Show correspondence WAO WHO AKE THE TH COWARDS MEXICO march 1st ast 1886 editor deseret news in the misrepresentations of the latter aday day saints by a venal press and lying false teachers one of the most ridiculous charges that are brought against them is that of cowardice of all people of the world they demonstrate a bravery that i is s most moat praiseworthy and one that is highly appreciated in the heavens and will be by all when mormonism as the anti christians and heathen call it will be fully understood I 1 would like to ask upon what grounds they can be ACCUSED OF COWARDICE let u us s examine the facts of the case by asking a few questions Is it an evidence of cowardice when upon conviction they embrace an unpopular faith to come out of the world with its popular faiths and religious societies cie ties to take up the cross of christ perhaps being the only one of a family and give apall up all things for the gos pei kejs s sake to 0 have the ties of kindred severed to be looked upon as a miserable dupe a religious crank orall or a fanatic and to be coldly regarded by those who once professed the warmest friendship as well as by ones kindred Is it cowardice to leave all endearing ties of cf home and family relationship and like abraham of old go to a strange country under a foreign to reign government to obey the commandment manK man dment nent of god come out of her my people that ye be not partakers par takers or of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues leaving homes of comparative ease and refinement to commence life afresh as it were under anything but favorable circumstances IS IT COWARDICE to face the I 1 clan dangers gers of odthe the deep run the chances af pf accidents and dangers of travel and meet in the battle of life the toil and disadvantages of makin making a livin living gunder under new circumstances stan ceis foreign alike to education and training to enter into new spheres new conditions and all this for the love of god and the principles of righteousness Is it cowardice to leave all tile the endearing ties of home love and friendship to preach the gospel of the son of god and as a disciple of jesus christ travel without purse or scrip advocating his unpopular lar doctrine to those who sit in darkness 71 Is it a sign of cowardice to calmly face the perils of travel and pestilence and the fury of mobs I 1 who led on by false priests whose cratt craft is in danger advocate even murder and are ready ready to lead on mobs to shed the blood of innocence as they have done in the past thus proclaiming themselves by their works to be tile the followers to of of antichrist although professing sn to be the followers of the meek and lowly jesus Is it cowardice to enter into PLURAL MARRIAGE to obey a most Lun unpopular popular law that the followers of antichrist anti christ have fought most persistently from the beginning to take the responsibility of two or imore Ja families milies to support to educate clothe and pro provide ide for in the fear of bod god and with an ar vearnest earnest desire to keep ills his ts and then when called upon through the passage of unconstitutional unlawful bills to give up the wives given them of god disown the children 1 pledges of love given unto them in holy wedlock or suffer imprisonment or exile Is it cowardice if they go into prison or exile preferring the horrors or of a prison and the forced companionship of of malefactors ef el actors and the worst kind of criminals or the loneliness of exile with all its heartaches and inconveniences inconvenience to the dishonor of breaking sacred contracts or denying the revelations they know god has given in this generation for the salvation and exaltation of the he human family cowards why they are the MORAL HEROES of the world they demonstrate courage of the highest degree moral courage is the highest nig hest the most noble courage you cannot hire such men to oo CIO wrong they are beyond price you will not flight say our enemies dunt dont bt be too sure of that but of this you yon may rest assured that it if ever such med men do take up the implements of war they will be as valiant in the battle field as they are today to day valiant for the testimony of jesus the reason we do not fight with carnal weapons is because we are the disciples ot of the lord jesus christ for over halt half a century we have been proclaiming to the world that god the eternal father the maker of heaven and aad earth and the sea and the fountains of waters had revealed himself and again spoken from the heavens commanding all men to turn unto him and worship the living and true god repent of their sins and be baptized b by immersion by one having authority that they digat receive the holy ghost and be taught of god promising them that if they would do the will of the fattier father they should know of the doctrine as we did for we had bad obeyed the doctrine and knew that it was true be cause the father had bad revealed it to us and aad we knew that jesus was the christ and joseph smith was a true prophet sent of god now this knowledge is the secret of the power and unity of the latter day clay saints and the reason why antichrist anti christ is arrayed against us and satan stirs up his children against us but our trust is in the living and true god we fear and honor him we do not fear man because we do not fear death we know we have found the pearl of great price we love god and keep his commandments and hope I 1 by his grace to overcome and endure unto the end whatever tribulation we may be called to pass through but give up the glorious truth bp bp the grace or oi god never no never URIEL |