Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-24
THE WORK IN NEW JERSEY.

|
Elder John NJ. Whitaker, of this city,
who recently took his departure on n
mission to the Atlantic states. has
written from New Brunswick, N. j.,
under date of Jan. 1, to Elder Franklin
ID. Richards. enclosing number of
newspaper clippings, and the recipient
has kindly handed the letter and en-
closures to the News" The missive
names the Elders, seven including its
writer, who have their headquarters
at New Brunswick, and says the public
mind has been much prejudlced by
anti Mormon literature. Two daily
papers published In New Brunswick.
the Home News. and the Times, have
contained,in their news columns, some
what lengthy accounts of the arrival
of the Elders and of their methods
and intentions. These articles were
written by reporters and are in the
main fair. The Home News published
long interview with Elder Whitaker,
in which 1t was evidently the aim of
the reporter TO be truthful and accur-
ate; and the Times opened its columns
for II series Of articles written by
Elder Whitaker, in explanation and de-
fonse of the principles of the Gospel.
SO far as their news columns are
concerned. both papers seem to have
been fair to the verge of generosity to
Elder Whitaker and his companions;
but editorially they are not SO friendly
though neither takes a position of pro-
nounced hostility. The Times of
Dec. II had the following editorial ut
terance:
"whatever may be the ultimate re-
suit of the effort of the five Elders of
the Mormon Church to establish n mis-
sion in this city II Is certain that the
effort will meet with opposition on the
part OF the representatives OF the es-
tablished churches in this vicinity. The
first gun of the campaign was sounded
recently at Bound Brook, when Rev. T.
IL. Davis. Il minister prominent
throughout the state by reason of his
connection with Christian Endeavor
work. hurled a philippe at the Latter
day Saints and their belief. He de-
nounced Joseph Smith. the founder Of
the religion. as man who Stunned
no crime. He painted him AS n man
of the worst type and declared, like
Job OF old, that nothing good could
come out of SO unclean thing. 1t will
be interesting to hear what the repre-
sentatives of the religion OF Joseph
Smith have to say In their own behalf
and the Times has arranged with Ell
der Whitaker for special article on
the subject. which viii appear tomor-
row. For Its own part the Times thinks
that we Brunswickers can get along
very well without any Mormonism in
ours, and II VIII be very sorry indeed IL
any local people yield to the arguments
of our visitors from Salt Lake City,
But the religious convictions of our
town are not so weak-kneed and so
poorly founded that they cannot resist
the fair presentation of a hostile cause
and so 1t win be interesting to note
Just what the Mormon Elders Will do
and how they will do it."
These two editorial paragraphs APP
peared in the Home News of Dec. 18th:
"The New York Tribune, commenting
on the heading, "Mormonism In our
Midst" advises that physician be
called The suggestion is probably what
induced Elder whitaker, the first
evangelist of what he calls the Church
of Christ, or Latter-day Saints to
call to his aid In this city several other
Elders. MIR. whitaker has been here for
one week, but he has held no meetings.
though he Is calling upon prominent
hearing. and with the understanding
that polygamy shall not he advocated.
that tenant OF the Mormon Church
| having long ago been abrogated by
proclamation of the head OF the
Mormon denomination, In accordance
with a revelation" from Heaven. The
Mormon evungolists are not likely to
| get foothold here, as we already have
| every brand OF politics ana religion.
| 'The field IL pre-empted."
"An effort Is to be made in this city
| by a missionary of the Church of Lat
ter-day Saints to establish footing for
! that religion The prophet who comes
! to preach this new gospel will not
seek to preach polygamy. for he says
| that that principle of the Mormon
| faith is now hut slightly adhered to.
MS preferable to that Of any other.
The Elder from Salt Lake. -"nnot OK
peot an enthusiastic reception In New
Brunswick, a center of the Dutch Re-
formed church. of collegiate culture,
and n place where every well-estab-
lished denomination OF the church has
Jealous following, He may not well
hope to find recruits among the piuus-
minded; the Indifferent say they have
all the varieties now they could wish
tn choose from, and the wholly f,iv-
olous and non-believlng win find no
undiscovered joys in the new faith"
Probably these newspaper utterances
represent fairly well the prevailing
sentiment While unfavorable they
are not bitter. In his letter Elder
Whitaker says that some OF the min
listers In the town have warned their
nocks against the Elders and that the
latter were soon TO commence system-
attic tracing" but the results must be
awaited