Show RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION SUGGESTED I ld Editors Herald The Bright fever has been raging for the past few days and I have become somewhat a victim to it Since reading the communication in your Sundays issue touching the Bright lectures and the reply of some of the reverend divines of this city I am somewhat surprised that these gentlemen would be found in this business for to reply or discuss with such a man who occupies a nontheological platform and has no stated point of anchorage anchor-age to argue from it seems to me a great waste of time and very untair as the gentleman has left this city Now Mormonism is a living and fixed fact in Utah and the Mormon advocates are plentiful in the field and not very apt to make assertions they cannot sustain from the Bible and they are not generally in the habit of running away after they have made assertions but on the other hand are prepared to main tain and sustain their doctrines Now if the ministers residing in this city are anxious to handle the Mormon question from a fair Biblical standpoint I think the field is open for them to discuss these questions that are enunciated by the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints providing provid-ing they will take King James translation of the Bible as the standard and will hold themselves strictly to it I have no doubt but what elder or elders if challenged would hesitate for a moment to accept cept the challenge I do not wish it understood that I mean prominent officers of the church for I can form no idea of their views touching such matters but think the elders generally erally are sufficiently posted in the doctrines of their church that when time and wisdom offer they are ever ready to give a reason for their faith if they are mechanics arti sans laborers clerks farmers or otherwise and have to work six days a week to support their fami lies having but little time if any to study this class of men may not look quite as bright and as polished as the minister who has nothing else to do than study Now from personal observation and acquaintance acquaint-ance the elder knows in whom he I believes and is willing when wanted to come to the front to state the whys and wherefores of his belief Now then ministers here is a work for you at your doors not away off in Australia You can have it face to face at home and upon Biblical terms and in the midst of a praying people Probably the parable of the lost sheep would not be out of place in this instance for I believe there may be found a number of what the clergy term lost sheep in this city This would certainly for the time being save along a-long voyage and expense in hunting up the Bright sheep of Australia and would be a much more valiant exhibition than fighting a man behind be-hind his back If the ministers who have been so much exercised over the Mormon question heretofore hereto-fore will turn their attention in the way suggested I think they would find things very interesting and being a new departure for them it I might be very novel and perhaps give them some new ideas Try it gentlemen Souls are precious and time is short Dont forget that the Mormon is AMAN Salt Lake City Feb 17th 1883 |