Claims Against Mormonism

CLAIMS AGAINST MORMONISM

Delivered by Elder Abraham H. Cannon,
at the Utah Stake Conference,
Sunday, April 19, 1896.

Blood atonement, as we believe it, has been misrepresented, and we have been accused of seeking the death of those who disobeyed counsel or who apostatized from the Church. Those who have circulate such rumors have, I believe, wilfully misrepresented facts. If they have supposed they were telling the truth, they have certainly neglected their opportunity of gaining correct information. I am free to admit that we have been a people of perhaps too strong prejudices. We have had set views. Indeed, a people such as we are could not help but feel as many of us have done; yet I believe God is softening our hearts by the experiences through which we are now passing, and which we have already had, and will bring us eventually into a condition were we will be able to look with the utmost charity, longsuffering and patience upon the weaknesses of our fellowmen; and He will give us so strict a sense of justice that our Church courts will assume the position which they once occupied in the estimation of many people of the world, who were willing to submit their differences and their troubles to the arbitration of the Church officers, feeling that even where one of their own community stood upon the one side and a non-Mormon upon the other, these courts would only take cognizance of facts and of equity, and decide accordingly. I trust that this condition will soon prevail among this people, if it does not already; for I cannot believe that God will justify us in treating improperly any man or woman who lives upon the earth, whether he or she sees as we do or not. We believe that the Lord designs to place power in our hands, because of the principles by which we will be governed. It is consequently of the utmost importance that we be brought into a condition where we will have these Christlike qualities which will make our counsel sought and will compel the good and the noble everywhere to sustain our decisions.