Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-28
HE WARNS THIS NATION
AGAINST MORMON CHURCH
Rev. Thomas Corwin Illiff Says $500
Missionaries Are Fanati-
Cally at Work.
CALLS FAITH A MENACE
Declares Utah Heather Land, and
Theology Taught There He Char
acterizes as Revolving to All Man
kind-Every Pledge Broken.
ISpecial 10 The Times Disna tch. ]

Especial to The Times Dispa tch.
SARATOGA SPRINGS. n. Y, May 27.
There are $500 Mormon mission
aries in the great cities of this coun-
try working with fanatical energy for
practiced in defiance of all law and
public opinion said the venerable Rev.
Thomas Corwin llin. who, for forty
five years. has been fighting Mormon
ism.
Mr.. Tiff is delegate at the Cen
eral Conference of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, assembled here.
To-day" said he, Il met preacher
from city in New England. He told
me that the Mormons were PROSECUTING
in his town and begged me to como
there and tell the people what ! knew
of the iniquity of this blot on Ameri-
can civilization. l will answer the
call.
''Mormonism is still menace to this
nation. To be sure the great dreams
of its fanatica1 founder will never be
realized. for the women of this nation
understand the peril. But nevertheless
there are half-milliOn Mormons un-
der the Stars and Stripes and the
church is growing.
II am always glad to seize any OPP
portunity to tell the public what I
know about the religion founded by
Joseph Smith and to-day led by his
nephew. Joseph +. Smith. because il is
not only menace to the true religion.
to home life, to the public school, hut
to the principles upon which this ma
ton was founded.
THEOLOGY OF MORMONISM
REVOLVING TO MAN
The Christian churches have had as
distinct mission to Utah as to any
heather land. The theology Of Nor
monism is the most revolving ever Of
fered to mankind. 1t is the merging
of the basest polytheism and Islamism
Protestant Christianity has spent S.
100000 in Utah since 1867 and still the
monster lives. though. to be sure, his
claws have been clipped
The history of the Mormon Church.
driven westward by outraged civiliza :
ton. is disloyal to Americanism I
have sat in the Salt Lake Taberna-
Gle and have heard leader after leader
urge their people to disregard the law
Of this land. assuring them that the
Mormon god would break to pieces n
nation that interfered with their re-
ligion, which centers around polygamy.
The greatest victory ever won by
Mormonism came with Statehood for
Utah. When Uncle Sam had control
OF the Mormon situation in the terri
tory OF utah the monster had to reckon
with national public opinion. But, un-
der State rule. the prophets have no
fear and there is an impudent violation.
even disregard for laws against Mural
marriage.
The forty-ffth star in our flag was
raise star. Statehood was a monu-
mental mistake. for which both Repub-
81 M IL L..
SponS'blc. Each wanted the vote In
less than twelve months after state
hood was launched, polygamy. which
had been nj least driven into dark
ness by rational public opinion and
government prosecution. was openly
resumed. and the threat OF the Mormon
leaders to cram polyGamy down the
throats of the Congress and the Ameri
can people became a reality when Brig
ham ii. Roberts was sent to the Fiji
ty-siXth Congress-
u served notice on the hierarchy I
that time that the women OF the Unit
ed States would never suffer q polv-
Eamist to pollute seat In the national
Congress, 8nd this act OF treason 10
the most magnanimous government In
the world. was in course OF time re-
buked.
But today we have in the United
states Senate Reed Smoot. He went
were in league with the Mormon lead
ers. The Mormons traded their votes
for this seat justifying the old threats.
do not charge that Reed Smoot prac-
tees polygamy. hut I do charge that,
as Mormon, he raises his hand twice
year In acknowledgment OF the faith
Of the church. which carries with ii,
under the prevailing circumstances, an
acceptance of the polysamous condi-
Generalization of law and decency.
'Mormonism is the same old serpent
Polygamy is believed. taught and prac-
ticed to-day. not only by the Ignorant
and the fanatical. hut by the leaders.
At the Smoot investigation. let us not
forget. Joseph f. Smith admitted that
he was living with five wives, and
that they had borne him eleven chill
dren since he had pledged himself to
obey the revealed manifesto of 1890.
forbidding all polygamous relations. I
believe that polyEamy Is almost as pre-
valent In Utah to-day as 1t was before
1890. It was old Brigham Young who
said. "If they get rid Of polygamy. they
Will have to spend 100000. 900 for n
prison and roof It over from tho sum
nit Of the Rocky Mountains to the
Sierra Nevadas.'