"You can now read the book, see if its teachings are biblical and moral. You will also find that since the day of Joseph Smith explorers have visited South and Central America, and parts of North America then unknown, and have found the ruins of the very cities that the book describes. And more than that

"Hold on," cried Luther; "you need not argue this question with me at this time. I will take the book and read it, for myself, with an unprejudiced mind, and see for myself what it is."

"Good; that is all we ask of any man! Few will do that, though. You are quite different from some ministers."

Elder Pratt arose to take his leave.

"Wait a moment," said Luther; "I like to weigh everything on its merits. I have a congregation that I have been trying to teach to weigh things on their merits, comparing them with the teachings found in the Bible. Would you care to preach in my church some Sunday morning?"

"I wouldn't like any

Elder Pratt nearly gasped for breath. thing better," he declared, "but we are quite unused to such proposals. Aren't you afraid that it will make trouble for you? We're not exactly popular in Mentone."

"Why, surely no one would object to that! If you have any truth, my people ought to know it. If you are impostors, they will be better informed after hearing you, and will know how to meet you in the future."

After the elder had departed, Sidney Luther remarked to his wife, "The man seems so surprised at what is simply courteous and fair, that it don't speak well for the treatment that other ministers have accorded him. The idea that a minister was willing to give him the bare chance to state what he believed seemed to take his breath away."

CHAPTER 5.

SIX SESSIONS OF THE CONCLAVE.

McBernie had formed the habit of dropping in at the Luther home, to spend evenings that were not otherwise occupied. The hours were spent in discussion of Bible topics, and the old Scotchman formed a shrewd and pleasant addition to the little group of thinkers. It was his delight to bring forth some hard nut from his store of seventy years of gathering; and, after the others had hammered it a while, he would proceed to crack it with his, "Now, let me give you a thought"; his genial, kindly old face aglow with pleasure.

Donald had dropped in, inconspicuously, soon after his arrival. At first he steered wide of the discussions, but soon Minnie noticed how he leaned forward in his chair, keenly watching the tide of thought ebb and flow.

Elder Pratt was one of the company on the evening of which we write. His meetings had been in progress some time. The elder with whom he traveled had been called away temporarily, and Elder Pratt was conducting the services alone. Intense prejudice had developed against his work. Sidney Luther had come in for

a share of it, because of the fact that he attended the meetings when he chose to do so. In reality, he was quietly but thoroughly examining the elder's message, with a determination to strike it hard, if he found it false. So it had become his habit to invite the elder home, after the evening meeting, to spend a few moments in conversation,-to form one of the "conclave." The sessions were necessarily short, because of the lateness of the hour, yet no time was wasted.

It was Sunday evening. Coming from his own services, via the store-building where Elder Pratt held forth, Luther had brought the elder with him. They found Mrs. Luther, McBernie, Donald, and Minnie seated around the study-table.

"Now," began Sidney Luther, "I want to ask you about those doctrines that you term the first principles. Where do you get the idea of first principles?"

"We get it from the opening verses of the sixth chapter of Hebrews. I will read:

""Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.'

"You will notice," continued Elder Pratt, "that the six doctrines here named are called the 'principles of the doctrine of Christ,' the 'foundation.' It is a good enough statement of faith for us, and we take it just as it stands; no human creed can equal it. "But how about the opening remark, leaving the principles?' queried Luther.

"We do not understand that it can possibly mean to abandon those doctrines," replied Elder Pratt. "Surely you would not advise any one to leave faith, in that sense? The people here addressed had repented and been baptized. They were not to backslide, and in another year be converted and baptized again, as some do to-day. The cry was for them to 'go on,' one translation says, 'not leaving the principles.' The doctrines here named were and are essentially a part of the gospel, and must remain so. Every one

of them is sustained by numerous scriptural references."

"I notice," said Luther, "that there are six of these doctrines named: faith, repentance, baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection, and eternal judgment. I propose that we take them up one at a time and examine them. I wish to get your point of view on each of them. We may as well get right down to your fundamental doctrines."

"Very well," said Elder Pratt; "we will take faith. What do you wish to know about faith?"

"Well, first," replied Luther; "how much importance do you attach to the principle of faith?"

"Just this much, 'Without faith it is impossible to please him' (Hebrews 11: 6). One who has no faith in God will not and can not coöperate with God."

"Very well, in what do you have faith?"

"Why, in God; in his Son Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary; and in the plan of salvation that Christ came to teach."

"I see; but the term God may be vague. Some people dignify nature with that name, others law, others a sort of an exalted man."

"Well, we believe in a personal God; an unchangeable God, who is perfect in all his attributes and always has been so. We do not believe in the God that is described by one of your most venerable and popular creeds as being 'without body, parts, or passion,' described by one theologian as having his 'center everywhere and his circumference nowhere.' In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created man in his 'own image.' We are also told that Christ was made in the express image of the Father. These passages mean what they say or they do not mean anything."

"Do you regard faith as a gift?" queried Luther; "or is it something that we must exercise of ourselves?"

"That's what I want to know," whispered Donald to Minnie. "Must a man have faith whether he can or not, and be-er-beg your pardon-condemned if he don't?"

"Faith may be a gift, yes," replied the elder; "it is so named in one place. Yet the individual may cultivate it himself. The gospel requirements are reasonable. They appeal to man's intelligence. No one can deny that an obedience to them will make men happier and better. As one studies them and obeys them he receives an assurance from God that strengthens his faith. The promise is definitely made, 'If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.' (John 7: 17.) Do not lose sight of that promise. God requires no man to have a faith that is not based on evidence. trouble is that people often refuse to consider the only means by which this evidence can be received."

The

Presently, after questions and answers had passed back and forth for an hour, the group fell silent, and Elder Pratt prepared to go. A parting word he left, however:

"The preacher always has an 'in conclusion,'" he remarked; "and in conclusion let me say that great blessings followed faith in days gone by. I believe that just as great blessings will follow as great faith now. Christ himself said, 'These signs shall follow them that believe' (Mark 16: 17). Men were healed and blessed in various ways, when they had sufficient faith, and when in their individual cases the thing sought was not contrary to God's will; why should not the same be true to-day?"

"Of repentance from dead works."

"What surprises me," remarked Elder Pratt, when the "conclave" was assembled Monday evening, "is that you do not begin with an attack on the character of Joseph Smith; we are so accustomed to that, as a starter, that I hardly know how to proceed without it."

"I may get to that later on," answered Luther. "I think that one

way to judge of his character is to learn what he taught. If I find that taught which is false or degrading, I will attack him quick enough; if I find only good, I shall be slow to believe the stories I have heard against him. I remember one time reading a history by Bancroft, who is considered a reliable historian, and I recall that he said that most of the books written about the man were sensational and unreliable, written to get gain; I have been rather cautious about believing all that I have read since then."

"Yes, I think some of those writers have some things to repent of. They are like some popular lecturers who call him a moneydigger, and all in the world they are after in lecturing against him is money. I would rather get my money by digging than by slandering a dead man. But let us get to our subject. The doctrine of repentance is generally accepted by all church members, and is considered a good 'orthodox' doctrine, so perhaps we have little to discuss that will be new to you."

"Perhaps not; but let us get your point of view."

"Well, so far as I am concerned, I should define repentance as being a godly sorrow, so defined by Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:9, 10. I should say that it is such a sorrow as one feels who begins to have faith in God, sees the need of living a good, wholesome life, and consequently keenly regrets past follies and mistakes. You see it comes along naturally, in its order."

"Yes, but what evidence can one give of repentance?"

"I should say," replied the elder, "that restitution would be one evidence. In Luke 19: 8, we read concerning Zaccheus, that if he took anything from another, unjustly, he made it a point to return fourfold. That was a pretty liberal evidence of repentance. His godly sorrow amounted to something. He was not like some, who are said to repent, when they have been found in the wrong; they are sorry that they got caught."

"I had such a neighbor once," said McBernie; "he repented in my corn-crib."

"Repentance," the elder went on, after the conclave had ceased to smile, "may be said to include both ceasing to do evil and learning to do good. If it does not include both, mere professions of sorrow or of faith do not amount to much. You may have noticed that though we value the principle of faith, we take no stock in the answer sometimes given to repentant sinners, who want to know what they shall do, and are told, 'Simply believe, that is all.' There is a great deal outlined in the Scriptures for us to do; and, if we really have faith, we will go on and do whatever is commanded. Jesus said, 'He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.'" (John 14: 21.)

(To be continued.)

Truer Parenthood, Better Children, Happier Homes, Purer Society.

CALLIE B. STEBBINS, Editor.

"A partnership with God is motherhood;
What strength, what purity, what self-control,
What love, what wisdom, should belong to her,
Who helps God fashion an immortal soul."

ADVISORY BOARD. Mrs. B. C. Smith, president, 214 South Spring Street, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. H. A. Stebbins, vice-president, Lamoni, Iowa; Mrs. F. M. Smith, secretary, 630 South Crysler Street, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. M. E. Hulmes, treasurer, 909 Maple Avenue, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. E. Etzenhouser, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. S. R. Burgess, 5920 Etzel Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.

LTHOUGH five months have passed since the death of the beloved editor of American Motherhood, we still desire to pay tribute to her memory and to give to our readers a sketch of her life, for which our space has not heretofore been available.

Many of our readers are regular subscribers to American Motherhood, and through the rich counsel gleaned from its pages had come to regard Doctor Wood-Allen as a very dear friend, the preeminent helper of childhood, motherhood, and the home. Many times the editor of this department has felt that if all mothers were readers of American Motherhood, such humble efforts as her own might well be discontinued, but on the other hand the ready helpfulness of the life now closed was an inspiration for each to work to the extent of her ability in the great cause for humanity to which she devoted her life.

The Daughters of Zion have been greatly indebted to Doctor Wood-Allen for many excellent readings for their monthly meetings, that, with her permission, were taken from her magazine, most frequently from her own writings. As we have read these words of wisdom, and have felt how just and pure they were, how full of gospel truth, we have lifted thankful hearts to the Giver of all good for the light that is spreading in the world, and for the noble souls through whom he can work to influence the lives of many people.

The department of "Parents problems" in American Motherhood is conducted by the editor. In one of the letters to Doctor WoodAllen, in this department a mother wrote:

"We are so prone to accept these good writings and profit by their teachings and forget the writer. I have often longed to see you, and have wondered if you really were a woman in any way like unto us poor mortals who burden you with the problems of life. You meet each case with such ease and intelligence that we feel sometimes that you are almost supernatural."