The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-15
MORMONS GIVEN
THE GLAD HAND
PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER WELL
COMES THEM TO ALBERTA.
Attacks on Mormonism Said to Have
Been Discouraged by Those in Au-
thority-Mormons known to Have
Plural Wives Maintain Establish
ments Across the Border.
Special to The Journal.

Raymond. Alb. Aug. 1s.-An Incl
throws a peculiar light on the atti-
tude of the Presbyterian church to-
wards Mormonism. For some time
there has been a concerted agitation
among the Canadian religious bodies
against Mormon immigration to
southern Alberta, and last winter,
among those who represented these
settlements as hostile to the public
schools and a refuge for polygamists.
was Rev. Mr.. Mcqueen, the Presby-
terian minister at Edmonton. Nc
Queen has since been silent, and it
was said that his course had not been
approved by his colleagues Of the
ministry.
This week an excursion from Idaho
and Utah brought over two hundred
Mormons, who are seeking invest
ment in Canada. They were given a
house, and Rev. Charles McKillap, the
Presbyterian minister of the only
Gentle church in town, made a
speech. He is we'll known thruout
Canada and is moderator Of his
church in southern Alberta. He said
in part:
Offers an Asylum.
AS citizen of Raymond am pleased
to add to the words Of welcome extended
to you You will not find here fine build
ings nor palatial homes but many warm
hearts. While there can be no contest
here this evening between Americans and
Canadians, may say that listened here
the other day to the eloquent address de-
livered by B. S. Young on the pioneers
| who founded Utah in tears and in blood.
appreciated that this was a hardy, a vir-
tuous and al industrious people.
I am sure Utah does not begrudge us
the men who have come from there to
help us build up this country and we are
pleased to have them. We admire the
| United States as a nation of free people;
we are proud to think we have here even
greater civil and religious liberty. We
persesute no one here for believing what
they think right.
My blood boiled within me the other
day as the story was told how these
people were prosecuted for what they be-
lieved to be right. I would impress upon
| all that we have good laws and that they
are well observed.
| The speech greatly pleased the
| Mormons, inasmuch as there had just
been received here the report of a
speech made before the w. G. T. U.
by Miss Phelps of ST. Catherine, Ont,
in which she openly charged that the
! Mormons Of southern Alberta prac-
ticed polyganly.
The mounted police officers are in
clined to be on the side Of Miss
| Phelps. Many Mormon dignitaries
known to have plural wives have es-
/ Establishments here and are continu.
! ally going in and out of the country
Plural wives likewise travel in mys-
terious manner and sometimes under
assumed names. There is no doub1
that the rank and file of the saints
are willing to facilitate their move.
ments. The task of making out con.
i viction, however, is particularly diff.
i ficult.
i BY the laws Of the United States
Mormons have only one legal wife
A Mormon living with any Of thu
plural wives in Canada would only
be guilty of adultery or unlawful CO.
habitation. Then the proof Of these
marriages Is in the United States, anG
the Canadian police must depend
J upon voluntary witnesses,
Mounted Police After Evidence.
The police has been informed
however, that Mormons living II
Canada have recently gone to tn
temple in Salt Lake to enter into plu
raj marriage, and upon these suspi
cions 1t is now working with a deter
mination to make an example.
3 The excursionists from Idaho an
!. Utah find the country much bette
after a dry season than they had ex
. pected, and there is every prospec
| that the Mormon immigration will
continue.
The officials of the saints here den.
that it Is contemplated to establish
Mormon colony near Conrad, Mont.