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Show Joseph's Teachings Curse the People Morally. <br> The teachings and bad example of Joseph Smith have been an awful curse to the people morally, and hence they ought to cut loose from him. I know how the tabernacle speakers eulogize the good morals of the Mormon people. But that is for outside use. I regret to say that the facts do not justify any such eulogy. Commercial travelers tell us that the contrast between the moral condition of the southern counties in Utah, where Christianity has not yet been established, and the central counties, which have been under its influence for many years, is like the contrast between Egyptian darkness and noonday light. But my chief authority on this subject shall be one of the highest and most respected officials in the Mormon church, one of the counselors of the first presidency, namely, George Q. Cannon. For several years before his death, the immorality which prevailed among the young people in exclusively Mormon communities was a source of distress to Mr. Cannon, and he delivered many serious addresses upon the subject. In an address at Beaver, reported in the Salt Lake Herald, he is reported as saying: "He regretted greatly that he had heard from very good authority that immorality seemed to be on the increase among the young people of some of the towns of Utah, and especially was this the case before marriage." One of the twelve apostles also deprecated this prevalent immorality in the Mormon ranks, in a tabernacle address a few years ago at an October conference. <br><br> This Immorality the Fruit of Joseph's Teaching. <br> Now I maintain that this prevalent immorality is the legitimate fruit of Joseph Smith's false teaching in favor of polygamy, and his own depraving example in his notorious relations with scores of women. Certainly, God never appointed any such man to be a prophet, and I urge my Mormon friends and neighbors to throw him aside forever, lest the awful curse of upholding a false prophet should be theirs. If any Mormon reader should ask me: What shall we do with the Mormon church if we drop Joseph Smith? I answer: Do what the other religious denominations do at the present time-accept no other prophet but Jesus Christ, of whom all former prophets were simply the type. <br> It has been far from my purpose to hurt the feelings of any Mormon reader. But if setting forth the facts about Joseph Smith, from the historic record, has given offense, certainly the offense is due to the facts and not to the writer. The subject of the next article, two or three weeks hence, will be: "Why the Mormon people should drop the Book of Mormon as a revelation from God." <br><br> Salt Lake City, August 18, 1909. <br><br> |
