Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-26

|
/ was laid there has not been contention
| nor a jar.
This will remain ever memorable
night In tho history of my life. ! have
cen the realization Of my dreams--to
bring the masses OF the people into con-
tact with everything that il sweet and
| bright and lovely. | can truthfuliy say
that am the happiest man alive in this
world tonight.
Piltsburg, beside, playing an'lmpor-
| tant part IN cue political history, Is Of
interest TO the LalteT-dny Saints as be-
| ing The invorlte city OF Sidney RlgdoD,
Ia the early days OF the Churcn, suu
| the place where he had lsrge con.
| gregstlon Of Saints. II was said by the
enemies Of the Cburch that Sidney
| Rigdon here came into possession OF
| tne manuscript found and by cOllusiOn
with Joseph Smith palmed 1t of as the
| Book ot Mormon. 1t was here that
| Sidney lived at the time OF the mar
| tyrdom OF Joseph and Hyrum; 1t was
| here that he claimed TO have received
a revelation which prnm pied him to
| journey to Nauvoo to see that the
| Cburcn was governed properly, and to
| iIer himself 10 be "guardiau" to the
people--a claim and Ctier which was
almost unanimously rejected by the
| people at the notable conference called
to settle that question.
w.
| O' late years Neiy little effort has
been made to preacn the Gospel in
Pittanurg; consequently, when Elder
| Il. II. II iOerts recently appeared here
auu announced conrse OF lectures In
behalf OF tbs Church OF jesus Cbrist OF
| LAtter-dGy Saints, at the Union
Veteran Legion hall, Sixth avenue,
much interest was mRnIiested anu
large audiences came out to Listen to
| ME discourBes. The press, too, waa
very cnnsiderate, and each OF the eight
papers published In Pitlaburg gave
| very fair accounts the meetlnge.
| The Times, after referring to the
claims of the Prophet Joseph Smith
concerning revelation from God, con-
tinues ns iollowt:
| He said that he had been by Divine
| direction guided to u place where he
| found Il now Bible written on sheets OF
| gold by the power of tho Deity, and
claimed that in dreams new revelations
OF the Divine will and purpose were be-
ing constantly made to him. He began
to have believers and to make converts.
He assumed the position of high priest
and ruler over the little baud, and they
proceeded westward to make settle
| nent. They sent out missionaries and
in few years grew to be prosperous
and comparatively wealthy community.
BY this time The new sect had attracted
the attention Of the entire country, the
fires OF bigOtry were lighted against
them their original Prophet was killed
and they were driven still further west
with Brigham Young as their Prophet
and leader. Persecution followed them
| there, but 1t could not crush or dis
courage them nor diminish their he
lief in the new revelation, and they
started again westward, resolving to
| 20 40 lar as to be free, ever
| thereafter, from interference. Scarcely
| ever in the worlds history was thore
such pilgrimage as these religious on
thusiasis made across the trackless will
derness TOT the valley OIL the Great salt
| Lake, then almost as inaccessible rs is
the North polo now. Their tolls and suf-
| fefings must have been almost inualou-
liable, but they toilod on with full faith in
the promise OF their leaders that they
were going to land of rest and glad
ness, where hey would find happiness
and peace. They went and found a desert,
but still their faith was unshaken.
Their leader struck his staff into the
barren sand and said, "Here will build
the Temple of tho Lord" and there it
stands today, one OF the notable religious
edifices OF the world. Its spires look
down upon beautiful city and out upon
one OF the iairest prospects on Gods loot
stool. Without outside aid, the followers
of this strange creed built up there one
of the most prosperous communities in
the world and when civilization reached
out to Il, IL became one OF the marvels of
the century, while its leader was known
| in all lands. This settlement, which has
| now become one Of the states OF the
Union, continues to be one of tho most
prosperous and contented I'm the world
and all who visit It come away marvel
ing at what has been accomplished by
zeal for what they regard as horetical
belief inculchted by a few ignorant re-
Iligious mouniebanlSs and false prophets.
The Mormon religion may soon perish,
though 1t gives no evidences now OF de-
cadence, hut Its achievements will always
| remain us a monument OF what relig ous
zeal, even though misguided, may ao-
complish. There is no moro interesting
story in the annals OF the century than
the rise Of the Mormon Church and COM
| monwealth, aud the attempt to analy2
the causes, which led TO Its success fur
nishes mos, fascinating subjectof study.
The Commercial. Gazette contained
the follow
Elder b. II. Roberts OF Salt Lake City
spoke in Union Veteran Legion hall last
night in behalf OF the Church Of Jesus
| Christ of Latter-day Saiuts, otherw isn
known as tho Mormon Church. The
hall was well fllod and the audience
| gave the speaker very close attention.
| Elder Roberts ia forclblo speaker and
talks in an interesting way OF the doc
trines of his Church. The question of
polvgamy was not discussed. The
toachings OF tho Mormon Church on all
important matters OF doctrine were ex'
MA ned to the audience and the Church
defended from what the speaker regard
ed rs misrepresentation. bio said:
"You may sheer and laugh st the
Church OF tho Laiter-day Saints, and
YOU may ri1icule it, but truth which Is
eternal, romans. and It Is found in this
church. Its teaching Is that the Gospel
of Jesus Christ has been restored 10 the
earth; that an angel camo 10 Joseph
smith and gave him divine commission
10 proach and to call others 10 his assist
nnee in tho work OF the ministry that he
was commissioned to establish church
and to give tho pure Gospel to the world
oar position - strong one. Tho Church
) Of Tho laiter-day Saints 10 not held 10
qether by dolusion or by Ignorance, but
By the power OF tod. Our Church