The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-10-13
CHURCH LEADERS
REPLY TO CRITICS
SPEAKERS AT CONFERENCE OF
LATTER-pAY SAINTS DEFEND
FELLOW cHURcHMEN
President Smith Says Mormon PeopIe
rave Nothing to Fear So Iona as
They Lead Pure and Righteous
Lives.


the opening session of the eighty.sec-
ond semiannual conference of the
Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, held in this city on October 6.
all made reference to attacks being
made upon the church and its repre.
sentatiVes by would-be critics in diff.
ferent parts Of the world.
The morning session was attended
by a larger crowd than at any semi.
annual conference in recent years.
President Smith was the princinal
speaker at the morning session, de.
voting his remarks to a defense of
the Mormons against the attacks and
scandals that have been waged in
different parts of the world. This de-
tense he accomplished for the most
part by a comparison of the belief of
the Mormon people with that of those
hurting the ISLANDERS. The Mormon
people, he declared, have nothing to
be ashamed of, and nothing to fear in
these attacks so long as they lead
pare and righteous lives and follow
the footsteps Of the Savior. Replying
to the attacks on him personally, he
said he would leave it to the Latter
day Saints to Judge for themselves,
and deffed the world to show where
he had transgressed the laws Of purity
and chastity laid down by God.
In conclusion President Smith re-
ferred to the tabernacle speech of
President Taft. declaring that it was
full Of sentiments that voice the feel
ings Of every true Latter-day Saint
Il indorse." said he, every sentiment
in that great speech on the subject
of Universal Peace"
The music at each session Of the
conference was highly praised by all
in attendance
Apostle Reed Smoct delivered a
forcible sermon at the afternoon ses-
sion. He urged the Mormon people
to guard well their manner of living
that they might stand the test OF the
worlds scrutiny as directed upon
them by the recent slanderous pub
locations in eastern magazines.
The apostle declared that the final
result of the SANDER and falsehood Of
these articles would undoubtedly re-
dound to the good of the Mormon peo-
pie He said he had given the matter
deep study and investigation and he
was convinced that for every 100 I'M
thinking persons who read the arti-
cles and condemned the Mormons at
least fifty intelligent, truth-loVing per
sons had detected the false ring OF
these accusations and consequently
sympathized with the people so ma
ligned.
Other speakers of the afternoon ses-
sion were President John Henry
Smith and Apostle Heber ]. Grant,
President Joseph F. Smith presided.
In his discourse President John
Henry Smith dwelt broadly on the
Mormon doctrine. citing its history
and achievements as proof OF its
geuuineness as the latter-day version
of Christianity. He referred to the
fntolerant attacks against the church
as unbecoming the American people
in that they are a direct violation OF
the spirit of the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence and the spirit Of the Consul
tuition, with its provisions Tor freedom
of speech and worship.
THE Mormon doctrine" he SAID
"came as an essential message to the
human family, which needed again 10
hear the original word of God as
brought to the world in the long ago
nv the Savior. As in the day OF CHRIST
this message had been scoffed at oy
most nj the world. so has the latter
dsv revival of it had to bear the oruht
of misunderstanding and intolerance.
Anostle Grant devoted much OF MS
s,each to the importance OF the Nor
mon missionary work. He SAID that
the church is spending S4V'VU'
n,ortb in the mission fields and has
. o0n missionaries preaching the sos'
mol in all parts of the world. Ina'
poro of these missionaries had ever
returned to announce that they nau
to,,ra a better conception OF sai'a'
zion than that of Mormonlsm' Is
nroos he said. of its supremacy.
He warned the people against the
dangers Of commerctaIism dnI !',ns
tbeiT higher ideals. and he urged tha'
tbow over hold in mind the precep'
If The great Teacher concerning ,ne
tauocv and emptiness of riches 'ha'
i".,, ~ the expense OF the
hirher riches of mind and soul
Second Days Sessions .
Doth sessions of the second day OF
49, Sareral conference were devoted