The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-07
ELDER f. BRAMWELL.
lie Addresses Large Audience of Nor
mons and Others at the Auditorium.
Explains the Temets of His Fnith.


Explains the Tenets of His Faith.
A fair-sized audience assembled at
the Auditorium last night to listen 10
Elder f. $. Bramwell, president of the
Montana mission of the church of Jesus
Christ Of Latter Day Saints. This is
the official designation of the particular
religious organizat ton of whose peculiar
teachings and tenets MIR, Bramwell is
an exponent. To those outside the fold
the society is simply known as the Nor
mon church and as such is held in es-
TEEN entirely different than Is accorded
1T by the followers of Joseph Smith and
those claiming the right of apostolic
succession through him. While some Of
those who listened to the speaker We're
attracted by curiosity majority proved
to be members of the society, who, up
to the present, have been compelled to
worship in private, owing TO the alb
sence of a minister and regular church
organization in this city.
\ The services opened with singing by
mixed choir. after which prayer was
offered by Cyrus Harris. Another hymn
was sung and Elder Whitteson of Idaho
addressed the meeting. He said he
would give a brief explanat ton of The
gospel as understood and accepted by
the Mormons He said their gospel was
the same as Is accepted by all the
other Christian churches Mere belief
in the Savior without effort to obey His
commandments was not sufficient to OBJ
tain salvation The address, or rather
sermon. in the MAIN was not unlike
that which an orthodox minister of the
Protestant church might have delivered.
Mr.. Bramwell then addressed himself
to the audience He dispensed with
the customary reading of texts and
after expressing his qualification at the
large attendance at once plunged into
Gn af t- IisX tJs1 chi
that he did not come prepared with
written sermon or documents, but that.
like all the ministers Of the church of
Latter Day Saints, he trusted to the
inspiration of the spirit that had
prompted the apostles of old to make
true exposition of the teachings and
laws as laid down by Jesus Christ All
he asked, he said, was impartial hear
ing and honest Judgment, and If he
was found guilty of distorting or mis-
representing the Bible he was willing
to abide by the consequences. He had
no apologies to offer for the differences
that might exist between the modern
Christian churches and the Mormons.
but felt strong in the belief of the
righteousness of the doctrine as taught
by his church, because he knew that 1t
was in accordance with the teachings
of the apostles. He said that in the un-
popularity of the Mormon church he
old relative to transgression of the laws
of God by false teachings. The gospel,
as taught by the apostles of the Nor
mon church. was the same as had been
taught by Peter, Paul and the other
disciples who had received their in
structions from the lips Of the Savior
Himself. In no way had they deviated
from the teachings of the gospel
They believed that through the death
of Christ the redemption of mankind
had been made possible, because
through it expation had been made for
original sin. Repentance and baptism
We're necessary to obtain salvation and
without them it was useless to hope for
life eternal. This was laid down in the
Bible and there was no getting away
from II. 1t was necessary 10 go down
into the water and be born again of the
Lord. The speaker then read from the
Bible to show that the teachers of the
Mormon church We're the true teachers
of the New Testament. They We're but
fulfilling Christs injunction TO preach
the gospel unto all people, and as testi-
mony in support of this statement he
read from the gospel of Mark, 10th chap
ter. 18th, 10th and 18th verses. All the
signs spoken of in that part of the
Bible, he said. We're being manifested
to-day in the church Of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints. as he himself had
often witnessed. The disciples of the
Mormon church had received the spirit
Of the Holy Ghost and mpelled by that
spirit We're teaching the gospel as ii
had been taught of old and in doing so
We're obeying the injunction neither 10
take from or add TO it, He said that
tie message he was delivering was the
same was delivered to Joseph Smith
by the angel sent from Almighty God.
If he and the other elders of the church
taught anything not in the gospel or
added to or detraeted therefrom. then
they We're false teachers and as such
laid themselves subject to tn awful
curse bespoken to those i'll the New
Testament
Elder William Thornby dismissed the
meeting by asking divine blessing upon
those assembled and upon the work be-
ing done by the church. After the serv-
ices Elder Bramwell informed the
Standard that at present Is missionaries
of his church We're in Montana and
that the number would soon be in
creased to 40. Ii was proposed In thor
Oughly canvass the state with the OBJ
ject of ascertaining the number of Nor
mons residing in it and TO make all the
converts possible The number here in
Butte had been found much larger than
was believed to be the case.
Sunday partial organization of the
loyal adherents of the church was ef-
feeted. Peter kioepfer was elected
president. As soon as possible "a ward
will be organized and bishop appoint
ed. As the missionaries travel without
money or purse those here now find it
inconvenient at present tn continue the
series of meetings outlined when they
first entered the field. Later on they
expect 10 overcome this difficulty and
Will then carry on regular public meet