The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-04-20
GIFT OF TONGUES STARTLES
MEETING.
Lamont Elder Speaks to Latter Day
Saints in Independence,
Mo.

Kansas City, Mo-, April 15.-Elder
j. w. Wight Of Lamont, Iowa, spoke
in tongues Saturday morning at the
Latter Day Saints Conference prayer
meeting in Independence. Three
years ago Elder Wight had the same
gift bestowed upon him, while con-
Quoting a prayer meeting. The gift
of tongues is not unusual among the
Saints, but it generally startles those
not used to this manifestation OF the
spirit.
The manifestation was made early
in the prayer service. The elder arose
near the .rostrum, and with closed
eyes and blanched face, commenced
to utter unintelligible words. Some
thought the elder had suddenly been
taken i'll and wished to make his
hearers understand, but it was all
over in minute" and the babble
which the speaker uttered stopped.
The audience listened intently, for
the greater portion knew that the ell
der had spoken in tongues, and that
an Interpretation would soon be
! forthcoming.
Elder Wight interpreted the mean
ing of his words as soon as he recov-
cred. 'The spirit demands your sa-
cred pledges to the covenant, and out
Of tn: great turmoil and war path
will be made by which the remnant
of Israel will go back to their home
long since promised to Abraham.
| Many of the Latter Day Saints
claim they can trace their ancestry
back to the children of Israel, and
this accounts for the Aaronic priest
hood and various orders in the
church of Israelitish origin. The
book of Mormon was founded on the
finding of the golden plates on the
hill of Cummorah, in New York state,
supposed to be an account OF extinct
races sprung from the children OF
Israel. When Elder Wight gave this
encouraging prophecy Of the spirit
there was JOY among the cOngrega-
ton and there quickly followed other
manifestations of the spirit as vigor-
Ously as the one uttered by Elder
Wight, but they were not in unknown
tongues.
Elder D. Flanders of Stewartville
told of vision he had had about his
departed wife. Mrs. Flanders died,
he said, about two years ago, and one
night recently he was waited by the
spirit up into heaven where his Wife
was staying at beautiful home. He
saw his deceased daughter there and
two children who had passed on about
forty years ago. He talked with his
wife and found she haa been reju-
venated. She was young again and
the roseblooms were in her cheeks. At
the time of her death she was as old
as he was, but up there age made no
difference, and she was young again
and more beautiful than ever he had
seen her in life on this mundane
sphere The vision was listened to
with great attention. Many Of the
older women wept at the narrative
was told, for it appealed to them
strongly.
Sister Eli Hayer of Lamont, Iowa,
said she had a vision fifteen years
ago that Frederick M. Smith would
be appointed to succeed his father.
She remembered the present head
of the church when he called at her
home and ate cherry pie. Frederick,
she said, was attending Graceland
college at the time. Some smiled
and others wept as they remembered
the now vigorous head of the church
in his boyhood days.
President Fred M. Smith is the Of
ficial revelator of the church. His
first revelation was given to the
church at the opening session Thurs
day, when it was given out by the
spirit that it was the will of the Lord
that new bishop be appointed for
the church, naming X. F. Mcclure,
of Brooklyn, New York.
The only vision of revelation which
is binding on the church is given by
the president and this is not &C
cepted as direct from God until the
various quorums have passed upon
it as to it's validity and genuineness.
1t is not often, however, that a rev.
elation from the presidency is turned
down, and if it is, the church seldom
knows of it, for it never gets past the
various quorums. When there is
division in the quorums it is passed
on to the church, where it is either
accepted or rejected as the case may
ho 49,