Fortunately, my
anxiety was not long drawn out. I arrived only a few
moments before the hour fixed for the sermon, and
found the congregation already assembled and the
Tabernacle filled with the beautiful music of the great
organ. On the platform, to which I was escorted
by several leading dignitaries of the church, was the
characteristic Mormon arrangement of seats. The
first row was occupied by the deacons, and in the
center of these was the pulpit from which the deacons
preach. Above these seats was a second row, oc-
cupied by ordained elders, and there they too had
their own pulpit. The third row was occupied by,
the bishops and the highest dignitaries of the church,
with the pulpit from which the bishops preach; and
behind them all, an effective human frieze, was the
really wonderful Mormon choir.
As I am an ordained elder in my church, I oc-
cupied the pulpit in the middle row of seats, with the
deacons below me and the bishops just behind.
Scattered among the congregation were hundreds of
``Gentiles'' ready to leap mentally upon any con-
cession I might make to the Mormon faith; while
the Mormons were equally on the alert for any
implied criticism of them and their church. The
problem of preaching a sermon which should offer
some appeal to both classes, without offending either,
was a perplexing one, and I solved it to the best of
my ability by delivering a sermon I had once given
in my own church to my own people.
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