Show NO persecution IN ix that remarkable theological discourse the author thereof declared that neither federal officials nor the people of the united states desired to persecute the people of this territory but only desired that crime crim e should be punished Weare we are glad giad to hear bear it IL persecution should not be indulged in but crime should be properly punished but we are afraid that the gentleman does not clearly distinguish between the n namo name and the thing named besides did any persecutor ever confess himself such did pharaoh did herod paul said he persecuted the people of god but his confession came after his hia conversion if the little associate justice were to be converted if such a thin thing g is within the tange iange I ange of possibility he be might see a great deal of persecution where he does not see a bit now circumstances alter cases A madman casts around him fire brands arrows and death and says am I 1 not in sport he does not say he la Is persecuting anybody 0 no he will not confess that he is only indulging in a little playfulness it is sport to him though death to his victims he does not see that he is making his name la famous infamous 0 wad some power the gift legle jile us to see as I 1 see us I 1 did nero or or blood bloody y queen mary marys or alvador gessler or any of the spanish inquisitors Inqui or any persecutors in any age confess they were persecutors 0 no they were doing god service or were executing the law or doing some other good thing and thus in all generations have persecutors been deluded they have deceived themselves by not giving proper heed to the golden rule to the still small voice of the spirit of god tyrants are not in the habit of confess confessing ing tyranny it is because of this that any person will declare that no persecution exists in the minds jirlds of men official or unofficial against the latter day saints such a declaration is a libel upon history a falsification of the entire history of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints and is only made by men who are full of the spirit ot persecution from the crowns of their heads to the soles of their feet in such declarations they may deceive themselves like the tho ostrich when it plunges its head into the sand but they can not deceive others |