Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-30


not appear. and the conference pre7i-
dent there in Huntington feels tnat
a great deal OF good VIII result n ~
IS placed before the readers OF lnv
"Ncws" II YOU can use this materlhl
in any way. to bo placed in as news
from our mission, we will appreciate
" EASTERN STATES MISSION.
A. b. Andrus. Secy
Under "a big double column heading
The Huntington Dispatch of Jan. 10
give the following details OF the
eviction Of the Mormon elders from
Central City. West Virginia:
rive disconsol8to Mormon elders
walked through "a binding storm on
mingled snow and rain early Hesl.I
ndv morning preferring to face the
flir, of the elements rather than 10
hazard the wrath of Central CITY poo-
pie. ,.,..
"Tho secret orders OF Central cry
held % joint meeting wednesday night
and appointed committee 10 Wall
upon the elders and 10 inform them
tbat if they stayed Sea Central city
theirs would De the conviction that
Central CITY is near step 10 the
more sulphurous regions whore war
guer climate prevails. The committee
found the elders an gathered In one
room of the hotel They have been
CITY. but recently decided that IL would
De safer If they stayed together. The
committee from Central Ciy's trater-
nal orders informed the elders inat
they must plan TO leave town with
out saving gOodby TO their irienua
and proseIvtes The elders demur-
red saving that they had inaugural
I'd widespread campaign for the
winter months. and that Central city
was being used as the base or opeia-
tions for an of their sOcalled, mis-
sionary work through West Virginia.
The members of the committee
suggested that reluctance to comply
might hasten the punishment. might
bring disaster. even that very night
Tho elders gazed upon one another
mournfully. murmured solemly some
thing about And so prosecuted they
the prophets and took up their hats
and ovcrcoats TO depart.
'The people Of Central City have
been scandalized by the way the MOI
mon elders have been carrying on
their work. II was q question as 70
which would act FIRST. the churches
or the fraternal organizations. Inc
secret societies took the Initiative, II
being understood that they were bet
Ter acquainted with the strenuous
methods by which people are made
TO lose their sense of earthly cares
m the contclr .1u OF greater misery
attached 20 his stub Of n tail. and the
victim placed upon his back at the
same moment in which the match Is
applied.
1.-THE elders are understood to have
taken the first train out Of Hunting
ton. their decision being fastened by
rovcrtlv conveyed information that II
they tried to stay here, the local fra
ternal organizations would follow the
precedent taken by their city broth
trs.
"The action taken viii have great
effect la breaking mp the strong hold
Of Mormonism In West Virginia"
Following Is the reply sent 20 the
Dispatch, but which was not published
Editor Huntington Dispatch, Hunting
ton, West Va
Dear Sir. Your morning issue Of Jan.
10 gives an account Of what purportz
20 be am attack on the elders Of the
church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d9y
Saints commonly called Momons and
as coming from Central city. As there
are many inaccurate statements made.
and lu justice 10 the said elders as
also the good people of Central city. We
beg space for reply, and kindly ask
that you give IL the same prominence
given tho said article.
ON Aug. Q, 1907. the head office OF the
South West Virginia conference OF the
Mormon Church was moved from
Charleston 10 the Schneider building iu
Central city. And with the consent o.
The mayor Of the city proselyting be-
gan by distributing tracts and street
preaching. But not being able TO pro-
cure han We made but very little
progress, and no one seemed 10 OPP
pose u.s. We followed the eleventh arr
tlcle Of our faith very closely IL reads:
We claim the privilege of wOrshiping
Almighty God according 20 the die
tates of our conscience and allow am
mon the same privilege let them wor-
ship how, where or what they may"
We looked well after our own business.
attacking no mans religion, but went
from house 20 house preaching Christ
and HIM crucihed putting before tho
people the plan of salvation, using King
James translation OF the Bible for
our guide. We asked no man for money,
believing lu the Injunction or Christ:
"Freely Sc have received. freely give"
Further than that, we went into our
pockets 10 help the poor. We also wise
itcd tho sick bound up the broken
hearted. ana offered our services 90 tho
needy.
We were generally treated with duo
respect only "a few turning his from
their doors Finally opposition arose
through misunderstauding A reverend
gentleman used literature from the
enemy also his pulpit 90 Islander and
abuse our teuots by misstating our be-
lief And ON Sunday. loth at 3 b. m.
held "a meeting ln connection with the
frlternal orders and this meeting mot
beiue "a fair representation OF Central
citD by "a vote decided to hght tho
elders of whom two were lu the city.
an others. rs in number, being out in
other fields
we we've NOT notified by any COM
nitteo but on Monday tho proprietor
SIR schneider kindly asked us 10 ind
other quarters. as he feared trouble.
Being laW-ahidinF ana peaoe-loyng
citizens. Wo consented, and then sent
20 Charleston for our conference prosl-
dent. Io returned Tuesday evening
and ou the following day we moved our
head office 90 Huntington. whore We
arc ready ANA more than willing to
meet aud answer all enquiries.
We 1000 NOT after trouble but are
peace makera. lf as your paper states
the people of Central city have been
Fcaudalizad by the actions of the Nor
mons. we call for evidence. m visiting
fH. .IYE InIrInn fnU MOODY comfort Iun