The New York herald., 1868-12-06

BtocHbridge Mormanism had made inroads upon the
village, taking captive some OF the prominent mem
were they with this folly that they would come into
she church on Sunday and make disturbance, con-
,taaalcng the minister 10 MS lace Ia tne puipn anu
Otherwse interrupting the services. YET such was
tne feeling In their favor In the community that the
preacher hestated to openly denounce them or order
snem sl,s out Of the church. Mormonism was moral
blight upon the place. The members ofthe Methodist
,y sousy We're so discouraged that they contemplated
Wha Sehng was .neir church and breaking up But mr.
y. NJ " a. ehnently peacemaker, persuaded them
~ To- nou she waste places little longer and pray
Wast by came TO consult with the minister In
ing with the Mormons. SAID he. 1--WE must ridicuIe
pronouncing the rst OF that word long as In ride
some Of the Bbeo ns Segan ga na 20 repe
,nemory.making Nj. - laugh both at the sense
renderinr 1eS e or .PS Tssn Mormon gospel and his
notice motto, from from the pulpit Of meeting for some
aghI nnH daI1g o nne S weeE ana he would come
tated. He did not think he would IKE to hear ridi
cule from the sacred desk. But Billy was urgent.
declaring that some errors could best be overcome
by ridlcule, and proving his argument by many lu-
dicrOus stories OF his own use OF the weapon on va
r. happy m p,. s % won
as he desired. This created great excitement; ana
on the appointed night the church In West Stock
country round" had come to hear the well known
clerical wit" discourse on Mormonism. He began
a hsrs sug wn a 2uSsr q s Ss
mere assertion, tnat 1t was customary with
ministers to choose only one verse OF Scripture
for text; but he was going to proceed upon .
new plan for he should take the whole Bible for his
text His audience made wide eyes at that and
people Of steady habits began to fear that they
'should not get home till morning. But soon they
perceived the joke when he began sobery, though In
tone initiative Of the drawl OF the Mormon pro-
phets, to read from the Mormon Bible, and broad
smile spread over every face and here and there .
suppressed laugh was heard Then he looked up
with pretended expression OF reproof that anybody
could laugh at things so serious ntimatng that he
should come to something by and by that would
sober them. He read on, commenting little now
and then, till he came to q verse before which
he paused awhile as II deeply impressed with IL
himself and then deliberately and in solemn
tone read o portion OF Mormon Scripture, Of
which remember only this ''the devil laugheth,'
when, instead OF being sobered the whole audience
burst into roar OF laughter, for his tone and look
for comic effect as he read that were seldom equaed.
Then when the mirth had little subsided he began
again In that dry tone OF seriousness which always
provokes to laugh the mOre:-"Now, have heard Of
the devil dong very curious things but never before
that he laugheth; but l do not wonder that he
laughed once in his life-When this Mormon Bible
was written" And again the people shouted with
laughter. He soon calmed them again, however;
for he managed his audience WELL perfectly imi-
tatng the ingenuity Of the practised orator. who in
Inmates that something more ludicrous is coming.
The people listened and laughed, but did not know
how ingeniously the speaker was dspelling from
their minds the delusions OF Mormonism.