Mr. Sherman to Mr. Angell.
Washington, January 11, 1898.
Sir: At the instance of Hon. Frank J. Cannon, a Senator of the United States from Utah, I have this day issued circular letters to the diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in Turkey, introducing Apostle Anthon H. Lund and Elder F. F. Hintze, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who are about to visit Turkey for the stated purpose of looking after the welfare of members of that church residing in or upon the borders of that country.
As indicating the present attitude of this Government toward Mormon missionaries, I inclose a copy of the Department’s instruction No. 46, of June 25, 1895, to Mr. J. Lamb Doty, United States consul at Tahiti, and a copy of a letter of June 24, 1895, from Messrs. Woodruff, Cannon, and Smith, “First Presidency of the Mormon Church.” This letter sets forth the assurances on which this Department based its views that the Mormon agents, as the church is now constituted, have the same rights of governmental protection as any other law-abiding sect of American citizens. If they preach immoral doctrines contrary to the law of the foreign country, intervention in their behalf can not be made. If their teachings and practices contravene the laws of the United States, the support of our public agencies can not be lent to their foreign propaganda.
You will, through the consul-general at Constantinople, make known our attitude to the consuls in Turkey.
Respectfully, yours,