Show THE TREASON OF THE MORMONS editor democrat I 1 have heard beard very frequent reference made to the treason ot of the mor mons As I 1 have lived in their midst and chalm claim to have used the eyesight and common sense that the almighty has graciously endowed me with during in my ten years residence among them I 1 deem it not boasting in me to say that I 1 think I 1 am prepared to give account concerning them my parents were members ot of the mormon church for seven or eight years previous to my birth I 1 was born and lived in england till I 1 was nearly twenty one years of age I 1 was taught by them as well as by the publications icat 10 ns and ministers of the mormon church there that the constitution ot of the united states and the declaration of independence was inspired by deity it was enjoined upon me that chat as soon as I 1 landed on this soil sod I 1 should shoal d lose no time before declaring my taking essential steps to become an american citizen since my arrival here in this much misunderstood because much misrepresented territory I 1 have watched with critical eyes the doings of the mormon people have attended very many da ny of their public and private meetings and have listened attentively to the addresses of their leading men I 1 have never heard beard any authorized mormon exponent denounce inthe in the slightest degree the institutions of my adopted country it is true that since the passage ot of measures inimical to their peace and destructive to their liberties their voices have been heard against those infringements they rhey have used the constitutional and time honored rights of petition and appeal to the courts they have furthermore th ther armore more criticised criticized the doings of officers ra of the government who because perchance reliance so far away from the seat of general government have assumed assume the role of dictators and tyrants over 0 our a r people but never have any of them said one word in discourtesy dis curtesy of the dear old flag or the grand alrand old constitution ution whose goldsand fold sand whose provisions should encircle us all irrespective of creed color or previous condition we sincerely consider that the SOC so C called anti mormon statutes passed b by the united states congress are unconstitutional tut ional because they have not been enacted on account of national or moral necessity but to all intents and purposes because of our religion tell me not of the old argument concerning doncer ning the burning ot ol widows etc it is a as sad commentary on the intelligence of any one wiio who would put such a comparison forward I 1 am not a polygamist nor a mists son but I 1 do kno know vv that we the lives of our good mormon polygamists are favorably comparable with the lives of your purest and best christians I 1 trust I 1 shar shall not be charged with treason treason for making this truthful and demonstrable assertion I 1 visit their sunday schools which by the way comprise an aggregate of members their young meng men fensand sand 9 and young oung ladies associations for mutual improvement number perhaps members then there are ladi ladles estre re lief societies with their wards the primary associations there is very little dine difference rence in the modus operandi of the mormon sabouth sab oath schools and that of the christian schools I 1 am a worker among them and among my teachings and I 1 use my case butas an example among many I 1 teach the children respect for all government officers and especially for all laws framed harmoniously with avith the constitution we teach the children to pray to the father thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and we may believe more firmly in the lite literal rei significance ot of that petition than do some who are called christians our young peoples associations meet weekly in separate sessions their treason consists in disquisitions and lectures on scientific religious social and political subjects special attention being applied to the study of the bible the relief societies indulge in such rebellion as meeting together once a month and comforting each other as did theose primitive Christ rians of the first century A D they have their sewing meetings and by gradual stitching many a quilt is made and in due season distributed to some poor soul these women are of great utility in visiting and providing for the temporal wants of their poorer sisters the primary department is composed of youngsters who meet once a week and rehearse a few lines which have been committee to memory and indulge io in select readings etc this may be denominated the nursery for mormon male and female orators religious services are held on every sabbath and occasionally on week days under the auspices of these much spoken of mormon bishops As for my judgment I 1 will say that it if there is any treason in any of these meetings then the new testament is full of it for I 1 would not abt ask any one to admit the truth of mormonism I 1 affirm that the mormons cormons base all their assertions upon the utterances te rances of that sacred book nay more I 1 listen to the mormon apostles and this is what they tell love your enemies pray for them that despitefully use you revile not those who you I 1 know that these men are n not ot enemies to the government of the united states I 1 know that such counsel as they give would perpetuate the glorious principles on which our government is erected it is considered treasonable in united states laymen that we suffer ourselves to be dominated by the priesthood but be it known that every mau man in good standing yea a great majority of bo boss s among the mormons cormons Mor mons hold the priesthood griest priesthood hood and if held by such a host ost wherein comes the domination especially the very apostles the great file leaders tell the people emphatically that they are under no obligation to follow them or any one unless they hold up a right course to pursue with due respect I 1 affirm my belief that of all organizations on accord more liberty of action to lay members than deeb the mormon church all things are done by common consent in church matters of course this produces a great state of union but have any especially christians objection to union our union is said to be treason if so then must our lord have been treaon treasonable able for he prayed for the perfect unity of his disciples as he and the father were one then would god himself be so denounced noun ced for HiP ireat exponent paul says that one of the great intents of having certain officers in his church was th the unity eunity of the saints etc yes deir dear sir when all that can he bd will be revealed on oh the housetops it will be shown that if the mormons cormons have had bad any treason 1 it is against themselves ia making some of the vilest vipers on earth rich who after ward turn round and still devour their children their treason will be shown to have consisted in making the desert to blossom as the rose in ii being the means in gods hands of bringing many from poverty and oppression to affluent freedom of building hundreds of towns villages and hamlets and filling them with biffi humbly comfortable homes and but for the advent of so called christian civilization they would present to the world the unparalleled spectacle of saloon salo onless liess and hig highly moral towns if any think this is an overdrawn over drawn picture I 1 respectfully refer them ida a purely mormon settlement where no 80 brothel exists nor saloon nor OM bling bell and where one may live lire a year and not see a drunkard abse and a thousand other features tat mentioned are all the treason wt 46 indulge in all we ask for is the truth and nothing but the truth we court investigation of our sayings saying s and doina no people expect more mor e sincerely to meet the great judge of all and to be judged according accordia to their deeds than do the mormon people and surely if they are not afraid to meet this court they hy do not fear the most rigid examination in tl on on the basis of truth and justice by mankind misrepresentation and malevolence are our greatest foes JOB taft lake town rich co utah Pom woys roys democrat |