed and
| at rest from their conduct and express
sions In state OF disturbance and OF
| irritation"
| BY THEIR WORKS THEY SHALL,
BE JUDGED.
Now. of course. as I stated In the
| commencement of my remarks the
moral machinery OF any system will
be judged by the moral results of H.
we recognize the fact that a beauti-
| 1ul ana perfect life Is unanswerble in
support OF system that produces 1t:
| and yet while eXaltIng this species of
evidence I'm Vindication of system
human nature ought to be taken into
| account Tor perfect and beautiful
ne In any system Is rather a rarity,
| even among the early Christians who
were called saints II was so They
were not called saints because. good
souls. they were such that Is. in the
! sense OF being perfect: but they were
called saints because they aspired to
| De such; because of their struggles
after righteousness A close inquiry
into their lives. however. Will demon
strate the fact that they were made
| OF much the same stun that enters
| into our compoStion-that they were
| men of like passions and weaknesses
with ourselves. and fell far below the
great ideals set up by the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
Now. l am not putting this forth as
a plea of Justification for any failures
on our part. l am willing that this
tree OF Mormonism should be Judged
| by It's fruit absolutely, and let II stand
or fall by that test But, what I do
object 10 Is the course so often pur-
sued by our critics. That course is as
| II one should go into an orchard of
~ or bU acres of fruit-bearing trees
| and should seek out rnd find here and
| there-aS one may. even I'm the best
OF orchards-tho wind-teaten. blasted,
! mildewed. dwarfed. or shrunken fruit.
and carefully rakIng this together,
! represent that as the fruit of ne
| orchardl Whereas the facts arc that
! there are scores Of tons OF beautiful
| ripe and perfect fruit that is n credit
| to the orchard and TO the husband
man of IT. Yet all that Is passed by.
and You are asked to Judge the
orchard by the blasted specimens that
have been raked together
So In this work called Mormonlsm
Let our critics take into account 1hs
rich harvest OF righteous sous that
this system has produced, and tha
present upright and honorable men ana
women of our systom and judge not
the people by those who have failed 10
reach the high ideals that II holds up
as the goal of moral and spiritual
achievement. and who fall because
they depart from our principles and
the practises thcv enioin.
My brethren and sister. / believe the
gospel of Jesus Christ So for rs 1t
Is possible for the soul or man TO be
conscious of the trrih I am CON
scious of the truth of this great latter
day system l love IL with all my
heart There Is no hear. throb of niue,
no matter how far short may foil IN
meeting its high rcquiremcnts-b but
there Is no heart throb OF mine tha;
does not pulsatc with love for this
work. I believe 1t true-nay. ] know
II to be OF God. The fountain whence
II springs is pure. The water flowing
from that fountain the streams. are
also pure. in the name Of God, Amen.