The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-27
TIE MORMONS In INDIANA
Activity of Latter-Day Saints in an Out
of-the- Way Corner of Greene County.
A Conference Of Elders and a Prolonged Joint
Discussion Between the Followers of
Joseph Smith and Alexander Campbell.

star Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal
CLIFTY CHURCH. near Robinson, Greene
county. Indiana, Oct 2.-Mormonism and
orthodoxy have finally locked horns in this
portion of Indiana, and one contest is being
fought to a finish in his little church in the
wilds of Greene county. Your correspond
ent came over yesterday and found the fol-
lowers Of Brigham a good deal better in
trenched than the people of the State have
been led to believe. In other counties of
the southern tier, such as Crawford and
Harrison. their operations have been inter-
fered with considerably by the hostility of
people they have undertaken to convert.
and in some cases the ,ocnty regulators or
White Caps have taken the matter In hand.
and by whipping the Mormons in some
instances and by threats in others have
driven them out or the neighborhood.
Here. for some reason, they have
been given a more cordial recep-
tion. They made their appearance
near Swift City. in the southwestern end of
the county, about a year ago, and began q
very humble kind of field-work. sleeping in
haystacks when they could not secure free
lodgings of better quality. begging their
meals at f~arm-houses and preaching at
crossroads or schools wherever they could
get people tolisten. They gradually worked
their way east, along the line of the Bedford
IL Bloomfield division of the L.. n. A. ~ G..
railroad, TO the vicinity of Robinson, a
hamlet about seventeen miles from Switz
City. and. encouraged 10y the treatment
they received. settled down for a season of
some duration. They found board and
lodging with the hill farmers. got acquaint-
ed with people along the railroad, and
In a few weeks were doing the bulk
OF the religious PROSECUTING trans
acted In that Immediate yicin-
ity. Last September they held a
regular conference here. at which eighteen
elders We're present. and since that time
their work has gone on without interrup-
ton.
About the Goth of last month the friends
of Charles c. Hyde, the Mormon elder who
has been most prominent Ill the movement
in this State. were so encouraged by his
ministrations that they became DESTROYS of
having him debate the claims Of Mormon
ism with some of the clergymen of other
was issued, especially directed to the
disciples of Christ, Christians or Campbell
ties, as they are sometimes called, who con-
stitute one of the most active and %infiuen-
tial religions denominations iii mis- COM
ttafAt NtnllCAlkC 81 0ttOillVNIitA
by an offer to pay the expenses of an oppo-
sition orator, and was not allowed to go
unheeded. To neglect it, indeed. would
have been to neglect the most prominent
example set by Alexander Campbell, for
III there was anything that distinguished
divine was prompt in doing 1T was in ac-
ceptIng invitations TO measure swords With
opponents IN theology in open public de-
bate. From Robert Owen mp TO Archbishop
Purcell be did battle in this way with most
of the social and religious controversialists
of his time. 1t did not take long to find a
defender of the faith in the person Of Rev.
w. ID. krutsmyer, the minister of the
Christian society at Elletsville, and the
Church, near Robinson, yesterday.
L came up onthe little narrOw-gauge rail-
road that runs from Bedford TO Bloomfield.
and from the tins : left Switz City / heard
bate. A considerable proportion OF the
population along the WY seemed to have
abandoned all otter pursuits in
their desire to ct at the eN,
the amount of store-box theology to which
i listened. ranged all the way round from
the literal acceptance of Talmage to the
irreyerent agnOstlcism of lngersoll. Leav-
ing the train at ROBINSON. and securing, a
stout team and energetic driver. | took the
Jonesb0ro road to Clifty Church. The
Jonesboro road for a considerable part OF
the way is located in the bed of the Jones
boro branch. a stream now shrunken to
very modest proportions. but which, judg-
ing from the size and nnmber of tho honl-
ders 1t had deposited in the roadway,
could turn all the water-wheels of the
country at some seasons. Scrambling over
these for a mile or two, n fording some
bed, the road finally abandoned
tho stream and led over gradually
increasing hills until. reaching one that
hight pass for a small mountain. it climbed
ing where Clifty Church stood revealed.
The building, one story in height and built
of logs. looked like "a double stable or to-
baeco barn. except that the interstices be-
tween the logs were plastered with "daubin
pnd and the windows and doors
had been modelled with some reference to
church architecture. Around it We're
grouped a collection of vehicles including
farm wagons. carryalls. and gigs. and q va
theigT p pr saaiHea of f both sexes lesn' f Dinner 70
baskets and buckets protruded from most
of the vehicles. for it had been announced
that the debate" would go Oh daily from
10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon
lunch, and that it woald be continued tell
everybody WAS satisfied" Outside the
doors those who had been unable to find
seats craned their necks to look over the
side. the room was packed with men.
women. and children, the latter being heard
frequently where they We're not seen.
The church had originally been built by
some of the early MetbOdists of the county,
and the mourners' bench still stood in front
of the plain pulpit. with a wooden pail of
water and tincupS resting on it for the
benefit of the thirsty. The latter utensil
seemed TO be a constant suggestion to the
Juvenile portion of the audience, who came
forward constantly for drinks. and who
generally managed to let the lineup fall on
the floor before returning. The men sat on
one side of the church and the women on
the other. the older and deafer ones in
front, and the others shaded off, until the
rear rows contained young men and maid
ans, whose attention was divided between
each other and the speaker. The side seats.
known as the amen corners were divided
equally between the contestants. the
Mormnns occupying the corner on the left
of the pulpit, and the other side filling the
one on the right. Most of the prominent
families of jackson and Center townships
were represented in the audience, and
a notable feature was the large proportion
of aged men present. many of whom leaned
on their crutches as they bent forward,
trying to catch something of the proceed
ings. A stenographer, who emb the
pictures of Rip Van Wrinkle, and who in
terrupted the proceedings twice by having
tits at most iDoppOrtune periods. took mp
what room was left in front of the pulpit,
and on the rostrum, IN q state of anxiety
and cane-seated chairs. the orators waited
the completion of the details. These were
soon finished. and p. Il. May. of Mitchell.
was chosen as moderator by the Disciples,
and C.. {. Laughlin, of Owensburg. acted