Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-05

L0tter-day saint, She went 10 meet
lngs. but no one ever shook hands with
her. no one took pains to enquire who
she was. where she was living, where
she came from, or where she was go
Ing. She was looked upon as stran-
ser. ana In turn looked upon others as
strangers, and had not the adaptabilliy
to come into the confidence Of any Lat
ter-day Saint, Hence, she became thor
ougbly discouraged, not to say disgust
ed, and concluded that II his was lh3
reception and treatment she was to re-
celye from the Saints, after having
been turned away hy her friends when
she received the Gospel having Joined
the Church for the love OF lbs prinel-
pies ana having taIth IN rs people Il
this was 10 be the treatment, she want
ed no more Of IT,
IN may be that the young woman In
this really sad case was to blame Tor
not insisting ON being received for not
being independent and taking hold OF
affairs without aid, but an are not con-
sttuted that way are not aggressive,
but Il Is evident there was much fault,
not In our social organization for that
Is well-nigh perfect With our teachers,
and the Priesthood quomms. our ward
improvement, sunday school and wo-
mems associations but In the eXecu-
ton OF rs arrangements IN the per-
fOrmance Of duty by officers and In the
social amenities Of men and women
chosen for this important labor All
that the young woman needed was a
kind work some one 10 say, How do
you do2 What Is your name2 Where
are you liylng2 Are YOU q member OF
the Churchg and upon learning that
she was alone In the city Of salt Lake,
without father mother sister or BROTH
er, friend or acquaintance some one TO
ask her to pay them visit or offer her
some kindness or show some Interest
In her In her lone condition.
"Of course, there are many examples,
where proper action has been taken By
officers Of The Church or rs organlza-
tons to Offset this one case where mat
tention was Shown hut that there
should be oiy neglected person among
this people both needless and wrong
One case ls more than should ever be
found, but ! comprehend that there Is
among NY 100 much indifference to
those around u.s. We rot only neglect
IN this way our neIghbors who are
strangers TO us, but we actually neg
lect, crlmlnally when Il is really con
sldered our own people who should re-
celye some notice and attention from
us.
"Thc city people have become ac-
customed to living near neighbors for
years without assocIatlng together
There are Instances where good people
well acquainted in business and upon
the street have lived nelghbors for
twenty-five or more years, and yet not
invited each other TO their homes, 10
take dinner together nor TO have q So
csl hour or evening, They live so near
each other that they can almost shake
hands. from door TO door yet never
call. nor associate together they are
perfectly exclusive. That is not a wise
nor a good way especially when, as
Latter-day Saints, We should be look
ing after the welfare Of mankind by
preaching the gospel IN word and IN
deed, Would II not be much better II
we arranged little dinner or invited
our neghbor to come and Join us IN
little social to become acquainted and
make him feel we are not strangers 10
him. nor he TO us? And let us remem-
Der the definition which Christ sane
toned Of nelghbor. as well as the re-
qulrement: He that showeth mercy
unto me Is my neighbor and the COM
mandment Is: Thou shalt love thy
neighbor rs myself
Il hope we shall DO better, But there
Ia really little sociablllty among us,
and there IS an excluslyeness that is
not IN keeping with the warmth Of the
gospel, We do not think enough Of
each other; and finally we pass each
other ON the street without the slight
est recognition. We scarcely bow 10 a
brother, unless we are really intimate
with him. That Is not the spirit that
belongs to Mormonism II Is con-
trary TO that friendship and sociabllity
that ought 10 characterize Latter day
Saints. ! believe In the broadcast, most
charitable, the kindest and most loving
spirit that Il is possible for broad
minded and big-souled men to exercise
or to possess; and that this spirit ought
10 be the spirit possessed and difiused
by the Saints everywhere,
let us. then. gather An the honest In
heart and treat them and each other
with the spirit OF warmth and love
Characteristic OF the gospel Then talk
about the unfortunate the drunken,
the weak, the erring no not shun
them. either They ought TO be saved
as well as everybody else; and II 1t Is
possible let us save them. too, as well
as the worthy the good and the pure,
Let us save the sinner and bring him
to a knowledge OF the truth II possible,
"Our Mutual Improvement assoca-
tlons are invited to make q speciality OF
this social work. the bishops should
lend their aid to the officers in select
ing and setting apart capable and ex-
perlenced missionaries, as weN as ward
teachers who should devote heir ener-
giles, among other things TO the deyel-
opment Of a more social spirit among
the people The Indifferent youth as
well as the stranger and the frlendless,
In our midst should be made welcome
at our gatherings and be induced to
feel at home among the people Of God.
a - a 4 l. a