Show MORMONISM IN CHICAGO we most heartily endorse endor e the plan which is happily becoming popular of writing short letters to the news occasionally casio nally giving particulars of our individual and collective work in localities cali ties in which we labor for by reading of the experiences and success of our companions and co laborers in christ jesus we are mutually benefit ted and encouraged and we congratulate the news that we are enabled through its valuable columns to receive this desirable information inform abion and that the elders and saints throughout the world might also be kept in touch with the progress and development of the great work established in these days by our heavenly father through his prophet joseph smith and those raised up by revelation ton to succeed him in respect to the work in chicago we will say in a general way we are pleased with our success thus far yet a secret something whispers we are strangers here for mormonism and jis is advocates advocat ts are refe received ived with cold indifference as a rule the elders who are placed here to combat the enemy unbelief and who nightly present themselves before a motley congregation as for as religious opinions are concerned to lay down the law and the testimony answer to the roll as follows president of northern illinois conference 1 I M boyer elders john P F F dorin C L chas A haacke jos A hulme christopher burton president of northern states mission louis A kelsch keisch C C and edw P midgley our duties at present consist mainly in visiting from house to house distributing tracts holding gospel conversations with those who feel talkatively inclined and as I 1 have hinted heretofore holding meetings on the principal streets and thoroughfares adjoining the parks in both instances one can find almost any kind of belief one wants and indeed religious religions opinion can be furnished to suit the minds of the most fastidious it is our experience in visiting from house to house seldom to find two who believe alike even those belonging to the same faith in to the ordinance of baptism alone have various opinions one believes in being sprinkled another poured and another asserts that immersion is the only correct form to administer this ordinance and I 1 dare say in this respect chicago is no exception to the general rule for indeed there is much division and discord extant in the world upon religious subjects our open air meetings are as a rule well attended and the best of attention with few exceptions is accorded us the elders occupying the time are usually blessed with the good spirit and as a result of their remarks after the meetings are dismissed we have some warm and spirited conversations often productive of much good in allaying prejudice we do not however invite contention for good seldom if ever comes of contention but we are always ready and willing to answer any reasonable question that might b ta asked 1 at a littlie park known as walto walton i place we have for the past and up to the present time when weather permitted held meetings al most every nigh tand distributed each service considerable aturo dormoy literature we have received the chevers vew best of attention and the elders haac expounded the principles of the ww go to good effect after our meeting the other eveni 40 had been dismissed a gentleman arose azam and in a good natured way endeavored to his best ability to expose the su sut posed origin of the book of mor me moSil t J stating that it originated with tb hiis tiis famous solomon spaulding sto story M and in fact said he with but alterations and additions in it is the story written by sol omon spaulding joe smith aw W g continued just put in a behold I 1 aser ob unto you and a few other like exa pres and named it the booket Boo kot mormon his sarcastic remar remarks pleased the audience immens immensely elyj jute ing from the clapping of hands and andio t ci ferous applause elder boyer af cording to the request of the sp speaker promised that all these objection object io and questions would be answered t following evening and that for satisfaction of the crowd and tor for col carlson a copy of both books would presented for their inspection r done and it indeed was proved ag a wi us to the whole affair immell immella after this meeting one of the I 1 searched out the spaulding sp si and presented him with a voice V warning said here my friend arl something chak will help you f to expose mormonism he ae ai the little book with a smile and thank you and promised that tl would read it mormonism before I 1 and our meetings is 13 discussed and con by men collected gether with little squads some and others against us it is dec amusing at times to stand near by listen to these discussions watch peculiar gestures of the content conten partie sand note their funny con condei tion the following occurred at above park the other evening gentleman who for unknown real was defending the mormons cormons Mor mons by ai ing scripture to sustain his point in to an assertion made by a low squads man who opposed claims was interrogated by the I 1 ter as to what religion he the to toa professed whereupon the defend the faith exclaimed in pierce disgust no religion sir im B bl oh remarked the other youre a mormon A long laugh burst forth from the little ering but we mormons cormons thought s quite a compliment nevertheless our work from july lot to the ent time tallies up as follows families visited and revisited 66 56 lie meetings held 1286 tracts books disposed of and 2 baptisms we are happy to say we are au all both in health and spirits and 1 greeting to all our friends through the world the news included THE CHICAGO ELDERS per edw P |