The real Mormonism; a candid analysis of an interesting but much misunderstood subject in history, life and thought

Front matter

Class I _

Book i^I_

Copyright^

Chapter I Page

Origin of the name Mormonism — A large subject — Justice demanded — Traditional prejudice and injustice — Anti-Mormon persecutions — A timely warning — Judge J. S. Black on "political piety" — Are Mormons champions of American institutions? — Hon. A. B. Carlton on injustice to the Mormons — Charles Ellis on the secret of Anti-Mormon hatred — The claims of Mormonism — " Apostasy " and " restoration " — Joseph Smith as a " reformer " — His " bad character " — Joseph Smith and Mormonism deserve candid treatment 3-9

Chapter II

" Good and evil spoken of " — An obscure origin and vast achievements — Personality of the Prophet — " Most powerful influence of the nineteenth century " — " Helpless before the puzzle " — The traditional " affidavits " — Misfit sins — Slanderous rural gossip — No serious accusations made — Supposed alcoholic addiction — Joseph Smith's evident sincerity — His early religious unrest — " If any of you lack wisdom" — His first vision — Declared "all of the devil " — Character of persecution — Visions and theophanies in human tradition — Not incredible — " Divers temptations offensive in the sight of God " — " Without the assisting grace of the Savior" — Early errors of saints and Church fathers — The first vision of Moroni — The Book of Mormon promised .... 10-24

Chapter III The Coming-forth Of The Book Of Mormon

Theories on the origin of the Book — " Religious portions " added? — Smith's account of the origin of the Book — Golden plates delivered to him — Severe persecutions — Martin Harris visits Prof. Anthon — Anthon's statements — No origin indicated by him — Translating the sacred plates — Harris's defection — The Prophet chastised — Various suppositions — A theory of the "translating" by a Mormon — Its psychological consistency — Anti-Biblical methods used against the Book of Mormon — Unfair and disingenuous 25-36 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter IV The Beginnings Of Mormonism

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The plates of Mormon shown to the three witnesses — Their " testimony " — Not accomplices in fraud — Apostasy and reconciliation — Oliver Cowdery — Martin Harris — David Whitmer — Whitmer's epitaph and firm testimony — Hypnotism or stage-craft? — " Rational " explanations inconclusive 37-43

Chapter V Joseph Smith As The First Prophet, Seer And Revelator

Smith's history written only by enemies or adherents — Problematical situations — Restoration of the Priesthood — John the Baptist a ministering angel — Smith's unadorned narrative — Cowdery's repetition of the story — The apparent conviction of Smith and Cowdery — The organization of the Church — Beginnings of Mormon persecutions — First recorded trial of Joseph Smith — A travesty of justice — Steady growth of the Church — The doctrine of "gathering" — Settlement of Kirtland, Ohio — The perfection of human society — The Order of Enoch — Perfecting the organization of the Saints — " Correct principles " — Consecrated property and stewardship — Failure of the " Kirtland boom " — Temporal and spiritual prosperity — Educational interests — Settlements in Missouri — Wanderings of the Mormons — Heroic death of David W. Patten — The emergence of Brigham Young — His law of mutual helpfulness — Strong men around the Prophet — Smith overcomes the mob — He rebukes his jailers — He heals the sick at Commerce — A rheumatic arm " electrified " — Smith's geniality — A good-natured debater — "A fine-looking man" — A great mystic — Direct revelations from God — " Not these cheap and wretched properties " — " Some mastering force of the man "

— Personal kindness and good will 44-67

Chapter VI Joseph Smith As Lawgiver And Executive

The founding of Nauvoo — " Concocting " the Nauvoo charter

— Charter passed unanimously by the state legislature — Voted for by Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln — Gov. Ford's history of the episode — Possible motives back of the charter — The call to Zion — Severe ordinances passed against crime — Edict of toleration to all — First effective temperance measure in history

— Suppression of vice and disorder — "The Government of God" — 'Benevolent intentions of the Saints — The unifying power of Mormonism — Persecutions attributed to lack of faith and obedience — The Female Relief Society — The first known benevolent organization for women — " An empire-founding religion " — Debts to the Church forgiven — The "jubilee" in 1880 — Gospel of brotherhood and mutual helpfulness 68-86

Chapter VII Joseph Smith As A Statesman And Reformer

Live questions of the day — Smith's plan for abolishing slavery

— Anticipating Ralph W. Emerson's recommendation by 11 years

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— Sad that Smith and Emerson were not heard — Appealing to the federal government — Humiliating comment on governmental efficiency — Partisan politics and corruption — Smith candidate for President — His " Platform " on the powers and policy of the government — An idealistic document — Compared to the idealism of Jefferson and Paine — Accepted at face value by saner portion of the public — Comments by the press — " The sine qua non of the age

to our nation's prosperity" 87-98

Chapter VIII Joseph Smith In His Personal Associations

Unfailing ability to make enemies — Anti-Smith bitterness — Evil character of many of Smith's enemies — Great ability, strong will and tendency to antagonize associates — Thomas B. Marsh and the beginning of the " Danite " deluson — Orson Hyde supplements Marsh's "testimony" — A scandalous and wicked procedure — Hundreds of lives endangered by a silly lie — Schuyler Colfax and others accept the statements later discredited by their authors — The truth on the " Danite " hoax — Marsh and Hyde both reunite with the Church and die in full membership — Joseph Smith deserves credit for real greatness — An important figure in history 99-104

Chapter IX Mormonism The Exponent Of Equality And Fraternity

An effective scheme of social regeneration must be based on religion — Religion demands a thorough organization — Coordination of individual wills for the common good — Christ demanded temporal regeneration as well as promising salvation in the world to come — The influence of Buddhism — The Catholic Church and the ideal of overcoming the world — The " reformers " attempted to promote personal righteousness — " Salvation by faith " — The inexcusable character of social difficulties — The significance of Mormonism — Its principles of organization destined to wide acceptation — Dispensing with professional preachers — First step in abolishing artificial class distinctions — Mormonism and cooperation — "The demand of the ages" — The United Order and personal stewardships — Religious significance of the Order — Rules for the Order — "You are to be equal" — Worthlessness^ of current " benevolence " and " charity " — > The law of tithing — Its antiquity — As practiced by Latter-day Saints — Missionary work, temple building, community labors, unrequited in money — The vital efficiency of Mormonism 107-118

Chapter X Mormonism As The Instrument Of Temporal Salvation

Mormonism versus Fourierism — The Icarian colony at Nauvoo

— Reactionism and social reform — "The coming slavery"— Socialism assumes a non-existent " goodness " in man — Socialist failures in Paraguay — " Super-rational sanction for conduct "

— Social "solutions" and the treatment of disease — Character vi TABLE OF CONTENTS and function of religion — The methods of Mormonism — Brigham Young attempts to restore the United Order — His " land law of modern Israel " — His " temporal activities " opposed — Home industry a " watchword in Utah "— The faith and determination of Brigham Young — The beginnings of irrigation— Colonies founded by the Church — Sugar industry introduced — Silk manufacture attempted — Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution — Perpetual Immigrating Fund Company— Building the Union Pacific Railroad—Mormon colonization record — The Dry Gulch District — The inestimable value of cooperation — "The bond of religion greater than all others" — A new, a worthy and highly necessary order of practical well-doing — Church money given, not invested — The authorities "merely wasting their funds"? — A grudging endorsement — The Church buys up irrigation company bonds — The Hawaiian colony in Utah — The Government should "assist them in every way possible " — The empire-building march of Mormonism — Individual salvation the aim of the Gospel .... 1 19-144

Chapter XI The Practical Workings Of Mormonism

The interests of the individual considered — Needs looked into and provided for — Bulk of beneficences for aged, infirm and widows — Methods of providing employment for the needy — Locating families newly arrived in Zion — Persistent efforts for the unemployed by the Presiding Bishopric — Brigham Young's efforts to provide employment — The reorganization of society for a better efficiency — Recognized by the Mormon Church . . . 145-150

Chapter XII The Moral Record Of The Mormon People

Mormon moral character misrepresented — Mormon enthusiasm for temperance — Reverence for the "Word of Wisdom" — Close organization conducive to temperance and personal probity — Never invited to " have a drink " — Mormons and " Gentiles " compared — Educational advantages of the Mormon organization — Saloons in the Mormon states — Voting on the local option law — • Statistics on police offenses and misdemeanors — Only $jj Utah felons in 16 years — Statistics on commonest crimes — On crimes of violence and impurity 151-162

Chapter XIII

A consistent body of doctrine — Based upon a thorough belief in revelation — Avoids " curious questions " — The restoration of the Gospel — An old effort — Follows the Bible literally — " Gifts of the Spirit " — " The Spirit of prophecy " — Prophetic office explained — Joseph Smith a "wanton gospeler" — Direct communication with God — Theology the " God-science " — Mormon doctrines mystical — The proper " endowments " of believers — A system for the "wayfaring man, though uninstructed " — Mormons "too primitive" — "Literalism" and " materialism "—" All

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

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spirit is matter " — " Materialism " and intelligible reality — Words rather than ideas — Subjective and objective — The Athanasian controversy — Theories of Descartes and Spinoza — Berkeley's idealism — An " Immaterial spirit " and karma — A philosophical whimsey — Two kinds of atheism 165-179

Chapter XIV

The " materialistic " conception — Consistent literalism — A God of flesh and bone — The risen Christ — The " express image of his person " — God " an exalted man " — " Power to lay down his life and take it again " — The eternal drama of redemption — God, gods and angels — " As God now is, man may be " — The Holy Spirit, " bridge between the human and divine " — ■ The constitution of the Godhead — A humanly intelligible doctrine — " The splendid doctrine of anthropomorphism " — " Made in the image of God " . . 180-189

Chapter XV

THE DOCTRINES OF MAN, OF THE FALL, AND OF THE CHARACTER OF EVIL

The spirit of man eternal and uncreated — Preexistent in innocence — " The spirit and the body is the soul " — Reason for human incarnation — The embodied soul immortal after resurrection — The " great council of the gods " — Preexistence and predestination

— Freedom of choice unimpaired — The "war in heaven" and moral " dualism " — Determinism and free will as reconciled by philosophy — Salvation means " to triumph over all our enemies " — " No salvation except through a tabernacle " — " Adam fell that men might be " — The significance of the fall — Adam the " patriarch" of the human race — Adam and Christ compared — Adam the "Ancient of days" — The alleged "Adam-god" doctrine — The " patriarchal " concept of the universe — The sin of Adam —

The need of the atonement emphasized 190-203

Chapter XVI The Doctrines Of Atonement, Religious Duty, And Personal Righteousness

Explanation of the doctrine of atonement — " Descending below all things " to rise above all things — Reasons for the " intervention" — Adam's sin wiped out — The circuit restored — A man must "work out his own salvation" — Faith and personal righteousness — Intrinsic value of good acts not material in this connection — Works required to please God, not merely words and professions — Baptism and ordinances essential to highest exaltation

— The significance of the Church organization — An instrument for promoting righteousness — Follows New Testament in emphasizing temporal and social well-being — Lack of organization cause of futility of traditional religion — A "sacred system of government " must be both temporal and spiritual — The salvation of the earth — "Like unto crystal" — Man's place in carrying out God's designs for this world by righteousness — Priesthood and " God-science " — Temple endowment — The masterpiece of the ages — Righteousness, temperance and the Word of Wisdom — viii TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Under law or under grace? — The "sin unto death "— " Blood atonement" — A scriptural doctrine — The punishment of heresy

— God's laws thwarted by the man-made laws of the nations of the world 204-224

Chapter XVII The Doctrines Of Restoration, Resurrection And Salvation

" Love " and law — The Mormon Prophet a pioneer — The Everlasting Gospel — The seven dispensations — Dispensation of the Fulness of Times — The gathering of the dispersion of Israel — Spur to missionary enthusiasm — Salvation for the dead — The authorities claimed for the doctrine — The strong appeal made by this doctrine — A help to faith in the future life — A new order of " universalism " — The three resurrections — The three "glories" or " kingdoms " — The Celestial Kingdom — The Terrestrial Kingdom — The Telestial Kingdom — The sons of Perdition . . . 225-236

Chapter XVIII Plural Marriage And The Position Of Women Among The Mormons

Doctrine based on revelation — "A stone of stumbling" — A " holy order " — Ground of sanctity hard to understand — Means of begetting a race of godlike men — An incident in the doctrine of " eternal " or " celestial " marriage — Text of the revelation — A "social phase" of eminent interest — "Sex problems" of society

— Extirpation of the social evil — Polygamy and morality — A " sad and sickening comment " — Productive of a healthier posterity — Continence 239-249

Chapter XIX

The "downtrodden sisters" of Mormondom — The doctrine vitally religious — Arguments in favor — No advantage to men — Susa Young Gates on Mormon family life — " The world never saw such women before " — " Perfect through suffering " ? — " Higher compensations " — " Determine to attain to celestial glory " — " My desire for an eternal union with him will be the last wish of my mortal life " — Let them " make their prisons large enough to hold their wives " also — The Cullom bill denounced by women — " For the exaltation of the human family" — "The Lord gave me a mother's love for them" — Unfamiliar and noble forms of virtue

— Peaceful and loving cohabitation of plural wives — " We have raised our children together " — " Each contributes to the utmost for the support of the family " — " A race of men and women who shall live to the age of a tree " — " Tends to virtue, purity and holiness " — " Mormon women working grandly on the sex problem " — " Mormon wives emphatically 'women's rights' women" — "Mormon women the happiest in the world " — " We enjoy all the rights and know how to use them" — The Mormon women's protest against the Edmunds law — " Happy in the consciousness of mutual and eternal affection "—" Our grievous offense, so contrary to their sinful practices "— Were they happy? —"How is the missionary

going to begin?"— The love song of a plural wife 250-266

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Chapter XX The Organization Of The Mormon Church

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The best-known fact about Mormonism — Significance to social conditions — Inevitable to the genius of Mormonism — The primitive Church restored — Two orders of Priesthood — Aaron and Melchisedek — " Holy priesthood after the order of the Son of God" — All men should hold the priesthood — Priesthood "power and authority to act in the name of God " — Lower priesthood an "appendage" to the Higher — Grades and dignities in the two priesthoods — Teacher and deacon "necessary appendages" — Duties of deacons — Of teachers — Of Aaronic priests — Baptism administered by Aaronic priests — The bishopric — Presiding bishop should be a "lineal descendant of Aaron" — Duties of bishops — The dignities of the Higher Priesthood — Quorums of all orders — Quorum and society presidencies peculiarly organized

— The Seventy and their duties — The Twelve Apostles — Three quorums of equal authority — A contradiction ? — Popular votes in Church government — The First Presidency, its duties and dignities — President may be impeached — The "stake" and its government — Quarterly stake meetings — Votes to " sustain " or reject all officers — Comparison to national government — the ward and its organization — Three regularly organized Church courts

— Total quorum membership 269-295

Chapter XXI " Auxiliary Organizations "

Organizations additional to the quorum membership — The Women's Relief Society — An efficient charitable organization — The Mutual Improvement Associations — History of the Mutual Improvement movements — The Sunday School Organization — Graded instruction — The Parents' Class — Sunday School membership — The Primary Association — The Church Board of Education—History of Mormon education — The Religion Class . . 296-310

Chapter XXII

Anti-Mormonism and the Ninth Commandment — A brief anthology — Mutilated history — An anti-Mormon sermon — The Mormons accused of sympathy with Garfield's assassin — The impending Mormon " rebellion " — Damiens, self-exiled among the " moral lepers " — An intemperate and brutal tirade — " Mormon women are ripe for rebellion " — " What Utah needs " — Vice advocated to neutralize Mormon influence — Where the "end justifies the means " — " We tell them in all sincerity " — The " civilization " from which the Mormons "shrink" — The object to destroy popular rule in Utah — "Polygamy" not the real objection against Mormonism — The " lust-of -empire " slander — Judge Boreman's intemperate harangue — Garfield's reported experiences — Criminals accused of being Mormons — Vituperation ad absurdum . 313-326 x TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter XXIII The Alleged Political Activities Of The Mormon Authorities

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Mormonism occasionally in politics — Explainable on two grounds — Wrangles over the Mormon vote in Illinois — " Muckrakers" at work on the "problem" — Pres. Roosevelt's alleged agreement with the Church — The charge vigorously denied by him — The Mormon Church and Tammany Hall — Hearsay evidence and wanton gossip — The " dreadful climax " — Nothing politically worse than is done in all other parts of the country — The " bleeding Kansas " fight — The time-honored " Gerrymander "—The Church "Address to the World" (1907)— The wails of sectarian missionaries — Bishop Tuttle's circular petition

— The new " Come over and help us " — The cause of the Edmunds law oppressions — The old " Know-Nothing " spirit rampant — Corrupt politicians speak of "theocratic polygamy" — The Mormon position explained — Superiority of God's laws and dictates of conscience, old contentions — Utah and Massachusetts Bay Colony similarly accused — Governor Morrill's absurd attack on the " hierarchy " — Not against popular rule — Religious opposition, not objectionable doctrines, the real cause against Mormonism — The real " Mormon menace " — No evidence of Mormon " disloyalty " — The proposed constitution for the state of Deseret — Evident misrepresentations — Judge Carlton on " Know-Nothing " and anti-Mormon agitation — His poem, " The Battle of Louisville " . 327-349

Chapter XXIV How Justice Was Done In The Mormon Country

Meaning of " Mormon degradation " exhibited — The evils perpetrated by fanatics in politics — Activities of unbalanced women

— Absurd reports on public meetings — Resolutions against perversions of law adopted by Mormon women — Wives compelled to testify against husbands — Women's "Memorial" to Congress — The bitter fruits of Tuttle's petition — Utter contempt of human rights — " Unlawful cohabitation " not defined — The miserable fiction of " constructive cohabitation " — The case of Lorenzo Snow before the U. S. Supreme Court — Argument by George Ticknor Curtis — Judge Boreman's unjust decisions — Mr. Snow imprisoned — The new weapon of " segregation " — The real objects of the anti-Mormon party — Outline of the Edmunds-Tucker Act — Senatorial attacks on the provisions of the bill 350-369

Chapter XXV A Shelter For The " Erring And Oppressed "

Absurd charges of "treasonable" and "disloyal" talk — False reports of misery, degradation and neglect — Monstrous accusations — Categorical denials — " Christian Industrial Home " proposed — Objections by Mormon women — Touching speech by Governor West — The kind of " home " needed — An imposing building—Refuge for "victims of polygamy "— Darnings, mendings, cuttings and fittings — Ridiculous stories of "distress" circulated by the managers of the " home "— The " home " a failure — Building sold at auction 370-377

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Chapter XXVI Was Joseph Smith An Epileptic?

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Hypothesis of Smith's insincerity untenable — Psychology and pathology invoked for this reason — Evidence defective in all particulars — Riley's theory unscientific — Ancestral " predispositions "

— Visions explained as " migraines " — Smith a " magazine " of assorted symptoms — Contentions not demonstrated — Symptoms doubtful — Migraine and epilepsy — Common aurae of Epilepsy — Varieties of Epilepsy — Riley's vague and indefinite case analyzed

— Mis-quoted " evidences " — " Exhaustion paralysis " — Leading symptoms not present — " Epilepsy not a morbid entity " — Epileptiform convulsions might occur in any disease — Smith's " symptoms " perfectly explainable as caused by other conditions than disease — Darwin on the symptoms of fear and astonishment — James on reflexes produced by emotions — Smith's accounts correct as to details — Evidently unaware of the suggestions of disease — Smith deprecates " fallings, twitchings," etc., as of religious significance — Epilepsy must have been common among ancient saints — Renan and Lombroso on St. Paul — " Epileptoid " suggestions from the Bible — The persistence of the witnesses — Absurdity of "rationalistic" explanations of such matters 381-399

Chapter XXVII Did Solomon Spaulding Write The Book Of Mormon?

Substance of the Spaulding theory — Theory first promulgated by E. D. Howe — A dramatic "occurrence" — Phenomenal memories — Hurlburt visits Spaulding's widow — Alleged " affidavits " in support of the Spaulding theory — " Singular unanimity " in regard to names — "Lost Ten Tribes" — Object of accounting for mounds, etc. — " Added religious matter " — Statements certainly inspired — 'The time-honored "character test" — Virtue and long memories — The alleged theft of Spaulding's manuscript — A manuscript possessed by Sidney Rigdon — "Affidavits" supposed to support Rigdon's duplicity — Rigdon evidently interested in antiquities and millennarianism — Rigdon's alleged motives — Parley P. Pratt's alleged part in the plot — Were Rigdon, Smith, Pratt, and others, mere imbeciles? — The "mysterious stranger" — Rigdon denies the Spaulding theory — Ridiculous charges against Smith in the matter — Professed points in common between Spaulding's book and the Book of Mormon — Spaulding's only known work discovered in 1884 — Utterly unlike Book of Mormon in every particular — General account of the book — Evidently Spaulding's first literary effort; probably also his only one — No probability that he could have improved on it at his age (48 or 49)

— His formal rejection of Christianity another presumption against his authorship of the Book of Mormon — Conclusion to be drawn from the evidence is " not proven " 400-426

Chapter XXVIII Was The Book Of Mormon Produced By "automatic Writing?"

The theory a good example of the pseudo-scientific — Repeats the opinions of Alexander Campbell — Forced arguments — Slovxii TABLE OF CONTENTS

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enly generalizations on mounds and "caches of arms" — Sources suggested in books appearing later than the Book of Mormon — Parallel passages with Paine and the Westminster Confession supposed to be found — Mormon organization absurdly compared with that of Methodism — A "cross-section of his brain" — Supposed results of "veritable crystal gazing" — Transcript from the " plates of Mormon " resembles Hieratic Egyptian — No " signs of the Zodiac " and no excerpts from " farmers' almanacs " — Supposed evidences of "automatism" in this writing — "Automatic writing " not entirely incompatible with claims made by Smith himself — Prof. James on case of " automatic writing " — His views on the matter — Smith undoubtedly sincerely convinced of the truth of the Mormon record — The real reason why Smith has been persecuted — Calvin, Luther, and other " reformers " regarded as " prophets," although not so called — " Test " of truth proposed by the Book of Mormon as yet untried by anti-Mormon agitators . 427-440

Note I — Danites or Destroying Angels 441-443

Note II — Polygamy and the Jewish Law 443-445

Selections from the Book of Mormon 445-450

I

MORMONISM AND ITS FOUNDER

" If the reader does not know what to make of Joseph Smith, I cannot help him out of the difficulty. I myself stand helpless before the puzzle." — Josiah Quincy.

Chapter I

The name Mormonism is the popular designation for the system of religious doctrine and practice founded on the teachings of Joseph Smith (1805-1844), who claimed a divinely revealed authority to restore the Gospel of Christ in its original purity, which, as he asserted, had been lost and obscured through centuries of apostasy among Christian people. Although not officially recognized by his disciples — they call their organization the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in distinction from the " Former-day Saints," or the Church of the time of Christ's apostles — the term has the authority of sufficient good usage to warrant us in retaining it, in preference to the longer title. Hence, following the rooted habit of over three-score years and ten, we will in the present book speak of Mormonism and Mormons, without marks of quotation; remarking, however, that no more disrespect or opprobrium attaches to the use of these words than to that of such analogous epithets as Quakers, Swedenborgians, Wesleyans or Papists.

The title or epithet, Mormon, derives from a prophet and important personage of that name, who, as is claimed, lived anciently on the Ajnerican Continent, and was largely instrumental in compiling the records of his people — they were known as Nephites — and of God's dealings with them, into the collection of documents, now known as the Book of Mormon. This record, inscribed on " plates resembling gold," was, it is claimed, delivered to Joseph Smith by an angel named Moroni, who during his earth life was the son of Mormon. Translated by Joseph Smith, " through the gift and power of God," it furnishes a recognized inspired scripture for the church founded by him. Hence his disciples were known, first as " Mormonites," later as " Mormons."

I Mormonism is a system of large things. It is large in claims, large in efforts, large in results, large in reputation, and very large in importance, if judged by the opposition it has evoked. Like the man through whom it had origin, it possesses an individuality that is intense and vital: it repels and attracts with equal force. One finds difficulty in maintaining a perfectly neutral position in treating of its claims and history.

Like all else in this world, however, both great and small, good or evil, it has its own side of the matters with which it is concerned, and deserves pure, simple justice, if nothing more. But justice it has never received. Anti-Mormon agitators seem to have been literally blinded to the fact that, when not exaggerating weaknesses common to all humanity, they have accused the Mormons of crimes and vices all but preposterous. The average writer on Mormonism and its founder, as if with deliberation, has given the worst possible construction to every fact of its history, teaching and practice; has greedily accepted and aided in the further publicity of all accusations of evil-doing brought against this Church and people by their enemies; has accepted as sufficient authorities on all Mormon teachings and beliefs the statements of persons who, by their own acknowledgment, are violently prejudiced — hence liable to misinterpret or distort opinions and beliefs; and in no case do we find such writers even attempting to understand the Mormon " point of view," in order to criticize and condemn, if at all, on a full show of evidence and with intelligence and righteousness. By such procedures on the part of their self-styled " candid critics " Mormonism has been placed in the anomalous position of a cause suffering, as it is stated, for the sake of conscience, at the hands of those who plead conscience for their violence and injustice; and, in the role of a martyr for human liberty, oppressed by the people of a nation, which of all others on earth boasts the lost proudly of its liberties and toleration. From the very moment of its birth, when it had no humanly visible prospect of ever being a "menace," as alleged, to anything, the Mormon Church has been an object of persecution. Its success in making converts was the first occasion against it on the part of various sectarian missionaries and pastors. Even in that day of fierce theological debate these people laid aside their internecine strife to make common cause against this new opponent, who urged large claims and had the courage of conviction. Their pulpit efforts, undoubtedly redolent of things other than " pure theology/' persuaded the populace that the Mormons were not only heretics, but also brigands, and the probable perpetrators of all the thefts and murders, so common to the frontier life of the time. Several of these " clergymen," notably a certain Bogart, a certain Sashiel Woods, a certain