Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-03
uMoRMoNo SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

The morning papers contain report
OF the union meeting Of sectarian sum
day school workers held on Monday
From both accounts It Is made clear
that one OF the chief features Of the
occasion was an attack on the Nor
mon Sunday schools which are not
excelled By any in this country or ID
Europe. It seems that no gathering oil
so-called Christian professors Is TO
them completely interesting, without
display Of bitterness and the fulmin-
alton OF some falsehoods against the
Latter-day Saints. or "Mormons'" as
they are called by their opponents The
Herald report says
The feature Of yesterdays sessions OF
the Sunday school rally OF the state
association az the Y NJ. G. A. was
spirited discussion OF the influence Of
MormOnlsm upon the UNCONVENTIONAL
work among the young The subject
was brought up by the Rev. T. 5.
Lewis. L. D.. OF Columbus, O., one OF
the visiting clergymen. He asked as
10 the influence OF what he called this
allen faith" upon the work, and several
undertook 10 give the correct answer
The Rev. Hugh McCreery was the
first 10 attempt 10 shed some light upon
the subject. lie said that he couldn't
explain the influence but could Illus
trate II BY a story. The story, summed
up was that one OF the denomlnational
Sunday school teachers asked one OF
her pupils who was the only perfect
man that ever lived, and the answer
was Joseph Smith. This, Mr. Nc
Creery contended, showed how the
children were influenced by their sur
roundlngs and by their piaymatcs
Professor Gillian OF the High school
presented "a similar view, and told an
other anecdote. IL was 10 the effect
that his little l0.year-old boy had asked
him II chat man over there really has
three wives" Said Mr.. Gillian ITS
a bad atmosphere. want 10 save my
family from It, but don't know what
to do"
The Tribune account OF the same
meeting contains the following;
After considering several questions
which were presented by the various
workers, Or. Lewis asked for ex-
Dresslons OF opinion as TO whether on
not there We're any peculiarities pre-
scented 70 the workers here which did
not have TO be met By workers In 9TH
or States owing 10 the presence Of the
Mormon element Rev. Hugh Nc
Creepy Rev. Il. c. Hunt and Mr. GILL;
Ian expressed the opinion that there
We're. Mr.. McCreery said there We're
ten thousand Mormon children in Utah
who were not trained 70 recognize the
spirituality Of Christ; that Is. II asked.
they would name Joseph Smith as the
only man who had lived without sim
ming Mr. Gillian thought there was
q certain atmosphere which could not
be seen but could be felt and which
was not desirable in which to raise the
children Of Christian parents Rev
Mr. Hunt expressed similar Views
Mr.. Axton cited the fact that the
Mormon Sunday schools are In a thriy-
ing condition; that there are ten OF
their Sunday schools In this city which
have an average attendance above that
OF the largest Sunday school Of the
Gontlles, and he saw a condition which
upon his hearers 20 search out the best
methods 10 meet Il.
Both papers state that MT Thomas
Weir objected to this railing against
the Mormons." and thought that instead
Of maguifying the evils among them
the 'slns Of the GentIlcs" ought to re-
ceive attention. He further asserted
that Statistics showed a higher per-
centage Of Christians among the Indl-
ans OF North America than among the
whites Of the Western States" After
this It Is asserted "the subject OF Nor
monism was dropped" Mr. Weirs re-
marks acted as a sort Of stopper 10 the
flow Of Onu-"Mormon' gall
The Latter-day Saints VIII readily
perceive the direct falsehood Of the as
sertions made by the Rev(0 gentlemen.
who seem so Jealous Of the prosperity Of
Mormon" Sunday schools But per-
sons unacQuainted with the faith OF
The people everywhere spoken against"
may not be able TO see through the dust
raised by pious Sunday school workers
and many win doubtless be deceived
by the untruths they so unblushIngly
told on Monday. IL is on their account
that We give some attention to the SUBJ
ject and present a few facts for general
consideration.
First as 90 the personal character OF