BANCROFT 
 LIBRARY 
 
 -0- 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
THE MAKING OF 
 A "MORMON" 
 
 By 
 WILLIAM A. MORTON 
 
 Second Edition 
 
 THE DESERET NEWS 
 Salt Lake City, Utah 
 
 1919 
 
THE MAKING OF 
 A "MORMON" 
 
 By 
 WILLIAM A. MORTON 
 
 Second Edition 
 
 THE DESERET NEWS 
 Salt Lake City, Utah 
 
 1919 
 
COPYRIGHT 1915 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM A. MORTON 
 Second (revised) Edition 
 
The Making of a "Mormon/HP 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A MEETING IN THE MARKET PLACE. 
 
 It was a Saturday afternoon in August. Two young 
 missionaries, Elders Smith and Harding, ,sat in the study- 
 room of their lodge reading the letters they had penned 
 to their parents and sweethearts, whom they had left in the 
 fair vales of Utah a little over a year before. Opening his 
 journal, Elder Smith took from between the leaves a tiny 
 flower, a sweet Forget-me-not, which he had found by the 
 wayside, and placed it in one of the letters. Then he 
 walked over to- the window and stood for a short time 
 watching the crowds of humanity passing to and fro. 
 
 The little cuckoo clock announcing the hour of five 
 turned his thoughts back into the room. He went to 
 the table, and taking from the drawer a small bundle of 
 tracts began stamping them with the name of the hall in 
 which the Saints held their meetings and the time of 
 devotional .service. He little dreamed at that time of the 
 wonderful mission which one of those simple leaflets would 
 perform. 
 
 "Have you thought of a place at which to hold our 
 meeting this evening?" asked his companion. 
 
 "No," he replied ; "we will seek the guidance of the 
 Lord in that matter." And then he began to sing in a soft, 
 .sweet, clear voice : 
 
 "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord; 
 
 Over mountain, or plain, or sea: 
 I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; 
 I'll be what you want me to be." 
 
 A few minutes later Mrs. Thompson, the kind, 
 motherly landlady, entered the room, carrying a tray on 
 which was spread the missionaries' evening meal. With 
 
4 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 thankful hearts the elders partook of the humble fare, and 
 when the table was cleared they knelt down and invoked 
 the blessing of the Lord upon the labors they were going 
 to perform that evening. Then, donning their silk hats 
 and frock coats, they went forth to proclaim the glorious 
 principles of the everlasting Gospel. 
 
 On reaching the street, Elder Smith turned to his com- 
 panion and said, "I feel a little nervous this evening. I 
 have a premonition that we are going to encounter op- 
 position." 
 
 "As if that were a strange thing. But why should 
 we fear ? Greater is He that is for us than he that is against 
 us. Have you decided where to hold the meeting?" asked 
 Elder Harding. 
 
 "I feel impressed to go to the market place," was the 
 reply, and in that direction the young men turned their 
 steps. 
 
 It was a beautiful evening. The streets were filled with 
 people, dressed in their best attire. There were young 
 men and maidens strolling leisurely along, arm in arm, all 
 apparently light-hearted and happy. It was at this mo- 
 ment that the thoughts of Elder Smith flew back to home and 
 the dear ones there. He thought of the pleasant Saturday 
 afternoons he had spent with his companions on the base- 
 ball and football fields, and of the still more pleasant even- 
 ings he had spent in the company of one of the fair daugh- 
 ters of Zion, the one to whom he had sent the little flower, 
 a dark-brown eyed, rosy-cheeked maiden, Miss Lenabel 
 Graham. 
 
 On reaching the market place the elders opened their 
 hymn books and began to sing : 
 
 "In ancient times a man of God 
 
 Came preaching in the wilderness; 
 He did baptize in Jordan's flood, 
 Requiring fruits of righteousness. 
 
 "He said, Repent, the time's fulfilled, 
 The Son of God will soon appear; 
 Make straight His paths as He hath willed', 
 For lo! His kingdom now is near. 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 5 
 
 "With water I baptize you now 
 For the remission of your sin; 
 But He, the Spirit shall bestow, 
 To witness to your souls within. 
 
 "Thus was Messiah's way prepared, 
 
 When first He came unto His own; 
 And by this means, when He appeared, 
 To His disciples He was known. 
 
 "E'en so, in this, the latter day, 
 
 Before He comes on earth to reign, 
 His servants must prepare His way, 
 And all His paths make straight again. 
 
 "Come, then, ye erring ones who stray, 
 
 Arise, return unto your fold: 
 Come, be baptized without delay, 
 And thus pursue the path of old." 
 
 The hymn was new to the people, and many stopped 
 to listen. Prayer was offered by Elder Smith, and after 
 another hymn had been sung, Elder Harding stepped for- 
 ward and began to address the audience. He discoursed 
 on the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel faith 
 in God, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism 
 by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on 
 of hands for the imparting of the Holy Ghost. He quoted 
 much Scripture in support of the doctrine, and was pleased 
 to see a number of people in the crowd nod their heads in 
 approval of what he said. 
 
 He was followed by Elder Smith, who bore testimony 
 to the truth of the doctrine advocated by his companion. 
 Elder Smith then spoke on Divine authority, proving by 
 the Scriptures that it is necessary for a man to possess' 
 authority from God, to preach the Gospel and administer in 
 the ordinances thereof. He cited instances in holy writ 
 showing how certain men had incurred the displeasure of 
 the Almighty by usurping authority and presuming to 
 officiate in sacred ordinances without having first received 
 the appointment of Heaven. 
 
 He next told of the coming forth of the Book of Mor- 
 mon, the restoration of the Priesthood, and the re-establish- 
 ing of the true Church of Christ on the earth in this dis- 
 
6 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 pjensation, through the instrumentality of the Prophet 
 Joseph Smith. 
 
 As soon as he had ceased speaking, a man, pale and 
 agitated, stepped forward, and was about to address the 
 people when Elder Smith respectfully requested him to re- 
 frain from speaking until the service had been brought to 
 a close in the proper manner by the singing of a hymn and 
 the .pronouncing of the benediction. 
 
 The man, who was a local preacher, stepped back to 
 his place. The word "Amen" had barely escaped the lips 
 of Elder Harding when the voice of the local preacher was 
 heard denouncing the testimony of Elder Smith with re- 
 spect to the latter-day Prophet. 
 
 Just then a large, well-built man, pushed his way 
 through the crowd, and going up to Elder Smith, put his 
 hand on his shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, young 
 fellow, Fll see that you get fair play." 
 
 The crowd gathered closer about the missionaries and 
 their opponent. Pointing to Elder Smith, the preacher 
 said, 'This fellow has stood here this evening and told a 
 number of as diabolical falsehoods as ever came out of the 
 mouth of mortal man. One of them is that God the Father 
 and Jesus Christ His Son appeared to Joseph Smith." 
 
 At this point a humorist interrupted the speaker by 
 saying, "Well, couldn't they appear to Joseph Smith if they 
 wanted to ?" 
 
 This brought forth a hearty laugh from the crowd, 
 much to the discomfiture of the anti-Mormon. The latter 
 proceeded : "The next falsehood he uttered was when he 
 told us about the Book of Mormon, which he says is a 
 record of the ancient inhabitants of America, and which 
 he informed us was brought to light by the ministrations of 
 an angel and translated by the gift and power of God. But 
 where are the plates from which this record was translated ? 
 Can they be seen today? No, they can not. Smith's ,story 
 is that after he had finished the work of translating, the 
 angel took charge of the plates, and they have not been 
 seen since." 
 
 "Well," said the humorist, "that's not a strange thing. 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 7 
 
 Christ went to heaven over eighteen hundred years ago, 
 and He hasn't been seen since." 
 
 The crowd laughed louder than before. 
 
 The preacher continued: "One of the best things for 
 'Mormonism,' but one of the worst for Christianity, was 
 the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. Smith was murdered in 
 Carthage jail." 
 
 "And Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary," retorted 
 the wit. 
 
 The missionaries' opponent then turned his attention to 
 water baptism. "This -disciple of Brigham Young," he said, 
 pointing to Elder Harding, "has told us that if we are not 
 baptized in water for the remission of our sins, and that, 
 too, by a 'Mormon' holding priestly authority, we cannot 
 enter into the kingdom of God. That is another falsehood, 
 for I know hundreds of good men who -died without having 
 received this baptism, and they are in the kingdom of God 
 today." 
 
 He^ stopped speaking. Elder Smith turned to him and 
 asked, "Do you desire to say anything more?" 
 
 "Not at present," was the answer. 
 
 The young missionary then began to ,speak in defense 
 of himself and his companion. He told of his leaving home, 
 of the trial it was to him to separate himself from his loved 
 ones^; of the splendid situation he had sacrificed; of his 
 year's labors as a missionary, for which he had not received 
 so much as a farthing. "Do you think, my friends," he 
 asked, "that I would make all these sacrifices just for the 
 privilege of coming here to tell you falsehoods? No, 
 the thought is too absurd for you to entertain. You may not 
 believe the things I have told you, but you must at least give 
 me credit for being sincere in my belief of them. My op- 
 ponent," he continued, "has been endeavoring to make you 
 believe that my companion taught you false doctrine when 
 he said that a man had to be baptized in water before he 
 could enter into the kingdom of God. My friends, that is 
 not pur doctrine. It is the teaching of Jesus Christ, and 
 He is responsible for it. Permit me to read to you His 
 words, spoken to Nicodemus." 
 
8 . THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 Elder Smith opened his Bible, and turning to the third 
 chapter of John's Gospel read as follows: "Verily, verily, 
 I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the 
 Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." "This is 
 the doctrine of Christ ; but my opponent says that a man has 
 no need of water baptism. Which of the two do you be- 
 lieve?" 
 
 "Well done, young fellow," cried a voice from the 
 crowd. "You caught him that time. Why, the preacher 
 doesn't believe his Bible." 
 
 Continuing, the missionary said, "My friend here has 
 told you that there has been no revelation from heaven 
 since the days of the Apostles ; that the Bible contains the 
 last revelation of God to man. Yet in the same breath he 
 told you of hundreds of good men he knew who have died 
 and who are in the kingdom of God today without having 
 been baptized. I am ,sure you would all like to know how 
 the gentleman got his information, if there has been no 
 latter-day revelation. Would you be kind enough to tell 
 us, sir?" 
 
 For an answer the man turned and made his way 
 quickly out of the crowd. 
 
 The missionaries began to distribute Gospel tfracts 
 among the people. One of the leaflets fell into the hands 
 of a young man named Norman Drew, the son of a well- 
 to-do farmer, residing about two miles from the city, and 
 the mission it performed will be told in succeeding chapters. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A GOSPEL TRACT ON ITS MISSION. 
 
 The Drew family consisted of. four members Mr. and 
 Mrs. Drew, their daughter Jessie, and their son Norman. 
 Jessie had just celebrated her twenty-third birthday, and 
 Norman was fast approaching his twenty-first. They were 
 thrifty, industrious people, and held in high esteem in the 
 community. They were staunch Presbyterians, especially 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 9 
 
 the father, who held the office of deacon and was a strong 
 supporter to the church. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Drew and their daughter were sitting in 
 the cosy parlor of their home. Mr. Drew was scanning the 
 pages of the weekly newspaper, his good wife sat dozing in 
 a large rocker, while Jessie was finishing work on her Sun- 
 day School lesson. 
 
 The door opened and Norman entered. Drawing a 
 chair up to the table, he sat down, and taking the "Mormon" 
 tract from his pocket, began to tell of what he had heard at 
 the meeting in the market place. When he had finished, 
 his father shook his head, saying, 'Those wicked people ! I 
 have heard of so much evil they have done that it is sur- 
 prising they have not been expelled from the country." 
 
 "Well, father," said Norman, "if all who do wickedly 
 were expelled from the country there would be few men 
 left." 
 
 To this remark Mr. Drew made no answer, but rising, 
 he bade his son and daughter good night, and left the room. 
 
 Mrs. Drew sat a few minutes longer. "I remember 
 when I was a girl," she said, a one of our neighbor's 
 daughters, about the same age as myself, joined the 'Mor- 
 mon' Church and the following year went to Utah. She 
 wrote to us occasionally, but never expressed the least 
 regret over what she had done. About two years later she 
 sent for her mother and sister, which seemed to give con- 
 firmation to the good reports she sent us concerning Utah 
 and the 'Mormons/ ! 
 
 "I don't know anything about the 'Mormons,' " said 
 Norman, "but even if they are as bad as they are reported 
 to be, they are no worse than some we know." 
 
 Mrs. Drew arose and kissed her ,son and daughter 
 good night. 
 
 Norman picked up the newspaper his father had laid 
 down, and Jessie, closing her books, began to read the 
 "Mormon" tract her brother had, at her request, handed 
 to her. 
 
 For fully an hour after her brother had left the room 
 Jessie sat meditating upon the doctrine set forth in the 
 
10 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 leaflet, and as she arose to go to her bedroom the words 
 of the Apostle Paul flashed across her mind, "Prove all 
 things ; hold fast that which is good." 
 
 Several times the next week, Jessie took up^ the "Mor- 
 mon" tract her brother had brought home and carefully pe-. 
 rusecl its .pages. A certain part of it had deeply impressed 
 ;her. It was the doctrine of the pre-existence of spirits. This 
 was a new thought to her ; she had never heard anyone speak 
 on the subject. Sitting down one afternoon beside her 
 mother, she read from the leaflet, as follows : 
 
 "In the heavens are parents single? 
 
 No, the thought makes reason stare; 
 Truth is reason, truth eternal, 
 Tells me I've a mother there." 
 
 "What is the meaning of that, mother?" she asked. 
 
 Mrs. Drew shook her head. "I am sorry, my daughter," 
 she said, "that I cannot enlighten you. I have no key with 
 which to unlock such a mystery." Then pausing a moment 
 in her sewing, she looked into the sweet, pure, face of her 
 daughter, and said, "Jessie, there are many things which we 
 do not understand- now, but 'God is His own interpreter/ and 
 sometime, perhaps, He will make them plain to us." 
 
 "Well, mother," said Jessie, "I wish He would make 
 this mystery plain to me. However, I have made up my 
 mind to go to the 'Mormon' meeting next Sunday, and if I 
 get an opportunity I will ask the preacher to explain it." 
 
 "But your father may object to you going, dear," said 
 the mother. "Why don't you ask our minister to explain it?" 
 "To tell you the truth, mother, I don't like Mr. Living- 
 stone. I do not believe he is in the ministry because of his 
 love for the work, but for the easy life and the good salary. 
 Why did he leave Blackmore? He said he had received 
 a call from the Lord. I don't believe it. He left because 
 we offered him a larger salary. Had the Lord called him 
 to go to a smaller parish, with a smaller salary, I don't 
 believe he would have heard Him. I shall never forget 
 the first sermon he preached in our church. It led me to 
 believe that he is a hireling. He told us, you remember, 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 1 1 
 
 about the two committeemen of our church who visited 
 his church one Sunday morning. He did not know who 
 they were, nor the purpose for which they had come. Had 
 he known, he would have prepared a better sermon. When 
 I heard that I said to myself, 'Yes, and if some other church 
 were to offer you a larger salary, you would quickly leave 
 us, too.' I believe he is one of those referred to by the 
 prophet when he said, 'Their preachers preach for hire and 
 divine for money.' ' 
 
 "Jessie -dear," said her mother, "I am surprised at hear- 
 ing you talk like that. Your father thinks a great deal of 
 Mr. Livingston. I heard him say only last week that he 
 is one of the best ministers we have ever had." 
 
 "Well, mother," said Jessie, "to me his words are as 
 sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal." 
 
 Glancing up at the clock, Jessie saw that it was time 
 for her to repair to the kitchen, to prepare the evening meal, 
 so folding the tract and putting it in the pocket of her 
 apron, she went to her work, still wondering what the 
 author meant by parents in heaven. 
 
 About eight o'clock that evening a tall, handsome young 
 man called at the Drew home. He was Ernest McDonald, 
 the son of a prosperous merchant residing in D . He 
 had been paying his attentions to Miss Drew for two years 
 and had hinted to Jessie a short time before that ere another 
 year had passed he hoped she would bear his name. 
 
 Ernest McDonald was Jessie's first and only sweetheart. 
 She had met him at a church sociable, and ever since that 
 time he had been paying tri-weekly visits to Woodbine Villa, 
 as the Drew home was called. He was a young man of 
 good character, strictly temperate, and a non-smoker. On 
 reaching his majority his father had assigned him an in- 
 terest in his business, and young McDonald was making 
 good. 
 
 As Jessie and her lover sat in the parlor that evening 
 their conversation drifted into a rather serious vein. They 
 had been talking on religious subjects for a short time when 
 Jessfe asked Mr. McDonald if he had ever heard of the 
 "Mormons." 
 
12 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 "All that I ever want to hear of them," was the rather 
 curt reply. "They are an American sect, founded by an 
 impostor named Smith." 
 
 "But how do you know Smith was an impostor, 
 Ernest ?" Jessie asked. 
 
 "How do J know? Why, I have read volumes written 
 against him." 
 
 "Against him," repeated Jessie. "And what have you 
 read for him?" 
 
 "Nothing, absolutely nothing; it would be a waste of 
 time." 
 
 "That seems rather unfair, Ernest," said Jessie. "If 
 charges were preferred against you in a court of justice, 
 what would you think of the judge if, when your lawyer 
 arose to defend you, his worship should say, 'I don't want 
 to hear any evidence whatever in behalf of the defendant; 
 it would be a waste of time?" 
 
 Young McDonald evaded the question by asking Jessie 
 if she would like to read a history of the "Mormons" written 
 by one of their number. 
 
 She said she would. 
 
 "Meet me at the library, Monday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, 
 and I will get it for you. Tom Sexton and I are going to 
 London Sunday," he added, "to hear two celebrated 
 preachers from America." 
 
 "And I, too, am going to hear some preachers from 
 America," said Jessie. 
 
 "You are?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Who are they?" 
 
 " 'Mormon' missionaries." 
 
 "Good heavens, girl ! have you lo,st your reason ?" 
 
 "No, Ernest, it is you who has lost your reason," she 
 said, jokingly; "for did you not tell me a few moments ago 
 that you would not read anything written in defense of 
 the 'Mormons?' ' 
 
 "You are not going alone?" 
 
 "Oh, dear no, Norman is going with me." 
 
 "But why are you going to the 'Mormon' meeting?" 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 13 
 
 "For three things a change; to see and hear for my 
 .self; and to try to get a mystery solved." 
 
 "Don't you think Mr. Livingstone could solve your mys- 
 tery? It isn't customary for people to gather grapes from 
 thorns, or figs from thistles." 
 
 "And especially Scotch thistles," said Jessie teasingly, 
 for the McDonalds were Scotch. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 THE "MYSTERY" SOLVED. 
 
 Sunday noon, as the Drew family ,sat at lunch, Jessie 
 asked her ^ father if he had any objection to her going to the 
 Mormon meeting that evening, in company with her 
 brother. 
 
 "What do you say, mother?" asked Mr. Drew of his 
 wife. 
 
 "I can see no harm in their going to the meeting," said 
 Mrs. Drew. 'I understand it is a public service. We have 
 heard a great many evil reports about the 'Mormons ' but 
 we have never been to their meetings to see and hear for 
 ourselves. 
 
 So, with the consent of their parents, Jessie and her 
 brother attended the "Mormon" meeting. 
 
 The place of worship was a room over a grocery store 
 
 t was dimly lighted, and the seating accommodations were 
 
 equally poor. The congregation numbered thirty, nearly all 
 
 of whom had renounced the faith of their fathers and had 
 
 accepted in its stead the faith of the Latter-day Saints 
 
 Jessie and her brother sat down on a bench in the' rear 
 of the hall. She contrasted the meeting place with the 
 splendid church in which she had been christened and in 
 which she had worshiped all her life. She compared the little 
 poor congregation with the large body of well-to-do people 
 who met in Mr. Livingstone's church twice each Sunday and 
 once during the week. And as these thoughts passed 
 through her mind she was reminded that the groves were 
 
14 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 God's first temples ; that the hill-sides and the corn fields 
 were Christ's synagogues, the rocks and a boat his pulpits. 
 And the words of the Apostle Paul were also brought to 
 her remembrance : "For ye see your calling, brethren, how 
 that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, 
 not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish 
 things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath 
 chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things 
 which are mighty ; and base things of the world, and things 
 which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which 
 are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh 
 should glory in His presence." (1 Cor. 1 :26-29). 
 
 Notwithstanding the humbleness of the meeting-place, 
 a sweet, peaceful, heavenly influence pervaded the room 
 and rested upon the congregation. Jessie felt it and in her 
 heart she said, as did Jacob in the desert, "Surely God is 
 in this place." 
 
 Elder Harding took charge of the service. He an- 
 nounced the opening hymn, "O say what is truth." An old 
 man was called out of the congregation to offer prayer. 
 Another hymn was sung, the announcing of which caused 
 Jessie's heart to beat fast. It was the inspired composition 
 of Eliza R. Snow : 
 
 O my Father, Thou that dwellest 
 
 In the high and glorious place! 
 When shall I regain Thy presence, 
 
 And again behold Thy face? 
 In Thy holy habitation 
 
 Did my spirit once reside? 
 In my first, primeval childhood, 
 
 Was I nurtured near Thy side? 
 
 For a wise and glorious purpose 
 
 Thou hast placed me here on earth, 
 And v/ithheld the recollection 
 
 Of my former friends and birth; 
 Yet oft-times a secret something 
 
 Whispered, You're a stranger here; 
 And I felt that I had wandered 
 
 From a more exalted sphere. 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 15 
 
 I had learned to call Thee Father, 
 
 Through Thy Spirit from on high; 
 But, until the Key of Knowledge 
 
 Was restored, I knew not why. 
 In the heavens are parents single? 
 
 No; the thought makes reason stare! 
 Truth is reason; truth eternal 
 
 Tells me, I've a mother there. 
 
 When I leave this frail existence, 
 
 (When I lay this mortal by, 
 Father, mother, may I meet you 
 
 In your royal court on high? 
 Then, at length, when I've completed 
 
 All you sent me forth to do, 
 With your mutual approbation 
 
 Let me come and dwell with you. 
 
 It was the third verse of this hymn which had perplexed 
 Miss Drew all the past week, the meaning of which she had 
 come to the meeting that evening to learn. 
 
 Elder Smth was requested to address the congregation. 
 He apologized for the humble quarters in which they had to 
 meet, but they could not afford better. The rent of the 
 hall was borne by him and his companion. They had not 
 only to support themselves in the mission field, but had also 
 to pay for the literature they distributed among the people. 
 They did all this without so much as a thought of compen- 
 sation, save the approval of Him who had called them into 
 His service. 
 
 Here was another contrast for Jessie a contrast be- 
 tween men who preached the Gospel of Christ without 
 money and without price, and the minister of her church, 
 who deserted a little flock in order to get a larger salary. 
 
 "And now I feel impressed," said the young missionary, 
 "to^ speak to you upon a certain doctrine of our Church 
 which is beautifully set forth in the hymn we have just 
 sung. I refer to the pre-existence of spirits." 
 
 Miss Drew's eyes were riveted on the speaker and her 
 ears were open to his every word. 
 
16 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 'This doctrine," continued Elder Smith, "while new to 
 the people of this generation, is as old as the earth on which 
 we stand. It was clearly understood by our father Abraham. 
 On one occasion the Lord gave the patriarch a glorious 
 vision in which He showed Abraham all the spirits that were 
 to come to this earth. He told the father of the faithful 
 that he was one of them, and that he had been chosen for 
 his earthly mission before he came to tabernacle in the 
 flesh. (Pearl of Great Price. Book of Abraham 3:22, 23.) 
 While this is not recorded in the Bible, it is just as true as 
 if it were in that book, for 'truth is truth where'er 'tis found.' 
 But in turning to the Bible we find the doctrine of the pre- 
 existence of spirits clearly set forth there. In the Book of 
 Job there is a very brief account of a conversation which 
 the Lord had with Job, during which the Creator asked him 
 this question, 'Where wast thou when I laid the foundations 
 of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding: When 
 the morning stars ,sang. together, and all the sons of God 
 shouted for joy?' (Job 38:4, 7.) The intelligences which 
 were shown in vision to Abraham were, no doubt, the 
 spirits, the sons and daughters of God, who sang together 
 and shouted for joy when they saw the foundations of the 
 earth laid. The Bible also tells us of individuals who were 
 chosen and ordained for their mission before coming to 
 earth. Christ was one of these. He lived with His Father 
 in heaven before th world was formed. (John 17:5.) Jere- 
 miah was chosen and ordained a prophet unto the nations be- 
 fore his birth into mortality. (Jer. 1:5.) The disciples of 
 Christ were firm believers in the pre-existence of spirits, as 
 is evidenced by the question which they put to the Master 
 concerning a man who had been blind from his birth. 'Who 
 did sin,' they asked, 'this man or his parents, that he was 
 born blind?' (John 9:2.) What a foolish question to ask 
 if the man had not had an existence in a pre-existent state. 
 And the answer which the Lord gave shows that He, too, 
 believed in the pre-existence of spirits, for He told the dis- 
 ciples that neither the man nor his parents had sinned, but 
 that the man had been born blind that the glory of God 
 might be made manifest in him. The author of the epistle 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 17 
 
 to the Hebrews believed in the pre-exi.stence of spirits, and, 
 what is more, he declared that God is the Father of the 
 spirits of men. This is what he wrote : 'Furthermore, we 
 have had fathers of mir flesh which corrected us, and we 
 gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjec- 
 tion unto the Father of .spirits and live?' (Heb. 12:9.) And 
 in these latter days we have received, through revelation 
 from on high, additional light on this matter, and that is 
 that we have a Mother in heaven, as well as a Father, the 
 Mother ,of our spirits. That is why we sing: 
 
 "'In the heavens are parents single? 
 No, the thought makes reason stare; 
 Truth is reason, truth eternal, 
 Tells me I've a mother there.' " 
 
 Jessie had followed the speaker with the strictest at- 
 tention, and had drunk in the truth that fell from his lips 
 as the perishing child of Hagar drank of the water shown 
 by the angel to his despairing mother. And as the service 
 concluded she turned to her brother and said, "The 'mystery' 
 has been solved." 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A QUARREL. 
 
 At the close of the meeting, Elder Harding went quickly 
 to the rear of the room and introduced himself to the 
 strangers Norman and Jessie Drew. The warm handshake 
 he received from the young man and his sister assured him 
 they were not opponents of "Mormonism." 
 
 Taking a piece of silver out of her purse, Jessie ten- 
 dered it to the missionary, saying, "I would like to contribute 
 a little toward the Lord's work. I noticed, however, that 
 you did not take up an offering, as is the custom in other 
 churches." 
 
 "No," answered the missionary, "we do not take up col- 
 lections at our services." 
 
18 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 "Pray tell me, then, how your Church is supported." 
 "According to the plan laid down in the Scriptures by 
 the tithes and offerings of its members." 
 
 "So your Church observes the ancient law of tithing." 
 "Yes, we observe that law, but not because it was prac- 
 ticed in the days of Abraham and Moses, and the prophets; 
 and by the people in the time of Christ, but because the 
 Lord revealed it anew to the Prophet Joseph Smith. No 
 member of the Church, however, is compelled to pay tithes. 
 Those who observe this law do so of their own free-will. 
 The Lord has promised to bless those who obey this Divine 
 command, and all who have observed it faithfully can testify 
 that the Lord has fulfilled His promise. And here let me 
 add: the widow's mite is just as acceptable as the rich man's 
 thousands." 
 
 "Then please accept this mite," said Jessie, forcing the 
 silver piece into the Elder's hand. "It is small pay for the 
 good things I heard this evening." 
 
 "Did they sound good to you?" 
 
 "They certainly did. I think, Mr. Harding," she added, 
 "that it is possible to tell the truth just by the ring of it, the 
 same as you can tell the -difference between a base and a 
 genuine coin." 
 
 "I think so, too," replied the missionary. "Christ said 
 His sheep knew His voice, and they followed Him; but a 
 stranger they would not follow, for they knew not the voice 
 of strangers. These words of the Savior were brought very 
 forcibly to my mind one afternoon recently. As I was go- 
 ing -down town I saw a dog that had strayed from his 
 owner. He was a beautiful little animal. Several men were 
 trying to get him to follow them, but he refused to do so. 
 At last he heard his master's voice. He recognized it im- 
 mediately, and bounding out of the crowd he ran in the 
 direction from which the voice came, and was soon jumping 
 up joyfully and licking the hand of his owner." 
 
 "Well," said Jessie, "I feel very much like that dog I 
 feel as if I were lost. The preaching of our minister does 
 not appeal to me at all. I have gone to other churches in 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 19 
 
 the hope of finding peace and rest for my soul, but they are 
 all the same." 
 
 ."Do you remember, Miss Drew, who it was that said, 
 'Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and 
 I will give you rest?' ' 
 
 "Yes, Christ said that." 
 
 "Then, why don't you go to Him? Why don't you pray 
 to Him to guide you to the true Church, so that you may 
 get the rest your soul so earnestly desires? It is just as 
 easy for you to know the true Church today as it was for 
 Peter to know that Jesus was the Christ. Peter learned 
 that great truth by revelation from God ; you can learn the 
 truth in the same way." 
 
 Just then Elder Smith came up, and was introduced to 
 Miss Drew and her brother. 
 
 On leaving the hall Jessie said, "I have heard a great 
 many evil reports concerning the 'Mormons,' and I have 
 wondered if your people are really as black as they are 
 painted." 
 
 "Well," said Elder Smith, "you will pass our lodge on 
 your way home, and if you would like to read something 
 concerning the character of the 'Mormons/ written, not by 
 a 'Mormon,' but -by a Gentile, one of your own countrymen, 
 Mr. Phil Robinson, I will let you have his book, 'Saints and 
 Sinners.' ' 
 
 "Thank you," said the young woman. "I shall be pleased 
 to read it." 
 
 The clock in the church tower was striking two the 
 next morning when Jessie Drew closed the volume she had 
 received from Elder Smith. Then she knelt by her bedside 
 and offered up one of the most fervent prayers she had 
 ever uttered. "O, Lord," she said, "Thou knowest the 
 thoughts and the intents of the hearts of all men. Thou canst 
 read my heart, and Thou knowest that in my heart I desire 
 to know the truth, for I love the truth. Therefore, O Lord, 
 show me the truth, and guide me in the paths of righteous- 
 ness, for Thy name's sake." 
 
 Four o'clock in the afternoon Jessie Drew and Ernest 
 McDonald met in front of the public library in D. . 
 
20 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON/' 
 
 On entering the building, Ernest went over to one of the 
 shelves, and taking down a book, written by a bitter "Mor- 
 mon" apostate, he handed it to Jessie. "I want you to read 
 that book," he said, "and then tell me what you think of 
 the 'Mormons.' ' 
 
 "I will do so on one condition," she answered, "and that 
 is that you read this book" handing* him 'Saints and Sin- 
 ners' "and then tell me what you think of the 'Mormons.' ' 
 
 "No," he said, "I won't waste my time on such people." 
 
 "Well," said Jessie, rather sharply, "my time is just 
 as precious as yours, and I won't waste it reading the volume 
 you recommend." 
 
 Young McDonald's face flushed with anger, and plac- 
 ing the book back on the shelf he turned quickly and left the 
 building. On reaching the street he said to Jessie, "You 
 seem quite taken up with this new religion, if I may call it 
 by that name." 
 
 "I am," she answered promptly. "It appeals to me as 
 nothing else has ever done. I heard truths last night I had 
 never heard before, and if all the other principles of 'Mor- 
 monism' are as plain, as scriptural and reasonable as those 
 I heard explained at the meeting, and as those I have read 
 in the tracts, I shall accept them and become a 'Mormon.' ' 
 
 "Do you really mean what you say ? Have you counted 
 the cost of such a step? Do you realize that such a course 
 would mean our separation for ever ?" 
 
 "No," replied Jessie, "I hadn't calculated it would cost 
 as much as that ; but if that is the price required, I suppose 
 I shall have to pay it ; in fact, I will pay it !" 
 
 "Do you mean to say you would .sacrifice my love for 
 'Mormonism?' ' 
 
 "I say this," was her answer, "and I say it most em- 
 phatically, that I would make any sacrifice for the truth's 
 sake. I thank the Lord for this glorious gift, which seems 
 to have been born in me a love for truth." 
 
 "Well," replied her lover, "the faith of my fathers is 
 good enough for me." 
 
 "Yes," said Jessie, "there are people who would rather 
 be near right than just right. There are things in the world, 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 21 
 
 Ernest, that glitter like gold, but they are not gold. You 
 choose as you please, as for me I am going to choose the 
 genuine, for only the genuine will survive." 
 "Genuine rot !" he snapped, impatiently. 
 "How do you know it is rot, you who have never at- 
 tended a 'Mormon' service or read a page of 'Mormon' lit- 
 erature? Would you attempt to speak of any other subject 
 as you do of 'Mormonism' without having given it a mo- 
 ment's study? No, you would not." 
 
 "Damn the rascals ! I hate them !" he said, biting his 
 lips in anger. 
 
 "Yes, I see you -do. But do you remember what Christ 
 said to His disciples, 'Marvel not if the world hate you; 
 you know it hated me before it hated you?" 
 
 "So you compare the 'Mormons' to the -disciples of 
 Christ, do you?" 
 
 "Those I have seen and talked with bear a strong re- 
 semblance to them." 
 
 "We won't carry on this discussion any longer here," 
 he said. "I hope you may discover the serious mistake you 
 are making before it is too late. Good afternoon." 
 
 He raised his hat, turned and walked back to his busi- 
 ness. 
 
 With a feeling of sadness Jessie -drove home. And as 
 she rode along the quiet country road the words of the 
 Master came to her, "I came not to send peace on earth, 
 but a .sword." The little quarrel she had had with her lover 
 that afternoon marked the beginning of the end of their 
 courtship. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 MRS. THOMPSON'S TESTIMONY. 
 
 In the evening, Ernest McDonald called on the Rev. 
 David Livingston, Jessie's minister, and told him that Miss 
 Drew^was fast losing hold of the Presbyterian faith. 
 
 "Why, Mr. McDonald, you astonish me," said the 
 clergyman. "I can scarcely believe my ears. This is the 
 
22 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 first intimation I have had of such a thing. Still, I remem- 
 ber now that during two of my recent visits she and I had 
 lively discussions on the subject of baptism. I found that 
 she leaned more to the Baptists' idea of baptism than to 
 the teachings of her own church. She maintained that im- 
 mersion is the only proper mode ,of baptism. Is she think- 
 ing of joining the Baptist church?" 
 
 "No, I could stand that. You couldn't guess, so I will 
 tell you the 'Mormons.' ' 
 
 "Bless my soul !" exclaimed the minister. "What has 
 taken possession of the girl?" 
 
 " 'Mormonism,' " replied young McDonald. "She has 
 been studying it a little more than a week, and she is so 
 taken up with it that I believe she would be willing to go 
 out and proclaim it on the streets." 
 
 "I don't feel like taking you seriously, Mr. McDonald. 
 Jessie is too good, too sensible, too well-balanced to follow 
 long after such a delusion as 'Mormonism.' However, I 
 shall call and see her before the end of the week." 
 
 "I sincerely hope you may be able to convince her that 
 she is making a serious mistake." 
 
 "There is no doubt of that, Mr. McDonald. Leave the 
 matter to me." 
 
 From the rectory, Ernest McDonald went direct to 
 Woodbine Villa. He told Jessie of his visit to Mr. Living- 
 ston, and that the latter had promised to call on her before 
 the week end. 
 
 "That was very kind of you," .said Jessie. "How would 
 you like me to return the favor by asking one of the 'Mor- 
 mon' missionaries to call on you ?" 
 
 "No, but, provided your father does not object, you can 
 invite one of them to meet Mr. Livingston here next Fri- 
 day evening." 
 
 "Good !" exclaimed Jessie. "You put that out as a chal- 
 lenge, and I accept it. Excuse me, while I find out what 
 father and mother have to say concerning the matter." 
 
 When Jessie told her parents what Ernest had proposed, 
 they smiled. "Ernest .seems to be taking you quite seriously/* 
 said her father. "I don't like the idea of inviting a 'Mor- 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 23 
 
 mon' missionary to my home, but inasmuch as Ernest has 
 requested it, I give my consent. The 'Mormon' will go 
 back a sadder but wiser fellow." 
 
 'Thank you, father," said Jessie. "I am going to town 
 Wednesday, and I shall deliver the invitation to one of the 
 missionaries." 
 
 Ernest McDonald went home very much relieved. He 
 felt confident that Mr. Livingston would have no difficulty 
 whatever in confounding the "Mormon" elder, and by so 
 doing turn Jessie from following after a "strong delusion." 
 
 The following Wednesday afternoon Miss Drew cycled 
 to town, and after attending to a little shopping, she went 
 to the home ,of Mrs. Thompson. She was somewhat disap- 
 pointed at not finding the missionaries there. They had 
 gone out tracting early in the morning and had not returned. 
 Mrs. Thompson invited her in, and in a few minutes Jessie 
 was telling the good woman some of the experiences she 
 had had since she began the study of "Mormonism." 
 
 "You are having a little of the same experience I had 
 when I first t>ok in 'Mormon' missionaries as boarders. Our 
 minister called on me and told me that I was housing a 
 couple of moral lepers. I listened till he had finished, and 
 then I said, 'If there were a case of leprosy in town don't 
 you think it would be your duty to report it" to the authori- 
 ties? If the 'Mormon' missionaries are here for the pur- 
 pose you say, why do you not report them ? Why do you let 
 them carry on their nefarious work without taking the proper 
 steps to .stop them? Isn't there a law in England against 
 such offenses? Aren't there officers to put the law into 
 effect? Why, then, do you sit idly by and let the 'Mor- 
 mons' do such wicked things? You are a party to their 
 evil deeds. But I prefer to believe, Mr. Banks/ I said, 'that 
 the 'Mormons' are not the wicked people, the law-breakers, 
 you would have me believe they are. Were they, you would 
 have had them arrested and punished long ago. The fact 
 that you have not done so is evidence to me that what you 
 have told me about them is not true.' Well, he left in a 
 rage, and has never called since. I have kept 'Mormon' 
 missionaries in my home for three years, and I have found 
 
24 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 them to be gentlemen, Christian gentlemen, in every sense 
 of the term. Had I found them otherwise, they would have 
 had to seek new quarters." 
 
 ''I am glad to hear you speak in that way," ,said Jessie. 
 "You have had opportunity of finding out what manner of 
 men 'Mormon' missionaries are, and your testimony has 
 encouraged me." 
 
 Just then the door opened and Elders Smith and Hard- 
 ing entered. Jessie greeted them with a warm handshake, 
 and then told them of the meeting she had arranged at her 
 home the following Friday evening. 
 
 "I hope," said Elder Smith, "that Mr. Livingstone will 
 treat us better than we were treated by a minister today. 
 A clergyman invited us into his home, questioned us con- 
 cerning our belief in God, and when we told him that we 
 believe in the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac 
 and Jacob, a God with bodily parts and spiritual passions, in 
 whose likeness and image man was created, he flew into 
 a rage, and said he felt like kicking us out of his house. 
 But he cooled down considerably before we left. We lis- 
 tened patiently till he had finished his tirade of abuse, and 
 then Elder Harding took him in hand. 'That is a peculiar 
 spirit for a minister of Christ to manifest,' said my com- 
 panion. 'Just because we have a different idea of God to 
 what you have you say you feel like kicking us out of your 
 house. Now, your idea of God and the idea we entertain are 
 just as opposite as the poles, but we don't feel like kicking 
 you.' Well, the minister began to feel ashamed of himself. 
 He apologized, said he hoped we would forgive him for 
 speaking so hastily, and then talked with us for an hour and 
 a half on the Godhead. And, what do you think ? before we 
 left he said he believed God had a body, which He took upon 
 Him on certain occasions when He came down to talk with 
 Abraham, Mo.ses, and other of the prophets. To that we 
 replied that the only difference between him and us was 
 that he believed that God had a body, some times, while we 
 believe He has a body all the time. We left him some of 
 our literature, and said we would call again." 
 
 "That," said Tessie, "is a subject that has puzzled me. 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 25 
 
 I have often wondered what God is like. Sometimes I have 
 thought that He is a Being just like man, and then I would 
 get frightened lest I had entertained a sacrilegious thought." 
 
 "Such a thought need not frighten anyone." said El- 
 der Smith. "Christ, we are told in the Bible, was the ex- 
 press image of His Father, and we know that Christ was in 
 every respect like a man, except that He was without sin. 
 You remember what He said to Philip, when the latter 
 requested Him to show him the Father 'He that hath 
 seen me, hath seen the Father.' " 
 
 "Yes," said Jessie, "it is plain. How is it that more 
 people cannot see it?" 
 
 "Because they have no desire to see it ; they love dark- 
 ness rather than light." 
 
 "It would seem so." 
 
 "It is so." 
 
 "Good afternoon," said Jessie, extending her hand to 
 the missionaries. We will meet next Friday evening." 
 
 Elder Smith assured her he would be at her home at 
 the appointed time, but ,she was doomed to disappointment. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 A NEW DEFENDER OF THE FAITH. 
 
 In response to an invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Drew, 
 the Rev. David Livingston and his wife came to Woodbine 
 Villa for dinner the following Friday. Ernest McDonald 
 was also invited. The three men sat chatting for an hour 
 in the parlor before going in to dine. The topic of con- 
 versation was, of course, "Mormonism." 
 
 "Why are they called 'Mormons/ Mr. Livingstone?" 
 Mr. Drew asked. 
 
 "I believe it is because they believe in a book called 
 the Book of Mormon. I have never read the volume, but 
 I understand it is a sort of religious novel, written by a 
 man named Solomon Spaulding. The 'Mormons,' however, 
 maintain that it is a sacred history of the ancient inhabit- 
 
26 THE -MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 ants of America, engraven upon gold plates, which were 
 hidden in the earth for centuries, and were brought forth 
 by an angel and given to Joseph Smith, who by some mys- 
 terious power translated them into the English language." 
 
 "I understand they have great reverence for the book," 
 said young McDonald. 
 
 "They have. They claim that it is as much the word 
 of God as the Bible." 
 
 "I would suggest that you make the Book of Mor- 
 mon the subject of your conversation this evening," 
 said Mr. Drew. "I heard Jessie talking to her mother about 
 the book this afternoon. She spoke as if she believed it to 
 be the word of Gad." 
 
 "She will* have a different belief tomorrow," said her 
 lover. 
 
 After dinner all returned to the parlor, to await the 
 coming of Elder Smith. The time of his arrival passed 
 without his coming. Jessie began to show signs of nervous- 
 ness. 
 
 "What do you think has happened to your friend?" 
 asked Ernest McDonald, looking over at Jessie. "Do you 
 think he has changed his mind?" 
 
 "Perhaps," answered the young lady. "I wish you 
 would change yours," she added jokingly. 
 
 "To tell you the truth, Mr. Drew," said the minister, 
 "I didn't expect him to come. There are people who do 
 not care to come to the light, 'lest their deeds should be 
 reproved/ ' 
 
 Jessie, forgetting for the moment her good bringing 
 up, turned to Mr. Livingstone, and, in a rather sharp tone, 
 said, "Yes, and there are some people who forget the ad- 
 monition of Christ, 'Judge not that ye be not judged/ ' 
 
 "Jessie," said her father, "remember whom you are 
 addressing. Mr. Livingstone is our guest." 
 
 "I beg your pardon, Mr. Livingstone," said the young 
 lady. "But as I believe Elder Smith to be a good man, I 
 could not refrain from speaking a word in his defense." 
 
 At that moment the bell rang, and Jessie hastened to 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 27 
 
 open the door, expecting to admit Elder Smith. She was 
 disappointed. 
 
 It was a telegram for Miss Drew. 
 
 Jessie signed the receipt, then tore open the envelope 
 and read the telegram: 
 
 "Regret having to inform you that owing to illness, 
 Elder Smith will be unable to meet Mr. Livingstone at your 
 home this evening. Richard H. Harding." 
 
 Ernest McDonald began to laugh when Jessie read 
 the telegram. 'The very thought of meeting you, Mr. Liv- 
 ingstone, made him sick," he said. "It is well he didn't 
 come ; the actual meeting might have killed him." 
 
 "There are more evenings than one, Ernest," said Jessie 
 calmly. "I am sure Elder Smith's illness was not caused 
 through fear of meeting Mr. Livingstone. He has met 
 clergymen before. He had a very interesting time with one 
 a few days ago. The subject they discussed was the God- 
 head, and I believe the reverend gentleman learned some- 
 thing that day about Deity that he had not known be- 
 fore." 
 
 "No doubt," interposed Mr. Livingstone. "I am sure it 
 was new doctrine to him to hear that the great God of 
 heaven and earth is a personal Being, and that He has a 
 body of flesh and bones." 
 
 "You don't mean to say, Mr. Livingstone," said Jessie's 
 father, "that the 'Mormons' believe and teach such doctrine 
 as that?" 
 
 "Indeed I do, Mr. Drew. They teach that as man is 
 now, God once was, and that as God is, man may become." 
 
 ''Rank blasphemy !" exclaimed young McDonald. 
 
 "The proper name for it," said the minister. 
 
 "I don't consider it blasphemy," said Jessie. 
 
 "What!" exclaimed her father. "You don't mean to 
 tell us that you believe such abominable doctrine?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "Who taught it to you?" 
 
 "The "Reverend Mr. Livingstone, our minister." 
 
28 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 "Absurd. Why, I never entertained such a thought!" 
 returned the minister, excitedly. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Livingstone," said Jessie, "if I didn't hear 
 you preach that doctrine in your sermon last Christmas 
 morning my ears deceived me. Do you not remember, sir, 
 tracing the life of Christ from His birth in the stable to the 
 time He sat down on the right hand of His Father in 
 heaven? That was one of the best sermons I ever heard 
 you preach. I relished it. How vividly, how eloquently you 
 portrayed the life of the Son of God. Born of an earthly 
 mother, nursed and tenderly cared for by her, He grew up 
 to be a child. He was a child with the children ; He played 
 with them in their little games. As a boy, He was like 
 other boys, only sweeter, purer, holier, more studious. As 
 a youth, He was a wonder, astonishing the learned doctors 
 in the temple. As a man, He was the greatest Teacher 
 the world ever saw. He taught as no other man taught. 
 He lived a grander life than any man had ever lived. He 
 possessed power that no mortal ever possessed the power 
 to lay down His life and to take it up again. This He did, 
 proving to all generations to come that He was what He 
 professed to be the resurrection and the life, and that He 
 had conquered death. And then, when His earthly mission 
 was finished, He ascended up on high and sat down at the 
 right hand of God. Now, what would you have thought 
 of me, Mr. Livingstone, if at the close of your discourse I 
 had approached you and said, 'Rank blasphemy! You 
 would have me believe that One who was once a babe, then 
 a child, then a youth, then a man, is now a God, yea very 
 God of very God, as you .styled Him. I say such doctrine, 
 is 'rank blasphemy.' What would you have thought of me, 
 Mr. Livingstone, if I had done that?" 
 
 The eyes of all in the room were riveted on the min- 
 ister, but he did not answer. He looked confounded. 
 
 "It seems to me that Jessie has scored," said her 
 brother, good-naturedly, "The 'Mormon' faith has found a 
 new defender." 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 29 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR. 
 
 Elder Smith's illness was not caused through fear of 
 meeting the Reverend Mr. Livingstone, but by a letter which 
 he had received a couple of hours before his intended visit 
 to Woodbine Villa. The letter was from his mother, and 
 bore the ,sad news that Lenabella Graham, the young lady 
 with whom he had kept company for a year prior to his 
 leaving home, and with whom he had corresponded regu- 
 larly since his arrival in England had died very suddenly. 
 
 As Elder Smith read the letter he turned deathly pale, 
 and when he had finished he buried his head in his hands 
 upon the table and wept bitterly. 
 
 "Some one ill at home?" enquired Elder Harding. 
 ^For an answer Elder Smith handed him the letter. 
 "That's a hard blow, Elder Smith," said his companion. 
 But you^ and I have been taught to acknowledge the hand 
 of God in all things, and I believe the day will come when 
 you will acknowledge His hand in this seeming calamity." 
 For two hours Elder Harding sat beside his compan- 
 ion, doing all in his power to heal the terrible wound the 
 sad news had made in his heart. And while the humble 
 servant of the Lord was groaning in anguish of spirit, the 
 "Reverend" Mr. Livingstone and Ernest McDonald were 
 making fun of him and charging him with cowardice. 
 
 At the close of the Sunday service, Mr. Livinstone an- 
 nounced^ that he would deliver a special lecture on "Mor- 
 monism" the following Wednesday evening, and invited all 
 present to attend. The news spread quickly, and the even- 
 ing of the lecture the Presbyterian church was crowded to 
 its capacity, many members of other churches being pres- 
 ent. 
 
 The lecturer assured his audience that he would have 
 no difficulty in proving to them that Joseph Smith, the 
 founder of "Mormonism," was an impostor. John the 
 Revelator had done that already. Opening his Bible, he 
 read from the last chapter of Revelation, as follows: "For I 
 
30 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 testify unto every man that heareth the words of the proph- 
 ecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, 
 God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this 
 book." "Nothing more is needed, my good people, to prove 
 that Smith's claims to Divine revelation are spurious. We 
 have the word of God that there was to be no more script- 
 ure, or revelation, after the Book of Revelation was fin- 
 ished." 
 
 The remainder of the time he spent in heaping abuse 
 upon Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints in general. 
 
 At the close of the lecture a young man arose and re- 
 quested permission to ask the lecturer a question. All 
 turned to look at the speaker. 
 
 "Why, mother!" exclaimed Jessie Drew, "it is Elder 
 Smith who is talking." 
 
 Mr. Sexton, the chairman of the meeting, accorded the 
 stranger the privilege of asking questions. 
 
 "Did I understand the lecturer to ,say there had been 
 no revelation since the day the Apostle John finished the 
 Book of Revelation?" 
 
 "That is correct," replied the minister, rising to his 
 feet. 
 
 "Why, I have been told that after John had written the 
 Book of Revelation he wrote the epistle which bears his 
 name. Is that correct?" 
 
 Mr. Livingstone coughed and looked confused. "I T 
 believe that is correct," he stammered. 
 
 "That being the case, your argument is robbed of all 
 its force. Have you forgotten that in the Book of Deuter- 
 onomy there are words similar to those you read in the 
 Book of Revelation. (Deut. 4:2.) While no man has a 
 right to add to the word of God, who shall say that the 
 Almighty must not add to His own words? I hold that no 
 one has a right to seal the lips of Deity. I challenge Mr. 
 Livingstone to cite a single passage of Scripture to prove 
 that God would not give revelations to His children in the 
 latter days. There is no such thing on record. But, on 
 the contrary, the Scriptures are replete with promises of 
 latter-day revelation." 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 31 
 
 "The gentleman will please sit down," shouted the 
 chairman. 
 
 Elder Smith resumed his seat. 
 
 There was quite a little excitement in the congrega- 
 tion. A tall, well-dressed man arose and asked the chairman 
 if he could have the privilege of saying a few words. He 
 was told that he could have five minutes. The gentleman 
 .was Mr. Hacket, a highly respected t member of the com- 
 munity, and a Unitarian. 
 
 "I must say," he began, "that I have been greatly 
 disappointed this evening. I came to the meeting with the 
 expectation of seeing 'Mormonism' completely overthrown. 
 Mr. Livingstone assured us he would have no difficulty in 
 proving that Joseph Smith was an impostor, and that his 
 claims to Divine revelations were spurious. He tried to do 
 this by a quotation from the Book of Revelation, but sig- 
 nally failed. The young man who was told rather abruptly 
 to .sit down, and who I am informed is a 'Mormon' mission- 
 ary, showed that Mr. Livingstone was mistaken in that 
 matter, and if mistaken in that matter, he may be 
 mistaken in other things. I am not in sympathy 
 with the 'Mormons,' neither am I so blinded by 
 prejudice that I cannot see their good qualities. Not once 
 during his entire lecture did Mr. Livingstone mention one 
 good quality possessed by these people. It seems to me 
 that he outshot his mark. Let us not be hasty in our judg- 
 ment. We have heard only one side of the story ; personally, 
 I would like to hear the other side, and I now move, Mr. 
 Chairman, that another meeting be held here next Wednes- 
 day evening, and that the time be given to a representative 
 of the 'Mormon' Church/' 
 
 "Second the motion," said at least a half dozen peo- 
 ple. 
 
 The chairman appealed to Mr. Livingstone, who arose 
 and said : "I strongly object to any such proceeding. While 
 I am in charge of this church no 'Mormon' missionary shall 
 occupy this pulpit. Should any of these men come into this 
 community, I advise you to shut your doors in their faces 
 and burn their tracts." 
 
32 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 "Just a word, Mr. Livingstone," said Mr. Proctor, a 
 member of the Episcopal church. "I do not think there is 
 any cause for alarm. I have lived in this community over 
 twenty-five years. I am pretty well acquainted with the 
 people, and I believe they rank with the average in intelli- 
 gence. I am quite satisfied that they know the difference be- 
 tween truth and error, between right and wrong. I think it is 
 a reflection on our intelligence to be told to treat the 'Mor- 
 mon' missionaries in the way you have recommended. I am 
 not afraid to read the 'Mormon' tracts. If the 'Mormons' 
 have any. truth we have not got, we should be willing to 
 accept it. If we are misinformed respecting them, we 
 should be willing to be set right. I, also, would like to hear 
 the 'Mormon' side." 
 
 "I shall not alter my decision," said the minister, angrily. 
 
 Mr. Racket arose again, and on receiving the recogni- 
 tion of the chairman, said, "I shall arrange for a public 
 meeting to be held in the Temperance Hall next Wednesday 
 evening, when we will get the 'Mormon' point of view." 
 
 "Hear, hear!" shouted a number of those present, and 
 the congregation began to disperse. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Jessie and her brother made their way to the side of 
 Elder Smith. They shook him warmly by the hand and 
 praised him for his courage in coming and "bearding the 
 lion in his den." Just then Mr. Hacket and Mr. Proctor 
 came up and were introduced to the missionary. Elder 
 Smith thanked them for their kind assistance, and assured 
 them he would be on hand to -defend his faith and people 
 the following Wednesday evening. 
 
 As Mr. and Mrs. Drew and Mr. Livingstone came 
 down the isle they were stopped by Jessie and introduced 
 to Elder Smith. The latter was about to speak to Mr. Liv- 
 ingstone concerning certain false accusations he had made, 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 33 
 
 I 
 
 when the minister stopped him, saying, "I haven't time to 
 talk to you now ; I am going to the vestry to attend prayers." 
 As he passed on, Jessie said, "If any man ought to pray, 
 that man is Mr. Livingstone." 
 
 "Yes," added Elder Smith, "and if men would pray 
 concerning 'Mormonism/ instead of fighting it, they would 
 learn the truth of it." 
 
 The following Sunday evening Jessie and her brother 
 attended the meeting of the Saints. There were four visitors 
 from Utah, Mr. and Mrs. Walker and their two daughters. 
 They had formerly lived in England, but had embraced the 
 "Mormon" faith and had immigrated to Utah twenty-five 
 years before. They were invited to speak. Mr. and Mrs. 
 Walker thanked the Lord for the day "Mormon" Elders had 
 come to their home with the glad tidings of great joy the 
 restoration of the everlasting Gospel. They thanked Him 
 for giving them courage to accept and stand up for the truth, 
 and for preparing the way for them to go up to the land of 
 Zion. They were so perfectly satisfied with Utah and the 
 people there that they could not be induced to stay in their 
 native land. They were acquainted with hundreds of Eng- 
 lish people in Utah, every one of whom felt just as happy as 
 they. They had come back to England at their own expense, 
 principally to try to correct some of the false impressions 
 that their relatives and friends entertained respecting the 
 "Mormons." 
 
 Jessie and her brother listened very attentively to the 
 testimonies of these English converts, ajid at the close of the 
 service they had a lengthy conversation with them. They 
 found the Misses Walker very intelligent and refined young 
 ladies. They told Jessie and her brother about social life 
 in Utah, and of the great privileges and advantages the 
 young people enjoyed there. They assured the Drews that 
 if they ever came to Salt Lake City they would find a cordial 
 welcome at their home. 
 
 Jessie then engaged in a brief conversation with Elder 
 Smith, during which he told her the reason why he had not 
 been able to meet Mr. Livingstone at her home. As he 
 related his troubles, tears of pity glistened in her eyes, and 
 
34 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 when he had finished, she placed her hand gently on his 
 arm, and looking up into his handsome, manly face, said, 
 "You have my sincere sympathy." 
 
 A large, interested audience greeted Elder Smith when 
 he ,stood up in the Temperance Hall to reply to the Rever- 
 end Mr. Livingstone. He was introduced by Mr. Hacket. 
 Mr. Livingstone and three other ministers occupied front 
 seats. The young missionary proceeded at once, in a calm, 
 yet forceful manner to refute the assertion made by Mr. 
 Livingstone, namely, that Solomon Spaulding was the 
 author of the Book of Mormon. He reminded those who 
 had attended Mr. Livingstone's lecture that the reverend 
 gentleman had not told them who Solomon Spaulding was. 
 He, Elder Smith, would tell them. Solomon Spaulding was 
 a graduate of Dartmouth College, and at one time a Presby- 
 terian minister. He could imagine nothing more absurd 
 than this that a Presbyterian had written the Book of 
 Mormon, a book which from beginning to end is opposed 
 to almost everything savoring of Presbyterianism. "With 
 just as much reason could I declare," continued Elder Smith, 
 "that Mr. Livingstone is the author of 'The Mistakes of 
 Moses.' No, my friends, Solomon Spaulding never wrote 
 the Book of Mormon." 
 
 The young missionary then proceeded to show that the 
 coming forth of the Book of Mormon was in fulfilment of 
 prophecies made by the ancient prophets. The Psalmist 
 David prophesied that truth would spring out of the earth 
 and that righteousness would come down from heaven. 
 (Psalms 85:11.) Isaiah prophesied that a branch of the 
 house ,of Israel would be brought down and would speak 
 out of the ground. (Isa. 29:4.) The Prophet Ezekiel .spoke 
 of two sticks, or records, the stick of Judah .and the stick 
 of Ephraim, and that these two sticks would be joined to- 
 gether and become one in the hands of the people. (Ezek. 37: 
 15-19.) Isaiah prophesied of a sealed book that was to come 
 forth. (Isa. 29:11-14.) Christ told His disciples that He 
 had other sheep besides the flock at Jerusalem, and that 
 they would also hear His voice. (John 10:14-16.) John 
 the Revelator prophesied that in the last days the everlasting 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 35 
 
 Gospel would be restored to earth by an angel. (Rev. 14:6, 
 7.) In the coming forth of the Book of Mormon all these 
 prophecies had had a literal fulfillment. 
 
 Elder Smith then read the testimonies of the three wit- 
 nesses, also of the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon, 
 and declared that there are tens of thousands of living wit- 
 nesses who bear testimony that it has been revealed to them, 
 by the Holy Ghost, that the Book of Mormon is a 
 Divine record. He bore a powerful testimony to the Divine 
 authenticity of the Book. 
 
 "I will here tell you," he added, "of a conversation 
 which I had a short time ago with a .son of Martin Harris, 
 one of the three witnesses whose testimony I read to you a 
 few moments ago. I told Mr. Harris I had heard that before 
 his father closed his eyes in death he bore a strong and im- 
 pressive testimony to his children of the truth of the Book 
 of Mormon. I asked Mr. Harris if such were the case and 
 he promptly answered in the affirmative. He told me that 
 shortly before his father's death members of the family ap- 
 pealed to him to tell them if his testimony in regard to the 
 Book of Mormon, which appears in the front of the vol- 
 ume, were true. 'His words/ said Mr. Harris, were these : 
 'I testify to you, my children, that I saw the plates of the 
 Book of Mormon ; that I saw the angel who delivered the 
 plates to Joseph Smith, and that I heard the voice of God 
 declare that the Book of Mormon had been translated cor- 
 rectly and that it is a true record.' 
 
 "Now, my friends," continued the young missionary, 
 "no one can make me believe that Martin Harris had be- 
 come so low, so debased and so mean, that when his children 
 appealed to him for a testimony of the truth, and that, too, 
 .shortly before his death, he would bequeath to them as a 
 dying legacy a diabolical falsehood, and that he would pre- 
 pare^ to meet his God with a wicked lie upon his lips. 
 
 [ have read the Book of Mormon through several 
 times," said^Elder Smith, "and am familiar with its con- 
 tents. It is, indeed, what has been claimed for it, a new wit- 
 ness for God. It $ testifies, from cover to cover, to the 
 existence of God, in whose image man in the beginning was 
 
36 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 created It also testifies concerning the fall of man and of 
 the infinite atonement made bv Jesus Christ. It proclaims 
 Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, the only begotten 
 of the Father, according to the flesh ; that He is the Savior 
 of the world, and that no man can be saved except by Him. 
 It teaches in plainness and simplicity the .same gospel that 
 was taught by Christ and His Apostles, and has evidence, 
 the most incontrovertible, concerning the resurrection of the 
 dead. I defy any one to point to a single thing in the Book 
 of Mormon that is not in harmony with the teaching of the 
 Savior and His apostles. The mission of the book is to 
 teach men to believe in God, in His Son, Jesus Christ, in the 
 Holy Ghost ; to repent of their sins ; to obey all the com- 
 mandments of God ; and to live lives that will daily meet 
 with His approval and that in the end will secure them 
 eternal life in His kingdom. Yet this is the book that has 
 been ridiculed and rejected by the world at laree, and which 
 Mr. Livingstone has endeavored to make you believe is an 
 imposture. 
 
 "I now desire," said he, "to speak briefly upon another 
 subject." Mr. Livingstone read a letter -written by a man 
 who had ioined the Church in this country, and who, after 
 living a few years in Utah, had returned to his native land. 
 The writer had nothing good to say about Utah or its 
 people. Here he would also remind them that one swal- 
 low does not make a summer. This he would agree to do 
 for everv letter that Mr. Livingstone would produce sim- 
 ilar to the one he had read, he, Elder Smith, would under- 
 take to produce a dozen, and these from people who had em- 
 braced "Mormonism" in England, and who were at that 
 time living happily in their own homes in Utah. These 
 people would testify that they were thoroughly satisfied with 
 "Mormonism," and with the "Mormon" people. 
 
 At the close of the meeting a number of questions were 
 asked, and answered with apparent satisfaction. 
 
 Jessie Drew's face wore a triumphant smile. She went 
 up to Elder Smith, and offering him her hand, said, "I felt 
 proud of you the evening you confronted Mr. Livingstone 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 37 
 
 in his church ; I feel ten times more proud of you tonight." 
 
 The defense made by Elder Smith had by no means a 
 soothing effect upon Ernest McDonald. He left the Tem- 
 perance Hall terribly wrought up in his feelings. He accom- 
 panied the Drews home and stayed till a late hour doing 
 all in his power to induce Jessie to have nothing more to do 
 With the "Mormons." All his efforts were in vain. 
 
 "You might as well try to make me believe that light 
 is darkness as that 'Mormonism' is an imposture. Every 
 principle of faith and practice taught by the 'Mormon' 
 Church is substantiated by the Bible. I have taken the 
 'Mormon' Articles of Faith, one by one, and compared them 
 with the Scriptures, and have found the most perfect har- 
 mony between them. I believe in 'Mormonism' because I 
 believe in the ancient prophets, in Christ, and in the apostles. 
 The reason you do not believe in 'Mormonism' is because 
 you do not believe the prophets, Christ or the apostles. You 
 profess with your lips to believe in them, but in your heart 
 you deny them. You have threatened me several times, 
 Ernest. ^Yoti have given me to understand that if I did not 
 give up 'Mormonism' you would give me up. I am going 
 to save you from that unpleasant piece of work, by telling 
 you that, seeing the bitterness there is in your heart to- 
 wards the truth, and the stand you have taken against it, 
 and against those who believe in it, I this night, here, now', 
 sever the ties of love which have bound us together for over 
 two years. You go your way and I will go mine." 
 
 Picking up his hat and walking-stick, he went over to 
 her, and looking down into her pale, agitated face, he said, 
 "Do you mean what you say?" 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "That is your final decision?" 
 
 "It is." 
 
 He extended his hand. She took it. "Then, good-night 
 and good-bye." 
 
 Out into the still, cool night he went, and out of Jessie 
 Drew's life forever. 
 
38 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AN OUTCAST. 
 
 Jessie slept very little that night, and when she came 
 down stairs in the morning her countenance wore a sad ex- 
 pression. Her mother, perceiving that something was 
 wrong, asked, "How did you and Ernest sret on last even- 
 ing?" 
 
 "We didn't get on, mother, we got off." 
 
 "Did you quarrel?" 
 
 "Worse than that, we quit." 
 
 "You quit! You don't mean that you have suffered 
 'Mormonism' to separate you and Ernest McDonald?" 
 
 "That's just what it has done, and that's what Christ 
 said His Gospel would do. 'Think not,' said He, 'that I am 
 come to send peace on earth ; I came not to send peace, but 
 a sword. For I am come to set a man at Variance against his 
 father, and the daughter against her mother, and the 
 daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's 
 foes shall be they of his own household.' (Matt. 10:34-36.) 
 I realize that this will mean much suffering to me, but it is 
 better that it should happen now than later, after I had 
 married Ernest McDonald and had borne him children. 
 Don't you see that my condition then would be ten times 
 worse than it is now ?" 
 
 "How are you going to break the news to your father?" 
 
 "I am not going to break it to him ; I am going to let 
 him find out himself." 
 
 Just then Mr. Drew and Norman came in to breakfast. 
 
 "That was a pretty good reply the young missionary 
 made last night," said Norman, when all were seated at the 
 table. 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 "How did Ernest take it, Jessie ?" he asked. 
 
 "In much the same spirit as the people received the 
 preaching of Stephen." 
 
 "It made him angry?" 
 
 "Very. That's the way the truth affects some people." 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 39 
 
 "I'll have some fun out of him the next time he calls. 
 I'll tell him that you are thinking of joining- the 'Mormon' 
 Church." 
 
 "If you do, you'll tell him the truth." 
 
 "What did you say?" asked her father sharply. 
 
 "I said that if Norman tells Ernest that I am thinking 
 of becoming a member of the 'Mormon' Church he will tell 
 him the truth." 
 
 "You tell Ernest McDonald that," said her father, "and 
 see what will happen." 
 
 "I have told him." 
 
 "You have!" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And" 
 
 "It has happened." 
 
 "What has happened?" 
 
 "What you thought we've parted." 
 
 "Now, look here, Jessie," said her father, rising to his 
 feet, "I have put up with this nonsense just as long as I am 
 going to. I don't want to hear any more about 'Mormon- 
 ism.' Don't let it be mentioned again in this house. You 
 have gone just as far as I am going to let you go, and now 
 I call a halt." 
 
 "I have gone too far, father," said Jessie, "to turn 
 back." 
 
 "You will do one of two things you will either give 
 up 'Monnonism' or seek a new home." 
 
 "I have heard of a number of converts to 'Mormonism' 
 who had that alternative given them." 
 
 "You have heard my decision, you can reach yours be- 
 tween now and next Saturday." 
 
 "I can give you my decision, now, father," she an- 
 swered firmly. "Dearly as I love my home, dearly as I love 
 you all, I will suffer myself to be driven forth as an outcast 
 rather than abandon .that which I know to be true. I am not 
 a child, father, and I don't want you to treat me as a child. 
 I want you to look upon me as a woman, aye, more than 
 that, as an immortal soul, sent to this earth to exercise the 
 free agency which God has given me, to learn by my own 
 
40 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 experience the good from the evil, to seek to know the will 
 of God and to do it, and to work out my own salvation." 
 
 "I don't want to hear any more of your preaching; 
 you will renounce 'Mormonism' or you will leave this 
 house." 
 
 She arose and stood before her father. Her face was 
 pale, and her voice trembled with emotion. "I feel," she 
 said, "that I could stand up before the whole world and 
 testify that 'Mormonism' is true, but how weak I feel in 
 attempting to bear that testimony to my own flesh and 
 blood. How hard it is for me, father, to declare to you 
 that I believe with all my heart and soul that Joseph Smith 
 is a Prophet of God and that 'Mormonism' is the true gos- 
 pel of Christ." 
 
 Mr. Drew turned to his wife. "We have been married, 
 Martha," he said, "nearly a quarter of a century, and this 
 is the first unhappy day we have had in all that time." 
 
 Mrs. Drew nodded, and wiped the tears from her 
 cheeks. 
 
 Mr. Drew went up stairs, and putting on his Sunday 
 clothes, started for the rectory, the residence of Mr. Liv- 
 ingstone. 
 
 After listening to Mr. Drew's account .of what had 
 taken place at the breakfast table, the minister shook his 
 head and said, "Jessie is a very strong-minded girl, and 
 once convinced that she i.s right, I don't believe that any- 
 thing on earth, not even the stake, would turn her. I don't 
 believe your threat to turn her out of home will change 
 her in the least and really I don't think that that is the 
 proper course to take. Let us labor with her, reason with 
 her, and see what can be accomplished by this means." 
 
 "I am willing to abide by your counsel, Mr. Living- 
 stone," said the father, "but if she persists, she .shall not 
 remain under my roof." 
 
 That evening Mr. Livingstone, accompanied by the 
 Rev. Mr. Frazer, a minister of the English church, called 
 on Jessie. They discussed "Mormonism" with her for al- 
 most four hours, but utterly failed to move her. 
 
 "I have studied and weighed the matter over very 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 41 
 
 carefully," she said, "and I have come to the conclusion that 
 I have nothing to lose but everything to gain by becom- 
 ing a 'Mormon.'' Let me ask you, Mr. Livingstone," she 
 continued, "what have I lost by believing that Joseph Smith 
 saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ? Has that 
 belief destroyed my faith in these great Beings? By no 
 means; but on the contrary it has increased my faith in 
 them. Because I believe in the Book of Mormon, has that 
 destroyed my faith in the Bible ? No, it has not ; rather has 
 it strengthened . my faith in the Jewish Scriptures. Be- 
 cause I -believe that John the Baptist appeared to Joseph 
 Smith and Oliver Cow r dery and gave them authority to 
 preach repentance and water baptism, has that destroyed 
 my faith in these things? No, it has not. I believe that 
 Peter, James and John visited Joseph Smith and Oliver 
 Cowdery and gave them authority to lay on hands for the 
 gift of the Holy Ghost. Of what has that belief robbed 
 me? Nothing, absolutely nothing. I might go on, but that 
 is enough. Now, you ought to see, sir, that by believing 
 these things I lose nothing, no, not even if they be false. 
 But if they be true, what then? Why, I shall gain a great 
 deal by believing and accepting them." 
 
 "You say you have nothing to lose by accepting 'Mor- 
 monism,' m said Mr. Livingstone. "You would lose your 
 membership in the Presbyterian church." 
 
 "Yes, but that would in no wise affect my salvation, for 
 neither of you gentlemen believe that membership in a 
 church is essential to salvation." 
 
 "My dear young woman," said the Episcopal minister, 
 "you are making a serious mistake." 
 
 "Quite a number have told me that," said Jessie, "but 
 none of them have been able to point out the mistake." 
 
 Mr. Drew followed the ministers out of the house. "I 
 sincerely hope," he said, "that you succeeded in convincing 
 her that she is wrong." 
 
 "No," replied Mr. Livingstone, "I am sorry to sav 
 that our visit was a failure. She's immovable." 
 
 "Then I shall try my way," said the father. 
 
 He carried out his threat. The following Saturday 
 
42 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 
 
 night there was a vacant room in the Drew home. Jessie 
 was an outcast. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 ''THE DAWNING OF A BRIGHTER DAY." 
 
 Jessie spent the Saturday night in a hotel in 
 That "was a night never to be forgotten. She felt very 
 keenly the los,s she had sustained, the loss of a lover, a 
 soon-to-be husband, the loss of a home with all its comforts. 
 And as she meditated upon these things she was reminded 
 that her Lord and Savior suffered a thousand times more. 
 "He was despised and rejected of men;" He was cast out 
 of their synagogues; He did not have a place to lay His 
 head. Was the servant greater than the Master? The 
 oracle of heaven had never been repealed, "Through tribu- 
 lation ye must enter in." 
 
 The clock was striking four Sunday morning when she 
 began to disrohe, to seek a little rest in .sleep. 
 
 At nine o'clock she arose and partook of a light break- 
 fast. Then she went to the home of Mrs. Thompson, where 
 she received consolation from that kind motherly woman and 
 also from the missionaries. 
 
 Elder Smith insisted on going out to see her father, and 
 to this she finally consented. Mr. Drew received him very 
 coldly. The young missionary did all in his power to get 
 Jessie's father to reconsider his action. "If you don't want 
 your daughter to go with the 'Mormons' " he said, "why 
 don't you keep her at home ? By turning her out you force 
 her to seek the association of the very people you want her 
 to avoid." 
 
 "Why are you so interested in her? Are you afraid of 
 this getting into the newspapers? Are you afraid of it mak- 
 ing trouble for you?" 
 
 "That is just what I am afraid of, Mr. Drew," replied 
 Elder Smith. "I am afraid of what has happened in your 
 home getting into the newspapers, for I know that if it 
 does, it will get in wrong. How would it appear in the news- 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 43 
 
 papers? That you had turned your daughter out of her 
 home ? No ; but that 'Mormon' missionaries had broken up 
 a happy home by taking away from it the only daughter 
 in the family." 
 
 But Elder Smith's pleading was in vain. He brought 
 back to Jessie the sad news that her father was unrelenting. 
 
 That evening Jessie met her brother at the meeting of 
 the Saints. At the clp.se of the service they took a long 
 walk together. He g;ave her a sum of money, comforted her 
 with the assurance that he would always defend and be- 
 friend her, and that he would use his influence with their 
 father to have her come back. 
 
 A few days later, through an advertisement in one of 
 the daily papers, Jessie obtained a position as lady's maid 
 in London. But before entering upon her duties she was 
 baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. 
 
 Six months passed, and her father remained obdurate. 
 Jessie corresponded with her mother every week, and twice 
 the good, loving parent had come to the English capital to 
 see her daughter. During this time Jessie had attended the 
 meetings of the Saints as often as she could. She received 
 much encouragement from the mission paper, the Millennial 
 Star, and also from letters which she received occasionally 
 from Elders Smith and Harding. 
 
 One evening the door bell rang, and a moment later a 
 servant admitted a gentleman who was desirous of seeing 
 Miss Drew. 
 
 The visitor was Elder Smith, who had called to see 
 Jessie before leaving for home. Jessie was delighted to 
 see him, for he had brought to her the pearl of great price, 
 the go.spel of Jesus Christ. 
 
 They spent two hours together, going over the experi- 
 ences of the past nine months. 
 
 As the time drew near for parting, Elder Smith said, 
 "Two years last Saturday, Sister Drew, I landed on Eng- 
 land'? shores. I have tried, with the assistance of the Lord, 
 to be true to the trust reposed in me. I have tried to fill an 
 honorable mission, that I might return home with the bless- 
 ing of the Lord and of His servants upon my head. My 
 
44 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 sole desire has been to bring people to a knowledge of the 
 gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto sal- 
 vation. I know that the Lord has blessed my labors, for 
 I have seen the fruits of them. I have in my pocket an 
 honorable release, signed by the president of the mission, 
 which I prize very highly." 
 
 He arose and went over to where Jessie was sitting. 
 Looking down into her sweet face, he said, "I have taught 
 you the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have rejoiced with you 
 in your rejoicing because of the blessings which the gospel 
 has brought to you ; I have sympathized with you in your 
 sorrow and tried to comfort you in your distress. I admire 
 you for the stand you have taken and the sacrifices you have 
 made for your adopted faith. Good-bye, and God bless 
 you." 
 
 Tears glistened in her eyes and her voice trembled as 
 she placed her hand in his, and said, "God be with you till 
 we meet again." 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 A REUNION. 
 
 On the 15th of the following August Jessie Drew told 
 her mistress that it was her intention to go to America, and 
 that ,she would leave her service one month from that date. 
 Both the lady and her husband had treated Jessie very 
 kindly. She had been with them less than two weeks when 
 one afternoon they found her reading the Book of Mormon. 
 It was then that they learned her religious belief. They 
 listened with interest to her experience, and when she had 
 finished, the gentleman said, ''Well, Miss Drew, you are the 
 judge of this matter. You say you have found in the 'Mor- 
 mon' Church joy, happiness and .satisfaction you sought 
 for in vain in other churches. The testimony of your own 
 heart is a pretty good testimony. We sincerely hope that 
 you will not be disappointed in the place to which you are 
 going or with the people with whom you have decided to 
 cast your lot." 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 45 
 
 "And I wish to say, Jessie," said her mistress, "that 
 should you feel dissatisfied, and wish to return to England, 
 just let us know and we will at once send you money to 
 bring you back." 
 
 Jessie thanked them for their kindness, and promised 
 to 'write and tell them the truth about Utah and the "Mor- 
 mons." 
 
 The day before sailing, Jessie went back for the last 
 time to dear, old Woodbine Villa. She had told her parents 
 some time before that she was going to leave ,soon for the 
 gathering place of the Saints. Her father and mother had 
 talked over the matter for hours, and as the time of part- 
 ing with his daughter, perhaps forever, drew near, Mr. 
 Drew began to experience a change of heart. 
 
 All the sorrow that had come to Jessie was forgotten 
 when, on entering her home, her father- took her in his arms 
 and kissed her as affectionately as he had ever done before 
 My dear girl," he said, "I am glad you have come. Ever 
 since I heard that you had decided to go to America I have 
 been reproaching myself for the way I have treated you, 
 fearing that I had driven you to take this step." 
 
 "Well, father dear," said Jessie, "you need not reproach 
 yourself any longer, for had I been permitted to stay at 
 home, and not encountered any opposition, I would do what 
 I am Agoing to do just the same." 
 
 "Well, come in and sit down, dear, while I go and find 
 your mother and Norman; they are 'out in the garden." 
 
 That evening, for the first time in many months, a 
 united family sat down to .dinner in the Drew home. While 
 no reference was made to the affair, they all thought of the 
 regretable scene at the breakfast table when Mr. Drew, in 
 a fit of anger, gave his daughter her choice between her 
 home and "Mormonism." 
 
 "I don't see why you want to leave -us and go to that 
 far-off land, among a strange people," said her father. 
 Can't you worship God just as well in one place as in 
 another?" 
 
 "That is what a number of the children of Israel 
 
46 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 thought one time," was her reply. 'The Lord had com- 
 manded His people to gather to Jerusalem, where He had 
 put His name, and to worship Him there. But many of 
 them were led to believe that they could worship Him just 
 as well in Bethel as they could in Jerusalem. So 
 they assembled at Bethel and there they offered sac- 
 rifices; but the Lord did not accept of their sacri- 
 fices nor their worship, but sent a prophet to proclaim 
 against them. One of the features of the great latter-day 
 work, father, is the gathering of Israel, concerning which 
 there are many prophecies in the scriptures. Isaiah proph- 
 esied: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
 mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top 
 of the mountains, and .shall be exalted above the hills ; and 
 all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go 
 and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the 
 Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob ; and He will teach 
 us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths ; for out of 
 Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from 
 Jerusalem.' (Isa. 2:2-3.) And the Lord .speaking through 
 Jeremiah said, 'I will take you one of a city, and two of a 
 family, and I will bring you to Zion ; and I will give you 
 pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with 
 knowledge and understanding!' (Jer. 3:14-15.) These and 
 many similar prophecies are being fulfilled by the Latter- 
 day Saints, and they are the only people who are fulfilling 
 them." 
 
 At this point Jessie's brother spoke. "Father," said he, 
 "I have known for some time that Jessie had made up her 
 mind to go to Utah, and now I want to tell you what I 
 have decided to do to go with her. I have worked pretty 
 hard for the past five years, and I feel that a short vacation 
 would do me good. If Utah is anything like the place it 
 has been pictured to us, I promise to bring Jessie back." 
 
 "And I promise to come back," said Jessie. 
 
 Mr. Drew looked at his wife. "While I would dislike 
 very much to lose Norman, too," ,she said, "yet for Jessie's 
 sake I would be willing to let him go. I think his proposi- 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 47 
 
 i 
 
 tion is a good one. We can rest assured that our own chil- 
 dren won't deceive us." 
 
 So it was finally decided that Norman should accom- 
 pany his sister to Utah. 
 
 On the first day of October the train bearing- the immi- 
 grants pulled into Salt Lake City. Among those gathered 
 at the depot to meet relatives and f riend,s were Mr. and Mrs. 
 Walker and their two daughters, whom Jessie and her 
 brother had met in England, and with whom they had cor- 
 responded regularly since their return. They accorded Nor- 
 man and his sister a hearty welcome and took them to their 
 home. The following day they showed them the city, and in 
 the evening of the third day took them to the reunion of the 
 London Elders and Saints. 
 
 A thrill of joy ran through Jessie's heart when the large 
 assembly arose and ,sang : 
 
 "O ye mountains high, where the clear blue sky 
 
 Arches over the vales of the free, 
 Where the pure breezes blow, and the clear streamlets flow, 
 
 How I've longed to your bosom to flee." 
 
 When the song was ended, a young man arose to offer 
 the invocation. Jessie Drew uttered a faint exclamation and 
 trembled slightly. The young man was Elder Smith. 
 
 At the close of the program, and before refreshments 
 were served, there was a general handshaking. 
 
 "Why, bless my soul !" said Elder Smith to a returned 
 missionary, "there is Jessie and Norman Drew." 
 
 The next instant he was shaking them warmly by the 
 hand, and expressing his surprise and delight at seeing 
 them. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 'LIFE BEYOND THE SHADOWS." 
 
 Of all the people assembled in the hall that evening none 
 were more happy than Jessie Drew and Harold Smith 
 When parting for the night, Harold said, "Jessie, this has 
 been a reunion in very deed. I thank God for it." 
 
48 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 Looking up into his sweet, happy face, she whispered, 
 "So do I." 
 
 At the close of the conference, Jessie and her brothei 
 accompanied Elder Smith home, where they were treated 
 as if they were members of the family. They attended the 
 religious and social gatherings of the Saints, and were de- 
 lighted with the .splendid brotherly and sisterly spirit they 
 found among the people. 
 
 Norman paid frequent visits to Salt Lake City, each 
 time staying at the home of the Walkers. He spent a very 
 enjoyable Christmas with the family. He was somewhat 
 partial with his Christmas presents, giving the choicest and 
 mo,st costly to Miss Genevieve. The reader can, no doubt, 
 guess the reason. 
 
 The letters Norman and his sister sent home gave the 
 lie to the vile stories their parents had heard about Utah 
 and the "Mormons." "I don't believe," wrote Norman, 
 "there is a better people or a finer country on the face of the 
 earth. There are hundreds of Gentiles, members of differ- 
 ent churches, living and rearing families here in the midst 
 of the 'Mormons,' and you can believe that very few, if any, 
 of them would be here if the 'Mormons' were the wicked 
 and corrupt characters their enemies represent them to 
 be." 
 
 The following letter conveyed the information that 
 Norman had been baptized and confirmed a member of the 
 Church. He urged his parents to dispose of their property 
 and come to Utah, as he had no desire to return to Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Mr. Drew was reading the letter to his wife when the 
 Rev. Mr. Livingstone called. 
 
 "We have just heard from Norman," said the good 
 woman. 
 
 "I sincerely hope that he and his sister are well." 
 
 "They are enjoying excellent health," said Mr. Drew. 
 
 "Has Norman told you when he expects to return?" 
 
 "He says he is not coming back. He is so taken up 
 with the country and the people that he has decided to re- 
 
THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 49 
 
 main there. I have come to the conclusion, Mr. Living- 
 stone," added Mr. Drew, "that the 'Mormon' people have 
 been grossly misrepresented. I have abundant evidence 
 that such is the case. My own children are my witnesses. 
 It is easy for me to believe them, for I know they speak 
 the truth. Norman advises us to sell our property and go 
 to Utah, and I believe we will do so. We have enough 
 saved to keep us comfortably the rest of our lives, and I 
 feel that the proper place for us is with the children God 
 has given us, and in whose likeness we will live after we are 
 dead." 
 
 "I am very much surprised, Mr. Drew," said the min- 
 ister, "at the way things have turned out. I agree with you 
 that your children would not deceive you. Perhaps I, too, 
 have misjudged the 'Mormons.' I shall be more careful in 
 the future." 
 
 Just previous to the opening of the April Conference 
 there was a double wedding in Salt Lake City. Jessie Drew 
 was united in the bonds of the new and everlasting cove- 
 nant with Harold G. Smith, and Genevieve Walker with 
 Norman Drew. 
 
 Among those who sat down to the wedding banquet 
 were Mr. and Mrs. Drew, who arrived in Salt Lake a few 
 days before the wedding. 
 
 They settled in S , where Harold and Norman en- 
 gaged in farming, and the blessings of the Lord attended 
 their labors. 
 
 It was a pleasing sight to see Jessie with her first-born 
 in her arms, watching for her husband at the close of day. 
 And as he came down the lane, driving the cows from 
 pasture, she was on hand to meet him and let down the 
 bars, for which he always repaid her with a loving kiss. 
 She lived to a good old age, and then, her earthly mission 
 finished, she entered into the rest prepared for the people 
 of God. 
 
 Her husband survived her seven years. He took delight 
 in telling his children and grandchildren the story I have 
 tried to tell the reader. A few days before he passed away, 
 
50 THE MAKING OF A "MORMON." 
 
 he lifted up his eyes toward heaven, and smiled sweetly as 
 
 he repeated this little verse: 
 
 \ 
 
 "When I bring my flock of years, 
 Gilded hopes and faded tears, 
 
 To the city in the stars, 
 I shall see my darling wait: 
 I shall see her at the gate 
 
 Jessie, letting down the bars."