1870-01-31-New York World-Mormons

Latest revision as of 04:23, 10 March 2017

[edit] Mormons

New York World, 31 January 1870

[edit] MORMONS

Short after 2 o’clock yesterday little knots of men and women gathered round the door of the house in Grand street, Williamsburg, where the only congregation of Mormons in this State meet and hold Divine service every Sunday. At 3 o’clock, in the low-roofed, square room where the meetings are held, about two hundred persons were present, of whom forty were women and girls. A raised platform with preacher’s stand is at the end of the room facing on Grand street, and to the left of this platform is a square inclosure in which stands a harmonium, and around which instrument choir, thirteen or fourteen voices, gathered.

The services began by the entire congregation rising and the presiding elder invoking the blessing of the Divine spirit on the proceedings.

A hymn was then sung, and the elder proceeded to speak on the question most interesting to the congregation, the truth of Mormonism. he said that “the spirit of Divine revelation has not ceased, nor will it ever until the world’s people are made whole in the sight of the Lord. Why do unbelievers sneer and say that revelation is past, and gone for ever? Take up the Bible, from the beginning to the last line of Revelations. What is it but a continuous, never-fading stream of Divine light? Is it not preposterous and totally opposed to all common sense, to believe that he, who thus revealed in the former days, should remain with closed lips for seventeen centuries? No! Revelation is continuous, never-ending, and the revealing of the Holy Spirit will continue until there is no longer any necessity for it.” The speaker then proceeded to say that he had not proposed occupying much of their time, as there were brethren present from the valleys in the hills, who could speak better and with greater effect than he could.

A collection was then made, and the presiding elder stated that a number of Mormon books had just arrived from Liverpool, which were on sale for the members. “The Book of Mormons” [sic] would cost $1.25; “Bishop Burley’s Texts and Commentaries,”1 $1.25; and “Mormon Hymns,” $1.75.

The meeting closed with a benediction, and the congregation, a most orderly one, dispersed in an orderly manner.