Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-01
M0RM0NISM A LIVELY
THEME IN NEW ZEALAND

Nelson, New Zealand, Nov. 10. 1903
Recently Mormonlsm has been the
cause of a great deal of excitement in
the little town of Picton. New Zealand.
Some time ago the Rev. ]. Dickson. a
Presbyterian minister, made a SANDER
Gus attack on Mormonism in q sermon
TO the Maoris at Waikawa Pa. A re-
port of the sermon appeared in the
local paper and. in due course, fell
into the hands of some Of the Mormon
Maorls. Just about this time President
George Bowles arrived In this district
on his tour of the South Island dis
tricts. He was shown the article and
decided to hold q public meeting in
Picton and refute the charges made
against Mormonism and give Il cor
rect exposition of the doctrines of the
Church of Jesus Christ OF Latterday
Saints. A hall was engaged and the
meeting was advertised by press
notices and a house to house canvass.
At the appointed time a good sized
audience assembled and after the usual
opening exercises President Bowles took
the platform and successfully refuted
the charges made by Rev. Dickson In
his sermon at the Pa. To use the
word Of the Press: President
Bowles is a fluent speaker and must be
given the credit of handling his sub
ject in a mastery manner" Towards
the close of his address President
Bowles quoted the following from the
Rev. Dickson'S sermon IN regard to
the Mormons: What will you do with
them 2-don't break the law, but stand
up for your insulted wives, sisters and
daughters etc, and said that such
language coming from a supposed
Christian teacher, did not eXemplify the
spirit OF Christianity and that 1t was
the wives, sisters and daughters Of the
Mormons who had been insulted. After
the meeting questions were asked by
various persons in the audience to
which the president replied in a salts
factory manner. President Bowles then
thanked the people for their attentive
hearing and "one of the most unique
and interesting meetings ever held In
Plcton came to n close half an hour
before midnight"
However, Mormonism was not drop
ped, for weeks after the meeting the
correspondence column of the paper
was full of comments on the question
of the ay''-Mormonlsm. Both sides
were taken up but the articles were
signed under u nom de plume few
extracts from some of the articles
will not be amiss.
"Without entering into the merits or
demerlts of Mormonism I feel confident
in stating that every unprejudlced
witness VIII assert that Elder Bowles
conducted himself in q courteous and
gentlemanly manner throughout-never
once STOPPING to Vituperation or abuse.
To merely state that the Rev. Mr..
Dickson did not rise to this dignity
would be to pay him an eXtravagant
compliment. His conduct showed no
pretense to courtesy or even to fair
ness" Another: ". My blood boiled
at the gross ignorance displayed in
some of the reyerend's remarks, and
the insulting epithets thrown out by
a Christian 60 I'm so called Christian
community You say the Mormons live
on the Maoris- l say your ministers
live on the white people. You say
this Is free country and yet ministers
of religion would prostitute their calling
by bounding down a brother who hap
pens to enter. into competition with
them" These comments were not
written by MormonS but by residents
OF Picton
Rev. Dickson Ghrough the Press)
invited some Maori Mormons to call at
the manse Three of our Maori breth-
rem accepted his invitation and for
four hours they discussed the subject
of Mormonism but the Rev. gentle
man could not get the best OF them,
whom he terms poor. simple-minded
Maoris."
The people of Picton were desirous
that President Bowles come over again
and hold another meeting so We ar
ranged for the town hall and the presi-
dent came over. over 200 assembled
In the hall and after the opening ex-
erciso President Bowles read an ac-
count of the former meeting as pub
lished In The Outlook. the official or
gan of the Presbyterian church In New
Zealand, and asked those present who
were In attendance at the former meet
ing II it was n fair criticism. After
dealing with the article in detail and
calling attention to its Inconsistencies.
he delivered a powerful discourse on
the principles OF the gospel and asked
the audience II there was anything un-
scriptural in these doctrines. AT the
conclusion of his remarks the meeting
was thrown open to. questions which
the president clcyerly answered. Rev.
Dickson asked few questions but the
president was too much for him and
turned the laugh on Dickson and the
crowd yelled, "Sit down Dickson-give
us rest"
The next day Mormonism was the
main topic of conversation in the
homes, In the shops. and on the street
The president visited several of the
prominent men OF the town and fur
ther explained the claims of the Latter
day Saints. while the writer had dis
cussion on the street with the Baptist |