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Show THE NEWS OH REAL RELIGION. Onco In a while the Deseret News will lnrlst upon having a political editorial. Its latest effusion of this character la under tho title of "A Real Religion." Possibly the News will contend that Its leader was not intended to be political, po-litical, but merely commercial. If ho, we will accept Its explanation as being far better than our own Interpretation of a moat complicated essay. The News says that "Mormonlsm Is a real religion, practical In Its nature not a mere sentimental, devotional, devo-tional, rhapsodical, up-In-the-alr night of fancy. It dealt with men and things as they are now, and therefore there-fore It combines the temporal and tho spiritual." Surely the article of the News Is not Intended as a religious dissertation; It would be a silly waste of words viewed Irom that standpoint. Most religions are real. Religion In the abstract is real. Tho Mormons are not the only people who have suffered for and have been sustained by the realities of a devoted faith. Assuming that the article Is political, let us see: The News says that "Mormonlsm "Mor-monlsm deals with men as they are now." At least the leaders of the church deal with men as they are now. They not only deal with men, but they deal In men and In the rights of men. The temporal iowcr, which the News asserts Is a part of the religion, Is utilized as an autocracy more complete than that which Is swayed by King or Emperor. They say in effect to one man: "We nullify your rights as a citizen and you shall not enjoy the dignities of the office to which the Constitution of the United States is a guarantee that you may Justly aspire." And to another man they say In effect: "To your Constitutional Constitu-tional privileges we give our sovereign approval, and you shall hold the highest office within the gift of your fellow-citizens fellow-citizens of the commonwealth. That you are unequipped by character and education and disqualified because of other responsibilities to hold the place, matters not, since our benlson has been J pronounced. This alone consecrates you to a sufficiency." They say in effect to political parties: "We hold in our hands the control of the balance of power In five States of the Union. Pledge to us personal Immunity Im-munity from certain threatened consequences conse-quences of our own ac.ts, and we will deliver to you as If they were hostages In chains, the destinies of these five States." That kind of a religion, swaying that kind of temporal power. Is real It Is the real thing. , But if the News prefers to consider its article as being commercial In tone rather than political, we are content. The News says that "Mormonlsm deals with things as they are." At least tho leaders deal with things as they are, and they deal In things as they are. The leaders deal with banks and sugar trusts. They deal In merchandise of every description; from the threshing thresh-ing machine to the bathing suit; from the savings bank book to the sporting page of a newspaper; from the forbidden tea, coffee and tobacco of the grocery counter to the even more forbidden splrltus frumentl of the drug store. The church leaders deal In things, ftnd their deals are Immensely profitable to the church leaders. In his now somewhat .famous testimony testi-mony before the Smoot Investigating committee. President Joseph F. Smith said that he held hi- position as a director di-rector and president of various Institutions, Institu-tions, not all of which he could remember, remem-ber, because of his personal holdings of stocks and because of the church holdings of stock In these concerns. Not long since, he was a poor man. Today he 1b an autocrat In financlul circles. As the News remarks, there is nothing sentimental or rhapsodical about thls proposition. It Is real. How much superior It Is for the leader than the mere sentimentality of a faith, proclaimed without temporal Ingredients, In-gredients, to the seeker after the Christ crucified! What a vain and empty and useless work all the other churches must bo engaged inl But how about the follower, the man who Is dealt with and In,-- and whoso things are alsovdcalt with and In? Is this temporal poweras advantageous to him? Ifhe be a merchant, he gives 10 per cent of his profits every year Into the hands of the church leaders, who by virtue of their dealinc- i enabled to establish a mercantile house to compete with him. It might be dilll-cult dilll-cult to convince him that all this more worldly contribution to a mere worldly competitor, however sanctified that competitor may call himself. Is a necessary neces-sary step to spiritual salvation. It might also be difficult for tho farmer to trace the connection between the profits which banks pay to the church leaders perionally"and his admission to celestial glory. In the opening we confessed that the nrtlcl in thr News was complicated. Tho more we read It and the more we attempt to trace out Its logical ramifications, ramifi-cations, the more convinced we are that none but the News can easily explain its full purport. "VVIll the News, In a burst of generous feeling, be kind enough to tell how the rale of political power by tho church leaders advances tho eternal glory of the followers? will It be kind enough to tell how the complete absorption of business opportunities by the lenders will add to the mercy of God when the follower stands before Him for Judgment? |