A String of Pearls: Second Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsVarious
Religion
A String of Pearls: Second Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Various
Latter Day Saint churches; Sunday school literature
The Rev. Mr. Cordell, a Baptist, took his seat upon the stand with us.
The Rev. Mr. Gray, a Methodist, sat in front and near the stand tilting
himself back in his chair, with both thumbs inserted in the arm holes
of his vest, looking as if he thought St. Paul's overcoat too small to
make a vest pattern for him. The two others sat near Mr. Gray.
Our meeting opened. The discourse was upon the first principles of the
gospel--faith, repentance, baptism, the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, the
gifts and blessings enjoyed by the members, and the organization of the
Church with Apostles, Prophets, etc.
Quotations from the Bible, in abundance, were brought forward to fully
prove these points of doctrine.
The preachers and many of the people seemed to be very much astonished
that it was such an easy matter to establish these doctrines by the
scriptures. Especially did the Rev. Mr. Gray forget all his assumed
dignity, and, leaning forward in his chair, looked as amazed as he
could be, evidently realizing that he, for the first time in his life,
was listening to the gospel.
At the close of the discourse, liberty was extended to any person
present to make remarks upon the doctrines we had set forth.
The Rev. Mr. Cordell arose, and said, "I have belonged to the
Missionary Baptist church for thirty years, and have been a minister
of that church for twenty-five years of that time, and I have just
listened to a discourse, setting forth the doctrines I have always,
during that time, believed in and preached. Yet, I will not believe
except Mr. Boyle will work a miracle, and, even then, I will not go to
Utah."
Now this great preacher (for as such was he esteemed by the people
who knew him), when he arose to his feet, was white as a ghost, and
trembled from head to foot, really not knowing what he was saying.
I must confess that I was surprised at what he said, and so were
nine-tenths of those present.
I could see the people all through the audience exchanging glances
of astonishment, and many were really chagrined, and some actually
laughing at the absurdity of what he was saying.
All knew what he said was false, when he asserted that he had always
believed in and preached what he had just heard.
When he sat down, I called the attention of the people to the
inconsistency of calling for a miracle, to make him believe what he
professed to have believed and preached for twenty-five years. As to
whether he had really made a truthful statement, I said I would leave
them to decide, as they were all acquainted with his reverence and I
was not. I also referred to the idea he seemed to entertain, that some
one wished him to go to Utah. I was sure I had not invited him to go to
Utah, neither did I believe any of my friends had.
His brother preacher remarked, next day, to Squire Hill, that he would
not have had "Brother Cordell" so disgrace himself for five hundred
dollars out of his own pocket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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