| Show TWO LETTERS it seems that a mr W C nash of lonepine la lately became sufficiently focient FIci ent interested about mormonism to write to utah with a view to obtaining information concerning the faith and practices of the mormon people he formulated the following list of questions which he addressed to rev frank C lockwood a methodist minister of this city and judge thomas J brandon of utah requesting replies thereto I 1 do the mormons cormons believe in polygamy 2 are they a selfish people 3 are they open in all their transactions 4 do the methodists and mormons cormons worship god toge together or are they united 6 5 do they have secret meetings or books 6 do they practice polygamy 9 following is rev lockwoode Lock woods answer mr W C nash lonepine la dear sir your letter of the ath is at hand all mormons cormons are ard not alike just as all methodists are not alike or all colored people I 1 the mormons cormons believe in polygamy but it is not now taught in their churches 2 sonie some are selfish most are diplomatic and deceitful but they are nearly all good kind neighbors 3 they are not as a rule very open in their transactions some are very open and honorable 4 the mormon conception of god is very different from the conception of the methodists but the greatest difference between us is in our rigid practice of pure morals sometimes the mormons cormons drop into our churches and wv we sometimes merely visit their place of worship we can in no sense be said to worship together we love the mormons cormons and are kind to them and tolerant to their belief but we consider them in gross error 8 5 they have secret meetings but I 1 know of no secret books 6 some are still living in polygamy but not many it is practiced in secrete secret when at all it is not popular with most mormons cormons Mor mons you will do well it if you turn a deaf ear to their teachings insomuch as it differs from christianity it is a gross superstition that must perish ere long yours sincerely FRANK C LOCKWOOD LOCK WOOD rev lockwood says that most mor mons are diplomatic and deceitful but they are nearly all good kind neighbors it will strike the average reader that this is a rather singular and incongruous admixture of qualities he says the greatest difference between mormons cormons and methodists is our the methodists rigid practice of pure re morals this sentence forcibly recalls what the savior said of those who say 1 I am holier than thou mr lockwood says inasmuch as it mormonism differs from christian ity it is a gross superstition that must perish ere long we will raise no objection to this remark if mr lockwood will add its logical complement inasmuch as mormonism is identical idonur with christianity as taught by jesus and his apostles it is the true plan of salvation and will prevail forever we are more than willing that mormonism should be judged by ing it with what the savior taught and that it shall be accepted or re ejected according as it will or will not bear bear such a comparison amusing features are likely to be as J socia ted with such correspondence as ars this and they are not absent in this thin case this same rev lockwood has not lived long in utah he came W this state about two or three years ago and immediately after his 3 al in this city he discovered so much immorality that he inaugurated from iss his pulpit a somewhat sensational tm cm sade against it his warfare upon avol is i s vice brought down upon him sever severe afe censure he repeatedly visited th A editorial rooms of this paper where 5 he was cordially received and notices 1 and other matter which he be desired to have published were willingly given space in these columns further than this the news in en aa 1 and sustained in its editorial columns his efforts to suppress alce giving him a more cordial support than did some of his fellow lab laborers laborea oret t in the ministry recently rev kev lockwood resigned his pulpit and an 1 bounced his intention of adopting the profession of teacher and it to is bur though this paper is not pie pared to make the statement qualifiedly that one reason for his leaving the th ministry was the lack of c support he received from his colleagues of the clergy in the policy he inaugurated now it is notorious among all people at all acquainted with the frd faith and practices of the mormons cormons that th immorality upon which mr loc lockwood opened war which consisted in part of sunday liquor selling gambling and y prostitution is utterly abhorred by them that it receives no patronage nor tolerance from them and never exists in towns in utah where a oon con sid erable glement element of non mormons cormons to la a not found during the long and bitter contest S in regard to plural marriage prose J buting officers in utah in seeking to secure convictions in cases against 4 mormons cormons charged with polygamy or ef unlawful cohabitation repeatedly repeated ty A cited the court to the fact thava M mor met I 1 J mon to is never krown known to cohabit with vl IB woman not his wife and that a child is born to a mormon woman ti it is proof that she has haar been marr and courts have often taken lud lala notice of these characteristics aba mormons cormons Mor mons has the morality any other denomination ever been bellvi i at test and received leeter to so severe a ucb such a striking vindication when there were none but mormons cormons to in utah there were no saloons no Amm bling dens no houses of prostitution A no illegitimate children and no jails history has demonstrated that these things are no part of the fruits of mormonism and that they cannot f exist where the mormons cormons are so completely in control that they can have their way fully can this be said of vier other sects of modern christendom of f course rev lockwood never dreamed creamed that his letter would be made public among the mormon peo ale I 1 and in view of this fact it is not neair nearly ly so bad as it might have been ts in fact it is an exceedingly rare thing tor for a preacher of any of the sectarian denominations to give a s just and truthful account of the faith and practices of the mormons cormons Mor mons judge brandon replied to mr nash so as follows centerville Cent erville utah aug 22 1897 birj X r yit W C nash lonepine la dear sir your questions with rei to the mormons cormons and their re melon are before me and I 1 believe that tvr I 1 I 1 can answer them truthfully having scent rny my whole life with the mormon no 30 I 1 the ne mormons cormons do believe in K noly eamy most thoroughly and the fl loaders leaders practice it on the sly the same f as aa ever 2 they are very selfish S NO ao 3 they are not open in their tra transactions reactions ne actions they hold more private priesthood dr p meetings than any other v community am among ong the american peo IS joe ide fa esq 4 they do not worship with the C nor do they acknowledge i tae flie authority of any other creed on Is airth th the mormon church is to the Aine Ajner rican ican nation what the catholic R v wah Is to europe they claim the wy to rule in all things both kempor SS and spiritually they claim they alse the power to bind on earth and loose in heaven and that they hold aj ne keys of the mysteries of godliness tad the keys to the salvation of the fsr whole human family isyou if you love your country antry and individual liberty mor cism is a good creed to let alone als please let me know t who referred me e to you very respectfully yours 1 THOMAS J BRANDON it is ie not worth while to comment at earth on judge brandona Bran dons letter V M animus of the writer towards the conle of whom he writes is so obvious n the face of what he has written aubko destroy its character for fir fairness W consequently for reliability kt it to ie highly proper that mr nash should investigate mormonism and the troi traits its of the mormon people before de tiding whether or not he will accept ute tee f former er and unite with the latter bat does he think it proper to to the enemies of a people star correct information of them can he be depend upon what he re cel celces ves from such a source sources sup some one desired to learn what idad of a man mr nash is would he to have the inquirer apply to his helve have persecuted and stored dared him half a lifetime life time timea would woul enemies be likely to tell the truth about him nicodemus Wio odemus was anxious to learn ething about the savior and for fatto purpose cared called upon him but was evidently a coward aw he be made his call at night pre nobly for the he reason that he was lamed to be e seen lit in the company of despised p nazarene but with all cowardice he appears to have had ilent intelligence to understand ata a order to fo learn the truth about ise in doctrines and his works he in n the information from him or some of his friends how much correct information concerning jesus and his work could nicodemus have obtained from the scribes and the pharisees Pharis ees would they not have told him that the nazarene was an associate of bubli cans and sinners a false teacher a blasphemer and that he performed miracles by the power of satan some of the persons who thus accused the savior were as well acquainted quain ted with him personally and as well qualified to tell the truth about him had the spirit of truth been in them as were many of his followers who were willing to die for his sake and who delighted to testify of his godlike god like traits works and character so it is with the mormons cormons Mor mons their friends many of whom do not believe in their rel religion igdon delight to testify of their worth thrift morality and christian virtues and in support of this testimony point to the ocular proofs that abound in the desert which they have transformed into a garden on the other hand a methodist bishop who has lived years in utah in a report to his conference a few days ago denied that the mormons cormons were christians mr nash cannot shift from his own shoulders the responsibility which the creator has placed there he must hear judge and act for himself if he wants error he can easily surfeit himself with it it if he wants the truth it is within his reach and if he will pursue pursue the course marked out in the scriptures he will not be led astray if he lacks wisdom let him ask of god who to all men liberally and will not upbraid him and wisdom will be given him |
