Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-11
WHITTIER ARE WE DRHTING'

We have before us a clipping from q
Pennsylvania paper. In which 1t rs
stated that four Latter-day Saints mis-.
sionaries are visiting the place in which
crature bearing upon the beliefs and
workings OF that denomination" The
paper seems almost excited about the
matter 1t says.
ut Is no wonder to US that members
of this particular faith have taken
courage to extend their work outside
OF Utah. their stronghold. when the
Senate of the United States gave Sena-
tor Smoot of that state seat in that
body. after an investigation that proved
clearly to all that he was a member
of that society, and believed as much
in its teachings as did Mr.. Roberts. who
few years before was refused a scat
In Congress. Whittier are We drift
ing2"
II 1t can serve to allay the fears OF
our Pennsylvania contemporary. we
will say that the Church has had mis-
sionaries outside of Utah for a good
many years. 1t has had the courage of
extending Its work TO every part of the
world, and has sent the message en-
trusted to ii to all classcs-to the lowly
cabin and the exalted palace. to the
rich and the poor. the ignorant and the
scholar. and nothing but good has come
of 1t. Many of those who have en-
braced the Gospel have become better
men and women. morally; they have
bettered their condition financially;
they have obtained chances of improve
mont for themselves and their chill
dren which they could never have had
but for the Church.
"Mormonism" Is bv no means an un-
tried agency for good. 1t has been
tested by honest souls for the greater
part OF century. and thousands upon
thousands can stand forth and say,
from the depths of their hearts. refer
ring to the spiritual. intellectual, and
material benefits they have derived
from the Gospel THANK God for
'Mormonism!'"
If the Church were removed from the
world. as its enemies would have IL,
the world would be Just that much
poorer In forces active for the better
ment OF mankind. Nauvoo felt the
loss OF the exodus. A city which, un-
der the influence of religious freedom
and civic righteousness would have
f1our1Shed and become an important
metropolis, sank to the rank Of a viii
lage, and has not yet recovered. Some
thing similar would happen on a much
larger scale. were the Church crushed
out OF existence. The world cannot
afford to lose the Church It cannot
afford to lose any of the civilizine aeen-
cles 1t has. And the Church IS ono
OF the most effective. Darkness comes
when the candlestlck is removed from
its place,
So there is no need OF excitement even
IL the missionaries come to a Pennsyl-
vanta town. They bear their humble
testimony to the restoration OF the
Church They preach the Gospel of
peace and good will, They teach men
and women to be truthful honest. dill
gent. benevolent, and full of faith and
good works. They teach them the Fa-
therhood of God and the brotherhood of
man. And that is the one doctrine the
world must accept and apply to all its
affairs. before II can claim to have
reached the summit of civilization.
Our Pennsylvania contemporary
seoms to take the view that Senator
Smoot ought to havo been refused a
seat in the Senate because IL was
proved that he was a member of that
society Church. That is 81 very
naive. but perfectly correct statement
of what the antI-'Mormon" conspira-
tors sought to accomplish by the IA
nous investigation. They clothed their
intentions and purposes In many col
orcd costumes and masks, but stripped
OF all such. the plan was TO force the
Senate to refuse to one of the
morally purest members seat in tn,
body because he was a member OF
that society" That was the aim o.
the antl-"Mormons"
But even our Pennsylvania contem.
porary will, on second thought, fnc
| that this really was conspiracy
| against the free institutions OF tho
| American government. under the pre-
| tecting wings OF which all citizen.
have equal rights. and that Senate
Smoot. in defending his constitutions
| rights. really defended the Constltu
ton itself. That Is what made tha
controversy one of overwhelming I'm
portance. And the triumph In tho Sen
ate of right over wrong. of loyalty t
tho Constitution over the bigotry c
accusers is an evidence that We ar
drifting" in the right direction. Thi
country is safe. as long as the dc
tenders of tho Constitutional right
of Its citizens are victorious.
Anxiety might well be felt on az
count of the ever multiplying divorce
the disregard Of the Sabbath. the In
morality that mandates our cities wit
the aid of unfaitbful officials. the bloc
thaI is shed by mobs, and the groy