October 15th, 1889

Mr. D.B. Turner,

Dear Sir,

Having received your letter of October the third, I will endeavor to reply with prayerful heart, also with charity toward all concerned and especially to yourself.

You commence by saying, "I feel as if I must write to you upon the subject of Mormonism, which I would be pleased to have you do, as "Mormonism" as the term it is, teach righteous principles and do good to all men." Then you tell me about the Elders preaching in your neighbourhood and you asking them to baptize you, making the assertion later that if you had known then what you do now, you would not have done so. But you give me no reason why, only making the assertion that it is the "most subtle system of religion ever gotten up." I would like to know how it is subtle. The Elders teach the people to be kind, charitable, benevolent, to do good to all men, to be prayerful, and to follow in the steps of the Savior, Jesus Christ, in every particular, proving every principle from the bible, and they do not so much as ask the people to join the church which they represent as you have acknowledged that you asked them to baptize you. Then where are they subtle?

Again, you say the Elders are going about deceiving, but you bring no proof how they are deceiving. That is the way the Jews had done with Christ, made many accusations, but could prove nothing. Again you tell me to get the Doctrine and Covenants. Why, I have read that book. I know all about it. Anyone that wants to read it can get one by sending for it. You will find them advertised for sale in the back part of The Voice of Warning.

You say it is a "manmade religion and the lowest and debasing ever invented." The Elders teach the mission of the Saviour and are continually pleading with the people to live lives of righteousness and follow in the steps of Jesus Christ. If that is low and debasing, I cannot understand the New Testament.

In reference to the revelation upon plural marriage, if you will read Genesis 35, verses 23 to 26, Jacob had four wives by which he had twelve sons. In Genesis 16 verse 3 you will find Abraham's two wives . If you will read in Matthew 8 verse 11 you will see that the Lord gave David his wives and in I Kings 15 verse 3 that David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, only in the case of Uriah. In Galations 5 verses 19 & 20 you will see that those who commit adultery, murder, are idolatrous and such like, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So then, the Lord must not have looked upon Abraham and Jacob as adulterers as they are in the Kingdom of Heaven. Do you want to go to a better place than heaven? But let that be as it may, the Elders do not teach this principle, neither do they practice it. And if those that have practiced it have done what was wrong in the sight of the Lord, we are not responsible for that. But let us do our duty and keep ourselves unspotted from the world lest we be found among that class Paul speaks of in Galations 5 verses 19-21, who shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. They do not try to deny the revelation, neither do they ask you to believe it, but they believe in honoring and sustaining the law as their 12th Article of Faith reads. Therefore, they can believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God without practicing polygamy secretly, as you assert they do. But let us be careful and let no man put asunder what God hath joined together as the 19th chapter of Matthew tells us.

That which you refer to in reference to The Kinsmen, the paper printed in Utah, that amounts to nothing. If you If you go to the enemies of Jesus Christ and the courts of Rome, you find most abominable things written of the Saviour. You speak of God being changeable by giving such a revelation. I have proven to you that such was the case anciently. Who knows but what he might do again as he tells us in Acts 3 verse 21, that there is to be a restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. And in the 19-21 verses of the same chapter, that the heavens must receive Jesus Christ until the times of restitution of all things.

You accuse the Elders of wanting to take mens' wives to Utah. Did they ever try to take yours? Did you ever know personally of them ever doing such a thing? I have heard them many times tell the saints to live here and set an example to our neighbors by living righteous lives instead of encouraging them to go to Utah. They persuade them to stay here.

You say they want power to rule the government. That is nonsense in the extreme. Why, there is more than three times as many people in New York City alone than there are Mormons in the world!

Now, Mr. Turner, do you remember reading in Galations chapter five, verses 22 and 23 that the fruits of the Spirit are love for peace, long suffering, gentleness, faith, meekness and temperence. Against such there is no law. Do you think you are in possession of that Spirit when you call Elder Isom a deceiver and still you say you asked him to baptize you. If you did not understand all about the gospel, was that his fault? If he has wronged you and you are in possession of the Spirit of the Lord, will not that spirit of love prompt you to go to him as it is recorded in Matthew chapter five verses 23-24 and agree with this adversary instead of writing letters about your brother to his friends? And again, do you think you are in possession of the Holy Spirit when you say that the Mormon leaders would be dealt justly with if they were strung up; desiring to put men to death whom you have never seen, that have never said a word to you in their lives, and that you know nothing about, only what is said by their enemies?

Remember in Acts chapter five, Gamaliel's advice to the accusers of Peter and John, he said, "If their words be of man it will come to naught, but if it be of God, ye cannot over throw it." Now, dear friend, I beseech you to take the advice of Gamaliel and cease to fight against the church. Ask the Lord to forgive you for desiring to take mens' lives that have never injured you in any way and get the Spirit of the Lord, then you will see clearly to pull the mote out of thy brother's eye.