The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-07-06
The Success Achieved in the Conversion
of the Protestants to the
Catholic Faith
Controversy With Mormon Elder on the
Sin of Polygamy as Proven
From the Bible.

suffering. With n look Of deep SYM
pathy on his face he drew out Il flask
and said: "NIy friend, YOU are suffer-
ing; little Of this will do you good
Now, there, said my genial lawyer
that is what l call true religion, and
that is the difference between the
Catholic religion and the others.
There was no pretense or cant about
this priest. He didn't come there
among the wounded with Il lot of
put-up talk and tracts about religion,
hut he came there in a true spirit of
charity to relieve and comfort the
wounded in soul and body, and he
brought that whiskcy to the wounded
because he knew that it would bring
| relief to them. The action and con-
duct of that priest made me reflect on
the difference between the Catholic re-
liglon and others, and my after obser-
vation and reasoning has confirmed
me in the belief that If there is any
true religion OH earth it is the Catho-
lic."
Father Payne in Virginia encounter
cd Mormon elder with whom he had
Il controversy. The Mormon defied
Father Payne to show him where in
the Bible polygamy is a sin. The mis-
sionary cited the following passages:
"From the beginning Of the creation
God made them male and female. For
this cause man shall leave his father
and mother, and shall cleave to his
wife. And the two shall be in one
flesh. Therefore, now. they are not
two but one flesh. What therefore
God hath joined together let not man
put nsunder." (St. Mark, x. 6-9)
"Whosoevcr shall put away his wife
and marry another committeth adul-
terry" (St. Mark, x, ii.)
"You see that the Bible plainly
teaches that marriage admits of only
two parties to the contract, the two
shall be in one f1esh,' one condemns
man having more than one wife when
it declares 'whosoever shall put away
his wife and marry another, commit
teth adultery Pologamy is not only
an outrageous violation Of the most
sacred of Christ's teachings, but 1t is
crime against the laws of the land
and penitentiary offense."
After coming down from the pulpit,
the elder, who had been refused per-
mission to preach in this church, rose
up in the pew and said: II wish to de-
fend my religion; a Mormon does not
put away his wife when he takes an.
other; he keeps her at home"
object: "Why the very act of con-
tracing marriage with another is put
ting away the wife for the time being,
for Christian marriage admits Of but
two parties: The two shall be in one
flesh'-the two, not three, or four, or
more"
To this the elder did not attempt to
reply; but, ignoring the Bible altogeth-
er, he turned off into long rigmarole
about the Mormon prophet, Joseph
Smith, his wonderful revelations, and
the spread Of his teachings. till the
audience, tired out with his long.
harangue, got up and left the church
unceremoniously.
After the meeting broke up crowd
gathered around me expressing their
approval. One old farmer grasped me
by the hand and said: "Well, Brother
Payne, you have done a service to the
church down here; you showed pretty
plainly that the Scripture is point
blank against the Mormons. Our min
listers around here were afraid to
tackle those elders; they seemed to be
too smart for any of them"
The next evening the Mormons were
not in evidence; the report reached us
that they had left the neighborhood
the following day,
Rev. Thomas F. Price, our mission
ary In North Carolina. gave IA mis-
sions. attending which were eco peo-
ple-535 of whom were mont Catholics.
He received II converts and placed
1923 under instruction h.