VISIT TO SALT LAKE CITY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 5, 25 February 1871, Page 3

VISIT TO SALT LAKE CITY.

(BY THE REV. S. T. NEVtL, M.A.) A short account of my late visit to the Salt Lake City which, happening at a moment of considerable interest in a religious point of view, may prove interesting to the readers of the Church News” : The morning after our arrival I sought out and found the residenee of the Rev, G. Foote, solely because I had read in the pages of “ Mission Life ” and the “ Colonial Church Chronicle” notices of the mission which he, in conjunction with the Rev. Mr. Haskyns, had been carrying on for some three years in the heart of the Mormon heresy. Received with a genial welcome. I had not been long in the house before Bishop Tuttle, the apostolical chief shepherd of the enormous territories of Idaho, Montana, and Utah, came in, and at once extended to me the right hand of fellowship. He had only arrived the night before, having just concluded a tour of 1,600 miles through a part of his too vast diocese. Salt Lake is now the centre of his mission, and it is here in a cottage abode this extraordinary man has his family and home. But little time can he spend with them, as the greater part of every year is taken up with travelling, and that in the stage waggons of the mountains, into which let no one whose bones are brittle enter.

But the presence of Bishop Tuttle in Salt Lake City was not mainly to seek a few days repose, but, as lie shortly informed me, to lay the foundation stone of the first Christian Temple in Utah ; in other words, the work of the beforenamed missionary had been so blessed that they were at length enabled to commence the erection of a church, and this new era was to be inaugurated the next day. Bishop Tuttle, in a few words of kind politeness, said it would give him much additional pleasure if I, as representing the “ dear old mother Church,” would take some part in the service on the occasion, and so add strength to the bond of our full communion. Of course I was very ready, and also gladly consented, at the further invitation of the Bishop, to preach to the little flock of “ Genliles ” on the ensuing Sunday.

After luncheon, to which Mrs N. and myself were invited, we had an interesting conversation upon Christian missions, a subject upon which I feel bound to confess that the Americans seem to be more in earnest than we are ; perhaps, however, the peculiarities of the situation rendered this more evident, and would explain the difference. On the morrow we repaired at the appointed time to the house of Mr——, the Gfovernor of the Territory, which he had kindly placed at the disposal of the clerical party, it being exactly opposite the site of the proposed church, one of the broad tree-bordered streets separating it therefrom. By the operation of somewhat remarkable coincidences, no less than six clergy were present, exclusive of the Bishop, the largest number which had ever been assembled together in that part of the country. Surplices and stoles were found for all, and as we went in procession across the street, not the slightest rudeness was experienced from the crowd of on lookers, but, on the contrary, excellent order was observed throughout. The service was simple in

character. There were prayers (specially composed), psalms (recited), portions of Holy Scripture, and hymns. The Bishop preached a written sermon with great energy and much feeling. Alluding in this to my presence, he spoke of the mother Church as the “ pillar of the old, strong, truth.” Two incidents at the close are worthy of remark. While the collection was boing made, a man, well known as being a Mormon, cried out from the body of people, “Put down my name for 25d01.!” and, thinking that perhaps he might not have been taken in earnest, this man afterwards came up to Mr Foote, and assured him that his order for that amount would be duly honored at any time. The other addresses itself to young people. A separate gathering was made from the children of the Sunday schools, who were present on the ground; at the close of this a boy went up in my hearing to the collector, and asked what was the total amount. “ 9dol. 40c.,” was the answer. “ I’ll make it 10dol.,” said the boy, and added the 60 cents. Half-a-crown is a large sum for a schoolboy, and he gave it with a ready hand. T’ie church will be built of stone, is cruciform in design, and calculated to hold 500 people. The number of those who have already allied themselves with the mission is about 250, and is rapidly increasing, Perhaps, however, the most promising part of the work is to be found in the schools ; children to the number of 160 being gathered together on a week day, and that in spite of the efforts of the Mormon leaders to prevent their followers from sending their children thither. The altered circumstances of the place has to a great extent destroyed the influence of these men, and rendered open persecution no longer possible Chief among these modifying influences must be reckoned the influx of “ Gentiles,” owing to the completion of the railway, and the discovery of valuable mines of gold and silver in the neighborhood ; the means of escape are also now easy. The Mormons are themselves preaching toleration with an earnestness begotten of the fear of their own safety now that there is a prospect of Utah being erected into a state, and so coming under the operation of American law. Then as the mission serves as arallyingpoint, repentant Mormons no longer need stand alone. I met also with interesting examples of the disintegrating process at work in private families. Mothers who despaired of bettering their own position, would instil into the minds of their children a hatred of the system,and a determination never themselves to belong to the Mormon body. I might go on enumerating causes which act adversely to the increase of Mormon authority, but will content myself with adding that one great difficulty with them, at least, so far as the Salt Lake Valley isconcerned, will shortly arisefrom the exhaustion of the supplies, of donative land. They will no longer have a large tract to hold before the eyes of the wavering convert as a temporal illustration of the rewards of “ the faithful.” It is greatly to the credit of the devoted missionaries of the American church that their work was commenced before these changes took place. I could scarcely realise the fact as I preached in perfect security to the congregation in the “ Independence Hall,” that the earlier gatherings of Christians there had been more like those of old time, by stealth, and in fear and trembling. Up to quite recently this Church Mission \#as the only one conducted among the Mormons, but even now the Wesleyansare commencing to work among them.