The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-12-01
ADDRESS ON
THE MORMONS
Rev. DR.. 7. P. IIIiff Spoke to a
Large Gathering Here.

Large UdLIlcflng mere.
Methodist Church Well Filled to
Hear Truths from the Lips of One
Who Has Spent Years as Mis-
sionary Among Mormons History
of the Strange ReIigion-Speaker
Does Not Think Roberts VIII be
Seated.
Iarge audience was present at the
Methodist Church Wednesday evening
to hear the Rev. 7. P Iliff speak on
the Mormon situation and the seating
of Congressman-elect Roberts, of
Utah. The speaker is superintendent
of the Methodist missions in Utah
and Wyoming 'and was at one
time pastor of the Methodist Church
of Salt Lake City. He is thoroughly
conversant with the Mormon situa-
tion and being an earnest speaker
impressed his hearers with the need
of mission work among this deluded
people.
The speaker said that on Monday
next the Fifty sixth Congress will
assemble and will then decide whether
an avowed polygamist shall have a
seat in that body. After the election
of Roberts, the ministers of Utah met
and after prayerful and careful
thought decided that they should
make known to the country at large
their objections to lawbreaker serv-
ing as the States representative DIR.
Iliff was chosen chairman and since
accepting the trust has travelled
90, 900 miles and spoken in twenty
different States.
DR.. Iliff gave a very interesting ac-
count of the inception of Mormonism
and its history, from which few
facts may be stated here. Joseph
Smith, who was born in Vermont in
1906, was the founder of this fanatical
creed. He removed to Palmyra, N. Y.
when quite young. In 1880 he told a
story of an angel appearing to him on
"a hill and revealing to him a new
religion Three years later with a
number of followers he went to Ohio,
and two years after this, to jackson
| County, Missouri. Converts were
made and in 1888 this queer sect re
q.
turned to the western part of Illinois.
Such were their practices then thai
the people arose in opposition. Smith
proposed to make war on the people
of Illinois. In the meantime Smith
and his brother were placed in Jail.
The building was surrounded by a
mob, who broke down the doors and
killed the two prisoners. At the
death of Smith, Brigham Young be-
came the leader of Mormonism. In
1847 he left the banks of the Missouri
river and moved westward. making a
camp on the site of the present Metho-
dist Church in Salt Lake City.
Fanaticism and powerful organiza-
tion are the characteristics of Nor
monism. Today it's believers are
200, 900 strong They have isolated
themselves to practice alone. 1t was
not until 1882 that Brigham Young
proclaimed the duty of man as re-
vealed to Joseph Smith
Mormonism implies belief in the
/
right to appoint kings, queens, presi-
dents, and governors by their church.
This, of course, is impracticable in a
free country like ours. Their practices
destroy 1, the true spirit of religion
2, the true spirit of the home, where
one wife and only one queen can
reign; 3, the true spirit of liberty
obedience to country and flag; A, the
true idea of education as indicated
by our great public school system.
The speaker maintained that the
election of Brigham e. Roberts had
been a menace to these essentials to
our government. He believed that
Congress would refuse to seat the
polygamist
Rev. DIR. J. M. Buckley spoke brief
ly, but in an interesting vein on the
subject of Mormonism.