AMONG THE PHILISTINES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 987, 31 January 1882, Page 2

AMONG THE PHILISTINES.

. MORMONS AT MASTERTON. During the past month a couple of pilgrims from Utah, who announced themselves as missionaries preaching the gospel of the Mormon faith, have been persuing their labors in the Wairarapa. They travel in accordance with the Scriptural injunction with regard to providing themselves food-and raiment, They journey without money or ■' scrip," relying upon the charitable for their food and lodging, and judging] from their appearance, they have nut veiled in viiin. One missionary is a tall powerful looking man, with a meek countenance, and whin in? voipe, his companion is short and looks as though he rather enjoyed the business, They cnmmenoed their public campaign at Grey town, where they met with a very warm reception, those present at thoir meeting amusing themselves and completely flooring the " elders" by a variety of questions myh^g^^MMrij made n few Masterton about a week, and held a publio meeting in the Town Hall j to expound their peculiar tenets. Very few know of the meeting, but manyseeing the IJall lit lip, and hearitu; 9 nu'ise there, went'in to see what v/as going .on, and at the close of the .meeting", a Urge number were present..The lalllugubrinus Siint gave a lecture or' .the origin of M'iriniiiiisin, and his views certainly had the merit of being novel. He said the Mormons first, existed in Jerusalem, and in the time of Zedekiah they were warned tlpit tl|:it fated eity would be destroyed, so they went down and built a ship, 'ami afier many days found America, where they locaied,f(This nuts Columbus io the shade.) Becoming wicked, however, they wero changed into wild Indians, which exist to this day, An Angel buried the plates on which were engraved the principles of the Mormon faith till the time when a man was found good en»u.;h to resuscitate the lost religion This latter day'Sunt proved to he Joe Smith, to whom the anijel discovered tl|e plates, and who started 'the Sfor'niou religion nf .the present day, The people listened to this discourse very good uaturedly and when it was finished one of the audience asked " What was the reason polygamy was included in the religion 1" Elder: Because' in the United S'ates there were over two million more women than men, and the divine 'command was to incase and multiply! ''' \ . 'To another question i " The term "Mtirmou" meant The Latter Day Ssji|ts," . ' •

Tho qqestionor gave ih,e trqe yeaning of the word inqid loud cl}eers. " The Elder was suhinitled to a series nf (jijMti'iijs, more or less personal, and was completely nonplussed, to tlje evident amusement of bis omnpitjinn. The discussion was acepmpanied by laughter and cheers, loud uroaus closing tjio iiieeting. Two females werq present, who, afior listening to disoussions on tho private .lives of Mormons, left the Hall amidst laughter and cat-calls, - The Long Siint was much disgusted, stating that when people came to preach the gospel teeyshould be listenod to with depenpy. . Seyefyl of the audience replied that he should be asharaed 1 of himself for preaching such ai] mdecen't gospel.' '(Loud grqaqs), ' ' ' ■.' _ The 'Hall was, then cleared by the lights bping extinguished, ' ' '