The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-11-03
CONNECTS DEFEND MORMON CHAPLAIN


convention has been so misinformeC
in regard to Mr.. Huff's work at the
penitentiary.
They declare that they have re-
ceived from his sermons only the
word of God, and have seen no act
: performed by him that was not the
act of a christian; also that if re-
formation in the future continues to
increase at the rate that it has in
the last six months a record will be
made that the state can well feel
proud of.
Would Appreciate Baptist Sermon.
In conclusion the prisoners state:
Since Chaplain Huff has been in
stalled here he has vacated the pull
pit for various different denomina-
tons. We understand that this in
vitation is open for any who wish 10
come, and if Baptist sermon is so
much better than those which we
have been receiving we are surprised
that the pastors of that denomination
should so far forget us as not 10
even offer us a sample"
While the Rev Mr.. Huff declines
to discuss the resolution, he is per-
fectly willing to explain and defend
his faith. He insists that he is not
"MormCn," as the public accepts
the term, but is a member of the
ReOrganized Church of Jesus Christ
Of the Latter Day Saints. However,
he accepts the Book of Mormon. Po-
lygamy, he declares, is utterly at
variance with the teachings of his
church. The section of the Book of
Mormon which sanctions polygamy
is, he asserts, considered by the mem
bers of the church to which Mr.. Huff
belongs, to be the Interpretation OF
Brigham Young, and fraudulent.
In slang phrases the members of
the Utah church which sanctions po-
lygamy are often called Brigham
Iites," while the members of the Re-
organized church are called Joseph
ties" because of their adherence to
the homogeneous doctrines of Joseph
Smith The Rev. Mr.. Huff asserts
that he belongs to the latter sect.
breaches From New Testament.
When asked how the beliefs of his
church differed from those of the
more prominent churches of Nebras-
ka, Mr.. HUFF replied:
"Our teachings are not much diff
ferent. In the pulpit we use the
King James version of the Bible, not
the Book of Mormon. The Book of
Mormon refers to the history of a
people in a different time and in a
different part of the world from that
which the Bible treats of. We be-
lieve in and we teach the New Tesla
ment."
James Huff was born in 1916 in
Ontario, Canada. His father died in
his infancy, and he was reared by
his Quaker mother. Although he
used the manners and the speech Of
the Quakers he was an infdel, and
declared that his beliefs were like
those of Robert Ingersoll until 1887,
when he Joined the Reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter
Day Saints, Shortly after he united
with the church he began to preach,
and one of the churches that he or
gained in Omaha now numbers
about 525 members.
Defends Book of Mormon.
In speaking of the Book of Nor
mon, which the Rev Mr.. Huff cham
pions, he said:
II think that science confirms the
truth of the Book of Mormon. If
one is disposed not to believe it he
must needs have a hard time dis
proving it. The book is inspired.
But there are many things that re-
suit from inspiration. / believe that
the men who drafted the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitu-
ton were inspired Inspiration from
God does not necessarily relate to re-
ligious matters"
1t is curious fact that the head
of the reorganized church and the
head of the Utah church should both
be named Joseph Smith The heads
of these two opposing churches are
cousins, but it is the boast of the
members of the reorganized church
that not one of the descendants Of
the first Joseph Smith, who was the
founder of their church, has ever
Joined the polygamous Utah branch.
My child was burned terribly
about the face neck and chact