The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-21
NORMAN ASSEMBLY
AT TUSCALOOSA
Latter Day Saints Trying TO
Make Converts.
ATTENDANCE RATHER GOOD
Elder Rich of Chattanooga Explains
Belief of His People-The Case
OF Congressman-Elect
Roberts of Utah
ATTENDANCE RATHER GOOD

Tuscaloosa, November 20.-(Special.)-
assemblies of all descriptions, but yester-
day saw the first convention of Mormons
that has been known in the history of the
town. What induced the Latter Day Saints
to select the conservative old City of Oaks
as the scene of their meeting is not known,
but on Saturday they began to arrive in
of their arrival was that none of them came
on tradns nor in vehicles, but all walked
in from different directions, having come
through the country, where they have been
engaged in evangelical work. Their meet
ings were held in the opera house and have
been characterized by speeches of resent
ment against those opposed to their re-
ligion.
The Tuscaloosa Times Saturday afternoon
made the following comment
"They will not have very large audiences
here, for our people are not given to ex-
tending helping hand to persons engaged.
in work that Us in violation of the laws
of God and the laws of great country and
is menace to good society, good morals
and common decency."
This aroused the ire of the elders and
they paid their respects to the Times, and
also to Mayor Jemison.
The central figure in this coterie Of Nor
mon elders was Elder Rich, of Chatta-
nooga, who has the supervision of the
evangelical work in the southern field. He
was the principal speaker at the three SER
vices held Sunday. The services in the
morning and afternoon were not very
largely attended, but in the evening, Elder
Rich having announced that he would en-
deavor to en1ghten the people upon the
doctrines of the Mormons, a number of
citizens were present.
Elder Rich is a we'll informed, intelligent
and forceful speaker. His cry throughout
his talks was persecution" and his object
seemed to be to arouse the thy of the
people That which was Of most interest to
his audience was his comments, or rather
arguments, in favor of polygamy He said:
"Our ancestors, the first followers of
Joseph Smith and Brigham Young were
firm believers In the practice of the form
of marriage known to the world as poly
gamy. They believed that this right was
given them by the Bible They were taught
that Abraham of old was known as Gods
friend, and he had more than one wife,
They were taught that David was man
after Gods own heart. and David was
polygamist. King Solomon, who was so
favored of God, was the child of poly
gamist and had numerous wives himself
They were taught that Christ was a lineal
descendant of these people and they could
not believe that God would permit his only
son to come into the world through impure
sources"
mons from the founding of their church to
the present day; told of the legal contest
and the final defeat of their cause. He
compared their conflict with the govern
ment and their defeat to the confederate
cause in the civil war. He stated that when
the laws of the country said that there
should be no more polygamy that they ac-
quiesced, but he did not say that they were
not as firm believers in their religion as
ever, despite the fact that they were not
allowed by the laws of the land to practice
1T.
In referring to the Roberts case he said
that the question of seating Roberts was
one that the democratic party and Roberts
would have to settle.