| Show VIEWS OF A NON MORMON the writer of the following corn com muni cation is not a mormon a fact that adds interest rather than otherwise to his observations farmington new mexico may 25 last saturday I 1 took advantage of the very thoughtful invitation of bmw friend elder john R young of fruit lt land to enjoy the well known hospitality pita lity of the fruitland froitland Fruit land citizens during the conference of the and instant the eminent praed balty of your tenets is undoubtedly shown in the treatment of pe he stranger within your gates this te it from a pleasing experience the village was filled with visitors from mancos bluff and other points of the san juan stake apostle i brigham young and elder halls or at mancos I 1 had met before and those added to my list of valued friends included such genuine whole and enthusiastic members of the church as president hammond orthis of this stake bishop nielson am not sure of that name a prominent man at bluff foremost in all good borica f whether spiritual or tempo raland hale J and hearty at the age of 78 79 and others doing yeoman service in the cause dear to their hearts the crowded state of the meeting suggested the propriety of building a more church aud and commencing the work at once this thia en passant my mind was strongly imbued with certain impressions conveyed by this oon conference elenoe and these very briefly Vs pounded each member of the present on the platform plait torm rose at the request of the president and aad gave eat to 16 his and feeling fee linga har having ving reference to the affairs of the body religious and politic as appealed lv more nearly to his own immediate f there was no hesitation in the per 7 firmance for mance of this duty except perhaps y the natural one of exercising ones y power of oratory before so large sa audience the speeches spee chee were most displaying close knowledge vf or church matters and a deep sense sease ot of responsibility for the promotion sia y general welfare it I allude to the rey marks made by those not holding high positions but merely mero f bers bera this all important fact ln pressed me deeply that there then must b be a careful and unselfish study on oa tax the part of the vast of your paon wi Js pie before the details odthe of the organ teas y tion could become so aay of f mid and their veracity evidently so patent ai to the minds of the speeches eloquent and convincing wt 1 4 delivered by apostle yung the hau brothers the president and comprehensive and able discourse i dealing w with ith subjects affect affecting ift he community both from the plat platforms foll 0 ot church advancement and the mor mor aj and progressive tone of the pec now by way of criticism one ae point 1 A yield readily and that ip the ability of these orators to speak fluently when alien N requested without that preparation too 1 frequently esteemed an accod S 1 necessity to the efforts effort of other terigi workers v 7 one ond discourse in particular by by sf ham young without the BUgh test i 1 I 1 S 1 i preparation held that thronged thron ged room on that hot day in quiet and pleased attention tor for over an hour the subject matter of these addresses was varied suggestion for future effort to be put forth in building up the community the mundane affairs of the people were care carefully full considered everything conducive to their happiness was canvassed at one or two meetings and particular assigned to the discussion of more general topics the bond of unity in the daily life of the citizens was urged that necessary adjunct of brotherly love that absence of local jealousies and slander were insisted upon in fact the idea is that the deity should not be locked up in abe church betge between en rn meetings gettngs but should shed the light ligh t of his divine approval upon the domestic altar and the mart alike education that benign of the mind was carefully conversed upon whilst a particularly able address on the subject of the sunday school work was delivered by mr hiram taylor the sunday school scholars being present the young ladles ladies gave an extremely interesting entertainment able essays recitations and addresses were interspersed with music and singing apart from the recollection of the thoughtful hospitality accorded to me and the mental refreshment received at the meetings there remains the fact that the mormon church has a mission to fulfil fulfill that she has proved that religious faith and temporal progress can and should go hand in hand the sincerity and veracity of the one being the special and right instigator of the other V R N |
