| Show NEW CHURCH it is being dedicated in southern editor enquirer ST joans stafford co kansas sept 7 1895 today is the day appointed at this place for the dedication of a neat church built by the latter day saints aided by the good citizens of st john a neat country town of stafford county we are indebted to a bighearted virginian who donated several lots to the mormon church on which to build the good citizens on short notice also clubbed together and paid for moving a wooden church which was purchased by the latter day saints it now stands in the middle of the town on an eminence with its tall spire vane and belfry it appears to good advantage and is the pride of the people of this town arriving here at 1210 we took rooms at the hotel from whence we were taken oy our generous host and hostess the virginians who are not latter day saints but with many leading men of the town are very favorably inclined to just and liberal principles and say that ministers who lay off their coats and work as do the mormon boys and preach without money and price shall have their support aa the citizens have with liberality aided to erect this nice church our elders offered to furnish the paint to re paint the methodist church provided the minister would with his own hand assist to paint the church which is said io be inferior in beauty to the mormon church but tha minister refused and said his church should with open doors oppose the wicked cormons mormons Mor mons who are impostors the church an bounced last sabbath that their church would close their doors for the unusual dedication of a mormon church and in mass attend mormon services the newspaper of the town published a very favorable notice and the town and country around are looking for something extra from the utah elders who hold conference here three or four clays in the new church after a large priesthood meeting represented by about 25 elders from oklahoma indian territory and utah was held in the evening next day the mormon church bell called together a full houses attended by merchants and citizens of the town as an opening for the coming conference the choir composed of over 20 elders accompanied by an organ made the new church resound wibb parts president baker of this branch once a Bieker reported on the building of the church after which elder edward stevenson and president kimball of the indian territory mission addressed the very attentive audience announcing noun cing tho program for the dedication and conference and an illustrated lecture the next night the leading men of the town are talking of opening the pavilion for the evening lecture as they say the church will be too small for the occasion will have more to say hereafter |
