The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-31
ST. PAUL'S WAS PACKED.
Rev. j. Wesley HIS Lecture on
Four Years Among the
Mormons.
Reply to a Letter From One Too
Cowardly to Sign His
Name.
Personal Experiences Among tho Nor
mons-Converted His Pulpit Into
Moral Parapet.

Last evening another mammoth congre-
Ration packed every nook and corner of
st. Paurs Methodist Episcopal church I'M
til there was not standing room, and even
then hundreds were turned away The
church will comfortably seat over 200. but
with the extra chairs. benches and boxes
brought into requisition, it ID estimated
that at least $50 were present. Rev. }.
Wesley Hill lectured on -Four Years
Among the Mormons." and he gave views
of the evil that to many we're startling.
which. together with the incidents con-
stituting his personal experience, afforded
an hour OF thrilling interest. Before be-
ginning the lecture he announced that on
next Sunday evening he would lecture on
FOL Whom Shall l ' Voter" Before be-
ginning my lecture,'' he said, II feel called
upon to briefly reply to an anonymous let
ter which l received last evening. Ordi-
natily a letter coming from one too cow
ardly to sign the name should be given to
the fire without notice. but as this one
touches a point of general interest, queR-
tioning as it does the present practice OF
polygamy, / fell called upon to comment
upon it.
First, this letter contains an extract
from the recent report of the governor of
Utah upon the question Of polygamy. The
essence of this report is that Gov. Thomas
does not believe that any polygamous mar
riages have occurred during the year by the
consent Of the Mormon leaders, and that
his conviction is that there ia a sincere in
tsntion upon the part of the Mormon pso-
pie not to approve or sanction plural mar
riages in the future ETC.. but the Clipping
furnished me by my anonymous Mormon
friend does not contain all of the gov
erno1's report. for the scissors served to a
better advantage than the report; conse-
q~uently, with an air of great honor, the
latter part was clipped off, which will now
read: TO be sure. it will take some time;
it may be years before the practice of I'M
lawful CO, habitation will entirely cease
Now, with reference to this report. let me
say, first: Gov. Thomas does not speak au-
thoritatively upon the subject; ne does not
convictions.' He says. I believe
and Il am convicted; and even in his be-
liefs and convictions he ia e~vasive, for ne
does not say that polygamy has ceased, but
simply that it does not occur or the
consent or permission of the Mormom lead
ers.' 1t is very convenient for the Mormon
chiefs, in order to assure statehood, to an
nounce a manifesto against polygamy. with
the tacit understanding that the people
may practice it, but without their consent.
But the governor olinches the report with
the statement that 1t ia not dead and will
be practiced for years. This latter clause
exactly tallies with the late report of the
Utah commission, which l hold in my hand.
1t announces that more than three hun
bred persons are known to be living in pc.
lygamous relations" And l may add that
If that many are known, in all pros ability
J several times as many are practiclne 1t clan.
destinely, for the greater number of crimes
are never known to the law.
Zone thing is sure, all pretensas of re-
formation on the part of the Latter Day
saints have been forced by a prepe,derAnct
of public sentiment in the larger 81 ties and
is only for the purpose of deceivini. the ma
tion and making sure the possi Utility o.
statehood, when all the laws agaia st polyg
amy will be in the hands of poLy gamists
These professions of purity and reform arr
!. loudly preached in public, but laird aside il
> private for the covert practices of all thu
typical a~bominations of the oreed,. 1t is tn
DEVILS purpose One hand full of bride
and promises for the nation, the other full
of reasonable weapons with which t.
guard the bloody and locked chambers o
I anguish and woe. These unct nous Turk
n come to the golden gate of statehood wit
the wooden horse of reformatioDi, but whel
: onoe admitted to the sacred enclosure
: will be found that the wooden horse wa
9 full of polygamists, and the Mo rmon mol
4 och will erect his crimson altar beneath til
- flag of state sovereignty al! the hor
g acted, while the priesthood wi
Q treat with cynical contempt the virtue, pun
ity and patriotism upon which rests tn
superstructure of civil libbery." At thi
= point Mr.. Hill went into the narration G
mons, beginning with his appointment t
r Ogden in 1883. He at that time found
!, city in the hands of the Mormon churcl
/. and 1.-The verv air full OF Intimidation.
Bat he took firm hold of the situation an
v dared to face the Bluebsard len his den. II
Q converted his pulpit into a moral parape
from which he began a DO utbardment c
the barbados of Ignorance and superst
" ton. which course at times leopardized hi
life. But true to the sense OF duty he keI
up the bitter fight until, at the CITY election
Mormon rule was ended in Ogden and til
fires of eastern civilization, were kindle
upon the altar and the banner of libert
unfurled. Soon after this the Methodist
began the erection of q new church, whic
last spring was completed at q cost {
70 $4,000.
The membership Of his church increase
from thirty to 400, and the whole city, fire.
1t from Mormon dominion. pressed forwar
to achievements that have given ii a ! ron
place among the commercial centers of tn
l. west. The Utah university of the MethC
dist Episcopal church was a.lso located thel
and has ono of tho most picturesque locs
tlons of any institution in the land. Whe
completed it will be one of the powerf,
factors in the disinteRratiom of the Mo me
religion. At the close of the lecture Nj
Hill invited any of the congregation fol-
ward who desired to see the interior an
exterior of the church built in Ogden dul
n ing his pastorate. Large numbers RI
sponded and expressed or pat surprise tbs
such a structure could hare been built in
region that has 40 long been neglected b
civilization and cursed by the heel {
:. bigotry and superstition. Mr.. Hill raise
much of the money for til church in II
east. superintended its col struction and
a result it is now regarded. by tourists as Il
W finest ediice between Denver and San Fran
~ cisco.
: Tho Helena Galop. by Mrs. II. Simon, FOR ga
= at Jackson's Music Store,