Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-26


TO the Editor:
Being interested In retaining the fair
reputation which the Moimons IN
Sanpete county nave always sustained
as a most peaceaDIe as Weh as Irugal
ana industrious people in their daily
habits and pursuits, / ask for space IN
your Nuuaole paper fOr The following
absolutely true statements with re-
gard 10 the keV Dr. MC.dillans ex-
peuence In Epnralm, where / was re-
siding at the tlms, when, according 10
MS sianderOus reports, he was IN sucn
great danger that ne mad " have
pistol In one hand while at the same
time he held the Bible IA the other as
he was preaching 10 The citizens OF the
burgh, 1 vas present there, when he
held his meeting IN the first ward
BchoOlhouse, which was Mormon"
property and is so set.
lie had the use Of the house, free
of charge by courtesy Of President
Canute petersen, who at that time was
Bishop Of Ephraim. Bishop Peterson
was also present at that meeting, to-
gether with small number OF other
members Of the Church, nearly all
Scandinayians No pisto, was on hand
or needed by the reverend wOuld.be
hero and he was even there and then
getting some OF our people to assist him
IA singing from his own hymn books,
which he distributed among the audi
ence. Not a word OF opposition or any
thing else that could be construed as
a mark OF unfriendliness towards him
personally was exhibited By any one,
but quiet submission to his sermon.
characterized that meeting like many
other meetings OF similar nature that
have been held since that time. The
people recognized in his sermon the old
Lutheran way OF preaching. which they
had heard in native lands, and from
which they turned to accept the true
Gospel under the Priesthood Of God.
Curiosity more than any other motive
had, no doubt, brought this audience
together, especially for the benefit OF
the young people. who had not been
trained In the sectarian ways Of re-
lIglous worship and preaching, and for
this reason preachers OF sectarian de-
nominations have always been cour-
teOusly treated, and our houses Of wor-
ship rendered them, nearly always free
Of charge,
mere - uiUAiNi ifNNlNhh sAihbNANA
who may at this time come In for a
share In the glory attending exposed
yillihers and hypOcrites; for II is not
the Presbyterian clergy alone, who pro-
duce those who love and make lie"
other sectarlan clergymen have done
their share as well, and among that
class the Methodists are In the front
ranks.
Last Saturday, May iG, Norwegian
gentleman called at this office, being
directed by Elder Joseph II, Felt. The
visitor, Mr.. J., was on his way TO
California from Chicago, where is his
home and family, and he came to this
office TO learn, II possible, OF the where
abouts Of some friend or relative VINO
had left his native city, Kongsberg IN
Norway. many years ago. Not being
able to furnish him the desired lniorma-
ton. he soon turned the conversation
upon other matters In connection with
"Mormonlsm' and the 'Mormons ana
particularly was he DESTROYS to learn
some of the dangers supposed 10 exist
In Utah. TO apostates and others, such
as he had heard Of In the east. Thus
was brought TO light the existence IN
our midst Of another hypocrltlcal VIM
fer, and a Norwegian minister at that.
viz. the Reverend DR.. Peter Hoel
(Franklln).
NV gentleman visitor told me that he
had heard Mr. Franklin state 10
Methodist audience In Chicagoto when
this gentleman belonged, that ne
tFranklin) had himself heard leading
speaker in the Tabernacle In salt Lake
City. say that mo one tof the Saints
needed to take any notice or be alarmed
II they should happen. to hear screams
outside their houses, or they some day
might come across dog carrying q
limb or the head Of a human being Tor
that was the way the "Mormons sott
rid Of anostates and their enemies.
asked the gentleman II he really could
believe such story. and how he could
account for Mr.. Frankllns escape al
such time and yet be present mere 10
Utah. travelling and doing business IN
molested with the very people, that ne
has 80 maliciously slandered2 MY VISIT
or said. that was, no doubt, because MT
Franklin was not Mormon In tnls'
said |. YOU are greatly mistaken ior
Mr.. Franklin had been Mormon
and II Is said he had even been
Mormon missionary IN Scandinavia
while the late President Canute Peter
son presided there.
This was indeed a surprise to my VS.
tor. and brought him TO think con-
sIderably about the reliability or such
hostile reports so extravagantY CIR
culated about the 'Mormons by the
so-called ministers Of the Gospel VINO
are united upon this one thing only,
that Of fehtlng "Mormonism' which Is
only a mlsnemer Tor the true Gosoel OF
cbrist-and doing so by the most VII
ful Misrepresentation that could be
hotched out In the abode Of the con-
demned under Luclfer's own suueINi-
sion. c. G. A. CHRISTENSEN.
p. s.-Peter Hoe (FanklIn) was bap-
tlzed In Christiania, Norway Aug ID,
$50. by Elder Nlels Edlefsen, late OF
Logan. Utah. g. g. a. =.