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 for 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 Marshalls, 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 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 claimed 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 satisfaction of the president of the
Southern States Mission, and had been given a 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 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 explained 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 endeavor 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 something 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 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, thereupon, 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. This was accordingly
done.