Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-30
PROBABLY NOT A "MoRMoN.H

A. friend sends us a copy of the
Peoria Herald-Tr Transcript of July e,
containing local item In which the
writer alleges that Mormon" mis-
sionary, forerunner of band"
bearing down upon the city. disturbed
a meeting OF the Salvation Army. by
addressing the crowd after the army"
had left, much to the disgust OF the
people who had assembled to hear
the salvationlst and his followers sing
and talk" Our friend asks us to
offer some comment on the incident,
without further Information Of any
of the particulars. we can only say
that the story appears highly improb-
able Mormon" missionaries are not
In the habit of interrupting the meet
ings of anybody. They are not In the
habit of denouncing any churches, or
religions. Their work is carried on
in humility and due Difference To the
rights and sentiments of their fellows
men, We believe the officers of the
Salvation Army here Will tell all the
world that they are not interfered with
In Utah by any "Mormons.' and II
that is true, how can the statement
in the Peoria paper be credited VIII
the "Mormons' do abroad what they
do not do at home? Mr. Nelson. UNI
til recently the officer in charge of
the work In this City. told the writer
not very long ago, that someone in
city in a neighboring state had de-
livercd lecture against the Nor
mons" whereupon he. Mr.. Nelson, took
occasion to contradict him publicly
and tell him that he either did not
know the Mormons'' or that he will
fully misrepresanted them. That Is
the sentiment of a prominent SAL
yauonst toward the people in Utah.
IL there was disturbance of the meet
ing In Peoria. 1t was not by a Nor
mon'' missionary.
The Peoria story bears the mark
OF falsehood upon its very face 1t
goes on to say that the incident was
made the subject of the sermon of
Baptist preacher who said that he had
Travelled this country over but 1t has
remained for me to witness on the
streets of Peoria yesterday evening
the greatest insult ever offered to n
religious gathering In any civilized
community" Then he detailed now
man claiming to be Mormon
had stepped into the crowd gathered
by the Salvation Army Just as the
Army was leaving the place. and con-
tinued the service, berating the
churches of Peoria and elsewhere in
the strongest language at his COM
mand. Such an insult should not
be tolerated in any community, he
said. 1T Is right up to Peoria to
purge herself of this. and that quick
~"
According to this version, the dis
trrber." whoever he was, stepped be-
fore the crowd after the Salvation
Army meeting was over, when the
leaders of that meeting We're leaving.
And yet the meeting. the report says,
was disturbed. what? After 1t had
been dismissed? And then, the re-
port states that the interruption was
InuSH " WIG ui9sue "a '''S PNNP'N
who had assembled to hear the Sal
yationists sing and talk" Again the
writer seems TO forget that he has stat
ed that the meeting was dismissed be-
fore the intruder appeared upon tho
scene. The story is contradictory in
its details. The Baptist preacher evil
IDENTITY was anxious for some anti
Mormon stuff. and the street in
cident, whatever 1t was. furnished
him the inspiration he was looking for.