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Show RESENI5 Bl UPON ill CHAPLAINS Bishop David A. Smith Criticizes Objections to Elders in Service. REFERS TO ARTICLES Says Declaration of Faith Is Proof of Devotion to Christianity. ! Elder David A. Smith, second counsellor in the presiding bishopric of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the tabernacle yesterday afternoon, ex- ; pressed a feeling of resentment against ' the ban which he said has been placed j upon Mormon elders who offer their services serv-ices as chaplains in the United States army. Bishop Smith said that in his criticism of objection to Mormons for this class of service he desired to exercise judgment and charity, but that he felt regret that narrowness of mind on the part of the objectors prevented their taking a broader view than they do of what constitutes Christianity. He read the articles or ftith of his church as a preface to his remarks on this subject. "I have received several letters from elders who are beyond the draft age," Bishop Smith said, "or who arenot able to serve in a general military capacity, who have been rejected as chaplains on the ground that thev were not Christian. If adherence to these articles of faith and a belief in Christ and him crucified do not fix a Christian status I am at a loss to understand what is Christianity." laentifies Objectors. "I do not desire to criticize in a spirit of malice." Bishop Smith continued, "but with a feeling of regret that some of my brothers and sisters of the human famllv who are not of my belief have seen fit to designate my people as un-Chrlstjan. If belief that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth upon the lines of organization followed in the original orig-inal church is un-Christian, I don't know what it is to be Christian." In the course of his address Bishop Smith mentioned no names of elders from whom he had received complaint on the ground stated, nor did he mention who the objectors were. At the close of the meeting meet-ing he was asked if, as one instance, he had made reference to the case of Eugene L. Roberts of Provo, instructor and athletic ath-letic coach at the Brigham Young university, uni-versity, recently rejected, after objection to him had been made by representatives of the Y. M. C. A. Bishop Smith said that this was one of the cases to which he had referred in his address, and that there were four others who had also been rejected, after volunteering to serve as chaplains, although he did not mention their names. Three in Service. Bishop Smith said that there are now in the military service of the United States three chaplains of the Mormon faith. These are FJder Brigham H. Roberts Rob-erts of the first council of seventy, who has been statior.ed at Camp Kearny; Elder Calvin S. Smith, who holds no official position in the church, but is a son of the president, and has been stationed at Camp Lewis; Elder Herbert B. Maw of Salt Lake City, who also holds no official position in the organization. Five others who have offered their services, he said, have been rejected on the ground of objection ob-jection by the Y. M. C. A. that they are regarded as tin-Christian. , Elder John Wells, second counsellor in the presiding bishopric, made a brief doctrinal doc-trinal discourse following the address by Bishop Smith. Mrs. Lizzie Thomas Edward, soprano, sang the solo, "Angels Ever Bright and Fair." The clear and sweetly musical voice, discriminative phrasing and clean enunciation, enuncia-tion, fully accounted for the popularity which Mrs. Edward long ago gained, and which continues to hold her in high public favor as a singer. Is Quarterly Conference. Another feature of the afternoon's music mu-sic developed in the unusually excellent contralto voice displayed by Miss Ellen Copening, In her duet with James H. Neilson, tenor, in the anthem, "I Will Arise." Hymns sung were: "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah," and "O Awake, My Slumbering Minstrel." Bishop Arnold G. Giauque uttered the invocation, and Elder E. H. Eardley pronounced pro-nounced the benediction. Yesterday afternoon's meeting was the second in the quarterly conference of the Pioneer stake, President Sylvester Q. Cannon Can-non in charge. At the morning session in the assembly hall, Counsellor Charles H. Hyde reported on the work of auxiliary and other organizations in the stake. The speakers were : Elders David A. Smith and John Wells of the presiding bishopric, bishop-ric, and Elder Charles E. Davey. the newly-appointed bishop of Cannon ward, vice Lewis M. Cannon, resigned to reside re-side in Wasatch county. Last night in the assembly hall the final meeting of the conference was held. Tlie feature was a musical program under the direction of Professor Tracy Y. Cannon, Can-non, with Professor J. J. McClellan at the organ. In the afternoon session at the tabernacle. Professor Edward P. Kimball, Kim-ball, assistant tabernacle organist, was at the console, with Professor A. C. Lund directing the choir. |