RLDS History
Volume 4
Chapter 35
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1889
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ON the first Sunday in January, 1889, a house of worship, recently erected in Davis City, Iowa, was first opened for services, Elder Henry A. Stebbin preaching the opening sermon.
January 6 a debate was commenced at Wheelers Grove, Iowa, between Elder Henry Kemp and Major Howe, of the Adventist Church. The question discussed was what is known as the soul question, Elder Howe contending that the spirit of man was unconscious after death. Subsequently Elder W. E. Peak discussed the same question with Elder Howe at the same place.
About this time a movement was made to build a college at Lamoni, Iowa. The first thought was to organize a joint-stock company for this purpose, with a capital stock of about fifty thousand dollars or more. Later E. L. Kelley, at the instance of President Smith, Bishop George A. Blakeslee, and others, prepared articles of association which were published. in the Herald for January 12. The Board of Trade of Lamoni, Iowa, had recently taken some action in
regard to the matter, and had appointed a committee consisting of Joseph Smith, David Dancer, George A. Blakeslee, W. W. Blair, and D. F. Nicholson, to procure the publication of said articles of incorporation, and take steps to procure subscriptions for the erection of a college in Lamoni. The matter was widely advertised and subscription lists were circulated and letters sent by the committee to different parts of the country. But this did not meet with sufficient encouragement and the plan to build the college by a joint-stock company was abandoned.
Commencing on January 18 in Bandera County, Texas, a debate of ten two-hour sessions was held between Elder J. A. Currie, Jr., and Elder Banta, of the Christadelphian Church, Mr. Banta affirming that the breath of man is the spirit and the only spirit of man, and the breath and body are soul.
On January 21 Elder M. R. Scott wrote from Byrneville, Indiana, giving an account of a peculiar experience. While assembled for meeting a card was handed him reading as follows:
"Mr. M. R. Scott, I am going to send you these cards until the white caps take you out and beat all the hide off of your back. If they don't I will address the next one in their name. You are a thief and a dead beat."
Another card was handed him reading as follows: "You are hereby notified to stop your services immediately, without any hesitation whatever. We have endured your conduct as long as we can. Take fair warning and walk out of this house right now, or take what will certainly follow if you do not. By order of the community."
No attention was paid to these warnings, nor was there any attempt to execute the threats.
On February 6 Elder Levi Phelps wrote from Bayport, Michigan, giving an account of an interruption at Caseyville, Michigan. He says:
While I was baptizing there the people were very disorderly, and the language used by both men and women would truly astonish you. On last Wednesday morning we had a confirmation and testimony-meeting, and the Spirit was with us in power, and by
prophecy we were warned that persecution was coming upon us. On the evening of that day I was preaching in Bro. James Burwell's house, and when I had spoken about fifteen minutes there came crashing through the window where I stood an iron of two or three pounds weight. It was undoubtedly intended for me, as I stood in front of the window, and about two and a half feet from it, and the party that threw the missile was near enough to remove a wire screen from the window before he threw it. There was a light curtain before it but not sufficient to prevent the iron performing the mission upon which it was sent, but the Lord's power was manifested and it dropped to the floor between me and the window. In a few minutes I succeeded in getting the people seated again and finished my discourse, while two or three of our brethren officiated as guards outside.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 36, p. 184.
Cooks Point Branch, Texas, was organized February 19, 1889, in Burleson County, Texas, by Elder E. W. Nunley, who was chosen president; T. L. Veal, clerk.
In the latter part of February a discussion was held in Boston, Massachusetts, between Elder E. L. Kelley and a Mr. F. C. Whitehead of the Christadelphians. The subjects were the state of the dead and the kingdom of heaven.
On February 22 Elder J. J. Cornish wrote from Brinton, Michigan, that he had just closed a discussion with Elder A. Weeks of the Seventh-day Adventists. This discussion was on the subject of the Sabbath.
February 22 Elder J. W. Wight wrote from North Forster, New South Wales. He paid the following tribute to Elder Glaud Rodger and the Saints in Australia:
Poor Bro. Rodger! What he went through in this land for the sake of truth would make a chapter. The way he toiled in a strange land and met some of the worst persecutions ever known, would bring tears from the eyes of all who might read. Loved be his memory and rest his reward! From time to time have the tears sprung forth as I have heard what he had to meet with; and when Sr. Marriott told how she first met him, and knew him by having known him in her youth, it laid bare the floodgates of grief and I could but wish that when my time shall come to pass from this life, I may have done as well as he.
As to the work here, I have hopes of but fair progress. As to the Saints, in the main they are as grand as can be found; and as to our length of stay, we do not see how it can be more than the three years. But should the Lord say "stay," we will do so.
Some time in the last part of February Elder Frank Hackett organized the Evergreen Branch, at Valley Junction, Wisconsin. He baptized nine at the same place just before the organization.
On February 17 Elder T. W. Smith and wife left Australia and returned to Papeete, Tahiti, where they arrived on March 12. While in Australia Elder Smith visited all the local organizations, setting them in order with the assistance of Elders Joseph F. Burton, J. W. Wight, and C. A. Butterworth.
March 18 Elder D. S. Crawley, writing from Weir, Kansas, reports a twelve-night debate with a Mr. Thomas Williams, a Christadelphian, on the subjects of the Book of Mormon, conscious condition of the dead, laying on of hands, perpetuity of spiritual gifts, and the kingdom of God.
March 19 Elder Banta, counselor to Bishop Blakeslee, died at Lamoni, Iowa. Elder Banta had filled several important positions in the church. In Johnson County, Indiana, where he formerly resided, he filled the positions at different times of auditor and representative; he also served one term in the legislature of Iowa, representing Decatur County.
At the March district conference of the Decatur District, held at Lamoni, Iowa, the Sunday-school Association of that district was organized. J. A. Gunsolley was elected superintendent, H. A. Stebbins assistant, R. S. Salyards secretary and treasurer.
The sisters of the church were at this time meeting in different localities, the movement being known as the Prayer Union. President Joseph Smith was asked to state through the Herald his views regarding it, and responded as follows:
It by no means follows that because Bro. Joseph does not mention a thing that is being done by the Saints in the different branches that he is opposed to that thing, or does not approve or sanction it.
It is practically none of Bro. Joseph's business whether the sisters do or do not meet at stated times, agreed on among themselves, for the purpose of prayer for a given object, or for a season of spiritual communion
and enjoyment in spiritual exercises. Or, if they choose, to engage in sewing rags, cutting and making quilts, carpets, or whatever in their judgment may be advisable to be done to aid in charitable purposes. What business has Bro. Joseph or any other elder or member to interfere with any laudable enterprise or commendable labor which the mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters of the church may choose to engage in?
Our opinion is that Dorcas Societies, Mite Associations, and Prayer Unions are laudable and permissible associations; and stand to the sisters of the church in the relation that business-meetings, quorum associations, and priesthood councils do to the brothers. If the latter are warped from their legitimate purpose to cabals, story-telling bouts, or schools for wrangling and back-biting, they become useless and bad; and the same is true, if the sisters' associations are permitted to interfere with other legitimate duties of the wives and mothers, or if in them the sisters attempt to interfere with branch or church work that belong to the elders; in such cases wrong and bad work are sure to follow. Conducted for the purpose of its institution the Prayer Union, or Prayer League of the sisters is productive of good, and fathers, husbands, and brothers should not only be willing that their women folks should attend these stated meetings, but should help to so arrange home affairs that such attendance would not do harm or make neglect.-The Saints' Herald, vol. 36, p. 209.
The annual conference for 1889 met at St. Joseph, Missouri. President Joseph Smith being absent, President W. W. Blair presided over the conference, assisted by Elders A. H. Smith and M. H. Forscutt. Elders H. A. Stebbins, F. M. Sheehy, and T. W. Williams acted as secretaries.
The following ministers were present at the conference and reported labor done: W. W. Blair, A. H. Smith, J. H. Lake, W. H. Kelley, J. R. Lambert, E. C. Briggs, J. W. Gillen, G. T. Griffiths, Joseph Luff, Charles Derry, Mark H. Forscutt, H. A. Stebbins, E. C. Brand, R. J. Anthony, M. T. Short, I. N. Roberts, J. F. McDowell, J. H. Thomas, Duncan Campbell, Columbus Scott, I. N. White, F. M. Sheehy, A. J. Moore, J. S. Roth, Henry Kemp, R. C. Evans, H. O. Smith, W. E. Peak, M. M. Turpen, J. Arthur Davies, H. N. Hansen, M. H. Bond, W. T. Bozarth, W. J. Smith, W. R. Rumel, R. M. Elvin, J. J. Cornish, E. D. Bennett, J. D. Bennett, Henry Grim, W. S. Pender, R. Etzenhouser, Hiram Rathbun, E. L. Kelley, H. C. Bronson, C. E. Butterworth, John Hawley, E. E. Wheeler, James McKiernan.
The following ministers not present reported by letter: T. W. Smith,
Heman C. Smith, James Caffall, J. C. Crabb, R. C. Elvin, C. G. Lanphear, J. T. Davies, J. F. Burton, H. H. Robinson, A. H. Parsons, E. A. Davies, L. R. Devore, J. Alfred Davies, Peter Anderson, T. J. Beatty, John Smith, O. B. Thomas, J. W. Wight, Arthur Leverton, Thomas Matthews, James Moler, E. M. Wildermuth, J. B. Lytle, Thomas Daly, Thomas Taylor, William Newton, J. Armstrong, J. H. Condit, J. H. Lawn, W. M. Gibson, Andrew Barr, J. R. Evans, Thomas Wellington, James Brown, Albert Haws, F. M. Cooper, Samuel Brown, Levi Phelps, Edward DeLong, D. L. Shinn, U. W. Greene, James A. McIntosh, S. W. L. Scott, Stephen Maloney, J. S. Goodrich, Emsley Curtis, G. E. Deuel, V. D. Baggerly, J. A. Wedlock, James Thomas, Thomas Whiting, J. A. Currie, Jr., J. R. Johnson, A. J. Cato.
The Church Recorder's report showed a net gain of 1,485 for the year, with Alabama, Florida, Eastern Maine, Massachusetts, Nodaway District, and Society Islands not reported.
The Board of Publication submitted a financial report showing a net gain of $3,220.90.
The editor of music reported, and the report was referred to a committee composed of J. T. Kinneman, E. L. Kelley, and W. H. Garrett; this committee reported recommending that the work be referred to the Board of Publication. Subsequently the Board of Publication decided to publish a book which has since been published and known as The Saints' Harmony. A brief account of this movement is as follows:
In 1871 M. H. Forscutt, Norman W. Smith, David H. Smith, J. A. Scott, John T. Kinneman, William Roberts, and Phineas Cadwell, were appointed a committee on music. In 1873 M. H. Forscutt was released on account of being on a mission in Europe, and James McKiernan was added. In 1874 James McKiernan was released on his request and J. V. Roberts appointed to fill the vacancy. In 1875 M. H. Forscutt was again added to the committee. This whole committee was released in 1876 and a new committee appointed consisting of M. H. Forscutt, N. W. Smith, and J. T. Kinneman. At the spring conference of 1878 the work of this committee was turned over to the Bishop. At the fall conference of the
same year a committee consisting of D. H. Bays, T. W. Chatburn, and C. M. Wilder, was appointed to examine the music that had been collated. The report was referred to the Board of Publication. Sherman I. Smith was added to the committee. Subsequently M. H. Forscutt was appointed music editor, and the music was prepared for publication. It was finally published and placed on sale in the summer of 1889.
The Bishop's report showed total collections, $40,970.41; total expenditures, $44,808.07. This report was referred to a committee, composed of J. A. Robinson, C. A. Beebe, Frank Criley. The committee reported finding the accounts correct.
The matters deferred from the conference of the previous year, namely, the ordination of high priests and the epistle of the Twelve, were taken up and after considerable discussion were again postponed.
R. J. Anthony was ordained a president of Seventy.
The usual reports of quorums were read showing the following changes:
The name of Ebenezer Robinson was dropped from the records of the Quorum of High Priests on account of his having been expelled from the church, and the nomination of W. C. Cadwell presented at the previous conference was withdrawn.
The First Quorum of Elders reported having lost by death J. R. Badham, Elijah Banta, S. F. Walker, and having added to their quorum to fill vacancies Robert McKenzie, Fred Peterson, Henry Broadway, Samuel Ackerley, C. W. Hawkins, Edward Rannie.
The Second Quorum of Elders reported that they had not sustained Stephen Maloney as president and had released F. C. Warnky as secretary. William Chambers was chosen president of the quorum, with Joshua Armstrong and G. W. Shute as counselors, and Joseph Seddon was elected secretary. W. S. Pender, Joseph Seddon, D. M. Rudd were added to the quorum to fill vacancies. The conference approved of the ordinations recommended, and authorized the Quorum of Twelve to ordain, which was done.
The Fourth Quorum of Elders reported that they had
not sustained J. D. Flanders as president; that they had dropped for sufficient cause Elias Land, O. E. Cleveland, and to fill vacancies had received W. S. Montgomery, J. J. Cornish. Hiram Rathbun had been chosen president, J. J. Cornish counselor. These ordinations were also approved and referred to the Twelve.
The Fifth Quorum of Elders reported having dropped the names of Dan Davis, J. A. Gerrard, H. S. Gill, N. N. Hazelton, J. D. Jones, W. D. Kelley, William Morris, William Waterman, Thomas Galley for not reporting, and having expelled N. A. Baker for conduct unworthy of the fellowship of the Saints or ministers. They had received into their quorum A. E. Mortimer, D. E. Hough, John Shields, E. D. Bennett, Edward DeLong, Nicholas Rumel, Joseph Whitaker, Henry Grim, J. C. Chrestensen, and Thomas Wellington. They also reported the death of Henry Hinderks of their number.
The First Quorum of Priests reported having lost Edward Rannie by ordination to the office of elder, and choosing C. R. Duncan in his stead.
The Second Quorum of Priests reported having received to fill vacancies L. W. Powell, Parley Batten, and Alexander D. Greer.
On the nomination of the Bishop, E. L. Kelley and Robert Winning were placed on the Board of Publication to fill vacancies occasioned by the death of Elijah Banta and the resignation of Phineas Cadwell.
A complaint having been presented to the conference to the effect that the Gallands Grove Branch on the account of difficulties existing had persistently refused to grant a letter of removal to D. H. Bays, the matter was referred to a committee consisting of R. M. Elvin, I. N. White, and James McKiernan. The committee subsequently reported recommending that the Gallands Grove Branch be directed to grant said letter, and in case of refusal that the branch stand under censure. The conference in considering this report struck out the recommendation of censure and inserted in lieu thereof a provision that if the branch refused to grant letter that the church secretary be authorized to grant said
letter. In its amended form it was adopted. The branch still refused, and for some reason the Church Secretary never issued the letter, and Elder D. H. Bays stood in that relation for years after.
The Quorum of Twelve made the following report on missions, which was adopted:
A. H. Smith, Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dakota, and Manitoba, in charge. John H. Lake, Canada, in charge. W. H. Kelley, New England States, New York, New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick added, in charge. James Caffall, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico, in charge. Joseph Luff, Missouri and Kansas, in charge. James W. Gillen, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana, Eastern Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, in charge. Heman C. Smith, Pacific Slope, comprising California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington Territory, in charge. Edmund C. Briggs and Gomer T. Griffiths associated, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Michigan and Indiana, in charge. Joseph R. Lambert, Iowa and Missouri, in charge as his wisdom dictates and his health permits. Thomas W. Smith, released from Australia and continued in charge of Society Islands, with Sandwich Islands added. J. W. Wight, Australia and New Zealand, in charge. J. F. Burton, California. R. J. Anthony, Rocky Mountain Mission, in charge. Thomas Daly, Northern California District and Nevada. H. H. Robinson, Kansas and Missouri Mission. Duncan Campbell, Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri. E. C. Brand, Kansas. John T. Davies, Wales, in charge. John C. Foss, Eastern Mission. Columbus Scott, Michigan and Indiana. Willard J. Smith, Michigan, Northern Indiana, and Western Canada. A. H. Parsons, Eastern Mission. John Thomas, Kentucky and Tennessee. M. H. Bond, Eastern Mission. James Moler, field under Brn. Briggs and Griffiths. I. N. White, Kansas and Missouri. I. M. Smith, Southern Illinois. George H. Hilliard, Southern Illinois for six months. F. M. Sheehy, Eastern Mission. I. N. Roberts, Eastern Missouri and Arkansas. T. J. Beatty,
field under Brn. Briggs and Griffiths. L. R. Devore, field under Brn. Briggs and Griffiths. R. C. Evans, Canada. Peter Anderson, Rocky Mountain Mission. J. C. Clapp, Rocky Mountain Mission. H. N. Hansen, Pottawattamie District. Henry Kemp, Pottawattamie and Fremont Districts. J. F. McDowell, Little Sioux District. James McKiernan, Des Moines District. A. J. Moore, Nodaway and Fremont Districts. J. S. Roth, Eastern Iowa and Des Moines Districts. W. M. Rumel, Nebraska. M. T. Short, Wisconsin. John Smith, Eastern Mission. W. E. Peak, field under A. H. Smith. M. M. Turpen, Iowa and Northern Missouri. J. A. Carpenter, Northern Michigan. Thomas Matthews, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Thomas E. Jenkins, Wales. Arthur Loverton, Canada. C. H. Jones, Decatur and Nodaway Districts. W. T. Bozarth, Des Moines District and Northwestern Missouri. Thomas Taylor, in charge of English Mission. J. Arthur Davies, field under A. H. Smith. George W. Shute, Kansas. R. Etzenhouser, field under J. W. Gillen. M. R. Scott, field under J. W. Gillen. James A. McIntosh, Canada. V. D. Baggerly, field under J. W. Gillen. T. J. Martin, field under A. H. Smith. D. L. Shinn, field under Brn. Briggs and Griffiths. D. S. Crawley, Kansas and Missouri. John Shields, Canada. P. B. Seaton, Kentucky and Tennessee. Alfred White, Independence District. Emsley Curtis, Independence District. Thomas Whiting, Eastern Mission. William H. Griffin, Kentucky and Tennessee. Samuel Brown, Canada. U. W. Greene, Eastern Mission. Lorenzo Powell, Pittsburg [Pittsburgh] and Kirtland District. T. W. Williams, Pittsburg [Pittsburgh] and Kirtland. Robert Oehring, field under A. H. Smith. E. Day Bennett, field under A. H. Smith. C. E. Butterworth, Gallands Grove District. David M. Rudd, Gallands Grove District. J. G. Scott, Southern Indiana. S. W. L. Scott, Michigan and Northern Indiana. Thomas Wellington, Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri. J. J. Cornish, Northern Michigan. F. C. Smith, Northern Michigan. J. A. Currie, Jr., Texas. Charles Derry, Little Sioux District. H. A. Stebbins, Decatur District. R. M. Elvin, Nebraska. E. W. Nunley, Texas. J. C. Crabb, Little Sioux District. W. S. Pender,
Wisconsin. Hiram Rathbun, Michigan and Northern Indiana. F. P. Scarcliff, Southeastern Mission. C. R. Duncan, Kansas. J. D. Erwin, Arkansas. G. R. Scogin, Southeastern Mission. R. L. Ware, Central Missouri District. James Brown, West Virginia. Roderick May, Independence District. J. T. Kinneman, Far West District. E. E. Wheeler, Kewanee District. C. A. Butterworth, Australian Mission. James Thomas, Nodaway District. D. S. Mills, California. Daniel Brown, California. James Lawn, California. J. R. Cook, Pacific Slope Mission. William M. Gibson, California. Sidney Wright, California. Albert Haws, field under H. C. Smith. E. A. Stedman, Southern Minnesota. Levi Phelps, Northern Michigan. E. DeLong, Northern Michigan. Swen Swenson, field under Joseph Luff. Charles H. Porter, Nebraska. Henry Grim, Texas. Arthur Mortimer, Canada. H. O. Smith, Pottawattamie and Little Sioux Districts. F. M. Cooper, field under A. H. Smith.
On October 6 Elder David Wildermuth, who was one of the charter members of the Reorganization, and who figured conspicuously in the movement to reorganize, died at his home, Willow, Richland County, Wisconsin.
Elder V. D. Baggerly, writing from West Fork, Indiana, reported having closed a debate with Elder Terry of the Christian order on April 7.
In the General Conference of the Utah church, on April 7, the First Presidency was again reorganized, with Wilford Woodruff president, George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith counselors.
April 7 a discussion began at McVey, Illinois, between Elder George H. Hilliard and Elder Layman of the Christian order. The subjects discussed were the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the origin of the Book of Mormon.
Valley Center Branch, San Diego County, California, was organized April 14, 1889, by Elder William Gibson; Ira Wiemmer president, Rosella Woods secretary.
In Herald for April 27 is found an editorial worthy of preservation. It is as follows:
One of the most effective clogs thrown into the wheels of progress, in any enterprise, business, social, or religious, is distrust. The fear that coördinate branches of the same association are acting unfairly and not in good faith, or are gaining more credit and influence, one more than another, becomes a thorn in the sides of coworkers that rankles and pierces to the great disgust and injury of all. How not to give the adversary the benefit of this coigne of vantage is and should be the active effort of the various coworking branches of every order, and especially the church.
If any one coworker is doing wrong in his office, and knowledge of this wrong comes to other coworkers, the safety of the whole demands that such wrong should be inquired into, if proofs appear to warrant, and if wrong exists the person doing it should be reproved, or excommunicated if the wrong be past redress.
While the foregoing is true, suspected wrong, where proofs do not exist, is productive of evil both to him who is the subject of suspicion and him who suspects; for jealousy and distrust are alike cruel, and torment him who feels them, and injure them against whom they are exercised and allowed to rise.
Honorable minds do not permit the rust of envy and jealousy of compeers and coworkers to gather on the bonds of friendship and association. In their regards all associates stand on the level of equality, the measure of usefulness alone being the measure of preference; integrity and faithfulness the standards of honor, and kindness and courtesy the rule of behavior; while friendship and close personal association are reserved for those whom destiny has thrown, or love drawn together.
Success in our church work requires personal integrity and diligence. Not only this, but it requires that personal effort shall be directed with reference to the work of others in our association, those nearest being first in consideration, those farthest away by no means being forgotten. The mutual interdependence of the great body of workers being founded upon the fidelity with which each one bears his part, in like manner as the strength of a wall or an arch depends upon the integrity of each brick or stone in place and the bond of the cement used in its construction. A pile of bricks or stones loosely thrown together, no care being observed in their respective bearings, with mortar, or cement of sand or clay having no adhesive qualities would be easily shaken to pieces.
Human organizations, depending upon the intelligence and honesty of their integral parts, must also depend largely upon the power of self-adaptation of each member of it. No matter how skillfully the master workman may arrange and place the members, if these, intelligent, displace themselves, failing to keep the integrity of their bond, disunity is sure to result; the difference between the human organization and the wall or arch used as a comparison being that in one the component parts
are inanimate and are solely acted upon, and in the other the members of which it is composed are animate, self-acting, their organization the result of their consent first obtained; without this consent, they can neither become nor continue to be members of the association.
On April 30 the anniversary of the inauguration of President Washington was celebrated at Lamoni, Iowa. Speeches were made by Professor J. A. Gunsolley, Elders E. H. Gurley, J. W. Gillen, and H. A. Stebbins. Of this the editor of the Herald comments as follows:
The times when men were governed without their expressed consent, but at the will of dictators and despots and arrogant priests, were displayed in a manner to "stir a fever of indignation" in the souls of lovers of liberty and equal rights. The golden worth of those who saw and suffered the wrongs of official usurpation and tyranny until, impelled by a mighty, innate sense of inborn right they resisted the evil, and lifted government to its proper plane, was portrayed in patriotic words of cheer and promise. All felt proud of America and her heaven-born institutions, and the day and its exercises served to arouse and intensify the love of God and man and country in both old and young.
Parents, public-spirited people, and those having in charge the education and training of the young, will find no better occasion than the one just past, with which to impress favorably and forcefully the rising generation with noble aspirations and worthy purposes. Men and women who have no heart and give no help in this direction are to be pitied-but not trusted-for they live far beneath the privileges and duties of patriotic citizens.
The Herald for May 4 contained an announcement of a new tract written by President Joseph Smith, entitled, One Wife, or Many? This is a treatise on marriage, ancient and modern, from a scriptural and historical standpoint, and sets forth clearly the position that the people of God have ever occupied upon that subject, showing that monogamy is the only correct theory of marriage, and the only one approved of God.
On May 30 Elder M. T. Short, writing from Beetown, Wisconsin, relates having held a discussion on May 25 with a party who affirmed that liberalism is superior to Christianity.