Charles L. Walker, a
19th century Latter-day Saint wrote the following about Roman
Catholicism and the Episcopalian Church in his journal for 8 July 1872. I
reproduce the following as (1) unlike many modern members who have been
influenced by moral relativism and postmodernism, Walker (and many of his
contemporaries) did not hesitate to call a spade a spade and denounce the false
religions around him and (2) to show that early Latter-day Saints would shy
away from theological ecumenism:
To day I went to work for Morris and Evans,
in rear of the old Council House, Cutting Utah firestone for smelting Furnaces.
I worked for them until about the Middle of Spt. During this time I spent my Sundays
at the Tabernacle and ward meetings with the exception of a few times I went to
the Catholic Church and St Marks Episcopal Church, and the Liberal Institute
all in the 13th Ward. I was truly a lamentable picture of Modern Christianity, to
see an intelligent audience listen to the muttering and changing of an Irish
Priest in a language they did not understand and I doubt whether he did. I was
very much surprised to see both Men and women in fine and costly apparel
deliberately bow down on their knees to an oil painting of the Virgen Mary, and
the Image of the Saviour on the Cross, and then cross them selves before taking
their seats among the congregation. The Episcopalians were no better they
believed in three Gods in on and he without body, parts or passions, and tho
professing Christ, beleive not on his sayings nor do his works; I cannot see
how they can for they have not authority to act in his name. Hence the blind
lead the blind and none of them are brought to an understanding of God or his
divine purposes concerning his children. They preach for hire and divine for
mony, and Satan has a firm grip on them, and they harden their hearts and wont
receive the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, because it undermines ther religion
structure and is taught by the Mormons as they call us. (Diary of Charles Lowell Walker, Volume 1, eds. A. Karl Larson and
Katharine Miles Larson [Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1980], 348;
spelling on original retained)
Elsewhere,
in a journal entry dated 12 November 1876, Walker recorded the following from
Brigham Young:
Pres Young showed the folly and ignorance of
the belief of the outside world regarding the things of God; said their
condemnation was in refusing the light and choosing darkness. Our bitterest
enemies were the hireling Priests. (Ibid., 434)