1905-06-01—Millennial Star—Among the Terrible Mormons

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[edit] Among the Terrible Mormons

Millennial Star, 1 June 1905, pp. 349-351.

SECTARIAN PREACHERS CARRIED PISTOLS WHEN VISITING THE "MORMONS."

The people of Utah, and some folks in the East, are acquainted with the romance fabricated by a Methodist preacher named Lyford, who for a short time officiated afc Provo, Utah, (not in the insane asylum there, however, as might be supposed) about having to go into the pulpit with a bible in one hand, or pocket, and a revolver in the other, for fear of an attack by the "Mormons," thus conveying the idea that it was dangerous for a non-" Mormon" preacher to ply his trade in Utah. The story was so ridiculous that it was soon laughed out of circulation.

Then came Dr. D. J. McMillan, a Presbyterian, with a plagiarism of the terrible tale, placing the scene of the alleged exhibition of wonderful bravery in Sanpete county, where at one time he was located. Going to the Eastern States he repeated the stolen story, and his remarks being published, he was confronted with them by people in Sanpete. He tried to turn the matter off as a joke and promised to retract. He never performed his promise, but recapitulated the story, although affidavits were published from both "Mormon" and "Gentile" sources, proving his absolute falsehood, and branding him as he deserved. He was even more contemptible than the Methodist whose story he stole, but he still occupies a pulpit and poses as a minister of Christ.

Influenced probably by the published tales of the two preachers named herein, it appears that another Methodist preacher and another Presbyterian pulpiteer thought they would arm themselves in similar fashion to that of their predecessors in Utah. That accounts for the following which appeared in the Indianapolis News of February 25. In this case the minister who relates his experience has the grace to confess that his fears, wrought up by what he had heard about the "Mormons," were groundless, and to express the shame he felt at resorting to means of defence, which were so totally unnecessary and so foreign to what might be expected of a Christian minister :

"It was at a Methodist ministers' meeting. The chairman had not yet rapped to order, and a little ordinary conversation was going on. Some one remarked upon the increasing frequency of murder, of murder made easy by the ubiquitous revolver, that 'guns' are so cheap that even the children in the kindergartens can save pennies enough to buy one.

"'I carried a revolver only once in my life,' said the Rev. Dr. M. B. Hyde, of the Flether Place church, who carefully abstained from the use of the slang word 'gun.' 'That was a good many years ago. I was then preaching ia the town of Ogden, Utah, where Mormons yet abound. One day two men, Mormons, came to me from a place fifteen miles or so away, a Mormon settlement, and asked me if I would come out to that settlement and preach a funeral sermon. A Missourian who had come to that place from Missouri to visit a Mormon sister, had died, and as the visitor was a Methodist, she asked for a Methodist funeral, and had received a promise that her request would be granted.

'"I confess I didn't like the outlook. Methodist preachers did not stand in very good favor with the Mormons, and I did not know but this might be a scheme to get me into a place where I could safely be made away with. I hesitated and told them they might get a Presbyterian brother who was in Ogden; that perhaps he might do as well.

'"It was finally arranged that we were both to go ; that I was to conduct the service and the Presbyterian was to assist me. When we got to the place where the funeral was to be held we found a great throng of people. Mormons had gathered from far and near to see and hear the Methodist and Presbyterian preachers from Ogden, for we were as great a novelty there as a Mormon preacher would be in a country community here. I flatter myself that I preached a pretty strong sermon. We were both treated with the greatest consideration and kindliness, and started home feeling on pretty good terms with ourselves. I was bothered about one thing, however, and reaching back to my hip pocket drew therefrom a revolver, and with humble hesitation, told my Presbyterian brother of the fears that had caused me to make this provision.

'"Then my Presbyterian brother, reaching back under his coat tails, also brought out a revolver and admitted that he had brought the weapon not knowing what might happen.

'"We were both ashamed. That was the first and only time in my life that I ever carried a revolver.'"

After reading the Methodist preacher's "confession," the thought suggests itself that, if he was ashamed at his groundless fear of the terrible "Mormons," how much more should he have been ashamed at his effort to thrust his Presbyterian brother into the supposed danger that he dreaded for himself? Selah ! — Deseret News