Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-23
ELDERS IN GERMANY.


There is no need of any unnecessary
alarm over the missionary situation in
Germany. From the letter to President
Joseph F.. Smith, written by President
Thos. e. Mckay OF the Swiss and Ger
man mission, on the last OF MAY. as
quoted in the News" or Friday. we
gather that the President of the Mis-
sion had called a conference Of Elders
TO meet In Berlin. after consultation
with the police authorities The let
ter does not state what the Anal an
swer Of the chief Of police was. but
from the fact that confidence WINS
actually called IL would seem safe tn
infer that President Mckay mad reason
TO believe that Il would not be inter-
fered with. According to the Berlin
dispatch the missionaries had assem-
hled from various parts OF Germany
and were holding services when a DO
lice agent appeared and dissolved the
meeting, whereupon other police agents
took the foreigners into custody and
later arranged for their expulsion from
Germany. While this action Of the po-
lice prevents the missionaries that were
expelled from travelling in Germany, and
more especially in Prussia. II does not
prevent the German Saints from meet
ing, as they have done hitherto. and
listening 10 their own Elders. or from
worshipping in their own assemblies.
And our belief is that the intolerance
which was shown on this occasion,
probably at the instigation of some
Demetrius whose trade seemed to be
in danger, will result in benefit to the
mission, by calling TO the attention
OF the German people again the Church
that, like the Church of the first cen
turtles. is everywhere the object Of at
tacks OF the adversary. Many Ger
mans, we believe. who have not cared
for the Gospel. will be led to investi-
gate by that action of the police, and
when the honest in heart investigate
they will see the truth and believe.
Sometimes 1t does not take very much
to be expelled from Germany As we
remember It. many years ago an emil
nent Danish writer was expelled from
Germany because he had made an I'M
complimentary remark about the VEN
cradle old Emperor, william der Crosse,
whose portrait he happened to see in
a shop window. Somebody had heard
him and reported him and he was
forthwith invited to leave.
In the case OF the Iatter-day Saint
Elders we have an impression that the
erroneous notion prevails In German
government circles, that they come to
Germany TO preach emigration and
thereby deprive the army OF valuable
recruits. and the Fatherland Of trained
defenders. But that Is an error. our |
Elders do not urge anybody to emf |
CRATE. In the early days OF Utah, when |
the question was OF settling the region. |
was preached and desirable |
immigrants were aided to come. but
this Is no longer the case. The saints
abroad are told not to give up good
positions but to stay and strengthen
The branches to which they belong.
rhey are not dissuaded from emigrat
ng II they make up their minds to do
%. but emigration is no part OF the
preaching OF the Elders This is a
act that the authorities may ascer-
ain, II they are willing to do so.
Nor is II true. as sometimes stated
Ibroad. on the authority OF anti-"Mor-
non" defamers at home. that tho
,hurch is PROSECUTING preferably among
women. for immoral purposes. This in
amy can easily be exploded from the
immigrant statistics which show that
smaller number OF women than men
generally come 10 Utah in the COM
anies consisting OF Latter-day Saints.
Germany IS a great empire. II is one
{ the standard bearers OF civilization
4 the world. But II has not yet OBJ
aimed the measure OF religious liberty
needs. Germany Is the homo OF a
pernicious school OF Bible
riticism that. In its ultimate conse-
ueuces, threatens TO reduce The refor-