Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-25
MRS. BLAIR EXPLAINS.

Eastern papers nave nad mucB 10 say
lbout the alleged dlscourtesy Of 'Mor-
mon" missionaries in attending and
speaking at a Christian Endeavor
meeting. 1t is all on account Of the con-
version Of two prominent ladies to
"Mormonlsm."
There is, Of course, not the slightest
ground for the complaint. as is made
very plain by Mrs. Blair, the former
president Of the Endeayor society, and
the lady at whose invitation the mis-
slonaries appeared at the meeting. Mrs
Blair in an interview with New York
Evening sun reporter made this state
ment, which appeared in the Sun Of
the 18th Of this month;
The Mormons refuse to allow o mar
rled woman to join their Church by
baptism without the full consent Of her
husband, Now, what other church does
that2 Doesn't that show what kind Of
people they are? My husband knows
how | feel. but | have not yet secured
his consent to being baptized, and |
can't be baptized until | do, To be sure,
am us much Of n Mormon In my be-
lief ag Miss Dickinson. | am also a
Christian. for the MOrmony are Chris
tlans, although ministers who don't
know anything about them say they
ere not-that they are heathens. AS to
the story about trying TO break up that
society meeting, most Of II is false
The lady further explained how she
became convinced Of the truth Of "Mor-
monlsm" and came to go TO Mr., Sever
aEces meeting She and Miss Dickln-
son, az president and secretary Of the
Christian Endeavor Society, had sold
tickets for a church entertainment to
the missionaries. Their money was as
good as any one else's. she said, and
Mr.. Severance had been glad to get II.
Then she said she thought It her duty
to look after the "Mormons" at the en-
tertalnment and introduced them 10 the
pastor. she continues her statement;
"A few days after that. after ! had
sent IN my resignation, Mr.. Severance
came here and asked me what meant
10 take up Mormonism. ! asked him
how Il differed from what there was In
the Bible Instead Of taking the Bible
and showing me, II he could, he did not
reply with a single argument, but said
tnat any one who would read Mormon
literature and listen TO their mission"
aries had sunk to the level Of heathen-
ism. That was the way he tried TO bring
back his lambs, mind you. orr object
In going to his church was to give our
testimony that we were believers In
Christ and in the Bible. We went be-
cause that night We had no church OF
our own to 90 to- IL wasn't a night
for one Of our meetings. Mr. Sever
ance In the opening prayer told every
one we were Mormons. | gave my tes-
tlmony that the Gospel was true, and
they said afterward that i was q
smooth talker.
ELDER Neff, he's one OF the Mormons
got permission 10 speak. He said he
believed every word Of the Bible and
IN Christ. There was no disturbance
but afterward some OF the people came
10 US and asked how we, Mohamme-
dams. as one called us, dared TO speak
| said that we were not Mohammedans
but that we were Christians, that We
had as much right TO speak there as
Presbyterian.
why aid leave the church for Nor.
monism? We'll. in the first place,
have always thought baptism by i'm
mersion was the only true kind. Ther
believed In latter-day revelation
which ls the cornerstone OF the Mormon
faith What God did once he must d.
always. Why did He reveal Himsel
Ia pentle in the old Testament anC
wis does He not do It now2 But III
does reveal Himself now TO the head o
HIS Church"
Mrs. Blair further said emphatically
Most OF Mr.. severance's statement
and his account OF that meeting ar
lies. The Mormons are perfect chris
tian gentlemen and they are a goo
deal nearer heaven perhaps than ne IS
The assertion that the Latter-da
Saints are Christians seems 10 hay
Initiated some Of the Reverend gentle
men of the Bronx district and one q
them took occasion TO say, through Oh
sun reporter. that they are not. Their
are others who would like TO see tha
opinion prevail II may therefore 3
we'll 90 point out that this question
as carly as 1854. was considered b
The swiss government and decided, q
far as an official decision on such
question can he had, in the affirma
tive. The following document is sell
explanatory:
.Rerne, the 2Srd OF April. 1865.
1.-THE Department OF the Interior
the Swiss Confederation.
80 the Swiss Federal Council,
"The question:
Whether the Mormons are to be az
knowiedged az a Christian sect or no
has Teen transmitted by the Federi
council to tne Department OF the II
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