£
.R465
1899
fit
BANCROFT LIBRARY
5ALT LAKE CI
MR. DURANT
... OF ...
SALT LAKE CITY
"THAT MORMON"
BY BENlE. RICH
'God attributes to place no sanctity, if none be thither brought
by men who there frequent." — Milton.
Press of
Zion's Printing and Publishing Company
independence, Jackson County, Mo.
f
COPYRIGHTED.
o
^ PREFACE.
•n
When this publication first made its appearance at Salt
• Lake City, Utah, in February, 1893, the Author little dreamed
~* that the information contained in the same would have such a
»jj wide circulation. Thousands of the books and hundreds of
^ thousands of the tracts, entitled : "A Friendly Discussion,"
• taken from this little work, have been circulated throughout
-J America, European countries, and the Islands of the Pacific.
( The tract has not only been printed in the English language,
O but in the German, Scandinavian and also in one or two lan-
-y. guages of the natives of the Isles of the Sea. During the year
Q just closed — 1898 — over seven hundred thousand of these little
j pamphlets have been circulated in the United States alone. If
rj this little book will give the reader a better conception of the
^t Latter-day Saints and their religion, the object in publishing it
£ will have been attained.
The Author.
Chattanooga, Tenn., January, 1899.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
The Old and the New.
The Changes in the Sunny South, since the War. Hospitality of
the Southerner. His Traits of Character. Politics and Religion.
Purpose of the Description 9
CHAPTER II.
A New Arrival in the Town.
The Town of Westminster. Harmony Place, the Hotel of the Mar-
shalls. Guests and their Social Methods. Mr. Charles Durant,
the New Arrival from the West. Introduction to the Family and
Visitors 10
CHAPTER III.
New Acquaintances and an Agreeable Discussion.
An Evening on the Veranda. A Variety of Subjects Discussed. Pol
itics and Religion. Christian America. Do People Practice their
Religious Professions? Priests Addicted to Money-getting rather
than to Soul-getting. The Stranger Interested. Proposed Dis
cussion. Search after Truth. A Quotation from the Prayer Book.
A Difference Concerning the Godhead. Erroneous Conception of
God. Oneness of the Father and the Son. Three Separate Iden
tities, United as One in all Things. Character of Each. A God
with Body, Parts and Passions. Mysteries Explained. "Good
Night." 13
CHAPTER IV.
Gaining and Losing Favor.
Entirely at Home. Another Evening on the Veranda. The Rever
end, the Stranger, and Churches. The Baptism of Christ. Bap
tism by Immersion. Necessity of this Ordinance. The Savior's
Example. Who are True Christians? Laying on of Hands. The
Reverend Retires from the Argument. Continued Discussion.
The Gospel and its Necessity: Men Must Answer for their Own
Sins. The Double Effect of the Atonement of Christ. Conditions
of Salvation. A definition of Faith. First Step Alone is not Suffi
cient for Salvation. Scripture Explained. Romans, Chapter X.
The Stranger's Errand..-.. 20
CHAPTER V.
Further Discussion of the First Principles.
The Second Step that Should be Taken by the Convert to Christian
ity. True Repentance, its End and Aim. Forgiveness of Sin, How
Obtained. Mode, Meaning, and Significance of Baptism. Who
are Fit Candidates for this Ordinance? Little Children Exempt.
What Shall We Do to be Saved? the Answer oi Paul. The Holy
Ghost, How Conferred. The Signs Following. Conditions of Sal
vation named. "Show Me Where True Christians Live." Who is
Authorized to Baptize? The Need of Authorized Officers. A Sign
of the True Church. Teachers Must be Called of God. "The
Falling Away" Foretold. Christians Turned Heathen. The Gos
pel to be Restored. Prophecies Concerning this Event. The Res
toration through Revelation to Man. Promises to the Believer.
A Lecture Arranged for 29
CHAPTER VI.
Truth Again Defeats Falsehood.
A Pleasant Conversation. Missionary Hymn. Perfect Happiness.
True Enjoyment, How Obtained. The Medium Course. Sensible
Christianity. The Reverend Once More. His Peculiar Surprise.
"Are You from Salt Lake City?" The Stranger is a Latter-day
Saint, or Mormon. A Discomfited Minister. Some Falsehoods
Exposed. The Articles of Faith.... 40
CHAPTER VII.
A Triumph and an Escape.
Durant's Experience in Westminster. His Labors. Meeting in the
Town Hall. Sincere Congratulations. Fears of a Mob 47
CHAPTER VIII.
The Prophet Joseph's Statement.
Once More on the Veranda. Answering Questions. Information
from the Right Source. Complete Statement of the Early Rise
and Progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
by the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon. The Testi
mony of Three Witnesses. And also the Testimony of Eight Wit
nesses. Concerning the Restoration of the Gospel. Striking
Illustration. Departure from Westminster 51
CHAPTER IX.
That Mormon Again.
A New Member of the Marshall Family. Meeting an Esteemed
Friend. A Delayed Breakfast. A Promised Return. Anxious to
Meet the Missionary. Effect of the Elder's Testimony. Danger
of being Converted to Mormonism. An Informal Meeting
Place j 70
CHAPTER X.
The Missionary's Return.
Once More with his Friends. Experience While Away. Account of
A Terrible Mobbing. Peculiar Feelings Attending the Formation
of New Friendships. Opportunity to Introduce a New Principle.
The Doctrine of Pre-Existence. A Beautiful Poem. Proofs from
the Scriptures. The Truth is Reasonable. A Walk through the
Village. "The World my Home." i 73
CHAPTER XI.
A Pleasant Interview.
An Evening Gathering. Remarks on the Faith of the Latter-day
Saints. What they Believe. A Literal Resurrection. The Teach
ings of Jesus and the Scriptures on this Subject. Illustrations.
Now Accepted Facts were Once Incomprehensible. Great Truths
yet Unrevealed. The Story of the Silver Cup. Deathbed Repent
ance. The Fepentant Malefactor did not go to Heaven with the
Savior. The Subject Explained. Where and What is Paradise?
Preaching to Departed Spirits. Baptism for the Dead. The
Welding" Link JBetween the Fathers and their Children. Testi
mony ^of a^Prophecy Fulfilled. Organization of the Church of
Christ. The Holy Priesthood. Officers of the Melchizedek and
Aaronic Priesthoods 81
CHAPTER XII.
A Baptism and a Conversation on Marriage.
Importance of Baptism. Necessity of Earnest Preparation. Form
of the Ordinance Given. Quotations Showing the Gathering to be
in Strict Harmony with the Bible. The Marriage Covenant is
Eternal. The Union of Adam and Eve. What is meant by Mar
riage as Ordained of God? Necessity of Authority 95
CHAPTER XIII.
About the Mormons.
A Trip to Utah. Consideration that Led the Mormons to Settle that
Territory. The Death of the Prophet Joseph. How it Occurred.
Its Effect on the Saints. How Brigham Young Became Leader of
the People. The Exodus from Nauvoo. Testimony of Historians.
Goodbye. Off for the West. Arrival in Salt Lake City. A Happy
Meeting. A Doctrinal Sermon 99
CHAPTER XIV.
Mr. Brown's Letter to the Marshalls.
The Great West. Along the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific. By
the Denver & Rio Grande over the Rockies. Scenes Along the
Line. Over the Wasatch into Utah. Delightful Views. Area,
Population and Resources of the State. In Salt Lake City. The
Tabernacle and the Temple. Ecclesiastical Divisions. Natural
Attractions. Education. A Living Faith. Fair Minded People.
Greetings 121
CHAPTER XV.
Conclusion.
A Word Before We Separate. Important Questions. "What if the
Message be True." "Read, Listen, Investigate." "Know this,
that Every Soul is Free"....:.... 127
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
CHAPTER I.
The Old and the New.
There are few if any cities or towns of any consequence in
the vast territory known to poesy as the Sunny South, that do
not speak in every street corner, in almost every building, and
even through the individuals themselves, of the wondrous
changes wrought by the great civil war. Those who knew that
Sunny South before the sanguinary struggle, and have since
looked upon it, will most readily appreciate the force of this
statement; while those who have not seen it, need only be told
that where villages existed then, now thriving towns arise, or
bustling municipalities; elegant mansions have supplanted
log huts or other indifferent abodes of men; the railway has
displaced the stage coach for all time; newspapers abound
where before these were almost unknown, and — greatest boon
of all — the auction block, whereon human merchandise was
publicly vended, exists only as a memory which itself is rapidly
vanishing before the pressure of modern progress and a better
civilization. In one respect at least, however, there has been
little, if any change, and that is in regard to the best feature
of all among the many that are commendable in the true
Southerner — the stranger or wayfarer is received with the
same unaffected hospitality as of yore, and is at liberty, within
reasonable limits, to avail himself of all the conveniences and
enjoyments of whatever home he may find himself the guest.
Notwithstanding their hospitality, the people of the South
are usually disposed to be suspicious of strangers until well ac
quainted with them, and they are overly watchful, jealous
and even irritable when once a real or fancied cause for vigilance
arises. Inheriting traditions and propensities which are in
separable from the climate and the race, they brook no inter
ference with their peculiar views, and anything savoring of
intolerance or bigotry concerning a cherished Southernism is
summarily suppressed if it can be; apart from this, it matters
little what the visitor believes or practices in a general way.
In politics they incline largely one way, possibly for the reason
that to do otherwise would, as they look upon it, threaten
10 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
them with the domination of the black race, and this of all
things they will not have, no matter by what means it is pre
vented. In religion they are Protestant with heavy leaning to
wards the Baptist doctrines, not always free from narrowness,
yet fairly tolerant — many evincing a willingness to listen, and
demanding a right to believe or disbelieve, as their judgment
may dictate.
Those who are unacquainted with the situation would be
inclined to say at this point: "What a great field for missionary
work." And so it is; but the great mistake of supposing that
the South is deficient in the matter of Christian endeavor or
ecclesiastical institutions must not be made. Far from that!
On the contrary, perhaps, religious feeling is more generally
diffused, guarded, and defended as herein expressed, than in
any other section of the civilized world; but it is not of the kind
from which riots and persecutions grow for no other reason
than that it is opposed.
There is much else south of the imaginary dividing line of
North and South that might be spoken of to interest, but which
will not be referred to except incidentally in the succeeding
chapters. What we have said is for the purpose of giving only
so much of a description of the country and people as is necessary
to make our little narrative, the incidents of which are laid there,
more easily understood. As this book deals principally with
actual occurrences, and people in real life, such a foundation
seems to be entirely proper.
CHAPTER II.
A New Arrival in the Town.
A town pleasantly situated in the southwestern part of
Tennessee, the name of which for the present shall be West
minster, was at the time of which we write one of the most
cosmopolitan places imaginable for its size, — that is, for a
southern town. It contained probably two thousand regular
inhabitants, but these were constantly augmented, it being at
times a rallying point for tourists from every clime, and the
temporary abode of men who, in the aggregate, during a season,
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 11
came well-nigh representing every shade of opinion, if not every
phase of character.
A quiet little hotel, or perhaps it would be better to say a
residence, with accommodations for a limited number of guests,
was situated near the outskirts, and so pleasant in all respects
were the location, surroundings and appointments, that its
name, Harmony Place, did not seem at all inappropriate. In
two important respects it was unlike any other hostelry in the
town — there was no bar, and the guests all had a-n air of re
spectability in keeping with the house itself. It was kept by a
planter, in ordinary financial circumstances, whose name was
Marshall; he was assisted in his duties by a colored roustabout
of uncertain ancestry, a circumscribed present, and a future
wholly undefined. Mr. Marshall's wife, and daughter Claire,
did their part by generously entertaining the visitors. There
were at the time of which we write three guests — a lawyer
named Brown, who had established himself at Westminster;
a doctor calling himself Slocum, who was giving the town a
trial with a view to locating in it if the patronage warranted;
and a tourist whose name was given as Reverend Fitzallen,
and whose object seemed to be the pursuit of health, pleasure
and information, and incidentally, the dissemination of the
gospel according to his faith. Naturally, with so limited a circle
of patrons, each having been there for some length of time, the
associations all around were more like those in a family than
such as exist between landlord and guests. An evening in the
parlor with everybody but the Ethiopian present, the daughter
singing to her own accompaniment on the piano, while the
doctor turned the music for her, was often enjoyed, and there
was rarely if ever a discordant circumstance to mar the serenity
of these occasions.
It was early in September, 189 — , the most enjoyable part
of the year in Westminster. A man, who was readily distin
guishable from the town-folk, not only by his strange face but
by his attire, and by that indescribable air which appears the
more plainly the more a stranger tries to discard or conceal it,
made his way leisurely to the gate fronting Harmony Place,
and continued his way up the walk leading to the door. He
was met by Mrs. Marshall and informed, in response to his
inquiry, that he could obtain lodgings there. The colored man
took the guest's valise and led the way to a room on the second
12 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
floor. After washing himself and brushing off the dust from
his clothes, the stranger reappeared in the sitting room, and
taking up a paper awaited the anouncement that refreshments
were ready, which was not long in coming.
^ He was somewhat above medium height, well proportioned,
not unusually well dressed, but still appeared presentable in
good society, and had a countenance which, while not decidedly
handsome, was regular and of that caste which attracts
attention; his voice was quite pleasant, his natural conver
sational faculty proved to be good, and he was so well fortified
with current facts and all the pleasantries of the day, that before
the meal was over he was quite in harmony with the hostess,
who was not only happy to answer any question he asked, but
took advantage of every opportunity to propound queries for
herself. Within an hour from the time of arrival, the new
guest seemed to be nearly as well acquainted as if he had been
an inmate of the house for a month at least. This ability of
rapidly forming acquaintance is very rare; and particularly
in the case of travelers, the absence of which no amount of
money or graces could recompense. Those who possess it do
not need an extended reference to its usefulness to be made
aware thereof , while those who are not in possession of it can
never be made fully to understand its value by means of cold
type and white paper.
The landlady has learned the name of the latest arrival
before the reader has — it is Charles Durant, aged thirty, and he
comes from the West — a rather indefinite abiding place to those
of us who are residents of, or are familiar with, that division
of our country. It is satisfactory, however, to a majority of our
eastern and southern brethren who have never placed feet upon
the shores of the Missouri, or crossed its waters, and who seem
to entertain a vague idea that Westerners all come from one
place, and are all alike in most respects.
Later in the day Durant took a stroll through the suburbs
of the town, and returning was introduced to Mr. Marshall,
to the guests, as they appeared one by one, with all of whom he
was soon on the most cordial terms, and finally to the young
lady, the sole representative on earth of her devoted parents,
who, being twenty years of age, as pretty as a dream, well
formed, and altogether attractive, was not likely to bear their
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 13
name much longer, albeit at this time reveling in "maiden
meditation, fancy free."
It was truly an interesting circle and the interest did not
abate in the least by reason of the latest arrival.
CHAPTER III.
New Acquaintances and an Agreeable Discussion.
The evening of the first day that marked the stranger's
advent into Westminster saw the entire personnel of Harmony
Place on the veranda; the new moon smiling benignly upon
them, the evening was cool and the "ripe harvest of the new-
mown hay" gave to the air a "sweet and wholesome odor."
One subject after another was taken up, discussed and disposed
of, or at least laid aside to give way to some other, and in each
and all of them our hero (for such we may as well commence to
recognize him) took a part, and exhibited a fund of information
and an aptitude of presentation which gave him the preference
without a contest whenever he chose to speak. This became
more and more frequent as the night wore on, for there was no
disguising the fact that he was, like the others, already one of
the household. If any one of the party wondered what it was
that he had come for, how he expected to get it, or how long he
was to stay, the conjecture never found expression; for they all
experienced so much of general satisfaction in hearing him, and
took such genuine pleasure in his word-painting of western
scenes and events, that they were all willing to have him stay
indefinitely. He was literally chosen as one of their number
without opposition, and the mere matters of detail regarding
his purposes might be left to the future or be entirely undis
covered; he was now decidedly the architect of his own fortune
so far as retaining the good will of that little group was con
cerned.
The conversation proceeded from point to point until
the topics of the quiet gathering assumed more the aspect of
an intellectual melange than anything else; the Sepoy rebellion
made way for the Dakota blizzard, the signal failure of the first
laying of the Atlantic cable was shelved to make place for
Webster's artistic destruction of Dr. Parkman, and Crom
14 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
well's career of conquests and crimes was followed by a brief
discussion of the science and practice of silver mining. (Variety
and scope enough, surely!) It must be noticeable that the two
subjects which agitate us nationally and sometimes locally
more than any others — politics and religion — had so far es
caped; they had not, however, been unthought of, and present
ly the latter was begun by the minister saying:
"Representing to some extent as I do, the church, I am com
pelled to admit that in the matters of organization, discipline
and places of worship, America is thoroughly Christianized.
Look at the profusion of church buildings wherever you go.
To me such rivalry is gratifying in the extreme, representing as
it does the highest type of good citizenship."
"I partially concur with you," said the lawyer, "and yet I
belong to no church at all — do not, in fact, endorse Christianity
as a department of civilized life."
"Why, how is this?" said Fitzallen, "I thought nearly
everybody in this country must be orthodox to some extent at
least."
"Not so with me, I assure you," the other replied, "and
the strangest part of it is that my 'peculiar views,' as you may
call them, are not the result of neglect or indifference, but are
rather caused by investigation and the peculiar explanations,
or rather lack of explanations, of those who make the dis
semination of religious views their calling."
"In other words, you are an unbeliever."
"Exactly."
"Not totally, I trust."
"Oh, not necessarily. The creeds which base, or profess to
base, their tenets upon the Bible do not, as it appears to me,
live up to their professions, and the clergy — meaning no offense
whatever — are more addicted to money-getting than to soul-
getting. That there may be salvation and a Supreme Judge Who
provides it, is to me simply like the traditional Scotch verdict —
not proved."
The stranger from the West was listening to all this with
the air of one deeply interested. It was as if an opportunity
which he desired, but had not expressed himself concerning,
had come, and he was not at all reluctant about replying when
questioned as to his own views. It came when the church-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 15
man, after announcing his determination to "labor" with the
infidel, turned to the new-comer and said:
"I do not know whether you would be for or against me in
such a work, but corning from what we of the East are prone to
regard as the land where restraints are not severe, I fear you
might be disposed to assist him rather than me."
"Well, gentlemen," said Durant, "this topic interests me,
and while I and my opinions are unknown to you all, still I
will, if agreeable, endeavor to throw some light upon the sub
ject at present, and will seek to do more in that direction here
after if favored with an opportunity. I am a believer in religion,
laying claim to a testimony from above, and still I often find
myself opposed by ministers; they are generally the very per
sons who are foremost in opposing me on every side, strange to
say."
"I cannot imagine why this should be the case," said
Fitzallen, "if you are, as you state, a true believer in Christ and
have a testimony of Him."
"It may seem strange to you, at which I do not wonder.
But I am afraid I am delaying the work you have planned for
Mr. Brown's welfare. If you will permit me to ask a few ques
tions during your conversation with him, I may be able to
take a general part in it before it closes, provided, however,
that should we differ upon any religious views, it will be a
friendly and pleasant manner."
"Oh, certainly," said the churchman, "I am sure it will
be a pleasure to me to have you join in our conversation as
you see fit, and I do not doubt that Mr. Brown and the other
gentlemen will look upon it in the same way."
The entire party here expressed approval of the proposed
discussion, and the lawyer said:
"I have not the slightest objection, and will be glad to
have all the light possible thrown upon the different doctrinal
points that I do not believe, and mainly because of which I
am not at present a member of any Christian church."
"Then, Mr. Brown," said Fitzallen, "let us commence our
voyage in search of eternal truth. What particular part of the
Christian faith appears to you as being most difficult to under
stand?"
"I confess there are many. However, It us commence
with one of the principles of your 'belief. I will refer to some of
16 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
the literature of the Church of England. The first article of
religion contained in the prayer book of the Church of England:
'There is but one living and true God, everlasting; without
body, parts or passions; of infinite power, wisdom and goodness;
the Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible;
and in the unity of this Godhead there are three persons of one
substance, power and eternity — the Father, Son and the
Holy Ghost.' According to this, then, your belief is that the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one person, without body,
parts or passions."
"You have certainly quoted correctly from the prayer
book; I fail to see anything wrong with that. What fault have
you to find with it?"
"None whatever if you really believe it, because there does
not seem to me much variance in our conclusion if you believe
in such a God as this; I can not conceive of a just God who has
neither body, parts or passions. So far as the Bible is concerned,
I fail to see from what part of that book you obtain such a con
clusion."
"Well, Mr. Brown, using your own language, 'so far as the
Bible is concerned,' let us do as Isaiah commands, go 'to the law
and to the testimony' (Isaiah viii:20), and I will soon convince
you that the Bible plainly sets forth the fact that the Father and
the Son are one. In fact, Jesus Himself declares that He and
His Father are one. (John x:30. ) Is this not true?"
"Excuse me," said Durant, "but is it not more reasonable
for us to believe He meant that He and His Father were united
in all things as one person? — not that they were actually one
and the same identity?"
"Certainly not," said the reverend, "our Savior meant
just what He said when He declared that He and His Father
were one."
"I must certainly differ from you," said the stranger, "for
He also asked His Father to make His disciples one, even as He
and the Father were one, as you will see by reference to John
xvii:20 and 21, and by your argument it must have been His
wish for those disciples to lose their separate and distinct identi
ties. I am afraid you are not making a very favorable impression
on Mr. Brown's mind."
"Stranger," said Mr. Brown, "your view of the case, I must
confess, appears to_be very reasonable. Looking at it from any
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 17
other standpoint would not be in accord with sound reason."
"Let me ask," said the preacher, "did not Jesus say, 'He
that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father?' " (John xiv:9. )
"Yes," said the westerner, "for as Paul says, He was in
the express image of His (Father's) person (Heb. i:3), and
this being the case Jesus might well give them to understand
that when they had seen one they had seen the other. When
Jesus went out to pray, He said, 'O, my Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will but as
Thou wilt.' (Matt. xxvi:39.) Now then, to whom was our
Savior praying? Was He asking a favor of Himself?"
"Oh, no: He was then praying to the Holy Spirit."
"Oh, then by such admission you have separated one of the
three from Jesus, for in the beginning you declared that the
three were one; and now that we have one of the three separated
from the others, let us see if we can separate the other two.
In order to do this, I refer you to the account of the martyrdom
of Stephen. While being stoned to death he looked up to heaven
and saw the glory of God, and that Jesus was standing on the
right hand of God. (Acts vii:55.) Would it not be rather dif
ficult for any person to stand on the right hand of himself?
And in order to prove further that Jesus is a separate person
from the Father, we will examine into the account of His
baptism. On coming up out of the water, what was it that
lighted upon Him in the form of a dove?" (Matt. iii:16.)
"We are told it was the Spirit of God."
"Exactly! And whose voice was it that spoke from the
heavens, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased?' (Matt. iii:17.) Now, mind you, there was Jesus, who
had just been raised from the water, being one person, the Holy
Ghost which descended from above and rested upon Him in the
form of a dove, making two personages; and does not the idea
strike you very forcibly that the voice from heaven belonged to a
third person? And then, again, I will draw your attention to —
The churchman was getting warmed up. Said he: "These
are things which we are not expected to understand; and, my
young friend, I would advise you to drop such foolish ideas,
for—"
"Excuse me. Did you say 'foolish ideas'? Why, my dear
•ir, w« are told in the Bible that, 'This is life eternal, that they
might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
18 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Thou hast sent.' (John xvii:3). Therefore, it should be our first
duty to find out the character and being of God. You say we
are not expected to understand these things, while the Bible
says these are what we must understand if we desire eternal
life. It also says we can understand the things of man by the
spirit of man, but to understand the things of God we must have
the Spirit of God; and as you profess to be one of His servants,
you are supposed to be in possession of the necessary Spirit
to understand the true and living God, also Jesus Christ whom
He sent. You say God has no body; did our Savior have one?
If so, then His Father had one, for I have just proved by the
words of Paul that Christ was in the express image of His
person. (Heb. 1:3.) Jesus appeared in the midst of His dis
ciples after His resurrection, with a body of flesh and bones,
and called upon His disciples to satisfy themselves on this
point by touching Him; for, says He, 'a spirit hath not flesh
and bones as ye see me have.' (Luke xxiv:39.) Then He called
for something to eat and He did eat (verses 42, 43,) and with
this body of flesh and bones He ascended into heaven and stood,
as Stephen says, on the right hand of God. (Acts vii:55.)
Now, if He has no body, what became of the one He took away
with Him?"
"This is nonsense! you know that God is a spirit, and I
think we would better not delve too deeply into matters which
we are not permitted to comprehend."
'Tray, listen a while longer, for I have yet more to say in
regard to what you call nonsense, although if it be such, I must
insist that it is Bible nonsense. You say God is a spirit; does
that prove He has no body? We are also told we must worship
Him in spirit. Am I to understand from this that we must
worship Him without a body? Have you a spirit? Yes. Have
you also a body? Yes. Were you made in the image of God,
body and spirit? So says the good old Bible. Man was created
in the image of God. (Gen. i:26, 27.) Then God has a body,
and, consequently, must have parts. Moses talked with Him
face to face, as one man talks with another (Ex. xxxiii:ll),
and he also saw His back parts. He promised (Num. xii:8)
to speak with Moses mouth to mouth. We are told in the fifth
chapter of Deuteronomy that He has a hand and arm. The
Psalm (cxxxix:16) tells us He has eyes, and Isaiah (xxx:27)
says He had lips and a tongue. John describes His head, hair
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 19
and eyes. (Rev. i:14.) And, as for passions, we are told in the
Bible that He has love, wrath, and is a jealous God. Are these
not parts and passions? My dear sir, it would appear that all
who believe in the scriptures must conclude that they are parts
and passions, and that the Creator is a God after whose
likeness we are made."
"Well, I had no idea when I commenced this conversation
with Mr. Brown that I was to find such an antagonist in your
self. One would naturally come to the conclusion that you had
made the Bible a study."
"Thank you, you do me honor. I confess I have as a
Christian studied the record; in fact, at a very early age my
parents required me to commit and remember a very important
verse in that good old book. It is found in the fifth chapter of
the gospel according to St. John, beginning the 39th verse, and
reads as follows: 'Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.' '
"That is certainly proper, but I must again warn you
against plunging into mysteries which we cannot understand."
"But Peter tells us that 'no prophecy of the scripture is of
any private interpretation' (II. Peter i:20), and these are the
things upon which we should seek for information; for lack of
explanation by the ministers upon these points is, to a great
extent, the cause of many persons being in Mr. Brown's frame
of mind today."
"You are scarcely complimentary, and if your assertions
be correct, perhaps it would be better for me to withdraw and
leave Mr. Brown in your hands."
"I beg your pardon, my dear sir," said Durant, "I meant
not to offend, I assure you, and intended only to be in earnest;
I will endeavor to be more careful during the rest of the con
versation."
The lawyer, who was decidedly impressed at this juncture,
dispelled what might have been a painful silence by saying:
"Well, I declare, things have taken a very peculiar turn, I
seem to be out of the fight altogether. But I want to say this, I
have heard more that appears to be reasonable from you, Mr.
Durant, regarding these matter than ever before in my life, and
I must also admit that if my early teaching on religious matters
had been as reasonable, I almost believe I might have been a
Christian."
20 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
As it was getting late Mr. Marshall here "put in a word,"
saying:
"It is now getting quite late and perhaps all would like to
retire; if so, I will conduct you to your rooms."
"No," said Mr. Brown, "we must not go to bed yet a
while. I never was religiously interested before in my life, and I
wish to listen to further discussion between these two."
The new-comer was more than willing; but being somewhat
fatigued himself, and realizing that possibly there might be a
sense of weariness in some of the others, he deemed it best not
to continue for the time being, although asked to do so. He
then made a suggestion, which was unanimously agreed to:
that the subject be taken up on the following evening in the same
place; and so with mutual expressions of regard and a kind
"good night" all around, the party dispersed for the night.
CHAPTER IV.
Gaining and Losing Favor.
The western man had not intended to make a stay at the
little home hostelry where he was quartered, and where he had
become so thoroughly ingratiated all at once. His mission re
quired a frequent "change of base" and constant action; but
he realized that nothing was occurring which was so greatly at
variance with his general purpose as to materially change it, and
that, a nucleus for possible future engagements having been
established, he might as well remain where he was until called
elsewhere. Already he was on the best of terms with all, even
with the "colored citizen," and he was disposed to make him
self entirely at home, as all hands were willing to have him do.
The time for the adjourned meeting on the veranda came
and not only was a quorum present, but all of the party were
there, besides two or three neighbors who had learned something
of what was taking place. After a few formalities had been en
gaged in, the discussion was opened by Durant suggesting to
Fitz alien that it was a little singular that two men believing in,
and upholding, the same good book should find anything to
dispute about; such things did happen, however, and perhaps
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 21
it was as well, since by free discussion error was eradicated and
truth made plain.
The preacher then asked a question which must seem to the
reader to have been too long delayed — "May I ask of what
church you are a member?"
"Certainly," said the Westerner; "but before answering,
will you tell me what church edifice that is to the east of us?"
"That is the Wesleyan church."
"And the one a short distance below here?"
"That is the Episcopalian."
"What other churches are there in this place?"
"Oh, there are the Baptist, the Catholic chapel, and the
quarters of the Salvation Army, so called."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, I believe so, and I think enough, unless we have
omitted naming yours."
"You certainly have, for the church of which I am a
member you have failed to mention at all."
"Indeed? And what is it?"
"The Church of Jesus Christ, sir. Don't you think it
would be well if He also had a church in your midst?"
"Why, my friend, they all belong to Him."
"Is it possible? I certainly have no recollection of hearing
you even mention His name in connection with any of them."
"You may not have heard His name, but they are all, yes,
even the parading and noise-making Salvation Army, engaged
in His service."
"Then why not bear His name?"
"It is a case in which the name need not be connected with
the object, and still the service rendered and the objects aimed
at are all for Him, as certainly all who engage in the calling of
Christianity believe, and as those who practice in the ministry
instruct."
"Let us see how this is. Your church members believe in
the Lord Jesus, accept the word of God as an exposition of His
principles, as well as a command to them, and the ministers
instruct them accordingly. Is that so?"
"It is."
"Then I am to understand that all these churches and
communicants uphold and practice baptism by immersion as
set forth in, and enjoined by, the scriptures."
22 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
"No; that is to say, some do, and some do not."
"What is the probable proportion?"
"Oh, I could not say as to that."
"Do not you and the majority of the others accept of other
forms of baptism and in many cases of none at all?"
"Yes."
"Does not that depart from the teachings of the Bible and
the example set by Christ Himself?"
"Not necessarily."
"Did not He go down into the waters of baptism and receive
immersion at the hands of John the Baptist?"
"Yes."
"And did not the injunction go forth which forms the very
corner-stone of His own Church — of Christianity — 'Repent and
be baptized?' '
"Yes, but He did not say that of necessity all were to be im
mersed. The Bible is fertile in parables and much that is said is
left to the intelligence of the reader of interpretation."
"By the same authority I have warned you already against
'private interpretations.' However, we need not rest the case en
tirely upon that. Take up your Bible at your leisure and examine
well all accounts given of cases where this ordinance was per
formed, and you cannot help admitting that baptism by im
mersion was the only way in which the ancients accepted that
principle. You will see that the word of God commands, in
unequivocal language, the ordinance of baptism by immersion,
and His Son set us the example by going down into the waters.
Therefore, those who do not perform this have no claim upon
the Savior's name, for they obey not His Father's words nor
His own example."
"You would hold, then, that those who do not conform liter
ally to such examples' are not Christians."
"They may believe in Christian conduct and practice
righteousness within a certain sphere; they may be upright and
just in their dealings and their hearts may be filled with love
for their race, but they cannot establish rules of conduct for
themselves and claim to act in the authority and name of
Christ. He has set the pattern and it is for them and for us to
follow."
"I never heard such strange reasoning before, and it re
minds me of a fact upon which I have often dwelt — that sophis-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 23
try and logic may both rest upon the same foundation, not,
however, accusing you of dealing in sophistry or claiming that
in all respects my words have been those of logic. Now, to
follow your theme further in the same vein and employing
precisely your method of arriving at conclusions — those who do
not, for instance, practice the laying on of hands for the healing
of the sick, or for the casting out of real or imaginary devils;
who do not, for example, subscribe to all the superstitions and
resort to the practices enjoined by the Bible — which practices
must have had reference to a time in which the domain of
science was so limited that it could not even comprehend the
present — that all such people, I say, are also outside the pale of
Christianity — are pagans, infidels, in fact?"
"You state part of the proposition correctly enough, but
your conclusion is unjust — unjust because not a natural out
growth of the premises stated, and also unjust because con
taining a reflection.'
"I meant no reflection at all."
"So I may readily believe. Now, a man may be entirely out
side the pale of practical, or if you prefer it, modern Christianity
and still be neither a pagan nor an infidel; while he may be
inside it and not practice the things spoken of, by means of
which he would be as much at variance with the requirements of
our Father and Savior, perhaps, as the others named, and none
of them be of necessity bad people, or among those wholly
condemned."
"Then you believe in the actual practice of laying on of
hands as well as baptism by immersion?"
"Assuredly I do."
"And practice it, perhaps?"
"Whenever necessary, yes."
"Well, for fear you may not wish to try it here, and as it is
nearly bed time, I will relieve you of one of the 'devils,' and the
power of 'casting out' can be held in reserve for some future oc
casion."
"My dear sir, you do us both injustice. No one would put
you in such a category, and it is not a part of the work of a
Christian to come into a circle as I have and engender harsh
feelings, far from it."
"Oh, no matter. We might talk again at another time, when
I may be pleased to continue our remarks, but not tonight, as I
24 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
only intended remaining a short time, having an important
engagement which I was compelled to make since I saw you
last evening; so, if you will excuse me, I will wish you all good
evening."
And so saying, the churchman, in not a very pleasant mood,
withdrew.
Said Brown: "Stranger, I am somewhat familiar with the
doctrines of different Christian societies, and from the way you
expressed yourself regarding the personality of God, I would like
very much to hear your views regarding other differences. If
the rest of your views are as reasonable as these you have given
expression to, I should like very much to hear them, and you can
now proceed without interruption. Do you differ from these
ministers very much in other principles?"
"I am afraid the difference on many very important prin
ciples is just as great as the difference concerning the personality
of God. But if you really desire to go with me in this search
after the kingdom of God, and the others are willing, I assure you
it will give me great pleasure."
Unanimous approval was expressed at once, and Mr.
Brown continued, saying:
"I never before had as great a desire in this direction, and
must confess that my curiosity has become quite aroused."
"Then," said Durant, "we will take King James' transla
tion of the Holy Scriptures as the law book, and 'Seek ye first
the kingdom of God' for our text; and if we should discover
before we have finished that the teachings of men differ greatly
from the teachings of Christ, I will be somewhat justified in
saying that religionists have 'transgressed the laws, changed the
ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.' ' (Isaiah xxiv:5;
Jeremiah ii:13).
"Very well," said Mr. Brown, "I will proceed," and
obtaining the family Bible he continued: "And should your
assertions prove correct, it might perhaps account for the in
crease of infidelity, and it might also cause others as well as
myself to stop and consider. Now, then, to the 'law and the
testimony.' Give me the chapter and verse, that I may know
you make no mistake."
The doctor then for the first time took part, saying ^"1 am
also becoming very much interested, and think I shall join you
with my Bible. Let us all come into the circle."
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 25
"All right, we will examine the Gospel of Jesus Christ
from the Bible, principle by principle. In order to have a clear
understanding concerning this, it will be necessary for us to go
back to the days of our Father Adam. Through the transgres
sion of our first parents, death came upon all the human family,
and mankind could not, of themselves, overcome the same and
obtain immortality. To substantiate this, see first, second and
third chapters of Genesis, Romans 5th chapter and 12th verse,
and I. Corinthians 15th chapter and 21st and 22nd verses.
But in order that they should not perish, God sent His Son
Jesus Christ into the world to satisfy this broken law and to
deliver mankind from the power of death. (John iii:16; Romans
v:8; John iv:9). And as all became subject to death by Adam,
so will all men be resurrected from death through the atone
ment of Christ (I. Cor. xv:20-23; Rom. v:12-19; Mark xvi:15,
16), and will stand before the judgment seat of God to answer
for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression. (Acts
xvii:31; Rev. xx:12-15; Matt. xvi:27). Am I right as far as I
have gone?"
"Yes," said the doctor, "I have been following you with
your quotations, and find them correct. Proceed."
"Then I have proved one of the principles of some of the so-
called Christians incorrect, for they do not believe that the
wicked will have the same chance of resurrection as the "right
eous. Jesus Christ did not die for our individual sins, only on
condition that we conform to the plan He has marked out,
which will bring us a remission of our sins. The only way we
can prove that we love Him is by keeping His commandments
(John xiv:15); therefore, if we say we love God and keep not
His commandments, we are liars and the truth is not in us.
(I. John ii:4). I think I have proved to your satisfaction that
there is something defective with their understanding of the
attributes of God, and I think I can prove also that they do
not keep His commandments. Christ has given us to understand
two things which you must remember while on this search after
the 'kingdom of God/ First, that we must follow Him; secondly,
that when He left His disciples He was to send them the Com
forter that would lead them into all truth; therefore we must
follow Christ and accept all the principles which were taught
by His disciples while in possession of the Holy Spirit, though
it should prove the world to be in error,"
26 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
"Thus far your arguments are reasonable, also in ac
cordance with Holy Writ; and as there is no other name given
us except Jesus Christ whereby we can be saved (Acts iv:12),
you may now lay before us the conditions; but give us chapter
and verse, as I said before, that we may know you speak cor
rectly."
"We will now examine into the conditions; but first re
member that God does not send men into the world for the
purpose of preaching contrary doctrines, for this always creates
confusion, and God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.
(I. Cor. xiv: 33). Paul has said, if any man teach another gospel
let him be accursed. (Gal. i:8,9). The first condition is this:
To believe there is a God (not the kind mentioned in the
English prayer book), but the God that created man in His
own image, and to have faith in that God and in Jesus Christ
whom He has sent."
"Go on," said the party in concert.
"Well," continued Durant, "The kind of faith required is
that which will enable a man, under all circumstances, to say,
'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of
God unto salvation.' (Rom. i:16). This is the kind of faith by
which Noah prepared an ark; by which the worlds were framed;
by which the Red Sea was crossed as on dry land; by which the
walls* of Jericho fell down; it was by this faith that kingdoms
were subdued; righteousness was wrought; promises were ob
tained, and the mouths of lions were closed. (Heb. xi:32, 38.)
This faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. x:14), and
the lack of this faith, and the absence of prayer and fasting,
caused even the apostles to be unsuccessful on one occasion in
casting out devils. (Matt. xvii:14, 20.) No wonder, then, that
without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb. xi:6. ) Faith,
then, is the first grand and glorious stepping stone to that
celestial pathway leading towards the eternal rest. The more
we search into eternal truth, the more we discover that God
works upon natural principles. All the requirements which He
makes of us are very plain and simple. How natural that the
principle of faith should be the primary one of our salvation!
With what principle are we more familiar? Faith is the first
great 'principle governing all things; but great and grand as it
is, it is dead without works. (James ii:14-17). We must not
expect salvation by simply having faith that Jesus is^the Christ,
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 27
for the devils in purgatory are that far advanced. (James ii:19 ).
In fact, if you will read the entire second chapter of James you
will see that faith without works is as dead and helpless as the
body after the spirit has taken its departure. It is utter folly
to think of gaining an exaltation in His presence unless we obey
the principles He advocated (Matt. vii:21), for no one speaks
truthfully by saying he is a disciple of Christ while not observing
His commandments. (John viii:31). In fact, the only way by
which man can truthfully say he loves Jesus Christ is by keep
ing His commandments." (John xiv:12-21).
"Is it not recorded in Holy Writ," said the doctor, "that
if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved?"
"You have referred to the words used by Paul and Silas to
the keeper of the prison. These disciples were asked by the
keeper wrhat he should do to be saved, and he was assured, as you
have quoted, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.' Then the disciples immediately laid
before them those principles which constituted true belief, and
not until this man and his house had embraced the principles
taught by these disciples were they filled with true belief and
really rejoiced. (Acts xvi:31-33). You see by this example
that we must not deceive ourselves by thinking that we can
be hearers of the word only and not doers." (James i:22, 23).
"But, friend," said the lawyer, "here is a passage found in
the tenth chapter of Romans, which, in my opinion, will be
extremely hard for you to explain. The passage referred to
reads as follows: 'If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' Now, then, it looks
to me as if salvation is here promised through faith alone. How
do you explain it?"
"Very easily. Let us thoroughly examine this passage in all
its different phases. In the first place, this letter was written by
Paul to individuals who were already members of the church.
They had rendered obedience to the laws of salvation, and
having complied with those requirements were entitled to
salvation providing their testimony remained within them like
a living spring; and in order that they should not become luke
warm, Paul exhorted them to continue bearing testimony of the
divinity of Christ, and not let their hearts lose sight of the fact
that God had raised His Son from the dead, and inasmuch as
28 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
they kept themselves in this condition, salvation would be
theirs. This is the only sensible view one can take of this passage.
Unquestionably, Paul was speaking to sincere members of the
church, who had been correctly initiated into the fold of Christ,
not aliens living 1800 years after."
"That appears to be correct, and is satisfactory; but further
on in the same chapter we find this expression: 'For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' It appears
to me here that reference is not made to those who had em
braced the gospel and those who had the faith, but salvation is
made general to whomsoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord." (Rom.x:13).
"Exactly, but the next verse gives an explanation so simple
that none can fail to understand it: 'How, then, shall they call
on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in Him of whom they have not heard, and how shall
they hear without a preacher? So then, faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.' In other words, if there is
faith, there have been works, and having true faith, no person
will remain in that condition without complying with father
works of salvation to which that faith urges him."
"I see, I see," said Brown, the others remaining silent, but
interested; "you are right, but I never looked at the matter in
that way before."
"Now, then, ladies and gentlemen," said Durant: "I
maintain as before stated, that faith is the first principle of the
gospel leading to salvation, but it will not bring us to the top of
the glorious gospel ladder without the other principles."
"Well, suppose we accept this as the first round in the
gospel ladder, where will we find the second?"
"To explain this question involves, perhaps, some little
time, and as it must be near the 'witching hour' of midnight,
I would not care to be responsible for extending the sitting
beyond, or even up to, that time. To give this information is,
in some measure, my errand among you, and if desired I shall
be pleased to meet with you again. Before leaving I hope to be
able to address the citizens publicly, and will do so if a suitable
place can be obtained."
Both the doctor and the lawyer were disposed to remon
strate against adjournment, and there seemed to be none who
were not willing to remain and hearken unto that which to them
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 29
was somewhat in the nature of an awakening, notwithstanding,
as stated, it was growing late, and the exercises had been purely
colloquial. It might be mentioned that only the more impor
tant parts of the conversation have been produced here — for
the reproduction of everything in the nature of mere colloquy,
the auxiliary questions, answers and suggestions, would make
this a large book instead of a small one. Besides, the full con
versation would be no more interesting for the particular object
to which this book is devoted than would the matter reported.
The visitors took their departure with evident regret, albeit
their interest in the occasion was more attributable to un
satisfied curiosity than to concurrence in all that the stranger
had said.
"He can talk Bible by the yard," said one.
"Yes, and show what it means better than a regular
minister," said another.
"He said he had a mission among us," chimed in a third;
"I wonder what it can be?"
The parting on the veranda was one in which friendly
feelings prevailed all around, and the meeting on the morrow,
when the second of the grand fundamental principles of the
gospel was to be explained, seemed uppermost in every mind.
CHAPTER V.
Further Discussion of the First Principles.
The audience had increased in numbers when the time for
the continuance of the gospel exposition arrived. Rev. Fitz-
allen was not present; he had an engagement elsewhere, was
the word he left; but his absence was compensated for by the
presence of two or three others.
But little time was spent in formality, and a beginning was
effected by our legal friend saying:
"Mr. Durant, you closed last night with a definition of
the first principles in the series of steps to be taken by the con
vert to Christianity, with a promise that tonight we should have
the second explained. Will you now proceed to fulfill the
promise?"
"Most willingly, if it is desired."
30 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Unanimous approval was at once manifested, and the west
ern man proceeded.
"The second follows the first, just as naturally as the second
step follows the first when a child learns to walk. When faith
in God is once created, the knowledge that we have at some
time, perhaps many times during our lives, done things dis
pleasing to Him, naturally follows immediately, therefore
repentance makes its appearance as the second principle of
the gospel. When John came preaching in the wilderness,
as the forerunner of Christ, his message to the people was,
'Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matt.
iii:2). When Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the
kingdom of God, it was with a message calling them to repent
ance. (Mark i:15). When He chose His disciples and began
sending them forth, it was to call mankind to repentance.
(Mark vi:7-12). When He upbraided the cities wherein the
most of His mighty works were done, it was because they re
pented not. (Matt. xi:20). True repentance is that which will
cause him who stole to steal no more; that which will keep
corrupt communications from our mouths; that which will
cause us to so conduct our walks through life as not to grieve
the Spirit of God; that which will cause all bitterness, wrath,
anger, and evil speaking to be put away from us, and will make
us kind one to another, tender-hearted and forgiving even as
God for Christ's sake has forgiven us. (Ephesians iv:28-32)c
When he who has committed a sin shall commit it no more,
then he has repented with that Godly sorrow which worketh
repentance to salvation, and not with the sorrow of the world,
bringing with it death. (II. Cor. vii:10). When a sinner repents
with such repentance more joy is found in heaven than over
ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. (Luke
xv :7). This, then, ladies and gentlemen, is the second round in
the gospel ladder according to the plan given us by the Master,
and without it, faith is of no substantial consequence whatever."
"Your reasoning is both logical and just," said Brown,
"and no one can find fault with those doctrines. This world of
ours would certainly be more pleasant if these teachings were
followed, and when a person is filled with that kind of faith,
and has truly repented with such repentance, it must be mani
fested that he is entitled to salvation."
"But he must not stop at that," the speaker went on,
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 31
"there are other principles just as important, just as necessary,
for him to obey. If I am in possession of enough faith to con
vince me that I have sinned against you, and the knowledge of
this causes me sincerely to repent, I must not and cannot rest
until I am satisfied I have your forgiveness for the wrong. So
it is with sinning against God and His laws: He has marked out
the path of repentance and it is our duty to follow that divine
way until we arrive at the sacred altar of forgiveness. Sin must
be forgiven before it can be wiped out, and God in His wisdom
selected and placed in His Church water baptism, as spoken
of last night, for this purpose. It is a means whereby man can
receive forgiveness of sin."
"And do you really believe that baptism brings forgive
ness of sin?" queried the lawyer.
"Certainly, provided, however, honest faith and sincere
repentance go before it, and the ordinance is administered in the
proper way by one who is endowed with divine authority;
otherwise I believe it is of no avail whatever."
"It seems to me you surround the principle of baptism
with more safeguards than anyone else of whom I have ever
heard. Why so?"
"Perhaps I do, and yet it should not be the case. Every
principle of the gospel should be well and carefully protected,
and the failure on the part of man to do this is the main cause
of so many different so-called plans of salvation existing among
us today, when there should be only one true and perfect plan,
as found in the days of Christ."
"You are certainly giving me ample information on reli
gious conditions. It does seem strange that there should be so
many different roads, leading, as is claimed, in one direction.
I declare, I never thought of that before."
"Well, we will try to cover all these points before we finish.
Let us examine this principle. Let us see if the idea of water
baptism appears reasonable. The Lord has wisely and kindly
selected this form of ordinance for the remission of sins. It
was with this object in view that John advocated the principle.
(Mark i:4). Peter promised it on the day of Pentecost. (Acts
ii:38). Saul also received aid to arise and have his sins washed
away. (Acts xxii:16). And so it was taught by different
disciples as a means whereby God would forgive sins."
32 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
"And as you have already stated, there are various modes
of baptism among different sects. What is your method?"
"The only correct form, as stated before, is that explained
in the Bible. Baptism was performed anciently by immersion,
in fact, no other mode was thought of until centuries after the day
of Christ. The word baptize is from the Greek baptizo or bapto,
meaning to plunge or immerse, and such noted writers as
Polybius, Strabo, Dion Cassius, Mosheim, Luther, Calvin,
Bossuet, Schaal, Baxter, Jeremy Taylor, Robinson, and others,
all agree that with the ancients immersion, and no other form,
was baptism. The holy record itself explains the mode so plainly
that even a wayfaring man might understand. John selected
a certain place on account of there being much water. (John
iii:23). Christ Himself was baptized in a river, after which He
came up out of the water. (Mark i:5-10). Both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water (Acts viii:38, 39), and Paul
likens baptism to the burial and resurrection of Christ, dying
from sin, buried in water, and a resurrection to a new life.
(Rom. vi:3-5). Jesus declares that a man must be born of the
water as well as of the Spirit. (Johniii:5). By being immersed
we are born of the water, and we cannot liken baptism to a
birth when performed in any other way. How mankind can
accept any other form, in the face of all these facts, is more than
I can account for. I think enough has been said to show that I
am correct in my views regarding the object and mode of bap
tism, so now let us enquire who are proper subjects."
"Why, all who have souls to save, I suppose," said the
doctor.
"Yes, providing they have obeyed the two principles
already mentioned; that is, faith and repentance; for Christ
commanded His apostles to teach before baptizing. (Matthew,
xxviii:19 and 20). The candidate must believe before he can
be baptized. (Mark xvi:16). Before Philip baptized the people
of Samaria they believed the Gospel as he taught it. (Acts
viii:12). When the eunuch asked for baptism at the hands of
this same disciple, Philip answered: 'If thou believest with all
thine heart, thou mayest.' (Acts viii:37). All persons, then,
who are capable of understanding, are fit subjects for baptism
as soon as they believe and have repented. None are exempt,
not even was Cornelius of old who was so generous that a
report of his good deeds reached the throne of God. His prayers
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 33
were so mingled with faith that they brought down an angel
from heaven; yet through baptism alone was it possible that he
could gain membership in the fold of Christ. (Acts x). We
see, then, that all, except little children, are proper subjects for
this ordinance, providing, as stated, they have faith, and have
truly repented of their sins."
"And do you claim that little children are exempt?" said
the doctor.
"I do; baptism is for the remission of sins, and little children
being free from sin, are of necessity exempt."
"I do not see how you make that doctrine accord with the
teachings of the Bible. Did not Jesus say, 'Suffer little children
to come unto me?' '
"He did, but instead of administering the ordinance of
baptism unto them, He took them in His arms and blessed them,
declaring at the same time that they were pure and free from
sin like unto those who were in the kingdom of heaven. A little
child is free from sin, is pure in heart, humble and merciful,
in fact is the great example of goodness which Christ points out
for us to follow. (Mark x:13-16). This ordinance, then, is
for people who are old enough to embrace it intelligently, not
for children who cannot understand its significance, and who
already belong to the kingdom of heaven."
"We have now examined three of the fundamental prin
ciples of the gospel of salvation. There is one more that I
wish to touch upon, after which we will discuss a subject that
is of more interest to you, perhaps, than any of these. The prin
ciple which I wish to speak of now, is the gift of the Holy
Ghost, which in olden times always followed the embracing of
the principles we have discussed, and when once received
brought with it some of the gifts of the gospel. When the first
sermon was delivered after the crucifixion of Christ, at the time
when the apostles were endowed with power from on high, a
multitude of people were pricked in their hearts, and asked
Peter and the rest of the apostles what they should do. Peter
undertook to answer this all-important question, and so far as
authority to do so was concerned, we must admit that he, of all
men at that peculiar time, was fully capable, for he was in pos
session of the keys of the kingdom of God bestowed upon him by
Christ Himself. He was the chief apostle and, with his brethren,
had been endowed with power from above. Therefore, he, more
34 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
than any minister of our day, occupied a place that enabled him
to answer correctly, and with authority."
"You are stating the case properly, but what did he tell
them?" queried the interested man of law.
"His answer is found in the second chapter of Acts, be
ginning with the 38th verse. You will observe that as soon as
he discovered that they had faith, he immediately taught them
repentance, then baptism for the remission of sins, and followed
these doctrines with a promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"Yes, commencing at the verse mentioned, it says: 'Then
Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto
you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call/ '
"But how were they to receive the Holy Ghost?"
"By the laying on of hands. When Peter went down into
Samaria for the purpose of bestowing this gift on those whom
Philip had baptized, he did it by the laying on of hands. (Acts
viii:17). Ananias conferred it upon Paul in the same manner
(Acts ix:17), and Paul did the same in the case of those who
were baptized at Ephesus (Acts xix:2-16), and when people
received this birth of the Spirit (John iii:5), they also received
the promised blessings; they were entitled to the signs which He
promised would follow; for, said He, 'These signs shall follow
them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.' (Mark
xvi: 17, 18). We have now discovered the conditions: Faith,
repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying
on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, with the prom
ise of Christ that the signs will follow. Can you tell me now,
which of all these different denominations has the gospel of
Jesus Christ? Or as Wesley has questioned in one of his hymns
which we may with profit quote in full: 'Show me where true
Christians live' "
"Happy the souls that first believ'd,
To Jesus and each other cleav'd,
' Joined by the unction from above,
In mystic fellowship of love.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 35
"Meek, simple followers of the Lamb,
They liv'd, and spake, and thought the same;
They joyfully conspired to raise
Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise.
"With grace abundantly endued,
A pure believing multitude,
They all were of one heart and soul,
And only love inspired the whole.
"Oh, what an age of golden days!
Oh, what a choice, peculiar race!
Wash'd in the Lamb's all-cleansing blood,
Anointed kings and priests to God.
"Where shall I wander now to find
Successors they have left behind?
The faithful, whom I seek in vain,
Are 'minish'd from the sons of men.
"Ye diff rent sects, who all declare,
'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Christ is there!'
Your stronger proofs divinely give,
And show me where true Christians live."
"You must remember, my friend, that the signs were only
given in order to establish the church in the day of the apostles,
but now they are abrogated and are no longer needed."
' 'To the law and to the testimony,' " replied Durant, "and
give me chapter and verse to substantiate the assertion you
have just made."
"If you will read the 13th chapter of the 1st Corinthians,
you will learn that 'Whether there be prophecies they shall
fail, and whether there be tongues they shall cease.' '
"If you will take pains to read the two Verses following,
you will see that 'we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in
part shall be done away.' My friend, instead of this quotation
proving that these things are done away, it establishes the
assertion that they shall remain until perfection shall come.
Surely no sane man will say that we have come to perfection."
"I have understood that these gifts were no longer needed.
This certainly is the conclusion the ministers of the day have
come to."
36 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
"But this is not surprising to me, for this good old Bible
declares that the time will come when the people will turn
from sound doctrine to fables." (II. Tim. iv:4).
"I must admit that you have convinced me that baptism is
a necessity, and when I am baptized, the ordinance will be per
formed in the proper manner," said the doctor.
"I am pleased to learn that, but I may have another sur
prise for you yet. May I ask, who do you intend shall baptize
you?"
"My minister, I suppose; why?"
"If the words of the Bible be true, there may be a doubt as
to whether your minister is authorized to baptize you."
"Do you mean to prove that these men, ministers of the
gospel, have no authority to officiate in that ordinance? I
wonder what you will undertake next, but proceed, for I am
now prepared for surprises."
"I assure you, my dear sir, I only wish to refer to a few
doctrines from the Bible which are necessary to be understood
by you in order that you may obtain eternal life. Thus far we
have only examined the first principles of the gospel, but now
we will speak of the officers whom Christ placed in His Church,
and learn by what means men receive authority to act in the
name of God. Paul tells us that God has placed 'first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after which gifts of
healing,' etc. (I. Cor. xii:28), and says the work is built upon
the foundation of apostles. (Eph. ii:20). He furthermore de
clares that these officers have been placed in the Church for
the work of the ministry, and to remain until we all come to a
knowledge of the truth. (Eph. iv:ll-13). Have all mankind
come to a knowledge of the truth? If not, why has the Church
dispensed with the officers that God placed in it for the purpose
of bringing all to a unity of the faith? Paul tells us that these
officers were placed in the Church to keep us from being tossed
to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine which is
taught by man. (Eph. iv:12-14). At the present time, when
men declare that they have no need of apostles or prophets,
they are divided, and subdivided, and in fact carried about by
every doctrine that is promulgated — as Paul saw that they
would be, if inspired apostles and prophets were not found to
lead them. In losing these officers, the Church lost her author
ity, together with all her gifts and graces, and the so-called
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 37
Christian churches today are disrobed of all her beautiful gar
ments; and even those who pretend to defend her are crying out
that her gifts, graces and ordinances are useless in this age of
the world. Did Christ establish the true order or did He not?
We say He did, and would ask, has any man a right to change it?
And if any man or even an angel from heaven should alter it in
the least, will he not come under the condemnation that Paul
uttered when he said: 'Though we or an angel from heaven
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed?' (Gal. i:8). Christ
placed these officers and the ordinances in the Church for the
perfecting of the saints; and any one teaching contrary to this
is a perverter of the gospel, and an anti-Christ in the full mean
ing of the word. The difference between the true Church of
Christ on the one hand, and the Catholic Church, with all her
posterity composing the whole Protestant world on the other
hand, amounts to this: one had apostles, prophets, etc., who
led the Church by inspiration or by divine revelation; while
the others have learned men to preach learned men's opinions;
have colleges to teach divinity, instead of the Holy Ghost;
instead of preaching the gospel without hire, their ministers
must have large salaries each year, and they are not certain of
the doctrines which they teach, when they should be in posses
sion of the gifts of knowledge, prophecy and revelation. Now
then in what church do we find apostles and prophets?"
The doctor replied, "There are none; but you must remem
ber there must be a preacher, for 'how shall they hear without
a preacher?' " (Rom. x:14).
"And in the next verse he asks, 'How shall they preach
except they be sent?' This same apostle says that no man is
to take the honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as
was Aaron. (Heb. v:4). Aaron was called by revelation (Ex.
iv:14-17); hence we see that no man is to preach the gospel
except he be called by revelation from God. As I said, instead
of men being called by revelation — as the Bible declares they
should be — in our day they argue that God has not revealed
Himself for almost eighteen hundred years. Go and ask your
minister if he has been called by revelation, and he will tell
you that such manifestations are not needed now, which as
sertion I think will prove to you that he has no authority to
baptize for the remission of sins."
38 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
"But did not Jesus say, 'Go ye into all the world and preach
the gospel?' !
"He did; but was He talking to modern ministers then?
When He gave His apostles authority to preach, did that give
all men who feel disposed to take the honor unto themselves,
the same authority? He gave His apostles to understand that
they had not chosen Him, but He had chosen them (John
xv:16); but in this day men reverse the condition. Then again,
He sent His servants into the world to preach His gospel with
out purse or scrip. (Luke x:4). Paul says his reward is this,
'That when I preach the gospel I may make the gospel of Christ
without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.'
(I. Cor. ix:18). Now, go and ask your minister if he does the
same, and I think you will find that he must have a salary."
"Then what has become of the gospel?" said the lawyer.
"Paul says that the coming of Jesus Christ will not be,
save there be 'a falling away' (II. Thess. ii:3), and that 'in the
last days perilous times shall come.' (II. Tim. iiirl). People
'will not endure sound doctrine,' but will heap to themselves
teachers having itching ears, and shall turn from the truth to
fables (II. Tim. iv:3, 4), and will have a form of Godliness
but will deny the power thereof. (II. Tim. iii:5). Peter also
says these false teachers will make merchandise of the souls of
men. (II. Peter ii:l-3). They are doing so by demanding a
salary for preparing sermons to tickle the people's itching ears.
Micah (iiiill) says, their heads judge for reward, their priests
teach for hire, and their prophets divine for money, yet they
lean upon the Lord and say, is not the Lord among us? Now,
my friends, do not the different sects of the day present us
with a literal fulfillment of all these sayings? Have they not
transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance and broken the
everlasting covenant? (Isaiah xxiv:5). John Wesley, in his 94th
sermon, referring to the condition of the church after it had de
parted from the right way and lost the gifts, says: 'The real
cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no
longer to be found in the Christian Church was because the
Christians were turned heathens again and had only a dead
form left.'
"It would appear, then, that God has forsaken mankind
and left us without hope," said Mr. Marshall.
"No, he has not; but this falling away is the result of
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 39
mankind forsaking God, by changing His gospel and departing
from its teachings, as I have already shown. But He has
promised, through His servants, that there would be a dis
pensation when He would gather together all things in Christ
(Eph. i:10), and would restore all things which He has spoken
by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
(Acts iii:20, 21). This dispensation was called the dispensation
of the fullness of times. (Eph. i:10). Daniel who received,
by revelation, the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream,
saw what would take place in the latter times, when the God
of heaven would set up a kingdom. (Dan. ii:44). John, the
revelator, while on that desolate island, Patmos (some ninety
years after Christ), saw how this gospel would be restored;
namely, that an angel would bring it from heaven (Rev. xiv:6),
and Christ says it 'shall be preached in all the world as a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come.' (Matt. xxiv:14).
As God is always the same, and has but one plan for the redemp
tion of the human family, we may expect to see the same gospel
with like promises preached in a similar way. Where do we find
it as it existed anciently? But as it was in the days of Noah,
so shall it be also in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.
(Matt. xxiv:37; Luke xvii:26, 27). Noah was sent by the Lord
to foretell the coming of the flood, but the people rejected his
testimony; in fact, whenever God has revealed His mind and
will to man in days gone by, the world, instead of receiving the
same, have rejected the message and said all manner of evil
concerning the prophets, and in many instances have killed
them, as was the case with Christ Himself. Now then, my
friends, we are living in the dispensation of the fullness of
times, when God is gathering together all things in Christ.
An angel has come from the heavens and brought the ever
lasting gospel, and on the 6th day of April, 1830, God-
through revelation to man — organized the kingdom spoken of
by Daniel, in the exact pattern of the kingdom as it existed in
the days of Christ, with apostles and prophets, and since that
day the servants of God have been traveling through the world
preaching the same, as a witness that the end will soon come.
They call upon mankind to exercise faith in God our eternal
Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, also to repent of, and
turn from their sins, and be baptized by one who has been called
of God by revelation, and receive the laying on of hands for the
40 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
bestowal of the Holy Ghost. As servants of God they then
promise that the convert shall know of the doctrine, whether it
be of God or man (John vii:17); and, furthermore, that the
signs which followed the believers in the days of the ancient
apostles will follow the believer at the present time, for the
same cause will always produce the same effect. My friends,
as a servant of God, I call upon you to obey these principles
and you shall have the promised blessings."
The doctor said: "Much that you say is convincing, some of
it excites curiosity, and all is entertaining. I will now announce
that the Town Hall has been obtained for Saturday night and
as that involves a little longer stay than you intended, I suggest
that a collection be taken and turned over to you.
"I beg you, do nothing of that kind," said the missionary.
"If the hall is free, the lecture shall be also; and I can doubtless
spend the time pleasantly enough till then."
"Very well, if that is your pleasure. There will be such an
attendance as this town has rarely seen, I promise you."
And then after a few pleasantries in the usual vein, and
a general "good night," the. party separated just as the clock
struck twelve, each in the best of humor.
In view of the coming lecture it was mutually agreed that
the veranda gatherings should be discontinued for the present
at least.
CHAPTER VI.
Truth Again Defeats Falsehood.
The meeting was to be held in the Town Hall on Saturday,
and in the meantime our missionary busied himself variously,
but devoted part of the time in getting his lecture arranged and
in refreshing his memory on the topics upon which he wished
to speak. When not thus employed he took strolls about the
country, or engaged in pleasant bits of conversation with his
acquaintances, and with others whom he happened to meet on
the way. He was such a favorite at the Marshall mansion that
the people there were always pleased to have him express a
wish for anything, in order that it might be gratified; but such
expressions were very rare and confined to the scope of his
actual requirements.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 41
On Friday afternoon he engaged in a pleasant discussion
with Mrs. Marshall on some scriptural topic. Missionaries all
understand the power of song. Mr. Durant was no exception,
so at one point he sang one of his hymns:
"How the light from Zion's mountain
Clears the mists of error's age;
Clarified in ray and fountain,
How its truths our fears assuage!
"Tempest-tossed, we still are certain
Life is but a pleasant span;
Hope has painted every curtain
Pictured in the gospel plan.
"Once again to every nation,
Jesus opens wide the door;
Here are truths that bring salvation,
Preached and practiced as of yore.
"Joyful tidings to the people
From the perfect courts on high;
Sweetest chimes from tower and steeple
Ring: Redemption's drawing nigh.
"Shine, thou light, with doubled splendor,
Spread thy soothing, restful rings,
Till the sun of Zion, tender
Rise, with healing in his wings!"
The daughter was an interested listener, and at the close
broke in with— "It seems to me that there is no such thing as
perfect happiness after all. We are always being disappointed
in relation to some hope or desire, and when we engage in that
which affords pastime or amusement, there is invariably a
penalty following. Is not this true, Mr. Durant?"
"I could scarcely dispute with a lady, even if there were
grounds for it," said he, gallantly.
"But I prefer you would," she said, "because you appear to
know all about these things and I desire to learn. Why is it, for
instance, that after enjoying myself greatly at a dance or other
late entertainment, injured nature afterwards cries out for
revenge, and takes it? So with all things it seems to me. The
pleasure experienced in meeting a dear friend is beclouded by
42 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
the knowledge that there must be a parting soon; and death is
ever near as if to remind us of the fact that life, happiness,
honor, wealth, youth, are all fleeting and unsubstantial."
"Very true."
"Why, Claire," said her mother, "you are becoming a
regular pessimist. Surely at your age there is no need to borrow
trouble about death or anything else."
"I do not borrow it, mamma, it comes. Pain follows
pleasure, sorrow treads upon the heels of happiness, and mis
fortune is the constant attendant of fortune. There is, as I
said, no perfect happiness, so it seems to me."
"Pardon me," said the missionary, "But you did not finish
your sentence. Shall I do so for you?"
"O, by all means," replied the girl with eager delight.
"Well, then," he continued, "doubtless what you meant to
say was that there is no such thing as perfect happiness in
either the contemplation or realization of things which in them
selves are fleeting and unsubstantial — that is, the things of
the world. Every movement of the machinery of a steamer, for
instance, creates friction, which in turn indicates an eventual
breaking down, and so it is with all temporal things; thus we
cannot rely upon them for permanent good, and in addition
they are constantly subjecting us to peril.
"It is impossible to create perfect results out of imperfect
conditions; therefore, there can be no complete or unbroken
happiness come out of earthly surroundings, for the reason that
all such things are changeable and fleeting. And yet there is
such a state as perfect joy, unclouded and endless."
"But not in this life, as you yourself have shown."
"Yes, in this life."
"I thought you referred to this life as uncertain and
ephemeral, and as such curtailed or extinguished its own joys."
"That is true, also. But yet endless and supreme delight is
to be found in it."
"Where and how, pray?"
"In observing principles and practicing truths which lead
to immortality, and which confer upon us the title-deeds to
homes where pains and penalties are unknown, where all is
peace, contentment and love."
"Oh, yes, I did not think of that."
"In such enjoyments there is no alloy. More than that;
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 43
the more it is engaged in, the more enjoyable it becomes; it does
not clog, we cannot become surfeited; the more we devote our
attention and effort to it the greater desire we have to continue
and to increase our experience. This is that perfect happiness
with which nothing else can compare."
"But would you have us dispense with all pleasures — with
the refined indulgences, the innocent pastimes and the intellec
tual recreations which lighten our burdens at least for the time
being, and have us participate in sacred things only? Should
there be no buoyancy of spirit, no diversions, no relaxations,
in order that there might be no penalty as the result of in
dulgence?"
"Why, what an — pardon me — absurd idea! Of course you
do not advance it seriously and should therefore be free from
criticism. Rather than that such a rule of conduct as you have
suggested is the proper one, it is almost as bad as that in which
amusement alone prevails. The medium course, which enables
us to enjoy all that is properly enjoyable in its appropriate
season, and still does not cause us to lose sight of the great aim
and end of existence, is the right one. We should let our pastimes
be the incidents in our career, not the objects of it; thus they
lighten our burdens, and, for the time being, dispel some of the
shadows that cross our pathway, whereas, if made the purpose
of living — the only things to be considered — they become
burdensome and even sinful."
"Then the devout Christian may be happy and jovial
without being less a Christian, on account of that?"
"Yes, indeed. More — it is pleasing to our Father for His
children to be light-hearted, so long as their pleasures are proper
and are enjoyed in moderation. The people from among whom I
come enjoy themselves as much as other people do, but do not
overlook their devotions, and above all they remember the
Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
"That seems to me," said Mrs. Marshall, "to be a sensible
form of Christianity. Why, a person, according to your faith,
can be profoundly religious and yet deny himself no proper
amusement."
"Most decidedly; that is our belief and practice."
"It seems to me I would like to be a member of your
Church," said the girl, artlessly, at which interesting stage of
the conversation, Rev. Fitzallen entered, who greeted the party
44 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
stiffly, his brow having a distinct frown as he looked at the
Westerner.
"Pardon me," said the Clergyman, after a few common
places had passed, "but we 'gather wisdom by the wayside,'
and I have just acquired some information from that source
concerning our friend here from the wilds, and as it surprised
me, I thought it might equally surprise the rest of you, himself
included, perhaps."
Evidently the churchman had been engaged in the ques
tionable calling of picking up stray scraps of gossip here and
there, containing as usual some truth mixed with much error.
There was obviously trouble ahead.
"Anything concerning me is not apt to be of sufficient
consequence to be very interesting," said Mr. Durant, "and
having already stated all I thought worth saying about myself
and my errand, there can be little or nothing that is surprising,
I am sure."
"Is it not a fact that you are from Salt Lake City?"
"It is."
"It is! Why you never informed us of this and yet you have
been associated with us several days."
"Indeed! May I ask you, Mrs. Marshall, and you, Miss
Marshall, what part of the country our friend here comes from?"
The ladies did not know.
"Indeed! Why, sir, you have been associated with this
family several weeks, and yet they do not know what particular
point you came from. Perhaps like myself, you were never
asked."
"This is evasion," said the now thoroughly excited church
man. "There is no place in my district possessed of such pecu
liar conditions as would place one of its inhabitants under sus
picion because of them."
"Nor in mine either, that I know of," calmly rejoined
Durant.
"Is not Salt Lake City the headquarters and residence of a
class of people known as Mormons who hold exclusive sway
there?"
"No, sir."
"That is what I have heard."
"Surely, I am not accountable for what you have heard.
There are a great many Mormons in Salt Lake, and just as many
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 45
that are not Mormons; it is the headquarters of the Church as
you suggest, but its members are not in exclusive sway
there."
"How can that be?"
"No matter about the means; the fact itself is what con
cerns us."
The churchman was discomfited and measurably confused;
he was compelled to change his course.
"You told us," said he, "that you were an advocate of the
Church of Jesus Christ; should there not be a suffix in these
words — Latter-day Saints?"
"That is correct."
"And is not 'Mormonism' its other name?"
"No, it has no other name. It is called 'Mormonism' by
nearly every one not connected with it, and yet that is not a
proper designation."
"Then to yourself you are a 'Latter-day Saint,' and to the
world you are a 'Mormon?' "
"That is it exactly."
"Strange that we should be kept in ignorance of it so long."
"I have answered every question fairly and in addition
have stated everything necessary to a full explanation of my
cause and myself. If the doctrine I teach be true — and it has
stood all tests so far — can you find nothing more than a name
to oppose it?"
"I hope, sir, you do not accuse me of innuendo?"
"I accuse you of nothing."
"Come now," said Mrs. Marshall, "do not be too earnest."
"Well, madam," said Rev. Fitzallen, "I thought my ser
vices in this connection would be received graciously and
thankfully. As they are not I occupy the position of an intruder
and will take my leave."
"Not on my account, I hope," said Mr. Durant. "If there
is an intruder here it is I, and it would be my duty to depart."
"You must not go under such circumstances," said Mrs.
Marshall.
The girl's look seconded her mother's words, and the irate
churchman permitted his passion to overcome his judgment.
"Excuse me," he said, "but I will take my leave. Under the
circumstances my presence must be altogether unwelcome. I
have heard of the fascinating character of some of the features
46 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
of Mormonism, and the persuasiveness of those who advocate it.
Violation of the laws of God and man by practicing polygamy is
one of the seductive usages of that creed, I believe."
"Your belief is erroneous, then," said Durant. "Whatever
my people may have believed in the past as to the correctness of
doctrines taught by the Bible and the prophets of old, they
now obey the laws of the land in which they live."
"Marvelous! I have heard otherwise. I have even taken the
pains to bring with me a newspaper which I received from a
traveler, and in which information of a different character is
obtained. It is published in Salt Lake City and should be
correct. Here is part of a sermon delivered by a Mormon
Bishop; and here an account of several arrests for violating the
law against polygamy and kindred offenses, while an editorial
in the same paper comments strongly on the deception and
falsity pervading the Mormon people. There must be a mistake
somewhere.'
"No, there is no mistake at all, but much falsehood and mis
representation. It is true that since the law against polygamy
was enacted there have been many prosecutions of members of
our Church chiefly because of their inability instantly to sever
the happy associations of a lifetime which had been formed be
fore the law went into effect, or their lack of exact knowledge
as to what the law required of them. It was a difficult, I may
say an impossible matter, for them to break away entirely from
a part of their families and never go near them, to give a word
of counsel, or it may be hurriedly to embrace the little ones
from whom the law had separated them. When thus found they
have been apprehended, tried, convicted and punished, often
without an effort to defend themselves. The Bishop named by
the paper, does not and never did exist, and the sermon re
ferred to was never delivered, as the same paper has been
compelled to admit on several occasions; and the editor's
views, or rather sayings, are the words of a man whose chief
interest in the community is to fan the flames of discord so
that his nefarious business may prosper. His statements are
utterly and entirely false."
After these remarks the reverend went to his room, and
shortly afterwards took his departure.
"I don't like the Mormons at all, and I'm just sorry you're
one," said the girl.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 47
"I, too, am somewhat opposed to that peculiar religion, but
it does seem to me, after hearing you, that my dislike arises
more from prejudice than from anything else," said the mother.
"I have here a card containing the articles of our faith
from which you may learn that we are not so evil as we are rep
resented to be."
We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son,
Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and
not for Adam's transgression.
We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all
mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances
of the Gospel.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the
Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second,
Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of
sins; fourth, Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy
Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God, by "prophecy,
and by the laying on of hands," by those who are in authority, to
preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the
primitive church — namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers,
evangelists, etc.
We believe in the gift ©f tongues, prophecy, revelations,
visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is
translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be
the word of God.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now
reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and
important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the res
toration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this
(the Arrerican) continent; that Christ will reign personally upon
the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its
paradisiacal glory.
We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God accord
ing to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the
same privilege; let them worship how, where, or what they may.
48 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and
magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent,
virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that
we follow the admonition of Paul, "We believe all things, we
hope all things," we have endured many things, and hope to be
able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely,
or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.—
Joseph Smith.
With this Durant took from his pocket the card, and
handling it to Mrs. Marshall, said: "Examine it at your leisure."
And without more adieu he was gone, leaving the ladies in a
reflective mood.
Mr. Marshall received the news regarding Durant in
silence; perhaps he had suspected, or even knew already, that
the stranger was a "Mormon."
CHAPTER VII.
A Triumph and An Escape.
The afternoon preceding the night on which Charles
Durant was to appear before the public in the Town Hall of
Westminster to place the plan of salvation before the people,
and bear his testimony to the eternal truth, was wearing slowly
away. By this time his name was on everybody's lips, and
nearly all knew him. As he walked abroad some would pass
him with a frown, some with a gaze of curiosity, rarely one would
smile, and less frequently still would he receive a pleasant
"good-day." If he had delighted in notoriety, here was certainly
a field in which he might enjoy that to the full limit of his desire;
but he wanted nothing of the kind. He was filled with the
spirit of his calling which was to spread the truth and labor
unto the salvation of men ; and neither the insults of the insolent
nor the frowns of opponents could turn him aside from that
purpose. He bore within his breast the realization of an upright
purpose, together with his certainty of a reward to come. What
were threats and annoyances to him? And yet he sought not
persecution that a cheap martyrdom might be gained; perhaps
if warned of a personal danger, in obedience to a natural im-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 49
pulse, he would have shunned or gone around it, but never to
the sacrifice of one jot or tittle of principle.
His experience of less than a week in Westminster had been
sufficient for a volume of much greater proportions than this
little publication, and yet enough of it is noted here to give a
fair idea of what transpired. In that time our hero, a com
parative stranger, had become well-settled and was welcome in
an honorable household, and this without deception or any
special effort to please; he had dethroned the demon of infidelity
in one good man's heart when a skilled churchman's efforts in
that direction only threatened to perpetuate the evil; had caused
another good man, indifferent to gospel measures, to become
actively interested; had defeated the churchman spoken of,
on his own ground, and had shown in an unmistakable manner the
fallacy of his doctrine, and finally, had brought this showy
patron of religion to utter discomfiture without desiring, in
tending, or trying to annoy him in any way; had set the family
named and several of their neighbors to thinking as they had
never thought before; and now, as a special favor was to address
the town people in their chief public building. The Town Hall
was filled to overflowing, and when Durant entered and walked
slowly up to the platform, it is perhaps needless to say he was
the observed of all observers. There were some feelings of sur
prise when Mr. Brown, the (late) infidel, arose to introduce
the speaker of the evening; he announced before doing so that
the lecture would consist of an exposition of the groundwork,
and some advanced principles of the gospel as laid down in the
Bible. "Nothing will be left to be conjectured or surmised,"
he said; "the speaker is familiar with the subject and is capable
of doing it justice. I speak advisedly, having heard him before.
I ask your earnest and respectful attention, and now present
to you Mr. Charles Durant, of Salt Lake City."
Notwithstanding the sacredness of the occasion, there was a
burst of applause when the speaker arose. Before him, on a
table, were the Bible and two or three other books. He entered
upon his subject at once, first explaining the principles of faith,
repentance and baptism, citing the Holy Book in support of his
arguments, and making every principle plain and lucid as he
proceeded. In as extended a manner as he could, within the time
at his disposal, he developed the philosophy and practice of
true Christianity from the beginning to the present time,
50 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
leaving no salient point unmentioned, and no stone marking the
way unturned. He occupied two hours, and there was not a
listener but gladly would have remained that much longer. The
impression made was deep ; as to whether or not it was lasting,
that depended largely upon the individuals themselves.
The lawyer and the doctor and the Marshalls came forward
and grasped the speaker's hand, extending sincere congratula
tions. The preacher was absent. As they left the room, people
could be heard making such remarks as — "Well, that is mighty
sound reasoning no matter where it comes from;" a few asked
to be introduced and one of these, an old lady, said in a low
voice, "You spoke the truth, I know it; God bless you!"
As soon as he could make his way to Durant's side, the
negro, Caesar, said hurriedly — "You want to look a little out
as you go home; I heard a lot of fellows down the lane talking,
and they said they would fix that Mormon."
A spontaneous exclamation of surprise and disgust came
from the little party of which Durant was the center. However,
it was left to the lawyer to engage in explosiveness, and he did
it in a manner which left no doubt of what he would do in an
emergency. It was finally decided that he and the doctor
should lead the way homeward, with the Marshall family,
our guest, a neighbor and the negro following leisurely after.
The improvised mob was soon encountered and the interview
was stormy for awhile, but before the party in the rear reached
the spot, the tumult was quieted down considerably. The
lawyer knew every one in the party and if any violence was
offered to the stranger, he would make it his personal business
to see that every one of them answered to the law. This,
coupled with milder and more persuasive methods, had its
effect, and one by one the rioters dispersed, at least for the
present. Mr. Durant and his friends walked home without
being assaulted by so much as an unpleasant exclamation,
though he fully expected trouble from the first; but he deter
mined to continue his labors as he had begun, leaving the
result to Providence.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 51
CHAPTER VIII.
The Prophet Joseph's Statement.
Perhaps it was the force of habit as well as the impelling
power of desire that caused the group, with whom we are now so
familiar, again to assemble at the place made somewhat memor
able by recent events — the veranda fronting the Marshall
mansion. All the persons hitherto named, excepting, of course,
the minister, were present; that gentleman had not only taken
his departure from the house, but doubtless from the town also.
It was Sunday evening, the weather was perfect, all things
seemed conducive to harmony, and a most pleasurable occasion,
it being perhaps the last they would enjoy together. The
doctor and lawyer were so anxious to begin the conversation
that they could scarcely wait for all to be seated; they desired to
improve the opportunity, and learn what they could of other
principles of the missionary's faith.
"Mr. Durant," finally said the doctor, "we have listened
with much pleasure to different conversations with you since
your arrival and these have awakened a lively interest within
us, and as there is nothing to prevent this evening, we thought
it would not be at all unpleasant to you to spend an hour or
so in answering what to us appears to be some very important
questions concerning the faith of the so-called Mormons."
"I assure you it will be pleasant to me, indeed. I am here
for that purpose, and the more questions I have an opportunity
to answer, the better and more successfully will I perform my
duty. Could I read your thoughts and know what you desire
explained, I assure you nothing would be left untold; but this
not being the case, I rely upon you to make inquiries and will
request that you keep nothing back, and I will be honest in
giving any information that I am capable of imparting."
"I am now inclined to believe," said the doctor, "after our
experience with you, that, like most of the good people of this
nation we have been in possession of only one side of the ques
tion regarding your people. Never having heard, from your
standpoint, the claims of Mr. Joseph Smith, the founder of your
Church, in regard to his being a prophet, we would be pleased
to learn what he said on this question."
"This is a frankness which I appreciate very much. As a
general thing, the majority of the people, when desirous of
52 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
knowing anything concerning us, are prone to ask any other
person on earth than a Mormon. They do not seem to think
for a moment that we ourselves might be able to place them in
possession of the most reliable information on the subject.
Joseph Smith's claim to being divinely inspired to open up a
new dispensation of the gospel, is here given in his own state
ments so that you will be getting it direct from the fountain
head."
"By all means, read it," said two or three in concert; "there
will then be no room for misrepresentation."
"Joseph Smith has made the following statement regarding
the subject," continued Durant:
"Owing to the many reports which have been put in circu
lation by evil designing persons in relation to the rise and prog
ress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of
which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate
against its character as a Church, and its progress in the world,
I have been induced to write this history, to disabuse the
public mind and put all inquirers after truth in possession of th.e
facts as they have transpired, in relation both to myself and the
Church, so far as I have such facts in my possession.
"In this history I will present the various events in relation
to this Church, in truth and righteousness, as they have trans
pired, or as they at present exist, being now the eighth year
since the organization of the said Church.
"I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and five, on the twenty-third day of December, in the
town of Sharon, Windsor County, State of Vermont. My father,
Joseph Smith, senior, left the State of Vermont, and moved to
Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) County, in the State of New
York, when I was in my tenth year. In about four years after
my father's arrival at Palmyra, he moved with his family into
Manchester, in the same County of Ontario. His family con
sisted of eleven souls, namely: my father, Joseph Smith; my
mother, Lucy Smith (whose name previous to her marriage was
Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack); my brothers Alvin (who
is now dead), Hyrum, myself, Samuel Harrison, William,
Don Carlos, and my sisters, Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy.
"Some time in the second year after our removal to Man
chester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excite
ment on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Meth-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 53
odists, but soon became general among all the sects in that
region of country; indeed the whole district of country s.eemed
affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the
different religious parties, which created no small stir and
division amongst the people, some crying, Lo, here! and others,
Lo, there! some were contending for the Methodist faith, some
for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist. For notwith
standing the great love which the converts to these different
faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great
zeal manifested by their respective clergy, who were active in
getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious
feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were
pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when
the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to
another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both
the priests and the converts were more pretended than real, for
a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued— priest con
tending against priest, and convert against convert, so that all
their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were
entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.
"I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father's
family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of
them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy, my
brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison, and my sister Sophronia.
"During this time of great excitement, my mind was called
up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my
feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof
from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings
as often as occasion would permit; but in process of time my
mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I
felt some desire to be united with them, but so great were the
confusion and strife among the different denominations, that
it was impossible for a person, young as I was, and so unac
quainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclu
sion who was right and who was wrong. My mind at
times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and
incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the
Baptists and Methodists, and used all their powers of either
reason or sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to "make
the people think they were in error. On the otherjiand, the
54 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Baptists and Methodists, in their turn, were equally zealous
to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions,
I often said to myself, What is to be done? Who of all these
parties are right? Or, are they all wrong together? If any one
of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
"While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties, caused
by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day
reading the Epistle of James, first chapter, and fifth verse,
which reads, 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that
giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall
be given him/ Never did any passage of scripture come with
more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to
mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of
my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any
person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not
know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had,
I-would never know ; for the teachers of religion of the different
sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as
to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to
the Bible. At length I came to the conclusion that I must either
remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James
directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determina
tion to ask of God, concluding that if He gave wisdom to them
that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally and not upbraid,
I might venture. So, in accordance with this, my determination
to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was
on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of
eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life
that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties
I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.
"After I had retired to the place where I had previously
designed to go, having looked around me and finding myself
alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my
heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was
seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and
had such'an&astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue
so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me
and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden
destruction.fBut, exerting all my powers to call upon God to
deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 55
me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into
despair and abandon myself to destruction, not to an imaginary
ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen
world, who had such a marvelous power as I had never before
felt in any being. Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a
pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the
sun, which descended gradually until it feel upon me. It no
sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy
which held me bound. When the light rested upon me, I saw
two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description,
standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me,
calling me by name, and said (pointing to the other), 'This is
My beloved Son, hear Him.'
"My object in going to inquire of the Lord, was to know
which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to
join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as
to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood
above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this
time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong),
and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none
of them, for they were all wrong, and the personage who ad
dressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his
sight; that those professors were all corrupt. 'They draw near to
me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach
for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godli
ness, but they deny the power thereof.'
"He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many
other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this
time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my
back, looking up into heaven.
"Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in
company with one of the Methodist preachers who was very
active in the before mentioned religious excitement, and con
versing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to
give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly
surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only
lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil,
that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these
days; that all such things -had ceased with the apostles, and
that there would never be any more of them.
"I soon found, however, that my telling the story had
56 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors
of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which
continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only
between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances
in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world,
yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite
the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution, and
this was common among all sects; all united to persecute me.
"It has often caused me serious reflection, both then and
since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little
over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to
the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily
labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to
attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular
sects of the day, so as to create in them a spirit of the hottest
persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was
often a cause of great sorrow to myself. However, it was never
theless a fact that I had had a vision. I have thought since, that
I felt much like Paul when he made his defense before King
Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he
saw a light and heard a voice, but still there were but few who
believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was
mad, and he was ridiculed and reviled; but all this did not de
stroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he
had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it
otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death,
yet he knew and would know to his latest breath that he had
both seen a light and heard a voice speaking to him, and all
the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
"So it was with me; I had actually seen a light, and in the
midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality
speak unto me, or one of them did; and though I was hated and
persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true;
and while they were persecuting me, reviling me and speaking
all manner of evil against me, falsely, for so saying, I was led to
say in my heart, Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have
actually seen a vision, and who am I that I can withstand God,
or why does the world think to make me deny what I have
actually seen? For I had seen a vision. I knew it, and I knew
that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it;
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 57
at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God and come
under condemnation.
"I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian
world was concerned, that it was not my duty to join with any
of them, but to continue as I was until further directed; I had
found the testimony of James to be true, that a man who lacked
wisdom might ask of God, and obtain and not be upbraided.
I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the
twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the
hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, be
cause I continued to affirm that I had seen a vision.
"During the space of time which intervened between the
time I had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and
twenty-three (having been forbidden to join any of the religious
sects of the day, and being of very tender years, and persecuted
by those who ought to have been my friends, and to have
treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to
have endeavored, in a proper and affectionate manner, to have
reclaimed me), I was left to all kinds of temptations, and,
mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many
foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the
foibles of human nature, which I am sorry to say led me
into divers temptations, to the gratification of many appetites
offensive in the sight of God. In consequence of these things
I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections;
when, on the evening of the above mentioned twenty-first day of
September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook
myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God, for forgive
ness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to
me, that I might know of my state and standing before Him;
for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation,
as I had previously had one.
"While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I dis
covered a light appearing in the room, which continued to
increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when
immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in
the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. He had on a loose
robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond
anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any
earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white
58 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
and brilliant; his hands were naked, and his arms also, a little
above the wrist; so also were his feet naked, as were his legs,
a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare.
I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe,
as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.
"Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole
person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance
truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so
very bright as immediately around his person. When I first
looked upon him I was afraid, but the fear soon left me. He
called me by name and said unto me that he was a messenger
sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was
Moroni. That God had a work for me to do, and that my
name should be had for good and evil among all nations,
kindreds, and tongues; or that it should be both good and evil
spoken of among all people. He said there was a book deposit
ed, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former
inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they
sprang. He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel
was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient in
habitants. Also that there were two stones in silver bows
(and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what
is called the Urim and Thummim), deposited with the plates,
and the possession and use of these stones were what consti
tuted Seers in ancient or former times, and that God had pre
pared them for the purpose of translating the book.
"After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the
prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the
third chapter of Malachi, and he quoted also the fourth or last
chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation
from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the
first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus: 'For be
hold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall burn as stubble;
for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.' And again,
he quoted the fifth verse thus: 'Behold I will reveal unto you the
priesthood by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the com
ing of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.' He also quoted
the next verse differently: 'And he shall plant in the hearts of
the children, the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 59
of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the
whole earth would be utterly wasted at His coming.'
"In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of
Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also
the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third
verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said
that prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when
they who would not hear His voice should be cut off from among
the people, but soon would come.
"He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the
twenty-eighth to the last verse. He also said that this was not
yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated, the
fullness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many
other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations
which cannot be mentioned here. Again, he told me that
when I got those plates of which he had spoken (for the time
that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled) I should not
show them to any person, neither the breastplate with the Urim
and Thummim, only to those to whom I should be commanded
to show them; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was
conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to
my mind that I could see the place where the plates were
deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly, that I knew the
place again when I visited it.
"After this communication, I saw the light in the room
begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had
been speaking to me, and it continued to do so, until the room
was again left dark, except just around him, when instantly I
saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he
ascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was
left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its
appearance.
"I lay musing on the singularity of the scene and marveling
greatly at what had been told me by this extraordinary mes
senger, when, in the midst of my meditation, I suddenly dis
covered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and
in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was
again by my bedside. He commenced, and again related the
very same things which he had done at his first visit, without
the least variation, which having done, he informed me of
great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great
60 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence, and that these
grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation.
Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done
before.
"By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my
mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed
in astonishment at what I had both seen and heard; but what
was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at
my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me
the same things as before, and added a caution to me, telling me
that Satan would try to tempt me (in consequence of the indi
gent circumstances of my father's family) to get the plates
for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade me, saying that
I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but
to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive
than that of building His kingdom, otherwise I could not get
them. After this third visit, he again ascended up into heaven
as before, and I was again left to ponder on the strangeness of
what I had just experienced, when almost immediately after
the heavenly messenger had ascended from me for the third time,
the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that
our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night. I
shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the
necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at
other times, I found my strength so exhausted as to render me
entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me,
discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go
home. I started with the intention of going to the house, but,
in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were,
my strength entirely failed me, and I fell helpless on the ground,
and for a time was quite unconscious of anything. The first
thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling
me|by name; I looked up and beheld the same messenger stand-
ingfover my head, surrounded by light, as before. He then again
related unto me all^that he had related to me the previous night,
and commanded^me to go to my father, and tell him of the
vision and commandments which I had received.
"I obeyed; I returned to my father in the field and
rehearsed the whole matter to him. Hejreplied to me that it was
of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger.
I left the field and went to the place where the messenger had
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 61
told me the plates were deposited, and owing to the distinctness
of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place
the instant that I arrived there. Convenient to the village of
Manchester, Ontario County, New York, stands a hill of
considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighbor
hood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under
a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone
box; this stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the
upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle
part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around
was covered with earth. Having removed the earth, I ob
tained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone,
and with a little exertion raised it up; I looked in, and there
indeed did I behold the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and
the breastplate as stated by the messenger. The box in which
they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of
cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones cross-
ways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other
things with them. I made an attempt to take them out, but
was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that
the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither
would it arrive until four years from that time; but he told me
that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that
time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should
continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the
plates.
" Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end
of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there,
and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of
our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and
how and in what manner His kingdom was to be conducted in
the last days.
"As my father's worldly circumstances were very limited,
we were under the necessity of laboring with our hands, hiring
out by day's work and otherwise, as we could get opportunity;
sometimes we were at home and sometimes abroad, and by
continuous labor were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance.
"In the year 1824 my father's family met with a great
affliction, by the death of my eldest brother, Alvin. In the
month of October, 1825, I hired with an old gentleman, by the
name of Josiah Stoal, who lived in Chenango County, State of
62 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
New York. He had heard something of a silver mine having
been opened by the Spaniards in Harmony, Susquehanna
County, State of Pennsylvania, and had, previous to my hiring
to him, been digging, in order, if possible, to discover the
mine. After I went to live with him, he took me with the rest
of his hands to dig for the silver mine, at which I continued to
work for nearly a month, without success in our undertaking,
and finally I prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging
. after it. Hence arose the very prevalent story of my having
been a money digger.
"During the time that I was thus employed, I was put to
board with a Mr. Isaac Hale, of that place; it was there I
first saw my wife (his daughter) Emma Hale. On the 18th
of January, 1827, we were married, while I was yet employed in
the service of Mr. Stoal.
"Owing to my continuing to assert that I had seen a vision,
persecution still followed me, and my wife's father's family were
very much opposed to our being married. I was therefore under
the necessity of taking her elsewhere, so we went and were
married at the house of Squire Tarbill, in South Bainbridge,
Chenango County, New York. Immediately after my marriage,
I left Mr. Steal's and went to my father's and farmed with him
that season.
"At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the
Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the 22nd day
of September, 1827, having gone, as usual, at the end of another
year, to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly
messenger delivered them up to me with this charge, that I
should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go
carelessly or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off;
but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them,
until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be
protected.
"I soon found out the reason why I had received such strict
charges to keep them safe, and why it was that the messenger
had said, that when I had done what was required at my hand,
he would call for them ; for no sooner was it known that I had
them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them
from me; every stratagem that could be invented was resorted
to for that purpose. The persecution became more bitter and
severe than before, and multitudes were on the alert continually
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 63
to get them from me if possible; but, by the wisdom of God,
they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by
them what was required at my hand; when, according to arrange
ments, the messenger called for them, I delivered them up to
him, and he has them in his charge until this day, being the
2nd of May, 1838.
' 'The excitement, however, still continued, and rumor,
with her thousand tongues, was all the time employed in cir
culating falsehoods about my father's family and about myself.
If I were to relate a thousandth part of them, it would fill up
volumes. The persecution, however, became so intolerable
that I was under the necessity of leaving Manchester, and
going with my wife to Susquehanna County, in the State of
Pennsylvania. While preparing to start (being very poor, and
the persecutions so heavy upon us, that there was no probabi
lity that we would ever be otherwise), in the midst of our af
flictions we found a friend in a gentleman by the name of
Martin Harris, who came to us and gave me fifty dollars to
assist us on our journey. Mr. Harris was a resident of Palmyra
Township, Wayne County, in the State of New York, and a
farmer of respectability. By this timely aid was I enabled to
reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania, and" im
mediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the
characters of the plates. I copied a considerable number of
them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated
some of them, which I did between the time I arrived at the
house of my wife's father, in the month of December, and the
February following.
"Some time in this month of February, the aforementioned
Mr. Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which
I had drawn off the plates, and started with them to the city of
New York. For what took place relative to him and the charac
ters, I refer to his own account of the circumstances, as he
related them to me after his return, which was as follows:
" 'I went to the city of New York, and presented the char
acters which had been translated, with the translation thereof,
to Professor Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary
attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was
correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from
the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet trans
lated, and he said that they were Egyptian," Chaldaic, Assyric
64 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
and Arabic, and he said that they were true characters. He
gave me a certificate certifying to the people of Palmyra that
they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them
as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate
and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house,
when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the
young man found out that there were gold plates in the place
where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had
revealed it unto him.
" 'He then said to me, "Let me see that certificate." I
accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when
he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such
thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring
the plates to him, he would translate them. I informed him
that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to
bring them; he replied, "I cannot read a sealed book." I left
him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor
Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the transla
tion.'
"On the 5th day of April, 1829, Oliver Cowdery came to
my house, until which time I had never seen him. He stated to me
that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my
father resided, and my father being one of those who sent
to the school, he went to board for a season at his house, and
while there, the family related to him the circumstance of my
having received the plates, and accordingly he had come to
make inquiries of me.
"Two days after the arrival of Mr. Cowdery (being the
17th of April) I commenced to translate the Book of Mormon,
and he began to write for me.
"We still continued the work of translation, when, in the
ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the
woods to pray and inquire of'the Lord respecting baptism for
the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation
of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling
upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud
of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us,
saying: 'Upon you, my fellow-servants, in the name of
Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the
keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repent
ance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 65
and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the
sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteous
ness.' He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of
laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this
should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go
and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize
Oliver Cowdery, and that afterwards he should baptize me.
"Accordingly we went and were baptized — I baptized him
first, and afterwards he baptized me — after which I laid my
hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priest
hood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to
the same Priesthood — for so we were commanded.
"The messenger who visited us on this occasion, and con
ferred this Priesthood upon us, said his name was John, the
same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament,
and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James, and
John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchisedek,
which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on
us, and that I should be called the first elder of the Church and
he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the 15th day of
May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of the
messenger and baptized.
"Immediately on our coming up out of the water, after
we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious
blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized
Oliver Cowdery than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he
stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly
come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by
him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I
prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other
things connected with the Church and this generation of the
children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and re
joiced in the God of our salvation.
"Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the
scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true mean
ing of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a
manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever
before had thought of. In the meantime we were forced to keep
secret the circumstances of our having been baptized and having
received the Priesthood, owing to a spirit of persecution which
had already manifested itself in the neighborhood. We had
66 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
been threatened with being mobbed, from time to time, and
this, too, by professors of religion. And their intentions of
mobbing us were only counteracted by the influence of my
wife's father's family (under Divine Providence,) who had
become very friendly to me, and who were opposed to mobs,
and were willing that I should be allowed to continue the work
of translation without interruption; and therefore offered and
promised us protection from all unlawful proceedings as far
as in them lay."
"Have you any further proof to offer respecting the divine
authenticity of this book you refer to?"
"Yes, we have evidence sufficient to establish its divinity
beyond doubt, before any impartial court on earth. I will read
you from one of our books the voluntary testimony of witnesses
who have not been impeached, as follows:
THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES.
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people
unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of
God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates
which contain this record, which is a record of the people of
Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the
people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been
spoken; and we also know that they have been translated by the
gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us;
wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we
also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the
plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God,
and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that
an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and
laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the
engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God
the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and
bear record that these things are true; and it is marvelous in
our eyes, nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that
we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the
commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And
we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our gar
ments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the
judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 67
the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
Oliver Cowdery,
David Whitmer,
Martin Harris."
"Can you give us any other evidence respecting this
record?"
1 'Yes, here is also the testimony of eight additional wit
nesses who declare they saw the plates."
AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES.
"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith,
Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates
of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of
gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has trans
lated, we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the en
gravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient
work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with
words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for
we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said
Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we
give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that
which we have seen; and we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
Christian Whitmer, Hiram Page,
Jacob Whitmer, Joseph Smith, Sen.,
Peter Whitmer, Jun., Hyrum Smith,
John Whitmer, Samuel H. Smith.
"There is one point," said Brown, "upon which I would
like to hear further; it is the restoration, before mentioned.
If these things are true, then the gospel was not upon the
earth at the time of Joseph Smith's birth, and, as you will
admit, the Church was organized in the days of Christ and left
on earth when He ascended on high: the question then arises,
how was the Gospel taken from the earth?"
"Let me give you another quotation from the Bible on the
subject," said the Elder. "From the days of John the Baptist
until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence; and the
violent take it by force.' (Matthew xi :12 ) . By parity of reason
ing where would our own government be if subjected to similar
68 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
treatment? Suppose, that instead of Christ being crucified, it
were the President, that the Cabinet instead of the Apostles
were murdered, the Congress and not the Seventies were
scattered to the four winds, and our citizens were subjected to
the fate of Saints of old in being driven beneath the earth —
what would then remain of our nation? It exists now proudly
and gloriously, and has existed for more than a century, but
such treatment would leave it to future generations as only an
incident in history — that is, it came, it flourished and it passed
away, just as did the true religion in the early days; and it might
again, also like the true religion, be restored, even as the Roman
Empire rose, fell and rose again."
"I understand."
"If you have no objections, I would like to read to you the
words of a wise man on this subject, which will illustrate my
meaning in a much clearer way than it is possible for me to
express it myself. The quotation is not long and you will ail-
especially my legal friend — see the force of his argument. He
uses these words:
" 'Now, in order to come at this subject in plainness, let us
examine the constitution of earthly governments in regard to
the authority and laws of adoption. We will say, for instance,
the President of the United States writes a commission to
A. B., duly authorizing him to act in some office in the govern
ment, and during his administration, two gentlemen from
Europe come to reside in this country, and being strangers and
foreigners wishing to become citizens, they go before A. B., and
he administers the oath of allegiance in due form, and certifies
the same, and this constitutes them legal citizens, entitled to
the privileges of those who are citizens or subjects by birth.
After these things A. B. is taken away by death, and C. D. in
looking over his papers happens to find the commission given
to A. B., and applying it to his own use, assumes the vacant
office; meantime, two foreigners arrive and apply for citizen
ship and being informed by persons ignorant of the affairs of
government that C. D. could administer the laws of adoption,
they submit to be administered unto by C. D. without once
examining his authority; C. D. certifies of their citizenship,
and they suppose they have been legally adopted, the same as
the others, and are entitled to the privileges of citizenship.
But by and by their citizenship is called into question, and they
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 69
produce the certificates of C. D.; the President inquires, 'Who is
C. D.? I never gave him a commission to act in any office, I
know him not and you are strangers and foreigners to the com
monwealth, until you go before the legally appointed suc
cessor of A. B., or some other of like authority, who has a
commission from the President direct in his own name.' In the
meantime C. D. is taken and punished according to law, for
practicing imposition, and usurping authority which was never
conferred upon him. And so it is with the kingdom of God. The
Lord authorized the Apostles and others, by direct revelation,
and by the spirit of prophecy, to preach and baptize, and build
up His church and kingdom; but after awhile they die, and a
long time passed away; men reading over their commission,
where it says to the eleven Apostles, 'Go ye into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature, etc., have had the pre
sumption to apply these sayings as their authority, and, with
out any other commission, have gone forth professing to preach
the gospel, and baptize, and build up the church and kingdom
of God; but those whom they baptize never receive the same
blessings and gifts which characterized a Saint, or citizen of the
kingdom, in the days of the Apostles. Why? Because they are
yet foreigners and strangers, for the commission given to the
Apostles never commissioned any other man to act in their
stead. This was a prerogative the Lord reserved unto Himself.
No man has a right to take this ministry unto himself, but he
that is called by revelation, and duly qualified to act in his
calling by the Holy Ghost."
"You give us abundance of authority, as well as your own
testimony and evidence," said the doctor. "You have developed
a wide and profound subject for our consideration, and for one
I regret that we cannot at once hear you out, that is, go to the
end of the subject with you, and know all that you are in pos
session of in regard to it. Right or wrong, one thing is plainly
manifest — that you convey a philosophy each part of which is
so reasonable, consistent and harmonious with every other
part, and with the ground-work itself, that he who doubts
must question himself as to why he doubts. And now, let me
ask, will it not be practicable for you to remain another day?"
"While it would give me, personally, the greatest pleasure to
do so, it must be remembered that I am not performing this
work for my own individual gratification. The field is a broad
70 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
one, and just think how small a portion of it I would be able to
cover should I give way to my present inclinations and remain
unduly long in places where everything is so pleasant as here.
No, I must go, but hope to return to this region again."
"Well, of course you understand your own affairs best,
but you are making such headway here that I hoped it might be
desirable for you to continue to the end."
"So it would be but for the reasons stated. My train
departs at 11 o'clock tomorrow, and I must fill the appoint
ments I have made."
CHAPTER IX.
That Mormon Again.
Some months had passed away since the Elder took his
departure from Westminster, and during this time his name had
been on everybody's lips, both good and evil. The principles
advanced by him had taken such root in the minds of many that
it seemed impossible for them to lay the doctrine aside. Among
this class were the Marsh alls, who, by the way, had increased
their family by the addition of a son-in-law, their daughter
Claire having, as was anticipated, changed her name from
Marshall to Sutherland.
Herbert Sutherland was a rising young man of Westminster,
well and favorably known to most of the people. He had for
several years been very much attached to Miss Marshall, and,
as the love was mutual, of course no one appeared surprised in
the least when the wedding took place. Joy, and promise of an
unclouded life, seemed to be the portion of the young couple.
Breakfast had been waiting for over an hour for Mr.
Marshall, and his good wife had become almost impatient,
when the gate opened and he entered, saying to his wife, "You
must overlook this delay, as I have been detained at the station.
While passing, I noticed a familiar friend and could not resist the
temptation of spending with him the forty minutes given for
transferring baggage, even when aware that the detention kept
you and the breakfast waiting."
"Well, I declare," said Mrs. Marshall, "You must have met
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 71
a very esteemed friend indeed, to have remained so long at the
expense of so many."
"Who was it, papa?" remarked Claire; "it's no use asking
us to guess, for you know we are not Yankees enough for that."
"One would imagine you had been in the presence of a
number of friends," said Mr. Sutherland, "judging from the
pleased expression on your face."
"Well, why not tell us who it was?" said Mrs. Marshall.
"It was one whose visit with us was very short, but whose
name has been mentioned since scores of times," Mr. Marshall
answered; "and now we will go to the dining room, and in the
meantime I will tell you what my conversation was with Mr.
Charles Durant, of Salt Lake City, our Mormon friend."
"I had learned that he promised while here to visit you
again," remarked Mr. Sutherland, "and is it possible, he has
been so near and yet failed to keep his promise? I did not think
this of Mr. Durant, for, while I have not had the pleasure of his
acquaintance, I had formed a very good opinion of him from
remarks made by others, and was in hopes of seeing him myself
some day."
"And so you shall," answered Mr. Marshall, "I tell you he
has not forgotten. He is on his way home, it is true, but has
taken a trip up the country for a few days, and intends visiting
us when he returns."
"That's better," said Sutherland; "I do not wish to miss
what you people claim was a treat to you."
With this the family adjourned to the dining room, where
Mr. Marshall acquainted them with all the facts received from
Mr. Durant. He had performed his work to the entire satis
faction of the president of the Southern States Mission, and had
been given leave of absence to return home; but he had received
word while en route that some Elders had been terribly beaten
by a band of fanatics. He was instructed to pay his fellow
laborers a visit, and administer to their wants before continuing
his homeward journey. While he had in view a pleasant visit
with the Marshalls, he could not think of enjoying the same
before performing a duty to the brethren in distress. He would
be with the Marshalls in a day or two and would then remain
some days in their company.
"He has promised," said Mr. Marshall, "to answer all the
questions we have been accumulating for him, and will be
72 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
pleased indeed to have as many of our neighbors spend the
evening with him as we are willing to invite."
"Exactly what Herbert has been wishing for," exclaimed
Claire. "Knowing so well that Mr. Durant and the Mormon
gospel doctrines have made a deep impression on us, he has been
very anxious to converse with this missionary."
"Yes," answered Sutherland. "If all I have heard from
you is correct, then I am surprised that this peculiar people
are despised to such an extent. The principles you have ex
plained to me, as received from him, are logical and good, and
Mr. Brown tells me they have had such an influence with him,
that nothing short of a visit to Salt Lake City will satisfy the
longing he has to study the Mormon question as he desires;
and as for Claire, why she has gone over her Bible and marked
the passages quoted by the Elder, until the Sacred Book looks
like a Chinese record."
"And better than that," exclaimed his young wife, "I have
committed the most of them to memory, and should he desire
an assistant, I can surprise not only him but all of you with my
knowledge of those principles. I realize how much happiness
God has given me in this world, and how much I should en
deavor to please Him, and have therefore devoted more time
to reading His word than ever before, and, strange to say, I
have found passages quoted by Mr. Durant whenever I have
read, and the verses marked in my Bible seem to lead to some
thing else that he has said. His testimony is so deeply rooted in
my heart that I almost believe his people will yet be my people,
and his faith will be my faith."
"Why, Claire," said her mother, "if you are not careful,
you will be a Mormon before you are aware."
"And should you become one," said her husband, "think
of your many friends, and the opinions they will have of you."
"Well, I haven't joined the Mormons yet," said Claire;
"but if I do, it will be because I believe them to be right; and
if I have your good will, Herbert, and that of papa and mamma,
what care I for the opinions of others?"
"Well said," answered Herbert, with a smile; "but we will
see if we cannot 'corner' your missionary, get him into an
argumentative jail, if you please, from which it will be difficult
or impossible for him to escape. Should he be able to make the
gospel he teaches as plain and as reasonable as the doctrines
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 73
that are set forth in the tracts which he left here, I can see no
reason why any earnest sincere searcher after knowledge
cannot adopt that gospel as a living truth."
It was agreed, therefore, that when the promised telegram
from Durant should be received, giving the date of his arrival,
the neighbors were to be invited, and the large dining room
would be turned into an informal meeting place where the
principles of the gospel, as believed in by the Mormons, could
be further explained.
CHAPTER X.
The Missionary's Return.
Elder Charles Durant returned to Westminster just ten
days after the time of his meeting with Mr. Marshall at the
station. He was heartily welcomed by the family, and being
comfortably seated at the dinner table, the conversation natur
ally drifted to a detailed account of his experiences since his
first visit. His labors had been divided somewhat in two or
three different states. He met with many kinds of people,
and with a variety of treatments, since leaving the home of the
Marshalls; he made many friends as well as a few enemies, but
had endeavored to perform his work in a way to meet the ap
probation of that Being who had commissioned him to spread
His word among the children of men. Having performed his
work to the satisfaction of those under whom he labored, he
was, as previously stated, released therefrom, for a time at
least, and had commenced his journey towards the land of his
birth, where dwelt his loved ones, when the telegram reached
him from the president of the Mission to the effect that several
Elders had been mobbed in a neighboring county, and asking
that he visit his brethren on his way home, as stated before.
After the meal, the family adjourned to the sitting room
when the missionary was requested to give an account of the
mobbing of the Elders whom he had just visited.
He said that they had been laboring for several months,
holding meetings wherever they could get an opportunity, and
had succeeded in obtaining the permission of the trustees to
hold their meetings in a schoolhouse — they being solicited to
74 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
hold religious services by the people, and explain the gospel to
them.
A family named Brooks expressed a desire to be baptized,
and the Elders had consented to perform the ordinance on a
a fixed day, according to their custom, and in conformity with
the plan of salvation as pointed out by Christ, the early Apostles,
and by John the Baptist who baptized openly in the river
Jordan, and "In Aenon near to Salim because there was much
water there."
At the appointed time the ordinance was performed, a
number of persons being present who came for the purpose of
sneering at the rite, and making sport of its sacredness, which
they did, but to which the Elders paid only little attention,
having become accustomed to the jeers of the wicked. On the
same evening there was a pleasant association at the residence
of the newly-baptized family, the time being spent in singing
sacred songs and in conversation. Retiring at 9 o'clock, leaving
their bedroom door open owing to the heat, they were at 11
o'clock rudely awakened, and ordered to get up, to accompany
a mob of about fifteen men into the woods.
"You are a pretty-looking lot of fellows," said one of the
Elders as he counted them and glanced at their masked faces.
"What do you consider the Savior would think of your
mission if He were here? Why do you disturb the slumbers of
the peaceful citizens at night, thus hideously masked? If we have
transgressed any law, we are amenable; take us before your
magistrates, and we will answer to any charge you may prefer."
"We don't want you to preach any more in this locality,"
said one of the masked men.
"Then the best way to stop us is to induce the people to
cease attending our meetings."
At this juncture the inmates of the house were alarmed,
and Mr. B. came in, taking a glance at each of the disturbers.
A voice on the outside was heard to cry: "Captain! captain!
enough said, enough said."
The mob then withdrew, and the Elders retired again,
still leaving the door unlocked. They remained there the
following day, but subsequently spent some time visiting friends
in other districts. In the course of two weeks they returned to
the same place. On their way thither, there were a few who
hurled insults at them, but to this they paid no attention. They
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 75
arrived at Mr. Brooks' house at 5 o'clock in the evening, where
they met companions, and where the time was spent in speaking
of the gospel, singing hymns, and in conversing upon a variety
of subjects concerning Utah and her people. No signs of dis
turbance appeared, save an occasional ominous bark of the
house dog.
The Elders retired with sweet recollections of home, to be
roughly awakened at 2 o'clock at night, by the harsh cry of "Sur
render." They were surrounded by a horde of ruffians, armed
with guns, pistols, and clubs; and in the most blasphemous
language were ordered to get up, the mobbers in the mean
time brandishing their weapons in the faces of the Elders.
Not obeying orders as rapidly as the mob wished them to, they
were each (there being four of them), seized by two of the
cowards, one on either side, dragged from their beds in an in
human manner, and marched along the road, an eighth of a
mile, dressed only in their thin summer night-clothing. Re-
sistence was impossible, and the attempt of the proprietor of
the house to assist them was met with curses, a blow across
the forehead, with the exclamation: "If you show your head out
of this house before 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, we will kill
you."
The train marched on, the vilest curses and the blackest
oaths being uttered against them that mortals can express.
There was no charge preferred against them, and they said:
"If we have broken any law, take us before the courts," but
the only reply was:
"We are law enough for you."
What was to be their fate, they knew not, until the mob
began cutting and trimming limbs of trees from four to six
feet long, having ugly knots. Soon the Elders were ordered
to bend over a fallen log about two feet through, when their
doom was made plain to them. They were terribly whipped,
receiving lash after lash upon their backs without a question
being asked, or an opportunity being afforded to appeal from
this inhuman treatment. Occasionally they arose to say a word,
but were immediately thrust down again by some of the mob
using pistols or clubs. In this way three received severe scalp
wounds. The woods resounded with the lashes and the groans
of the tortured; thirty-five stripes had been laid upon them,
when they were requested to leave the country. Too faint to
76 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
comply, their hesitancy was construed as a refusal, and they
were once more belabored with redoubled fury, causing them
to cringe beneath the cruel beech-limbs wielded by a sturdy
fiend weighing over two hundred pounds. Fifty stripes each,
they received, and yet they had injured no man! How terrible!
but it was all for the sake of the gospel. Finally, after such
torture, they were released, upon promising to leave the country
the next day.
They returned to their friend and brother, but in what a
lacerated condition! They found him sitting in the door bleed
ing from his wounds. They dressed each other's wounds as
best they could, then lay down in troubled rest till morning,
when they departed to the place where Elder Durant met
them, perhaps never to return.
While rehearsing not only his own experience but that of
his wounded brothers, no one listened with more marked
attention than Claire's husband. From the moment he was
introduced 'to Durant, at the depot, they became very much
attached to each other, and, as expressed by Mr. Sutherland,
it seemed as if they had always been acquainted.
Later, while these two were conversing upon the veranda,
Mr. Sutherland interrupted the Elder by asking: "How do you
account for the peculiar feelings attending the formation of
new friendship, Mr. Durant? Have you not noticed that upon
many occasions when introduced to a person, you feel as well
acquainted as if you had known him for years?"
"Yes," replied Elder Durant, "I have noticed it often,
and have frequently wondered if occasions where such feelings
are manifested were really the beginning of an acquaintance."
"I have certainly been very much impressed with this
sensation at times when I have been absolutely certain of its
being the first meeting," replied Sutherland; "for instance,
to be frank, it is the case with you. I am certain beyond ques
tion that you and I have never met previous to this day, and
yet I followed you while giving the account of your labors and
the troubles of your brethren, with as much interest as if you
were my own brother; and I have felt all day long that we have
always been acquainted."
"Mr. Sutherland," said the Elder, "who knows but before
now we have been better acquainted than you are with any
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 77
gentleman in your village, and that we have merely forgotten
our former associations together?"
"I do not understand your meaning," said Sutherland;
"I am certain we have never seen each other before, and con
sequently I cannot comprehend your idea when you intimate
that perhaps we have been well acquainted. You came from
the West, while I have always lived here, where you have never
dwelt except during your former visit to Mr. Marshall's home,
and how, therefore, can it be possible for us ever to have met
before?"
"I do not claim for an instant that such is the case, Mr.
Sutherland, but the idea afforded me such a splendid chance to
open a conversation upon a principle believed in by my people,
that I could not resist the opportunity of saying what I did,
and, as you say you are desirous of learning all you can about
our views upon religious principles, you, yourself, gave me a
thought, serving as a text, for dwelling upon one of the most
important of these."
"If that is the case, I am very glad. What is the principle?"
"You know that all Christians believe that after death
there is life?"
"Of course, or why should they take the pains to prepare
for death? But what has that to do with having met you be
fore?"
"Neither that nor what I am going to say has anything
whatever to do with it, but, Mr. Sutherland, if it is reasonable
for you and me to believe we shall live after death, why should
it be unreasonable for us also to believe that our spirits existed
before the birth of our earthly tabernacles! There is certainly
something connected with the intelligence of man that should
appeal to us as if to say that the spirit is older that the body,
and emanated from a more exalted place than this earth of ours."
"Why, Mr. Durant," exclaimed Sutherland in astonish
ment, "I never heard such a doctrine as that."
"Let me ask, have you ever read the Bible to any great
extent?"
"Yes, I have always been a lover of the Divine record, and
have spent many hours in its perusal."
"I am glad to hear this, and I think, as we proceed, you
may change your mind regarding never having heard such a
doctrine as pre-existence. You will perhaps admit that while
78 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
reading, you failed to understand fully what you read. As an
introduction to this grand and glorious principle, let me read
a beautiful poem I have here from the pen of one of the gifted
women of Utah; she is dead now, and the intelligent spirit,
sent from God to dwell in her earthly tabernacle, has been
recalled by the Being who sent it, or, as the Bible declares,
'has returned to God who gave it.' Her name was Eliza R.
Snow Smith; her name and poem will live while time endures:"
"O my Father, thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place!
When shall I regain thy presence,
And again behold thy face?
In thy holy habitation,
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first, primeval childhood,
Was I nurtured near thy side?
"For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast placed me here on earth,
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth;
Yet oft-times a secret something
Whispered, You're a stranger here,
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere.
"I had learned to call thee Father,
Through Thy Spirit from on high;
But, until the Key of Knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me, I've a mother there.
"When I leave this frail existenca,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then, at length, when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you."
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 79
"This is one of the most beautiful compositions I have ever
listened to, Mr. Durant. The words appear to carry a strange
conviction with them. Can it be true? and if so, are we here as
school children, sent by exalted parents, to become acquainted
with sorrow in order to understand happiness?"
"Either this is the cause, or else our faith in a hereafter is a
myth. You prove to me that our birth is the commencement of
the intelligence of man, and you also convince me that death is
its end. But we have enough given in the scriptures to convince
us that birth is not the beginning, and likewise that death is
not the end. Christ said He came forth from the Father (John
xvi:28), and it was His prayer that the glory which He had
before coming would be His when he returned. (John xvii: 5.)
In His teachings to His Apostles He must have familiarized
them with this exalted principle of pre-existence, for upon one
occasion they came to Him with a question, concerning a blind
man: 'Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born
blind?' (John ix:2.) Surely had this been a foolish question,
Christ would have corrected them, but He answered them in a
manner leading us to understand that it was a principle firmly
believed in by them all; and comprehending this, as certainly as
they did, they, more than our generation, could intelligently
lisp the prayer taught them by the Master: 'Our Father which
art in heaven.' Our Divine record says that God is the Father
of the spirits of all flesh (Num. xvi:22), in whose hand is the
soul of every living thing (Job xii:10); and we find in it that
when death comes, the spirit of man will return to God who
gave it. (Eccl. xii:7.) Job was asked by the Lord where he was
when the foundation of the earth was laid (Job xxxviii:3-7),
and the Almighty declared He not only knew but ordained
Jeremiah to be a prophet before His earthly birth. (Jer. i:5.)
From these passages, and many others that might be cited, it
should be very easy for Christians to understand that there is
a natural and a spiritual body." (I. Cor. xv:44.)
"Mr. Durant," said Sutherland, "whether this principle is
true or otherwise, it cannot be gainsaid that you have scriptures
to support it."
"Why should we not have, Mr. Sutherland? It is truth, and
it is only natural that the truth should appear reasonable. As
quoted, God asks Job: "Who laid the corner stone of this
earth, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons
80 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
of God shouted for joy?" (Job xxxviii:7.) Now I sincerely
believe that we were there, that we helped to compose that
large congregation of sons of God, and that we did shout for
joy at beholding the time approaching when we also would
have the privilege of visiting an earth where our Father would
give us an opportunity to become possessed of bodies which
should eventually be eternal abiding places for our spirits;
that when we came to this school we should have our judgments
taken away, or, in other words, that all recollection of our
former existence should be withdrawn, in order that we might
be able to use the greatest gift of all, which is 'free agency,'
to do good or evil and become to a certain extent gods in em
bryo, and then when we returned home from this school our
Father could reward us, his children, according to our works."
"Your explanation carries with it conviction. I have been
very much interested and desire to talk further with you on this
subject, but fear I am doing you an injustice by requiring you to
speak so much. I must not forget that the neighbors are coming
in tonight, and I should therefore not weary you."
"You need not fear, I assure you: I have been talking now
upon these principles for two years; it is my mission, and I am
well pleased to find people who are willing to hear."
"I am very anxious to listen, I can assure you," replied
Mr. Sutherland. Let us walk through the village, you can view
our improvements, and perhaps shake hands with many whom
you met when here before; we might then return in time for
supper, and rest awhile before our evening chat."
This proposition was agreed to, and, taking their hats, the
two men went out. The first person met on the ramble was our
medical friend, who, learning of Mr. Durant's intended return,
was hastening to the Marshall residence to welcome him. The
greeting which the young missionary received from his true
and lasting friend was unaffected and sincere, meaning more
than language can express. Questions and answers regarding
the missionary's trip, and matters, which to the general reader
would amount to mere common-place, were exchanged during
the conversation, and must have been interesting to them, for
it was continued during the whole of what proved a very long
walk.
"I begin to feel like a resident here," said the Elder,
"though, perhaps, I ought to say that my acquaintance is not
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 81
the only cause for that feeling, for I try to be at ease wherever I
go."
"And succeed, I should say, if your experience elsewhere has
been anything like that at Westminster."
"Yes, indeed, and in so doing I find no little comfort in the
words of an eminent man who is classed as a 'pagan,' an agnos
tic, and so on, but who, I verily believe, was as much a Christian
at heart as most of us — certainly much more so than many who
engage in the promulgation of Christianity as a profession:
'The world is my home, and humanity my kindred.' '
By this time they had reached the home of Mr. Marshall,
and after supper preparations were made for the evening
gathering.
CHAPTER XI. .
A Pleasant Interview.
In the evening Elder Durant not only had the pleasure of
meeting all his old friends of the previous visit, but was honored
with the presence of a large number of persons whom he had
not seen before. Some of them had attended the meeting he
held in the Town Hall on his first visit, while others had only
heard of him through the Marshalls.
When all were comfortably seated in the large dining room,
Mr. Sutherland by way of introducing the missionary to his
new friends, said:
"My friends and neighbors, we have assembled here this
evening for the purpose of listening to Mr. Durant on the
religious faith of a people who claim to have the keys of a new
dispensation committed to them. If their claim is correct,
then it is of the utmost importance to the whole human race.
If God has indeed spoken from the heavens, it is the duty of
His children to listen; on the other hand, if this claim of the
Mormons be founded on a myth, then it is our duty to do all
in our power to disprove their declarations, and deny that they
have any divine commission whatever to proclaim the principles
of salvation. You who have the privilege of listening to him
will know whether his arguments are sound and scriptural,
or otherwise ; and can therefore exercise the right, which you all
have, of judging for yourselves. We will, therefore, ask our
82 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
friend from the valleys of the West to give us, in as few words as
possible, an outline of what Mormonism teaches, after which all
may act with the utmost freedom in asking questions upon any
thing the gentleman may say, or upon any principle believed
in by his people. Now, Mr. Durant, we are anxious to hear you,
and you will find us attentive listeners."
The Elder arose and in a few well-chosen words expressed
his thanks to the Marshalls for their kindness, as well as to Mr.
Sutherland and all his friends who had taken an interest in
him. He was pleased to answer questions pertaining to his
faith, and with all sincerity bore testimony that the Mormons
were less understood by the people of this and other nations
than any other sect in Christendom. Their mission is one of
* 'peace on earth and good will to men," notwithstanding they
had been represented as having objects quite the reverse.
Their faith teadhes the reason why man is here in this
probation; whence man came, and whither he goes, after his
departure by death. It teaches that the destiny of man is
mighty; that his exaltation is to be great; that what man
is, God once was; that what God is, man can be.
"Mormonism teaches men to believe in God the Eternal
Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost, who
bears record of them forever.
"As a people, we believe that all mankind, through the
transgression of our first parents, were brought under the curse
and penalty for transgression; but that through the atoning
sacrifice, sufferings, and death of Jesus Christ, all are to be
redeemed from any effects of original transgression; that,
'as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men unto
condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one, the free
gift came upon all men unto justification of life.' (Rom. v:18.)
"We believe that little children are innocent, and not under
transgression; that they are incapable of obeying any law, not
understanding good or evil: and Jesus says, "Of such are the
kingdom of heaven;" but then, when they arrive at the years of
accountability, and know good from evil, and are capable of
obeying or disobeying law; if they then transgress, they will be
condemned for breaking a known law.
"We believe that no man will be condemned for not obeying
a law that he does not know; and that consequently millions of
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 83
the human family who have never heard the gospel, are more
blessed than those who have had that privilege, and have refused
to accept it; that mankind will be judged according to the
deeds done in the body.
"We believe in the sufferings, death and atoning sacrifice
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and in His resurrection and
ascension on high, and in the Holy Ghost, which is given to all
who obey the gospel.
"We believe, first, it is necessary to have faith in God, and
that, next, it is necessary to repent of our sins — to confess and
to turn away from them, and make restitution to all whom we
have injured, as far as it is in our power.
"We believe that the third necessity is to be baptized by im
mersion in water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, 'for remission of sins,' and that this ordinance must
be performed by one having authority, or otherwise it is of no
avail.
"The fourth is, to receive the laying on of hands, in the
name of Jesus Christ, for the gift of the Holy Ghost; and this
ordinance must also be administered by the Apostles or the
Elders, whom the Lord Jesus has called to lay on hands; nor
then is it of any advantage except to those persons who have
complied with the before named'three conditions.
"We believe that the Holy Ghost is the same now, as it was
in the apostolic days, and that when a church is organized, it is
its privilege to have all the gifts, powers and blessings which
flow from the Holy Spirit.
"Such, for instance, as the gifts of revelation, prophecy,
visions, the ministry of angels, healing the sick by the laying
on of hands in the name of Jesus, the working of miracles, and,
in short, all the gifts mentioned in the scriptures, or enjoyed by
the ancient Saints. We believe that inspired apostles and
prophets, together with all the officers as mentioned in the New
Testament, are necessary in the Church in these days.
"We believe that there has been a general and awful
apostasy from the religion of the New Testament, so that all the
known world have been left for centuries without the church
of Christ among them; without a priesthood authorized of God
to administer ordinances; that every one of the churches has
perverted the gospel, some in one way and some in another.
For instance, almost every church has ignored the doctrine of
84 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
immersion for the 'remission of sins/ Those few who have prac
ticed it have abolished the ordinance of the 'laying on of hands'
upon baptized believers for the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Again,
the few who have practiced the last ordinance have perverted
the first, or have denied the ancient gifts, powers and blessings
which flow from the Holy Spirit, or have said to the inspired
apostles and prophets 'we have no need of you in the body.'
Those few again who have believed in, and contended for, the
miraculous gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit, have perverted
the ordinance. Thus all the churches preach false doctrines
and distort the gospel, and instead of having authority from God
for corrupting it, Paul says (Gal. 1:8), 'Though we or an angel
from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.'
"We believe that there are a few sincere, honest and humble
persons who are striving to do according to the best of their
understanding, but, in many respects, they err in. doctrine
because of false teachers and the precepts of men, and that they
will receive the fullness of the gospel with gladness as soon as
they hear it.
"We believe in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and in living
and continued revelation; but we also believe that no new reve
lation will contradict the old.
"The gospel in the Book of Mormon is the same as that in
the New Testament, so that no one who reads it can misunder
stand its principles. It has been revealed by an angel to be
preached as a witness to all nations, first to the Gentiles and
then to the Jews, then cometh the downfall of Babylon. Thus
fulfilling the vision of John, which he beheld on the Isle of
Patmos: (Rev. xiv:6, 7, 8), 'And I saw another angel fly in the
midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and
give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come;
and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters.' And there followed another
angel saying, 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because
she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication.'
"Many revelations and prophecies have been given to this
Church since its rise, which have been printed and set forth to
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 85
the world. These also contain the gospel in great plainness, and
instructions of infinite importance to the Saints. They also un
fold the great events that await this generation, the terrible
judgments to be poured forth upon the wicked, and the bless
ings and glories to be given to the righteous. We believe God will
continue to give revelations by visions, by the ministry of
angels, and by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, until the
Saints are guided into all truth.
"We believe that wherever the people enjoy the religion of
the New Testament, there they enjoy visions, revelations, the
ministry of angels, etc. And that wherever these blessings cease
to be enjoyed, there they also cease to enjoy the religion of the
New Testament.
"We believe that God has established His church in order
to prepare a people for His second coming in the clouds of
heaven, in power and great glory; and that then the Saints
that are asleep in their graves will be raised and reign with
Him on earth a thousand years.
"We believe that great judgments await the earth on
account of the wickedness of its inhabitants, and that when the
gospel shall have been sufficiently proclaimed, if they reject it
they will be destroyed; that plagues, pestilence and famine will
be multiplied upon them; that thrones will be cast down,
empires overthrown, and nations destroyed; that when the
Spirit of God ceases to restrain the people, the world will be
full of blood, carnage and desolation; that peace will be taken
from the earth and from among the people, religious and irreli
gious. It shall be as with the people, so with the priests, etc.
"We believe that the Lord will gather His people from
among all nations unto a land of peace, and give them pastors
after His own heart, who shall feed them with knowledge and
understanding, and they shall be the only people upon the
earth that shall not be at war with one another.
"We believe that the Ten Tribes of Israel, with the dis
persed of Judah, shall soon be restored to their own lands,
according to the covenants which God made with their ancient
fathers, and that when this great work of restitution shall take
place, the power of God shall be made manifest in signs, and
wonders, and mighty deeds, far exceeding anything that took
place in the exodus from Egypt. Jerusalem will be rebuilt,
together with the glorious temple, and the Lord shall visit His
86 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Saints in Zion. In that day the name of the Lord shall become
great unto the ends of the earth and all nations shall serve and
obey Him, for the wicked shall have perished out of the earth.
"We believe in all principles of truth that have been
revealed; in all that are now being revealed, and are prepared
to receive all that God will reveal.
"We believe that the gospel now being preached by the
Latter-day Saints is to call the honest in heart out of Babylon,
that they partake not of her sins nor receive of her plagues.
"We believe in morality, chastity, purity, virtue and
honesty, and wish to promote the happiness of our fellow-men."
The Elder's words were listened to with marked attention.
He expressed a willingness to answer questions, and a desire to
have as many asked, concerning the religious principles believed
in by his people as the listeners were pleased to propound.
"Mr. Durant," said Sutherland, when the former was
seated, "I have not only listened to all you have said with the
greatest interest, but have taken pleasure in reading the tracts
left while on your former visit, and whether your faith is correct
or otherwise, it will be a difficult task to disprove any of your
arguments by the Sacred record. I wish to ask you a few
questions regarding some of the principles you have not touched
upon, and which I understand to be a part of your faith. I am
informed that you believe in a literal resurrection of the body.
Is this correct?"
"Certainly," answered the Elder promptly. "How could we
lay any claim whatever to a Christian belief in the resurrection
unless we believed in a literal resurrection?"
"Well, you certainly would not be compelled to believe in a
literal resurrection in order to lay claim to having a Christian
belief in that principle, for all Christians are surely not believers
in it."
"All true Christians must follow Christ's teachings regard
ing this principle as well as all others, or else how can they be
considered true Christians? Christ is the resurrection and the
life. (John xi:25. ) He was also the first fruits of the resurrection.
(Acts xxvi:23. ) He, therefore, is our great pattern. We know He
was put to death (Matt. xxvii:50) ; that His body was laid in the
tomb (Matt. xxvii:60); that when His friends visited that
tomb the body was gone; that an angel declared that the body
had been resurrected (Matt. xxviii:6); that He appeared to
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 87
His apostles with the body which had been crucified even bear
ing the prints of the cruel nails in His hands, and the marks of
the spear in His side, and to satisfy Thomas, He asked to be
handled that no mistake be made regarding its being a literal
resurrection of the same body He had before the crucifixion.
(John xx:27, 28.) This was the resurrection of our Master and
inasmuch as He has commanded us to follow Him, why should
ours not be the same?"
"But you will admit that if Christianity is true and Christ is
really the Savior, there is a great difference between His resur
rection and that of those who have died since. His body had
only just been interred; there had not been sufficient time for it
to decay in the grave, and He was God Himself, while the bodies
of others decay, and are scattered, in some cases at least, to the
four winds," answered Brown.
"How about the statement regarding the resurrection of
others, who, the scriptures declare, came forth from their graves
at the time of Christ's resurrection? (Matt. xxvii:52.) They
certainly must have slumbered for a long time."
"I cannot understand," said Brown, "how it could be
possible for a literal resurrection of the body to occur after
decay had taken place, and the body had returned to dust to
the earth."
"Mr. Brown," the Elder said, "you will candidly admit that
there are many things now accepted as truths which at one
time seemed to you incomprehensible."
"No doubt, I do," answered Brown.
"Yes, you do, most decidedly. For instance, when you first
learned the wonders of the telephone, you could scarcely credit
them; when you were informed that you could converse with a
friend who stood miles away, you not only doubted, but per
haps disbelieved, yet you doubt no longer, for your eyes have
seen, and your ears have heard. Is not this true?"
"It is; what the eye has seen or the ear has heard, one must
certainly believe. But is not that a vastly different proposi
tion?"
"Not at all; you are only less familiar with the methods or
principles upon which the resurrection depends, that is all.
When we have more of the intelligence of heaven, and can
understand more regarding the great principles by which the
resurrection is brought about, it will appear simple enough. God
88 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
permits a ray of intelligence to come from heaven; it reaches the
mind of man, it gives us knowledge of the telegraph, by which
our messages flash from nation to nation, in the twinkling of an
eye, and opens to our understanding many other wonders of
modern science. We may not understand fully how it is done,
but we know it is accomplished, and we therefore believe what
we once disbelieved.
"Another ray reaches us, and we have an understanding of
the telephone, the phonograph, the electric cars; and through
the effects of these discoveries, we open our eyes in wonder
ment! Yet these flashes of intelligence are nothing compared
with the mighty fire of wisdom in the heavens from whence
these originate. They may be new to us, but are thoroughly
understood by Him who sent them. They are all gifts from the
Father of our spirits, and only small gifts at that, compared
with what He has in store for us."
"How can you imagine for an instant," exclaimed Mr.
Sutherland, "that it can be possible for all the particles of GUI
bodies to be gathered together again after they have been
scattered?"
"I do not, and cannot pretend to, answer this question. It
will require more intelligence than I have, to answer it. But
this I firmly believe; that no particle, that is, none of the
component parts, of my body will ever go to make up the body
of anything else, and that it matters not whether my body be
burned or permitted to decay and return to mother earth,
every particle will be collected and brought together again,
at the time of the resurrection, which will be literal in every
sense of the word. Let me relate a little anecdote which illus
trates my position.
"A person had received, as a birthday gift, a beautiful
silver cup from a friend. This cup was prized very much, and not
only on account of its beauty, but because of the love the re
ceiver had for the giver. In a short time the one making this
present was called away; the cold hand of death was laid upon
him.
"Then the cup increased a hundred fold in value to the
owner, and nothing could influence him to part with it. Years
afterwards, the owner of the present carried it to the place where
he was employed, for the purpose of exhibiting it to a fellow
workman. During the day, in passing the shelf where it rested
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 89
while he was engaged in moving some valuable goods, he
carelessly knocked the cup from the shelf, and it fell into a
vessel of fluid. Thinking at the moment that the vessel con
tained nothing but water, the owner waited until his arms were
released from the valuable load they contained, before seeking
to remove the cup from the place into which it had fallen.
When he returned, he found, to his sorrow, that his cup had
disappeared. Upon investigation, imagine his grief, when he
discovered that the vessel contained nitric acid instead of
water, and that the cup had been eaten up by the fluid. He
thought of how he had valued that keepsake, how much he
revered the memory of the giver, and how foolish he was to
bring the prize from his home that morning. At this moment,
his employer happened along, and noticing his distress enquired
for the cause. After listening to the poor man's story, and learn
ing that the cup was made in a neighboring town, he rather
startled the sorrowing man with this remark: 'Don't feel bad,
my man, I promise you shall again have your cup.'
"The workingman thinking his words meant that he
should receive the amount of its real value, or another cup,
explained that it was not its cost, neither would another cup
fill its place. It was the loss of this particular article, which
came from the hands of a friend who had since died, that
caused him grief.
" 'Never mind, I say, whether you believe my words or not,
I promise, and will make good that promise, that you shall
again have your cup, and it shall be made of the same identical
silver, having the same form, and being composed of nothing
but the same metal. It don't mean the same kind, but the very
same silver that you dropped into that fluid.'
"And with this he took a few handfuls of common salt,
flung them into the liquid, and there formed in the solution a
white solid; this he removed, dried and heated in a crucible,
and the result was a lump of silver of the highest lustre.
" 'Now, you see,' said the kind-hearted man, 'how easy it
is to restore when you understand the method by which it is
done. All the silver composing that cup of yours is now in my
hands. How easy it is for me to have it remoulded in the
same mould! and who will say you have not the same cup
resurrected from the grave?'
"Can you not understand," said Durant, "that this laborer
90 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
was in the same condition as the poor mortals who are in pain
ful ignorance of the way and means by which the resurrection
will take place? And yet how simple when once understood.
The cup had been buried in the world of liquid, it had dissolved
and had been scattered throughout the earth in which it was
buried, and to a person unacquainted with the laws governing
such things, was lost forever. If man, who is as a babe com
pared with God in intelligence, could resurrect a cup from that
little world, do you not think it possible for God, who is the
fountain-head of intelligence and power, to restore your body
after it has been scattered throughout this little world of ours?
And as the restoring of that cup appeared very simple to that
laboring man, so I believe the resurrection of the body will
appear very simple to us when we are on the other side, and
fully understand the laws, methods and powers which govern
the restoration."
At this moment a Mr. Williams, who had been a very atten
tive listener during the entire evening, arose and said: "Mr.
Durant, to all appearance you have proved every argument
made with some quotation from the Bible; your mode of reason
ing appears very logical, but I have here a passage which seems
to conflict with the argument that baptism is positively essential
to salvation."
"If so," answered the Elder, "I will be pleased to listen.
Really if you have found an argument, from the sayings of
Christ or His apostles, which promises salvation without
baptism, you have certainly made a great discovery."
"Well, I think the discovery has been made," answered
Williams, "and it seems strange that a gentleman who has made
the Bible as much of a study as you have, has never been able
to comprehend it."
"Thanks, but now for the argument; do not build your
hopes too high, perhaps you misunderstand your own reading of
the Sacred record."
"Well, that remains to be seen. You have disclaimed all
belief in death-bed repentance bringing salvation, and you are,
as well, a disbeliever in salvation without baptism. Now to the
law and the testimony once more. Examine the account of the
crucifixion, as recorded in Luke 23rd chapter, beginning with the
39th verse. Christ upon that occasion had a malefactor on
either side of Him; one railed on Him, saying, 'If thou be Christ,
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 91
save thyself and us,' while the other, being filled with repent
ance and being converted, rebuked his companion in sinfand
implored the blessed Redeemer: 'Lord, remember me when thou
comest to thy kingdom.' Christ, witnessing the repentance of
this malefactor, even at the last moment of his life, presented
him with the gift of salvation before giving up the ghost:
'Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.'
These were the words used by the Captain of our salvation;
the promise was granted without baptism, and he was carried
to heaven with our Savior; and yet in the very face of this
testimony you proclaim the doctrine that without baptism
salvation cannot be obtained."
"Christ did not offer that malefactor salvation on that occa
sion, neither was he carried to heaven with the Redeemer. I
desire to convince you, Mr. Williams, if you will accept the
statement in the Bible, and I believe you. will, that Christ did
not go to His Father until some time after this, and that the
paradise referred to is not the haven of salvation that we all hope
to reach."
"Mr. Durant, if you convince me of this, I will have
nothing more to say," replied Mr. Williams.
"Very well, then, pay strict attention to the words you have
just quoted which contain the promise that in your opinion
insures the penitent malefactor entrance to the presence of the
Father: 'Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Three days
after these words were spoken, we discover Mary weeping as she
bowed down at the sepulcher where Christ's remains had been
deposited, and upon recognizing her Lord, who stood by her
side and addressed her, she received His command, 'Touch me
not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.' Rather a strange
and startling declaration for the Savior to make, was it not,
when the promise to the thief, made three days previously, was
to the effect that upon that day they should both be in His
presence?"
"Why, Mr. Durant," exclaimed Claire, "I can't understand
it at all; He did certainly make the promise, and yet from His
words, spoken three days after, it appears that He had not yet
been to His Father. Can it be that one of our Savior's promises
has really fallen to the ground unfulfilled?"
"Not in the least, Mrs. Sutherland; it is merely another one
of those cases where we read but fail to understand. 'The
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letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life,' you know. Christ kept
His word with the malefactor, and He also spoke truthfully to
Mary. He and the sinner undoubtedly went on the day men
tioned to paradise, but the great mistake, made by many lies
in believing that paradise is heaven."
"Well, if paradise is not heaven, what is it? If they went to
some other place, where is that place?" exclaimed Mr. Williams.
"I believe it was heaven."
"I do not doubt your statement for a moment. Prof. A.
Hinderkoper, a German writer, says: 'In the second and third
centuries every branch and division of the Christian church, so
far as their records enable us to judge, believe that Christ
preached to the departed spirits.' This is in harmony with the
belief of the Latter-day Saints, as well as in harmony with the
Bible. Peter speaking upon this su'bject answers your question
by saying: 'For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,
the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being
put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which
also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which
sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of
God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.' Christ
undoubtedly understood that His mission would not end with
His crucifixion, but as He finished His mission to mortals by
opening to them the gospel gates, it would be the beginning of
His mission, for a similar purpose, with those on the other side
of the vail, and realizing that His mission there would begin
immediately upon His release here, and that the malefactor
would meet Him there, He made the promise mentioned:
'Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Peter declares that
they were visited and preached to in order that they might be
judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God
in the spirit. (I Peter iv:6.) Bishop Alford, speaking of the
declaration made by the chief apostle, said: 'I understand these
words (I Peter iii:19) to say that our Lord in His disembodied
state, did go to the place of detention of departed spirits, and
did there announce His work of redemption; preach salvation,
in fact, to the disembodied spirits of those who refused to obey
the voice of God when the judgment of the flood was hanging
over them."
"That seems reasonable, and it has given me a new idea and
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 93
something to consider," said Williams, "but how about the
ordinances you claim are necessary for all? How can those who
did not hear the gospel before they died receive the ordinances?"
"Now we believe that those who embrace the gospel in the
spirit world will be saved; and believe with the scriptures that
a vicarious work must be performed for them by the living.
This doctrine was evidently understood by the saints in the
days of the apostles. Paul informs us that the first gospel
ordinance of all dispensations, baptism, was administered by
proxy among the former-day Saints. While teaching the Corin
thian saints about the resurrection, (I Cor. xv: 29), he asked
them: 'Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead,
if the dead rise not at all?' in other words, of what use is baptism
for the dead, if there is no resurrection? showing that the doc
trine of baptism for the dead was evidently neither new nor
strange to the people to whom the apostle was writing. Christ
died for the dead as well as the living: 'For to this end Christ
both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord
both of the dead and the living.' " (Rom. xiv:9.)
"But do you mean that living persons shall be baptized
for the dead?"
"Certainly. Before the great day of the Lord shall come
'that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and
all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh
shall burn them up,saiththe Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave
them neither root nor branch' (Mai. iv: 1,) an important
event is to take place, as we learn from the same prophet,
verses 5 and 6: 'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;
and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and
the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse.' The coming of Elijah, to inaugurate
this great work, must evidently be to some one who is prepared
to receive him. His mission, 'to turn the heart of the fathers
to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,'
is very comprehensive, and pertains to the whole family of
Adam, there being no discrimination between the living and the
dead, between those who have lived in the past and those who
shall live in the future. There must be a welding link between
the fathers and their children, and that welding link is baptism
for the dead. We testify that Elijah has come; that he appeared
94 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
to Joseph, the Seer, and Oliver Cowdery, in the Kirtland
Temple, on the 3rd of April, 1836, and said: 'Behold, the time
has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi,
testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great and
dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole
earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore the keys of this
dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may
know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even
at the doors.' Ordinances for the salvation of the dead require
temples, or sacred places, especially constructed for their
administration; for this reason, we build temples, and also, that
we may perform other ordinances for the dead and the living."
"I have heard that the organization of your Church is un
usually complete. How is it organized?" asked one of the visitors
present.
"It is organized on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets.
We have therefore various quorums of these in the Church
organized by revelation for the efficient and harmonious per
formance of church duties. There is the First Presidency,
chosen from those who hold the High Priesthood and Apostle-
ship consisting of a President and two counselors. The duty of
the President is to preside over the whole Church, and he is
sustained by the whole people as a seer, a revelator, a translator,
and a prophet."
"What is meant by Priesthood? You must have two
Priesthoods then, as you speak of the High Priesthood, indicat
ing there must be a lower one?"
"The Church is governed by the Holy Priesthood, which is
divided into two grand heads — the Aaronic or lesser, and the
Melchizedek or higher.
"The Melchizedek Priesthood, so-called because Melchize
dek was such a great High Priest, and also to avoid the too
frequent use of Jehovah's name, as this Priesthood was formerly
called after the order of His Son, — holds the right of presidency,
to receive revelations from heaven and to enjoy the spiritual
blessings; while the Aaronic Priesthood, so called because it was
conferred upon Aaron and his seed forever, holds the keys of the
ministering of angels, and to administer in the outward ordi
nances of the Church. The offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood
include Apostles, Seventies, Patriarchs or Evangelists, and
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 95
Elders, and the Aaronic Priesthood includes Bishops, Priests,
Teachers and Deacons.
"Next to the quorum of the First Presidency is the Twelve
Apostles, then the High Council, the Seventies, the High
Priests, the Elders, and the quorums of the Lesser Priesthood.
"Each calling has its own duties to be performed, and the
organization is such that one does not come in conflict with
the other."
The company now parted for the evening, each hoping that
an opportunity might be given to hear the Elder again.
CHAPTER XII.
A Baptism and a Conversation on Marriage.
It will be remembered that on the evening of Mr. Durant's
speech in the Town Hall at Westminster, an old lady came at
the close of the meeting and whispered a "God bless you" to
him. The truths uttered by him had made a deep impression
upon her and were working to bear fruit. She had now made
application to be baptized, convinced, as she was, of the truths
of the gospel, and that this servant of God was authorized, by
direct calling from Him through revelation, to perform the
solemn ceremony. It was agreed, therefore, that the baptism
should take place on an afternoon some time before the day of
his departure to his home in the West.
He made it a point to obtain a conversation with the lady,
and show to her the importance of the step she was about to
take. It is no simple, indifferent affair. It is a contract with
God, fraught with wonderful results to the person who makes it,
that will either lead to rich blessings or to condemnation. When
one man makes a contract with another, the breaker of such a
contract must be willing to suffer the ignominy attending his
deceit. In baptism, the subject makes a solemn vow with his
Creator, and, rising from the wraters in which he is buried in
the likeness of the death of Christ, he should thenceforth walk
in newness of life, and should not serve sin. He is made free from
sin, and becomes a servant to God; he has his fruit unto holiness
and the end is everlasting life. (Romans vi. )
The earnestness of the new convert's faith and repentance
96 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
was inquired into, and it was pointed out to her that she should
prepare herself to receive the testimony of the Spirit, which is
made known to different individuals in different ways — not
always by unusual manifestations, but frequently by the calm
self-consciousness of peace that comes from a performance of
righteous acts, in which the Spirit bears witness with our spirit
that we are the children of God, heirs and joint heirs with
Christ. We must not look for approval from friends, relatives
or people of the world, in taking this step, but be prepared to
suffer with Christ that we may be also glorified with Him, and
exclaim with Paul: "I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us." (Rom. viii:18.) Like Christ, one must
bear the cross upon the lone way, full of hope, confidence and
zeal, knowing that the end is everlasting life.
Having said this much, and given many other incidental in
structions, that would thoroughly impress the new convert with
the sacredness and importance of the step about to be taken,
Mr. Durant, members of the Marshall family, and a number of
strangers, anxious to witness the ceremony, made their way, on a
pleasant afternoon, to a beautiful wood where a stream wound
its clear, slow waters in fantastic forms to empty into one of the
large rivers. The autumn tints, the sun casting its warm in
fluence to the earth through the gray atmosphere, the rustle of
the wind in the falling leaves, and the beauty of nature all
around, made the scene grand and romantic. Some who had
gone along to make sport of the "Mormon baptism," were awed
into strange silence by the beauty of the scene, and by the
solemnity and scripture-like simplicity of the ceremony. After
a word of prayer had been offered, in which Mr. Durant in
voked the blessings of God upon the ordinance about to be
performed, and asked that all disturbing spirits might be ban
ished, he took the lady by the hand and waded with her out into
the water, and, in the stillness which followed (those upon the
shore unconsciously remaining uncovered), he was heard to
say, as he held the old lady's hands in his left, and raised his
right hand into the air: "Julia Howard, having been commission
ed of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen."
Then he immersed her in the water, and both came forth
again out of the water.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 97
The company soon dispersed, and upon arrival at her home,
the new convert was confirmed, she preferring this to having
that ordinance performed upon the water's edge, which is
frequently done. Mr. Durant placed his hands upon her head, .
and by virtue of his calling and authority, confirmed her a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
and, in the manner of the apostles of old, bestowed upon her the
gift of the Holy Ghost, which he promised should be a light to
her all her days.
The Elder was about to leave, having welcomed the new
member and congratulated her upon the step she had taken,
when he was somewhat surprised by a remark she made in
which she expressed a desire to gather with the Saints.
The spirit of gathering had already rested upon her, and he
explained to her the importance of this principle of the gospel.
The Father desires that His children shall be gathered in unto
one place where their hearts shall be prepared against the day
when tribulation and desolation shall come upon the wicked.
The Psalmist referred to this subject and exclaimed: "Gather
my Saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant
with me by sacrifice." (Ps. 1:5.) Isaiah, looking to the future,
saw that in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house
should be established in the tops of the mountains, to which
all nations should go. (Isaiah ii:2.) Here the Lord was to give
them one heart, and make an everlasting covenant with them.
(Jer. xxxii:37-44.) And in that day the Lord should set His
hand again the second time to recover the remnants of His
people. (Isaiah xi:ll-16.) John, the revelator, saw this time,
and heard a voice from heaven saying: "Come out of her,
[Babylon] my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and
that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. xviii:4.) It was,
therefore, in strict accordance with the scriptures that she
should have the desire to gather, as well as that the Saints
should have an assembling place where they might learn to
walk in the paths of God more strictly than in the world. There
are ordinances, too, to be performed in the holy temples, for
the living and the dead, that cannot be done elsewhere. It is
not well, however, that this act of gathering should be considered
thoughtlessly and in haste, but rather with deliberation and
careful forethought.
In the conversation Elder Durant had incidentally re-
98 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
marked that marriage was not only for time but also for all
eternity. The newly married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland,
who had remained to witness the confirmation, was naturally
interested in this, and the subject was further inquired into by
them.
"What is the belief of the Latter-day Saints in relation to
marriage?" said Mr. Sutherland.
"We believe," said Durant, "that marriage is ordained of
God, and is binding for eternity, when properly performed by
a servant of God having authority."
"Then it would appear that you believe in the family rela
tion continuing throughout eternity?"
"Certainly, why not? Everything that is done by the Lord
receives the impress of eternity. That being the case, marriage,
being sanctioned and ordained of Him, is also eternal if perform
ed by one having power as the ancient apostles had, to bind
on earth and it should be bound in heaven. It then becomes a
work of God, and, as the Preacher exclaims: 'I know that
whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever; nothing can be put to
it, nor anything taken from it.' (Eccles. iii:14). Can you think
of anything more comforting than that the loving ties formed in
this world are to endure throughout the ages of eternity?"
"It is certainly more pleasant than to dwell upon a union
that shall last only 'till death do you part;' but what proof s have
you that your view of the matter is correct?"
"In the first marriage that was ever performed, when the
Creator joined together Adam and Eve as the parents of the
human race, we have no record of its being done to last only
'till death do you part,' and we do not learn that He set any
limit to the continuance of their marriage relations. Why
should we doubt that the gift of Eve to Adam was designed to
be eternal? They were married before the Fall, before death
came into the world. They were eternal beings, not subject
to death; death was not considered when God gave her to be his
companion and helpmeet. Why then should we conclude that
death should void the contract or separate them any more
than that it should destroy the spirit? If their spirits could be
restored with resurrected bodies, why should not the eternal
work of God in joining them as one remain unbroken? The whole
second chapter of Genesis breathes the spirit of everlasting
union between Adam and Eve. In the eighteenth verse we are
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 99
told by the Lord that, 'it is not good that the man should be
alone.' Adam, the man, was created an eternal being, and when
God said that it was not good for him to be alone, we must con
clude it was not good that he should be alone in immortality;
so the Lord gave him Eve for no particular period of his life,
but evidently, as she was also an eternal being, to be his wife
forever — the union to last as long as they should last — eter
nally."
"That seems reasonable, and it is a pleasant hope you
have," said Claire.
"With us it is more than a hope; it is knowledge. There are
other passages of scripture which bear upon the inseparable
connection between man and wife, in marriage as ordained of
God. Paul (Eph. v:23) says: 'The husband is the head of the
wife even as Christ is the head of the Church.' Christ remains
forever the head of the Church, and even so the husband remains
the head of the wife eternally."
"What do you mean by saying 'in marriage as ordained of
God?' Is not all marriage ordained of Him?" said Mr. Suther
land.
"By marriage as ordained of God, I mean marriage per
formed in the way He has appointed, by a man whom He has
authorized to act in His stead. What man does of himself,
without authority from God, must be like him limited to this
life. Now, like the authority to baptize, this authority to marry
in the way God has ordained, must come by revelation from
Him, for no man can take these honors to himself. To find this
authority, we must look for it among a people who believe in
revelation, and not among churches who declare that the
heavens are sealed, and that no further revelation is necessary."
CHAPTER XIII.
About the Mormons.
The day upon which the Mormon Elder was to leave his
missionary field to return to his home in the mountains, was
rapidly approaching. Mr. Brown, the lawyer, had become so
interested in the missionary and his peculiar people that this
gentleman determined to accompany him to Utah, to see for
himself what he had heard so much concerning.
100 . MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
On the evening before their departure, all the old friends
were gathered at the Marshall residence, or hotel, and quite
naturally the conversation turned to the contemplated trip to
Utah, and from that to the motives which led the Mormons to
settle in that territory.
"What were the considerations that led to the settling of
Utah by the Mormons?" asked one of the members of the little
company.
"Persecutions by their enemies was the primary cause,"
said the Elder. "After the death of the Prophet Joseph, they
were driven from their homes in Nauvoo, and hence sought
a new abiding place in the West."
"How did the death of Joseph, the Prophet, occur?" asked
Mr. Brown.
"He was murdered in cold blood by masked men. You
understand that all innovations on existing conditions have been
opposed from time immemorial. The gospel has particularly
been combated in all ages, as its history amply illustrates. The
people of their time did not tolerate Christ and His apostles,
and ceased not persecuting them as long as they lived upon the
earth. They were all at last put to death. The truths which the
Latter-day prophet taught were the same as were expounded
by the Savior and his followers, and opposition to these came
as naturally as that a similar cause produces a similar effect.
The prophet was finally martyred for the testimony which he
bore. He had been brought continually before the courts which,
however, could prove no guilt against him, for he was innocent
of any other offense than that of preaching the gospel of Christ,
and bearing his testimony that the God of Heaven had again
spoken to man. Some three days previous to his assassination,
he went to the city of Carthage, in Illinois, Nauvoo being then
the abiding place of the Saints, to deliver himself up to the pre
tended requirements of the law. The governor of the state had
pledged his word, as the chief executive, that the prophet
should be protected, but no effort was made to fulfill this
pledge, and so Joseph and his brother Hyrum were shot in
Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, by an armed mob, com
posed of about two hundred persons who had painted them
selves black."
"Did this murder of their prophet have the effect of dis-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 101
couraging the Saints, or rather did they feel disposed to abandon
the cause for which they had so far battled?"
"It was very natural that they felt discouraged and that
some wavered in their course, but the great majority were in
clined to continue with unfaltering zeal in the work, because
they knew for themselves that the true gospel had been restored,
and that they were engaged in the work of God. And here let
me remark that the strength of the Church consists in the per
sonal knowledge and testimony of the members. The Spirit of
God fills each member with unfaltering faith, and he builds his
superstructure of religious belief on personal knowledge, im
parted to him, by the power of the Spirit, through revelation.
This testimony remains as long as the person lives uprightly
and honorably before the Lord, doing nothing to grieve it
away. Instead of scattering and abandoning the Church,
leaving it to die, as was expected and desired by its enemies,
and which would doubtless have been the case if it had not
been divinely established, the people gathered strength and
through the assistance of God, and the leadership of Apostle
Brigham Young, forsook their homes in their beloved Nauvoo,
crossed the trackless plains, scaled the mountains, and in the
midst of a desolate wilderness founded a commonwealth which
has attracted the attention and the admiration of the whole
world."
"How did Brigham Young come to be the leader of the
people?" asked Mr. Sutherland.
"He was the president of the Twelve Apostles, the quorum
next in authority to the First Presidency, upon whom naturally
rested the keys of the kingdom, upon whom, in fact, was con
ferred the power or authority that the prophet had received from
on high. Sidney Rigdon and others sought the honor of leading
the Church, but the Lord, through the manifestations of His
Spirit, chose Brigham Young for the place, as president of the
Twelve Apostles, the people sustaining him by their vote, at a
meeting held in the grove near the temple at Nauvoo, on the
8th day of August, 1844. He was afterwards, December, 1847,
chosen president of the whole Church. He felt the power of his
calling, and made preparations for the great exodus of the people
to the West, which had been considered during the lifetime of
the prophet, but which was now made absolutely necessary by
the persecution of the enemies of the Church. In 1845, anti-
102 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Mormon delegates from nine counties of Illinois, met at Car
thage, and demanded the removal of the Saints. The Council
of Apostles agreed to their demands, knowing full well that
there was no alternative between exodus or extermination by
massacre. In February, 1846, the exodus began by the Saints
crossing the Mississippi River, the remnant following on
September 17th of the same year, and the movement triumph
antly continued, with interruptions, under severest difficulties
and hardships, until the pioneers, on July 24th, 1847, entered
the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Something of the hardships
which they endured and of the magnitude of their undertakings,
the historians have graphically pictured. Tullidge says:
" 'The Mormons were setting out under their leader from
the borders of civilization, with their wives and their children,
in broad daylight, before the very eyes of ten thousand of their
enemies, who would have preferred their utter destruction to
their 'flight,' notwithstanding they* had enforced it by treaties
outrageous beyond description, inasmuch as the exiles were
nearly all American born, many of them tracing their ancestors
to the very founders of the nation. They had to make a journey
of fifteen hundred miles over trackless prairies, sandy deserts
and rocky mountains, through bands of war-like Indians, who
had been driven, exasperated, towards the West; and at last,
to seek out and build up their Zion in valleys then unfruitful,
in a solitary region where the foot of the white man had scarcely
trodden. These, too, were to be followed by the aged, the halt,
the sick and the blind, the poor, who were to be helped by their
little less destitute brethren, and the delicate young mother with
her new-born babe at her breast, and still worse, for they were
not only threatened with the extermination of the poor remnant
at Nauvoo, but news had arrived that the parent government
designed to pursue their pioneers with troops, take from them
their arms, and scatter them, that they might perish by the
way, and leave their bones bleaching in the wilderness. * * *
In the centuries hence, when the passing events of this age
shall have taken their proper place, the historian will point back
to that exodus in the New World of the West, as one quite
worthy to rank with the immortal exodus of the children of
Israel.'
' 'Bancroft says:
" 'Of their long journey many painful incidents are record-
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 103
ed. Weakened by fever or crippled by rheumatism, and with
sluggish circulation, many were severely frostbitten. Women
were compelled to drive the nearly worn-out teams, while
tending on their knees, perhaps, their sick children. The strength
of the beasts was failing, as there were intervals when they could
be kept from starving only by the browse or tender buds and
branches of the cottonwood, felled for the purpose.
" 'At one time no less than two thousand wagons could be
counted, it is said, along the three hundred miles of road that
separated Nauvoo from the Mormon encampment. Many
families possessed no wagons, and in the long processions, might
be seen vehicles of all descriptions, from the lumbering cart,
under whose awning lay stretched its fever-stricken driver,
to the veriest makeshifts of poverty, the wheel-barrow or the
two-wheeled trundle, in which was dragged along a bundle of
clothing and a sack of meal — all of this world's goods that the
owner possessed.
" 'On arriving at the banks of the Missouri, the wagons
were drawn up in double lines and in the form of squares.
Between the lines, tents were pitched at intervals, space being
left between each row for a passage way, which was shaded with
awnings or a latticework of branches, and served as a promenade
for convalescents and a playground for children.'
"But it would be too long a story, to follow the exiles in their
vicissitudes through the whole of their weary march across the
uninhabited wilderness that lay between them and their future
home, in the then wild valleys of the mountains, and to speak
of their struggles for existence after they arrived there. They
passed through many severe afflictions in building up the coun
try and in settling the territory. The crops were often destroyed
by grasshoppers, crickets, untimely frosts, and drought, but
in each difficulty, the Lord overruled circumstances for good
and prospered the people, providing the necessaries of life.
Settlements were established at various points north and south
of Salt Lake City, and the thrift of the people, seasoned with
the blessings of God, soon caused cities and villages to spring up
in all directions. President Young, himself, often went to seek
locations for these sites, and was very frequently present when
a city or town was founded."
"Truly, a wonderful people with a strange and fascinating
104 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
history. I am more enthusiastic than ever in my determination
to see them and their gathering place," said Mr. Brown.
The evening was far spent, and the company prepared to
retire, after the usual leave-taking on such occasions. They all
wished the missionary and Mr. Brown a pleasant journey. The
parting was affecting, for the people had learned to love the
Elder, and he, in turn, had a strong and living interest in them.
Many missionaries can testify of the binding influence such
friends have upon their affections, and people who have learned
to love the Elders are frequently as loth to part with them as
with members of their own families. This case was no exception.
Durant thanked them all for their kindness to him, and blessed
them for their hospitality, expressing a desire to see them gather
ed with the Saints, if God should open their hearts to an adop
tion of the gospel truths.
Early on the following morning, the Elder and Mr. Brown
set their faces to the West, and with the present facilities for
travel, expected soon to be in the land of the Mormons. As
they passed over the vast plains, large rivers, rolling and
rugged hills, and pleasant valleys, their conversation was often
directed to the great difference between travel as the pioneers
endured it, and as it is now enjoyed in the trains of palace
coaches.
On a pleasant Saturday evening, after a four days' journey,
they arrived in Salt Lake City, where Durant met his family all
feeling well. The meeting between husband and wife and chil
dren, after such a long separation, was happy in the extreme, and
it was with thankful hearts that they kneeled by the family altar,
praising God in fervent prayer for His kind mercies in preserv
ing them to meet once more.
During the afternoon of the next day, Sunday, they all
attended meeting, where an Elder delivered the following dis
course, which Mr. Brown listened to with marked attention:
"My Brethren, Sisters and Friends:
"I am thankful for the privilege of speaking to you a short
time this afternoon. I am anxious to explain, whenever opportu
nity affords, the nature of our faith.
"In this free country, where we congratulate ourselves in
enjoying and allowing the greatest freedom to everybody, I
presume we will, all of us, speaker and congregation, exercise the
privilege of explaining and reflecting upon the things that may
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 105
be aaid, so that our friends, I trust, will leave us understanding
a little more about the nature of our religion than when they
came to the meeting.
"Our visiting friends have, doubtless, heard about the
Latter-day Saints. They have had the opinions of men who
have spoken in the pulpits, and who have written books about
the Mormons, and they, very likely, have come here under
certain impressions in regard to the Mormons' faith.
"I am sorry to say that experience has taught me that the
public generally have been deceived. I am gratified sometimes
in listening to acknowledgements of this kind from those who
have heard for themselves, and have thus been able to judge
intelligently as to whether the reports which they have heard
from our enemies are correct or not.
"It seems strange, but it is nevertheless true, that many
people who wish to know the faith of the Saints go to their
enemies to learn of them. I do not know whether our kind
friends have thought of the inconsistency and injustice of such
a course as this. If I wished to learn what the Roman Catholics
believed in, I do not think at present that I would go to the
Protestant Church to learn it; or if I wished to learn what any
denomination of professing Christians believe, I do not think it
would be just for me to go to some other denomination to as
certain it. In the first place, other churches might be led —
perhaps unwittingly, perhaps intentionally — to misrepresent
the faith of their neighbors, and I might be deceived through
their misrepresentations. On the other hand, there is no need
of my going to any one church to learn the faith of another
people, because I can go just as easily to their own church to
listen to their explanations, and thus be sure of getting informa
tion of their peculiar views, without trusting to the misrepresen
tations of their neighbors. Now I submit that such a course as
this is right; it is just, and accords with our impressions of a
fair and just hearing and consideration from the parties most
interested, as to whether their faith be correct or not.
"Of course, we have no disposition, as Latter-day Saints,
even if we had the power, to constrain any person to believe
our doctrines. We have not the power; we have not the dis
position. We simply wish to explain the nature of that religion
of which we are ministers — laboring under a feeling of anxiety
to deliver the message with which we have been sent, that our
106 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
friends may have the privilege of receiving or rejecting it,
just as they think proper.
"I approach the examination of this subject, because I
believe that many of our kind, honest, well-wishing friends —
those who desire to serve God according to His will and pleasure
— are under the impression that there exists a confusion so
general, and errors so prevalent, that religion seems to be losing
its hold upon the minds of the people. And, of course, we who
have faith in God and in His revealed word, as contained in
the Old and New Testaments, deplore a state of things that
indicates a departure from that respect and reverence which we
wish to see existing and manifested on the part of the people
towards the Supreme Being.
"What is the reason that people are becoming irreligious?
What is the reason that people talk of sacred things lightly?
What is the reason that men who have heretofore been respected
as ministers of religion are now little thought of? It is simply
because the religions that are taught are losing their hold upon
the minds and affections of the people; because the religions
that are taught do not supply the want that men and women
feel; because the word preached by most ministers carries
with it no power to convince people as to the truthfulness of
the doctrines that are presented, or the sinful condition of the
people to whom they are taught.
"The present condition of the Christian world does not
present that union, that love, that we expect from the per
petuation of the doctrines that Christ taught, and it is this
fact, understood by many, that increases their doubts and
strengthens their objections to what is called 'Christianity.'
The New Testament teachings lead us to expect a state of
unity in the Christian Church. The admonitions of the Apostles
were to the effect that the Saints in early days should be united
together, that they should understand alike, that they should
speak the same things, that they should be of the same mind
and of the same judgment. Such are the words of the Apostle,
to be found in I Cor. i:10.
"Now, my friends, does such a state of things exist around
us in connection with the Christian churches that we might
expect from the nature of a perfect religion, introduced by
Christ? Does there exist, at the present time, a state of things
so perfect as to agree with the expectations raised from the
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 107
teachings of St. Paul in this scripture that I have quoted? I
think not. I am safe, I believe, in stating — and I think our
friends are prepared to agree with me — that there does not
exist amongst the Christian denominations that unity and that
oneness of faith, peace, kindness and love which, by reading the
New Testament, we might expect to appear amongst them as
the true fruits of Christianity. And it is upon this I wish to
make a few remarks before proceeding to explain to you, from
the Bible, the nature of our faith.
"Of course, the existence of a number of denominations
called 'Christian' cannot be denied. But we are told that all the
Christian churches exhibit to us one church; that if one denom
ination does not teach the whole perfect plan of religion re
vealed by the Lord Jesus Christ, all the churches put together
do; although there may be divisions existing amongst the
members of these denominations. Unless we accept this view
we must object to Christianity on the ground that we cannot
find which of all the Christian denominations teach the truth.
Here is one church called Christian that teaches certain doc
trines, another more or less in its teachings contradicts them,
a third teaches doctrines that are in conflict with the other
two, and so we might go through them all, and speak in light
terms of those who think honestly enough that they are serving
God.
"Now, my friends, I will ask this question — First, Is it
reasonable to suppose that God would sustain two distinct
religious churches as His churches? Is it reasonable to suppose
that God would set up two distinct religious bodies, the min
isters of which teach different doctrines? After learning from
the Bible so much indicating the anxiety of God's inspired
servants for a time of perfect unity, I say it is not reasonable to
suppose it. And just so long as two distinct religious systems
exist, teaching different doctrines and preaching different
principles, there exists a conflicting influence, divisions, feelings,
perhaps very strong, if the difference in doctrine is very decided.
If it is not reasonable, what are we to do? How can we account
for such a condition of things?
"This leads to the position we occupy. We want to know
something more.
"Is it true that the bodies called 'Christian' at present
represent the Church of Christ? Or is it true that they have
108 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
ignored some things belonging to the perfect doctrine of Christ,
and taken as their guide their own conclusions in regard to
what is right, which leads to the division of doctrine? How is
it? But I will endeavor to show that it is unscriptural, as well
as unreasonable, for us to receive different Christian bodies
as the Church of Christ.
"I will direct your attention to a few passages from the word
of God. Jesus, when He sent the Apostles to preach in the first
place, said to them, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature.' Not any system that might be termed
a gospel. There was no choice left to anybody. He spoke defin
itely in regard to the gospel plan, which He, the Son of God,
came to the earth to set up. Paul, in the first chapter of Gala-
tians, eighth verse, says, 'Though we or an angel from heaven
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed.' Paul, one of the
Apostles, taught the gospel, the same Gospel that Peter, James,
John and others taught. They all taught the same system.
And Paul said, in another place, that he went up, by revelation,
to Jerusalem, taking Barnabas and Titus with him, and com
municated the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles
(Gal. ii:l, 2), thus showing that he taught the same thing
everywhere. You see, Paul's words and practice show that he
did not admit of the least change or alteration from the gospel
as taught by Christ and preached by the Apostles to the people.
In another place it is said, 'Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son'
(II John 9), showing us that he taught strictly the necessity
of abiding in that form of doctrine which had at first been
delivered. I quote these passages to show you that the gospel
which Christ and the Apostles first taught was intended to be
taught continually, without change, and that none had a right,
not even an angel from heaven, to preach any other gospel
than that which had been delivered at the first.
"Do you agree with this? Because I am about to examine,
in detail, some of the doctrines that will readily show to you
the difference between the ministers of the true gospel and the
ministers of the so-called gospel that is preached at the present
time. But are you prepared to come to the conclusion, with me,
that it is the old gospel, Christ's gospel, the doctrines of the
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 109
Apostles that we ought to seek and follow, if we expect eternal
life? Or do you think you are safe in following the teachings
of men, who have made great changes from such ancient gospel,
with the following passage before you? 'If there come any unto
you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,
neither bid him God speed." (II John 10th verse.) Do you
think you can obtain God's blessing by being members of a
church or churches that teach doctrines opposed to what
Christ taught? How is this?
" 'Well, certainly/ said one — a Bible believer — 'of course
I wish to have the religion of the Bible. I would like to have the
religion of Christ. I do not admit of any departure.' This is
right. This is consistent. Of course, if there is a question as to
whether God has made any change in His primitive faith,
revealed through Christ, we shall consider it; for I am willing
also to make a change if God has authorized it. I am quite
willing to accept any doctrine that God has revealed from
heaven for my salvation. I confess to you that I have no
disposition whatever to maintain private views or speculations
which may have been engendered on my own part through
reflection. I wish the doctrine of Christ, as Christ taught it,
as the apostles taught it, and I will not, with the light that I
possess, depart one particle from the letter and spirit of that
ancient plan. And if there are any friends here who have heard
that the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints do not believe in the Bible, let them judge. There are
no practices pleasing to God, or likely to bring His blessings
upon the heads of the children of men, except those inculcated
by Him, through His servants, by the power of revelation from
heaven; so that we will not depart from the book. We will not
teach doctrines that are opposed to this book, but we are pre
pared to show our friends, in the spirit of kindness, that doc
trines opposed to those contained in this book are displeasing
to God, and are not calculated to bring peace and salvation
to the children of men.
" 'But/ says one, 'what matters it whether we go this road
that you point out or some other? You know if we can get to
heaven one way, is not that as good as another? We will try
to illustrate this idea. If a man wish to go to London, says
the inquirer, may he not go the road that leads towards the
south, or a road that leads towards the north, as the case may
110 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
be; what matters it so that he gets to London? It would not
matter in the least. He might go the road that led to the north
or that which led to the south, and by making a shorter or
longer journey, as the case might be, he might get to London.
But you see there is no parallel between this figure and the
facts in regard to religion, because there are not two ways to
get to heaven. That is the difference. There are two ways to
get to London probably, perhaps more, but you see there is
only one way to get to heaven, so that when we admit, as an
illustration, a figure of this kind, we start with an error and it
leads us astray.
"The Bible speaks of one way. It speaks of two ways. It
speaks of a broad road that leads to destruction, and it speaks of
a narrow way that leads to eternal life. So you see there is
only one way that leads to heaven, and if any one persuades us
that the wide road will lead us there, he deceives us, for there is
only one way, and it is narrow. The Bible is very plain upon
this, because the doctrines are steadfast and sure, and the
words are plain that there is but one way that leads to life and
glory. Now that is the way we want to find out.
"Jesus came, He said, to do His Father's will, not His own.
He called Apostles and ordained them, and He said, 'As I
have been sent, so send I you. Go and preach the gospel to
every creature.' That was their business. But He said, 'Tarry
ye first in Jerusalem, until ye are endowed with power from on
high.' Jesus called the Apostles. He ordained them Himself.
He instructed them personally, and He commissioned them to
preach the gospel to every creature. But He wished them to
tarry at Jerusalem until they received power from on high;
a certain gift which God had promised that they might be
qualified, in every sense, to discharge the important duty
devolving upon them, of administering words of salvation to
a fallen world. The Apostles did this. They gathered in Jeru
salem. They were there on the day of Pentecost, and whilst
there, in the upper room, the endowment of which Jesus spoke
was given unto them. The Holy Ghost came upon them, in the
upper room, as a mighty rushing wind, and it sat upon them as
cloven tongues of fire. And, whilst under that influence, the
Apostles who were sent to preach the gospel, stood up, at least
Peter did, as the mouthpiece of the rest, at that time to preach
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. Ill
the gospel that Christ sent them to declare. Now, what was it?
Let us lay a good foundation as we proceed.
"Were they qualified to preach it? I do not think any Chris
tian will doubt it. If they were not prepared to teach the gospel
of the Son of God, then I would have no hope, my friends, of
hearing it in this life. Never. Jesus Himself chose them. He
ordained them; He instructed them, and after all this, as you
will find in the 2nd chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, 1st,
2nd and 3rd verses, they assembled in Jerusalem, and had
fulfilled unto them the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ, re
ceiving the endowment of which I have been speaking.
"I think that all my friends here are certainly prepared to
accept the words that Peter spoke and acknowledge them to
be true. What did Peter say? First, he preached Christ and
Him crucified. You see the people who had gathered together
on the day of Pentecost were people who had no faith in Christ.
They had rejected Him and His instructions. They had been
of those who persecuted Christ and the Apostles. They were of
those who had either personally or in their sympathies sustained
the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, Peter, knowing this,
stood up and preached to them, first Christ and Him crucified,
and he was successful. Who can doubt it? Peter, a servant
of God, ordained by the Son of God. Peter, upon whom the
Spirit of God rested as tongues of fire, as the scriptures have it.
This man stood up and argued the point, and explained about
Jesus. And who can doubt the result? I am sure we would have
been disappointed if we had been told in the Bible that Peter
was not successful. He was successful. Many believed on him,
and the result of their belief was that they said, 'Men and
brethren, what shall we do?' (Acts ii: 37.) No wonder they
asked that question. People who had either helped to crucify
the Lord, or who had rejoiced when He was crucified, as many
of them did, to be convinced that that same Jesus whom they
had assisted to crucify was indeed the Lord, the Christ; and
when they were convinced of this they cried out, 'Men and
brethren, what shall we do?'
"Peter was prepared to tell them. He had the very instruc
tions that were needed, and the words of Peter are applicable to
day, my friends, to you and to me, so far as we have not obeyed
them.
"We are believers in Christ, I trust. We have fortunately
112 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
made our appearance in this life, in the midst of a people who at
least believe in the divinity of Christ, and we have received
impressions favorable to this end; therefore the words of Peter,
spoken to those who believe in the divinity of Christ, are
applicable to us, and are the words of salvation to us, if that
ancient gospel is not changed. What were the words? He says,
'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.' (Acts ii: 38. )
"Was that the gospel? Yes, unless the Apostles disobeyed
the instruction of Christ, because they were sent to preach the
gospel, and they were endowed that they might preach it
perfectly and represent God, the Maker of heaven and earth,
in the words and spirit by which they presented it unto the
people.
"Now, my friends, faith in Christ was the first principle of
the gospel; repentance of sins was the second principle; baptism
for the remission of sins was the third principle, and then the
reception of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, as
taught by Peter on that day in Jerusalem. Is there any objection
to this? 'None at all/ says one, 'that is scriptural; we cannot
object to it.' A Bible believer can not object to it. But what is
becoming of us if such doctrines are not taught? 'Well/ says
one, 'are they not taught?' No. 'Faith in Christ is taught/
and 'repentance of sins is taught/ although by some people
the latter is taught first, before faith in Christ. Some teach
that we must repent of our sins before we can have faith in
Christ. This is a mistake. We cannot possibly repent of sin
committed, unless we are convinced that we have committed the
sin. We cannot repent of laws broken, which Christ has taught
through His Apostles unless we are first convinced that Jesus
was divine, and had the authority to teach them; so that faith
in Christ and His divine mission must be the foundation of our
practice as Christians. And the first effect that faith in Christ
produces is repentance of the sins which we have committed.
So repentance is the second principle of the gospel. But we
differ a little more about the third principle. Just read your
Bible, and you will find that Peter taught baptism for the
remission of sins. (Acts ii: 38.) Again, John the Baptist, who
was the forerunner of Christ, baptized for the remission of
sins (Mark i:4.) 'John was sent from God/ You will find this
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 113
in the first chapter of the gospel according to St. John, 6th
verse. John himself said, in the 33rd verse of the same chapter,
'He that sent me to b'aptize with water, the same said unto me/
referring to the instruction he received from the Father regard
ing Christ. Both passages assert this, that John the Baptist
was sent by God to baptize with water, and we are taught in
the Bible that he did teach the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins. That is just what we might expect. John
was God's servant. So was Peter. They both taught the same
doctrine. John taught baptism, and Peter told the people to
be baptized every one of them. You will remember the servant
of God who was sent to speak to Paul, to instruct him just after
his conversion. He went to him, and when the scales fell from
the eyes of Paul, or Saul, this man of God said to him: 'Why
tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling upon the name of the Lord.' (Acts xxii:16.) Be baptized
and wash away his sins? Yes. Now, that agrees exactly with the
doctrine of Peter, and the doctrine of John the Baptist. They
were all three servants of God, and they all taught the same
doctrine, and those who heard and believed that doctrine pos
sessed the selfsame faith; so that, so far as baptism is concerned,
the ancient Saints did teach and practice the selfsame doctrine
—baptism for the remission of sins.
"I want to talk a little about this. One says, 'Well, I have
always been taught that baptism was a doctrine of Christ
anciently, but I have been under the impression that it was not
necessary to salvation.' That may be, my friends; we have been
taught a great many things, and good Christian people have
believed a great many things that Christian people have re
jected since. But that is no reason why we should change the
Bible doctrine. The thing is right here. 'Well,' says one, 'I
thought we were not able of ourselves to do anything to help
save ourselves.' This* requires proper understanding. If
baptism brings the remission of sins, and baptism is not attended
to by us, we cannot obtain the blessing. Certainly not. God
gives us bread to eat, but he does not present it to us. A man
sows the seed in the ground and he sees to it and he harvests it
and it is threshed and prepared and placed before us in the shape
of flour, but we have no disposition to deny that it is the gift of
God. If it were not for God's goodness we should have no bread.
If it were not for the gift of God we could not attend to the ordi-
114 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
nance that brings remission of sins. We have not power, of our
selves, to bring within our reach a single saving principle belong
ing to the plan of eternal life. It is all God's free gift. It is all
in consequence of His mercy, and His charity, and His goodness
and love, and pleasure manifested to us that we have any privi
leges at all that will help to make us better, or that will bring us
into His Church and kingdom and give us a right to say that
we are really His children. The fact that He has laid down
ordinances, through which a remission of sins is brought to us,
does not warrant us in saying that we do it of ourselves, and
when people talk like this it is likely to deceive.
"Now, my friends, the Bible says, in the place I have
quoted, that baptism is for the remission of sins. Do we be
lieve this? If we do, you know, we must also come to the con
clusion, necessarily, that we cannot have a remission of sins
without it. If God has placed the ordinance of baptism in His
Church, as part of His divine system for a certain purpose, the
object cannot be obtained without it. The means which God
reveals for certain purposes must be used. We cannot say, and
it would be unreasonable in us to say, that when God speaks
from heaven in regard to any particular thing, we can ignore
His advice when we please and accept something that suits
us. It is wrong, and it is this disposition that has led to the
present deplorable state of things.
" 'Well,' says one, 'I have thought that baptism was for
an outward sign of an inward grace, or of membership in the
Church.' Another error, you see! The Bible does not say
anything about that. Of course the act of a person embracing
the principles of the gospel and becoming a member of the
Church, may be a sign, but baptism was not set in the Church
for that purpose. It was taught in the Church and administered
for the remission of sins and nothing else. And no man or woman
can obtain a place in God's kingdom, or enjoy His presence here
or hereafter, unless their sins are washed away in baptism, as
Paul's were washed away when he accepted the advice of the
good and inspired man, Ananias, who instructed him.
"When I think of the importance of this offer which God
has made, my heart is filled with thankfulness instead of a
disposition to discard what He has taught. It is strange, and
we can only account for it on the ground of the waywardness of
men naturally, to think that we would attempt to do things in
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 115
opposition to the will of God. Is there a more important bless
ing offered to mankind than the remission of sins? Have we
any hope of enjoying the glory of God in our present sinful
condition? Surely not, for nothing sinful or unholy can enter the
courts of glory. Then if God has so put in his Church an or
dinance for the purpose of enabling us, like Saul, to wash away
our sins, why not be prepared to receive it with joy instead of
cultivating or encouraging a disposition to ignore it?
"Baptism for the remission of sins is the third principle of
the gospel of Christ. Then comes the ordinance of the laying on
of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Peter says, on the day
of Pentecost, to which we have directed your attention, 'And
ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' What did that con
sist of? The gift of God's Spirit. The reception of God's power,
a portion of His power. The reception of an influence which
leads those who possess it near to God in their feelings and in
their faith. A feeling which produces not only that inward
consciousness of acceptance with God, as His son or daughter,
but a power which gives outward manifestations of its divinity.
Jesus did promise to the apostles when he sent them out first,
that 'These signs shall follow them that believe.' Here are His
words, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He
that believeth not shall be damned, and these signs shall follow
them that believe.' The words of Christ, in the last chapter of
Mark, 15th and following verses.
" 'Well,' says one, 'you know we do not believe in miracles
now. These signs were miracles, .but we do not believe in them
now.' That may be, my friend. This is the very reason why we
are here, because there is such a great disbelief in the Bible; be
cause there is a disposition to ignore the Bible; because there is a
disposition to ignore the promises of Christ; and we wish to show
you the things that are denied; we wish to point out to you the
doctrines our fathers have denied ; that our teachers have denied,
and we wish to show you that they are in the Bible, the word of
God, in the book which some have gone so far as to assert that
we do not believe in. But is it true that the promises of God
were fulfilled anciently in regard to this matter? Yes! In the
19th chapter and the 7th verse of the Acts of the Apostles, you
will find an instance related of the Apostles laying their hands
on some that had been baptized, and they spake with tongues.
116 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
This was one of the gifts that was manifested, in consequence
of their receiving that Spirit which produced them. See also
Mark 16th and 20th.
You must not consider that, in teaching these doctrines,
we are advancing something of ourselves, something new. If
we were teaching new doctrines you would have a right to call
us to account and ask us for the proof. We are teaching old
doctrines. We are teaching the New Testament doctrines, in
stead of those of our Christian friends. We have no spirit of
enmity in the least degree, towards any living soul, and when
we refer to the faith of our Christian friends, remember, it is
simply to make the difference between their views and ours more
distinct to you. I say instead of our friends calling us to account,
it is the Latter-day Saints who have the right to come out and
say to their Christian friends: 'See here, why do you deny signs
which Christ said should follow believers? What believers did
Christ speak about? Why, believers in His gospel. He taught
us that these signs should follow believers. Well, then, if our
Christian friends deny that we have the right to call them to
account — if Christ said that these miracles — manifestations
of Almighty power — should follow the believers, I say, what
reason have they to deny it? The question is not now whether
the Latter-day Saints possess the power or not. The question
at issue at present is not whether the teachers of the Church of
England have the power or not. The question is, does Christ
promise that power to believers in the gospel? I say He does, and
I say that those who deny that such powers should follow be
lievers, teach that which is contrary to the word of Christ and
contrary to the facts that appeared in connection with the
teachings and administration of the doctrine of Christ. So that
it is not the Latter-day Saints that introduce a new doctrine,
and we say to our friends: Hear us, we beseech you — hear the
message we have to deliver, for God has sent us to teach the
old religion, the religion of Jesus, the simple plan which was
revealed from heaven in ancient days, to save the children of
men.
"Peter said, on the day of Pentecost, speaking of the gospel
and its attendant blessings, 'for this promise is unto you.' That
is, to the people who stood before him, 'to your children and
unto all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God
shall call/
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 117
"You see it was not confined to the members of the church
in the first place, as some would have us believe. The promise
of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost was
made to the children of those who heard Peter, and to all who
were afar off, even as many as the Lord our God should call.
And if it be true that God is calling sinners to repentance now,
we should see the same power manifested today, that is, if we
have the true gospel. There can be no doubt of this.
"Which will you have, my friends, the doctrines of the
Bible or the doctrines of men? If you accept the doctrines of
the Bible you will have to become Latter-day Saints, and of
course that would be out of the question for a good many. But
we cannot find these doctrines anywhere else, and that is a
perplexity. What shall we do about them? When I am speaking
to you I think of the position I occupied myself, when I heard
the Latter-day Saints first. I went to their meeting, not expect
ing to hear anything that would interest me by any means,
but I heard the Bible doctrine taught. I could not deny it. I
found I had been mistaken. I did not incline in my heart to
fight against God, but considerations came up. If I become a
Latter-day Saint, people will call me a Mormon. If I embrace
their doctrines, my friends will point at me the finger of scorn.
If I become a Latter-day Saint, my good neighbors will say I am
deceived and led astray, and that I have embraced a doctrine
that is in opposition to the teachings of Christ. Of course, these
things flashed through my mind when I considered and read the
Bible to ascertain positively whether these Mormons taught the
truth or not. I thought this — well! I have been religious for the
purpose of making my peace with God, but I have been mis
taken and led astray by men whom God had not sent to preach
the gospel; but now I have found the truth, the old promises
relating to God's power; all things, as at the beginning, have been
restored, and I have the promise of obtaining a place with the
righteous, according to the mind and will of my Heavenly
Father. Let friends say what they please, let them say I am
deceived, but I believe this Bible is true. Let them say whatever
they may in regard to my faith; no matter. I thought of the
time of Christ. They called Christ hard names; and of the
Apostles they spake a great deal of evil. In fact the Bible says
they called them all manner of evil, and although I expected my
friends would denounce me, still when I thought of what
118 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
Christ had suffered, I was reconciled and instead of fighting
against God, I was willing to accept His doctrine, in order to
obtain His blessings.
"I state to you, my friends, that since the day I entered this
Church I have rejoiced exceedingly. I have found proofs upon
proofs. I have had reason to rejoice in consequence of the mani
festations of God's power, confirmatory of the doctrines, and I
can say that the Church of Christ is set up, its doctrines are
taught, its practices are practiced, its promises are fulfilled, and
the evidences of its divine power are manifested in the midst of
this people.
"I would like to say a few words in regard to another point.
I have just said that I had been taught a religion by men whom
God had not sent. I would like to explain. You will excuse us
if we seem to be very extreme in our views. We have taken the
liberty to teach you the truth just as we have it, and when we
say something that comes in contact with what you have re
ceived, excuse us. There is no bad feelings at all, or unfriendli
ness in the least. But we believe in persons being invested with
the proper authority to preach the gospel. Paul says, speaking
of the authority of the Holy Priesthood: 'No man taketh this
honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron.'
(Heb. v:4.) 'Faith cometh by hearing, and how can we hear
without a preacher?' (Rom. x: 14-17.) 'No man taketh this
honor unto himself , but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.'
Now this is very plain, and what does it mean? Simply what it
says. That no man has a right to administer in the ordinances
of religion except he be sent of God as was Aaron, for how can
a man preach except he be sent? (Rom. x:15.) If that be ad
mitted, of course, the next question of importance is: How was
Aaron sent? By turning to the history we have God's dealing
with Moses, in reference to the gathering of the Israelites, from
Egypt, you will find that God instructed Moses to call Aaron to
be his helper. (Ex. iv:15, 16.) Here is the proof. No man can
preach the gospel simply because he feels inclined within himself
to be a preacher. No man can preach the gospel — that is with
God's approval and authority — unless God commission him.
God commissioned every one of his preachers in ancient times.
He spoke from heaven. He directed those who held this
authority to call others. Christ called the Apostles as He was
called. His Father called Him; He called the Apostles, and He
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 119
said, 'As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.' (St.
John xx:21.) 'He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that
receiveth me receiveth Him that sent me.' The authority was
here, you see. God called Moses; He instructed Moses to call
Aaron; so that Aaron stood exactly in the same relation to God
as did the Apostles; the latter being called of God the Father
through Christ. That would be evident, because one whom God
had authorized to act as His servant was instructed by Him to
call Aaron. Now, you observe, no man has a right to exercise
the authority of the priesthood unless he is called of God as was
Aaron.
"Are the preachers — those who commonly preach in con
nection with the churches of the present day — called of God as
was Aaron? Or, in other words, are they called by revelation
from God? This is the question. We do not doubt the pro
priety of their being called in this way, because the Bible says
they ought to be. Do the Protestant ministers, at the present
time, profess to be sent of God as was Aaron? Is there a minister
connected with the Christian denominations of the present
day who professes to be sent of God by direct revelation? Not
one. It does not require any argument at all. They do not
profess that they have heard from God. They say that God has
not spoken since the last book of the New Testament was writ
ten. They say it is a sin, and they find fault with the Latter-day
Saints because we believe that God does speak; that He has
a right to speak; and it is necessary we should have His approval
and commission in order to qualify us to attend to the business
of His Church. So that our present Christian teachers do not
profess to be called of God as was Aaron. They deny all revela
tion at present, or since the Bible was written.
"You know the ministers, among their other errors, receive
pay for preaching. That is an innovation also. The ancient
apostles, and seventies, and bishops, and so on, were not paid
for preaching. But the present ministers are. The preachers of
this Church, with whom I am connected, are not paid for preach
ing. They preach without money, without purse, and without
scrip. Now the preachers of the present churches make a busi
ness of preaching. They learn to be preachers. They are brought
up to be preachers in consequence of their parents or guides
finding in this way a place where they may make a living. Such
ministers sometimes acknowledge one kind of revelation. Not
120 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
that God tells the people about His will, or that He manifests
His power, but they sometimes tell us they have received a call
from one congregation to another. But there is one peculiarity
about it, viz : the congregation that calls them is a congregation
that almost invariably offers them more money than the con
gregation to which they have been attached. This is the only
instance of any kind of revelation being acknowledged by our
Christian teachers. God has not spoken, say they, by inspired
men, since the days of the ancient apostles. He has not spoken
directly to the Church. He has not authorized a single man to
preach, but sometimes a call is given from less money to more.
And though they are feeling full of love and affection for the
congregation with which they have labored for years, yet they
are sorry and regret so much that that call must be heeded,
which takes them from among their old friends to a new con
gregation. But, you see, the new congregation offers them more
money, and that cannot be disregarded.
"My friends, these are a few of the doctrines of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Are we displeased with
anybody? No, not at all. All are at liberty to believe what they
please. But we are placed under obligations to deliver the
message which God has sent. We say we are not solely depen
dent on the Bible, because God has sent the gospel. We do not
wish you to think that we regard the Bible lightly. Of course,
you will have noticed, from our remarks, that this is not so.
But we say from the Bible alone we could not have discovered
the true way of life, any more than thousands of our friends
have been able to do so. Why, millions of people have read the
Bible but have not discovered some of these doctrines. They
have been led to preach the things contained therein, and if
they had discovered the doctrine, this Bible cannot lay on hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost. That part of the work that is
necessary for man's salvation must be done by one whom God
authorizes. Therefore the Bible alone is not sufficient. It
contains the truth. It is the word of God. It contains the in
struction of the apostles. But it does not contain the divine au
thority that is necessary to commission a man to baptize or
administer in any ordinance pertaining to the house of God.
"Now, my friends, may God bless you. And my brethren
and sisters, may the Holy Spirit, which leads unto all truth,
abide upon us, and may we who have found the truth have a
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 121
disposition to retain it. May we have the moral courage to say,
'Let God be served. Let His truth be obeyed.' Let the Almighty
be honored, and if other people choose to follow their own
fancies, or the deceptions presented before them by men whom
God has not sent, as for us and our house, let us serve God.
"May God bless us, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."
Bancroft library
CHAPTER XIV.
Mr. Brown's Letter to the Marshalls.
Mr. Brown soon became acquainted with a number of
leading Mormon Elders who informed him more concerning the
history of the peculiar people among whom he was a visitor.
The sights in and around the city were viewed by him, and he
had time to inspect the most important buildings and places
of interest. According to promise, he wrote a letter to the Mar
shalls giving some of his impressions of the country and the
people, and his epistle is here reproduced in full:
"Dear Friends:
"I am at length in the land of the Mormons — in the city
of the Saints, by the Dead Sea of America. I have been well re
ceived, and am pleased beyond measure with what I have seen
and heard.
"It is a wonderful West. Our country as a whole surpasses
the inexperienced conception of Europeans, and places their
cramped-up districts, and tiny, although beautiful nations, in the
position of playthings when compared with the vastness of
America — rustic, rough, and rude as even its oldest places
appear. Then what shall we say of the wide West — until
recently an unknown region — with its variety of natural won
ders, its wild mountains, appalling peaks and lonely valleys,
industries, mines of wealth, gorges, streams, plains! It is grand,
notwithstanding its development is yet in its infancy. Its
possibilities for future greatness are inconceivable even to the
hardy pioneer.
"We came over the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Railway from Kansas City, via Denver. The State of Kansas,
with its beautiful eastern cities, and its wonderful plains and new
and thriving settlements in the western part, was presented to
122 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
our view from the comfortable palace coaches of the well-
equipped road.
"From Denver, where one sees the Rocky Mountains,
cloven with fantastic ravines, and horrible chasms, dressed with
rough and shaggy woods, and capped with everlasting ice and
snow, we proceeded to Pueblo, and thence over the Denver &
Rio Grande Railway, to Grand Junction, Colorado. It is no
exaggeration to say that the mountain scenery along this route
is the most magnificent in the world; while the mid-continent
region, which this road traverses, is doubtless the most pictur
esque portion of our country. Very appropriately, this road,
with its western connection — the Rio Grande Western — has
been named, 'The Scenic Line.'
"Having passed Grand Junction, we soon entered Utah,
and find ourselves in a country of bluffs, cliffs, wonderful for
mations and deserts, which become wearisome in spite of the
novelty of the scene. Nothing, however, could be more romantic
than the worn battlements and rocky tablets, between which,
for miles and miles, the road winds its way. Nearing Castle
Valley, we attained a higher level, where the cliffs came nearer
and were more precipitous, with the spaces between more green.
"We are climbing towards the heights of the Wasatch — the
western bulwark of the Rockies, just passed. Ahead is the Castle
Gate, 'the most inspiring as a single object, of all the marvelous
scenes between the plains and the Salt Sea.' We soon entered
fairly into the Spanish Fork Canyon, the sides of which are
neither rough nor cliff-bound, but, rather, are steep and rounded,
covered with soft walls of greenery, and groves of aspen and
oak. Nearing the valley, we beheld Mt. Nebo overtopping
other pyramids of the Wasatch range. Westward lies the vol
canic mountain range and the arid deserts of Utah and Nevada;
but at our feet stretches forth a lovely valley, with the fresh,
clear waters of the Utah Lake in the center.
"We passed on through miles of fertile farmland, and be
tween us and the pretty lake were fine meadows, upon which
sleek herds were grazing. A semi-circle of Mormon settlements
lies at the feet of the encompassing hills, except upon the western
side, where no water is found. Prove is the largest of the cities
in this valley. A short ride, and we crossed the summit of a
low mountain range, separating the valley we had just passed
over, from the Great Basin. The train followed along the Jordan
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 123
river which empties the waters of the Utah Lake into the Great
Salt Lake. Salt Lake Valley lies before us, with the city of the
Saints, and the wonderful saline sea to the north, the peaks of
the Wasatch to the north and the east; and about us, on every
side, the marks of industry, thrift and prosperity, set in a
framework of surprisingly beautiful scenery.
"The valley is extremely pretty when seen at the best
season of the year. In autumn, when Nature, by the early
frosts, has delicately tinted the leaves with brilliant hues, the
mountains and the hillsides are very attractive; the contrast
between the vegetation of the hills and the colors of the valley,
is an interesting feature in the panorama spread before the
delighted observer.
"Utah contains a population of about 375,000; it has an
area of 85,000 square miles, much of which is mountains. The
Great Salt Lake is about forty by ninety miles in size, and con
tains several islands. Fish abound in the numberless small
streams that flow from and through the picturesque canyons of
the Wasatch.
"The sterility of the country was removed by a system of
irrigation from the mountain streams which fertilize the earth,
causing it to yield in abundance, and to 'blossom as the rose.'
"When you remember the population and the area, it will
readily appear that there is great room for more inhabitants,
and yet it must be remembered that only a small portion of
the ground is fit for cultivation, the greater part being wild
hills or sandy desert. The numerous valleys are like fruitful
oases in a wilderness of rugged mountains, which latter serve
as reservoirs for the snows of winter, that supply the summer rills
with water.
"The valley, sometimes called the Great Basin, has an
elevation of from four to five thousand feet, being surrounded
and intersected by mountain ranges, which rise from five to
seven thousand feet above the level of the basin. The Wasatch
range extends along the east side of the valley; at its western
base is a narrow strip of land, the most fruitful in the State.
In many other parts the soil is alkaline and sterile. In other
districts there are fertile basins, with soil of good quality,
yielding in places from fifty to ninety bushels of grain to the
acre. There are immense deposits of coal, iron, and other
valuable minerals, among them being gold, silver, copper,
124 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
zinc, lead, sulphur, alum and borax. Salt works have been
established in different places along the shores of the great
lake, the water of which contains about 16 per cent solid
matter, 97 per cent of which is common salt. In the chasms
and ravines of the mountain streams are found cedar, pine,
quaking asp, oak and maple, but timber is difficult of access.
This, however, is compensated for by the immense deposits
of coal in the neighborhood, and in the State itself, and by
the railroad facilities the State now enjoys for shipping
timber from Oregon and California.
"The hardships of early times, which are now well-known
in history, have given way to prosperity, and the hidden re
sources of the hills and dales are appearing to bless the children
of the Mormon pioneer. Thriving towns and cities extend from
north to south, from east to west, over the whole territory, and
Mormon colonies are planted along the Rocky Mountains, from
Mexico in the south to Canada in the north. Their industry is
proverbial; they view the building of cities, hamlets and villages
as a divine call, taking hold of the often perilous labor with the
invincible determination born of religious zeal and duty.
"Salt Lake City has a population of over 93,000,
but it must not be understood that all these are Mormons. The
tide of prosperity that has come to this people has brought
with it thousands of citizens from all parts of the United States,
until the population is as mixed, in a religious sense, as that of
any of the states of the Union; churches of all the Christian
denominations, and halls of the agnostic, and synagogue of the
Jew, and the gathering place of the infidel, are alike represented.
"Among the buildings of interest, in Salt Lake City, is the
tabernacle, a remarkable edifice, and the great center of at
traction. It was completed in 1870, is an oval-shaped building,
with a major diameter of 233 feet, and a height of 70 feet,
having a huge dome-shaped roof resting on pillars of sand-stone.
It seats about nine thousand people, and contains one of the
largest organs in the world. Here services are held every Sab
bath, when the Elders of the Church, leaders of the people,
instruct the gathered thousands in the religion which, to my
mind, is the only scriptural one now preached, and certainly the
only one among them "all having practical life and vitality.
It contains the germs of power that will leaven the whole relig
ious world, scoff and deride as they may.
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 125
"The famous temple, erected at a cost of several millions,
begun in 1853, and completed in 1893, is built of gray granite,
with walls more than six feet in thickness. It has a length of
200 and a width of 100 feet; the main walls rise to a height of 100
feet; there are three towers and numerous minarets, on each
end of the building, the center east tower being surmounted by
a figure representing an angel blowing a trumpet, proclaiming
the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. The cap-stone
was placed on this tower, amid great rejoicing, in April, 1892,
when it was decided to finish the building, and dedicate it in
April, 1893, the occasion of the annual conference of the Church,
which is also the anniversary of its organization (April 6th,
1830,) in New York State, with six members. This great build
ing is of elegant design, grand proportions and unique pattern,
a marvel of beauty, strength and solidity. Temples, of which
there are several in the State, — one in Logan, one in Manti,
one in St. George — are designed for use in performing holy
ordinances for the living, and vicarious work by the living for
the dead, as you understand the faith of the Saints, and as
Elder Durant has often referred to and explained in his conver
sations with you.
"A Stake is a division of the Church presided over by a
council of three High Priests, and in Utah generally corresponds
geographically to the division of counties, while in other states
and territories, it often embraces larger districts. The stakes
are divided into wards, in each of which a bishop and his two
counselors exercise supervision. These again are subdivided
into districts where presiding Elders or teachers look after the
interests of the Church members. There are seventy-five stakes
of Zion, with over eight hundred wards. Each stake has
a general assembly building, while each ward, besides, has
a structure for religious worship. The Assembly Hall, erected
at a cost of $90,000, dedicated January 9th, 1882, erected near
the temple, is the meeting place for the Salt Lake Stake of
Zion. Much like a church in appearance, it is 120 by 68 feet in
size, seating three thousand people, and is one of the most con
spicuous buildings in the city. The walls are built of rough-
hewn granite taken from the same quarry that has supplied
material for the temple.
"Other principal cities are Ogden, Logan, and Provo.
Ogden, thirty-seven miles north of Salt Lake, is the railroad
126 MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE.
city of the State, and shows the results of the thrift and
industry of its inhabitants on every side. Many beautiful
natural attractions surround it — its warm springs and rugged
canyons being admired by all who see them.
"But I have not space in this already long letter to describe
the mines, the manufacturing, industrial and commercial estab
lishments which abound in this city and in the State.
Neither can I take time to more than merely refer to the schools,
public and private, and to the educational facilities of the people.
It has often been asserted that the Mormons are opposed to
education, but the schools in every hamlet and city bear witness
to the falsity of the assertion. No territory or state of the Union,
of equal age with Utah, has finer school buildings, or is more
advanced in matters of education, and to the Mormons may
be ascribed the honor 01 having built and heartily supported the
system that has made this possible.
"I see on every side among the Mormons, people who are
honest in their convictions, who have a living faith and put their
faith and teachings into practice, who are industrious and
thrifty, kind to the poor, sober, virtuous. There are no signs of
abject poverty anywhere in this city, and much less among the
hundreds of country settlements; idleness is discountenanced
by the Mormons, until among 'them as a people there are no
beggars, tramps or drones.
"A few more words, and I will not tire you with more this
time. While, of course, I do not agree with all the doctrines of
the Church, I consider the people as a whole are fair minded,
and broad in their views. I have met the chief men of the Mor
mon Church, and have had a number of pleasant interviews with
them. I find them men of grave and reverend demeanor, very
religious in thought and deed, but not given to cant. They have
not the sanctimonious airs that are so frequently noticed in
religious ministers. Heber J. Grant is the present head of the
Church, and seventh man who has occupied that position —
his predecessors having been Joseph Smith, Brigham Young,
John Taylor, Wilf ord Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith.
"I must not close without remembering Mr. Durant to
you. He was overjoyed to find his family all well upon his
arrival. During my stay in this state, I have remained at his
home a part of the time, and have been very kindly treated.
"With love to all, I am your friend,
"Walter T. Brown."
MR. DURANT OF SALT LAKE. 127
CHAPTER XV.
Conclusion.
Kind reader, a word before we separate: if you are not a
member of what is commonly called the Mormon Church,
having read the foregoing pages, you must certainly acknow
ledge that you know more concerning its doctrines, from a
Mormon standpoint, than you ever knew before.
We have tried to present to you, in a plain and very simple
manner, some of the first principles of our faith, the true gospel
of Jesus Christ. What do you think of them? .Will they, or will
they not, stand scrutiny? It is left with you to answer, and as
God has blessed you with free agency, it is your privilege to
judge and decide.
Do not treat these doctrines indifferently, nor carelessly
throw them aside. Should they be true, the message is of the
utmost importance to you. Surrounded with so many proofs,
the faith of the Latter-day Saints should demand your further
investigation.
Books, tracts, and sermons, in great numbers, and within
easy reach, are at your command. Read, listen, investigate!
Thousands have done so before, and bear testimony to having
received a knowledge of the divine truth, as herein presented.
I part from you with the words of the poet — true as any
to be found:
"Know this, that every soul is free
To choose his life and what he'll be,
For this eternal truth is given,
That God will force no man to heaven.
He'll call, persuade, direct aright —
Bless him with wisdom, love and light —
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind.
Freedom and reason make us men;
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heaven or hell."
Published by the Missions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
in America
BUREAU OF INFORMATION— Temple Block, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Independence, Jackson County, Missouri.
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