Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
The evidence of all this, apart from the inadvertent admission of
the friendly Utah reviewer, is to be found in the identity of the
sewer-stench that attaches to the work of both; in the use of the
same materials; and the adoption of similar methods. As for instance:
A somewhat eccentric writer in the early days of the Mormon Church
characterized a number of the prominent Church leaders under what
was to him descriptive titles, such as Brigham Young, "Lion of
the Lord;" Wilford Woodruff, "Banner of the Gospel;" John Taylor,
"Champion of Liberty." This evidently appealed to the erratic and
fantastical intellect of Mr. Schroeder, and led him to adopt as the
title of his intermittent, and now defunct anti-Mormon periodical,
"Lucifer's Lantern;" and on the title page of the last number of the
"Lantern" he gratuitously invents for Lorenzo Snow, then President of
the Mormon Church, the descriptive title--as he supposes--"Boss of
Jehovah's Buckler." Now, Mr. Wilson having his attention directed to
the descriptive title of early leading Mormon Elders invented by the
aforesaid eccentric, though friendly writer, conceived the idea of
making the chief character of his story of the number of those who had
received such titles, and hence confers upon "Joel Rae," the character
in his book about whom he centers all the horrors of his gruesome
tale, the blasphemous title--"Lute of the Holy Ghost!" Or was it Mr.
Schroeder; for one dreads to think that a man of the order of talents
of Mr. Wilson could stoop to the low blasphemy of such a performance;
while it is altogether in accordance both with the principles and
practice of his should-be-acknowledged collaborator, Mr. Shroeder;
for blatant atheism was and is the latter's pride and boast; and he
was wont, as we have seen by his use of it in "Lucifer's Lantern," to
ascribe fanciful titles to leading Mormons.
A word, in headlines, as to the story itself; that it is possessed of
dramatic force, and literary merit will go without saying when it is
known that its author is also the author of "The Spenders." That it
deals with elements capable of being so combined as to produce the most
intense human interest will be conceded when I say that it treats of
religious fanaticism--the faith--"fanatic faith," that
"Once wedded fast
To some dear idol,
Hugs it to the last;"
of love--the theme of the ages, the one theme ever old and ever
new--the theme perennial; with human passions and ambitions, the desire
for that most deceitful end of all human ambitions--the desire for
sanctity while living, and a reputation for holiness when dead. These
the elements of the story; and now the incidents:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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