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Show . r. ob 1 ts of 1t Lake City, I ! nion r t • n L gion hall last h ar good deal n bout a man ni ht 1n th inter st of the Church of cl T c<l nowa la ''S. H cl.aims t be J s l hr' t of latter day saints, common., Iv kno 'TI. as he m rmon church. The siah, n. n w rophet from od, h is quo tl n o pol ·gamy was not discussed. ing a heav n upon earth, pr aching H ' said: anu strange and incongruous er <l, "You mav sneer and laugh at the church tng s11per11atur,·ll 1Jower." · nd is evoklatter day saints, and you may ,. , ridicule it but truth, which is eternal, reend of criticism. H appears, howmains, nn'cl it is found in this church. Its to be making ·~ome converts to his teaching is that the Gospel of Jesus 2'e tea hings ,and has founded a hrtst has been restored to the earth: ~ 1hat cm a.ngel came to Joseph Smith and Y for the practice of his ideas in gave him n. divine command to preach and da und another in Chicago. It is to call others to his assistance in th~ w:ork sslble to predict what success he of the ministrv; that he was comm1ss10n. . ed to establisll a church and to give the I achieve m his enterprise and what pure Gospel to the world. Our position ress may be made in securing beis a strong one. The church of the latter rs. It is not safe to make predicdav saints is not held together by delu- I ~io·n or by ignorfU1ce, but by the power of of a man V.:1:io starts a new religion God. Our church teaches no new Redeem- new sect. For whatever may be his er; it has no new Savior to offer; it has s, he is sure to excite ridicule, critino new G_ospel: it has found no new plan 1 and frequently even persecution tn of salvation. It calls for all the moral and spiritual power ever demanded . by beginning. Whatever sort of a man the church. It is the first Gospel corned may be, whether a mistaken enagain." siast or a designing villain, his efforts ·cannot but call to mind the beginning qf the Mormon propaganda and the seeming miracle of the rise and growth of that sect, which has come into being and achieved its present prominence in the world within the memory of men still living. Its career may justly be looked cf th J THE LATTER DAY SA IY' l ~. TTER D TBA.. M 0 upon as one of the wonders of the century, and the rise of the Mormon church may well engage the attention of the iudents of social and religious movcents. An Explanation of Mo1•1non rine For centuries the Western world had By EJ,1 er Ro bei•ts. ttled down to the belief that the days Elder B. H. Roberts of Salt Lake t revelation and of miracles had passed. spoke in Union Veteran Legion han Y ll the founders of religion belonged to night in behalf of the Church of J ~t ng past ages, and the truths thereof had Chrf.st of Latter Day Saints, otherw ~en revealed to people who were closer known as the Mormon church. The ha th in time ancl distance to the gates of was well filled and the audience gave the adise, but near the middle of this speaker very close attention. Elder Rob. ~tical nineteenth century up rises an erts is a forcible speaker and talks in ar.l )rant and some say idle and dissolute interesting way of the doctrines of his ng man named Joseph Smith in a church. The question of polygyamy was not discussed. The teachings of the Mor- 1ote rural district of New York and mon church on all important matters of ; up as a prophet and a new , medium doctrine were explained to the audience ·ommunicate to men divine revelations. and the church defended from what the t speaker regarded as misrepresentatiorts at could be 1nore absurd? His pre enHe said: · 1s naturally excited the ridicule of the, · "You may sneer and laugh at the. 1munity to the highest degree. But he church of the Latter Day Saints and you sisted. He said that he had been by may ritlicule it, but truth, which is eter- ·ine direction guided to a place nal, remains, and it is found in this church. Its teaching Is that the Gospel ere he found a new Bible written on of Jesus Christ has been restored to the ets of gold by the power of the deity, earth; that an angel came to Joseph 1 claimed that in dreams new ;evelaSmit!1 and gave him a divine com- ls of the Divine will and purpose were miss10n to preach and to call others to . his assistance in the work of the minis- ng consta-ptly made to him. He be~ try; that he was commissioned to estab, n to have believers and to make conlish a church and to give the pure Gospe rts He assumed the position of high to the world. Our position is a strong one. est and ruler over the little band and The church of the Latter Day Saints is not held together by delusion or by ignor- .y proceeded westward to make a setance, but by the wwer of God. Our nent. 'l~ey sent out n'lissionaries and church teaches no new. Redeemer; it has a few years grew to be a prosperous no n~w Savior to offer; 1t has no new Gos- l comparatively wealthy community. pel; 1t has found no new plan of salva. tion. It calls for an the moral and spiz: itual power ever demanded by the church y this time the new sect had attracted It ts the first Gospel come again." · attention of the entire country, the The speaker announced he woul,i speak s of bigotry were lighted against thern, in the same hall next Sunday night on ir original prophet was lt.illed and they .,Facts in Which Mormorism Had It~ ·e driven still further w~st with BrigOrigin." ham Young as their prophet and leader. Persecution followed them there, but it / c uld not crush or disrourae-e t em nnr, ••* WAS ONCE A FERTILE FIELD. Elder Roberts ID plained Belief Hts People and Fa.1th. JUST LIKE MOODY A.ND 8 1 NKE • Seed that may yield a Mormon congregation in Pittsburg was sown in Union Veteran Legion hall, Sixth avenue, last night. Three elders, Mormon misslonarles, laid the foundation for the new church in this city. Three hundred Plttsburgers heard Elder B. H. Roberts discuss the Mormon's attitude in the confllct between Protestantism and Catholicism." His people believe there ls a conflict between the two great churches, just as there was before the reformation, and 1 Elder Roberts and his C'Olleagues, Elder George D. Pyper and Elder E. P. l\Itdgeley, are preaching that doctrine a over the country. They will hold another service 1n Union Legion hall next Sunday n1ght. . Then they leave for Phlladelphia, where they will appear for several weeks. A ' strong effort will be made later to establish a Mormon congregation in New York city, and to these elders has been assigned the duty of organlzatlon. · None of the members of the old Pittsburg Mormon congregation attended the . service )ast nlght, but one or two of their children did, and the elders believe they will not eA-iperience great dlfflculty in !ounding a branch o! the faith in this city. ' Soon after the departure of Elders Roberts, Pyper and Midgeley I!ext Monday other Mormon elders will visit Pittsburg, and the seed sown last night wlll be nurtured. The elders now here are working much on the Moody and Sankey plan. Elder Roberts is the lecturer, Elder Pyper sings the songs of the LatterDay Saints, and Elder Midgeley plays the organ. l.Uormontam a Mlsnome7. Elder Pyper opened the service wt th one of the Mormon songs. Then Elder Roberts began his dlscourse. One noticeable thing throughout his talk was his allusions to his faith. Each time it became necessary to ref er to the "Mormon" church, he supplemented the word by saying "so-called, or the Church of the Latter-Day Saints." Several times he directly stated that the church had been wrongly named the ... iormon "- 1 :rh." |
