Wanted, a Gideon's Band! (Please read Judges 6, 7 and 8) Gideon's band was typical as well as actual. Such a band is required for every moral and religious vic- tory. Divinely chosen from the many, who are care- less, faithless, self-indulgent or self-willed and hence unfit, are the few fearless, self-denying, consecrated, faithful ones who will go through with God to victory. Such souls are never plentiful. Satan does not like them, and God seems to find their production difficult — possibly His choicest creation. Perhaps only those noble souls who deliberately choose such character at any cost will attain it. But they are needed — more than tongue can tell ! In the Utah-Idaho region of our own land is one of the most urgent of such needs — where the great Mor- mon semi-paganism dwells. Here are about six hun- dred settlements without any local Christian work to one hundred with it — including in the latter list even the smallest established services ! And the Mormons will seldom attend even in the hundred places. A con- siderable proportion of the 700 places have of late been visited by two denominational S. S. missionaries, and some by a wagon work, but neither of these has had the special literature and methods which are important to the best success. The only systematic work, reach- ing all these places and with the special adaptations advisable, is that of the Utah Gospel Mission of Cleve- land, which was also the pioneer in travelling work there; having been in continuous operation since June, 1901. It has covered the whole region, 800x200 miles, visiting nearly every family, four times, with about half of the fifth time completed at this date, (Jan. 1920) ; and has thus accumulated a vast fund of exper- ience and first-hand facts which are essential to under- standing and meeting the situation. In its work, East and West, it has used about twenty-four tons of its gospel literature, (30,000,000 pages) mostly written for this special purpose; has held about 3,300 gospel meetings, with 243,000 people present, mostly Mormons. It has made about 225,000 family calls, normally of 30 minutes each ; and has sold and given nearly 23,000 Bibles and portions and about 3,400 gospel song books. Several churches and Sunday Schools have grown out of this work, and for most Mormons it has been prac- tically the only chance to know of the great fundamen- tals of Christian belief which are so essential to regen- eration and character, and by which alone religious er- ror can ever be overcome. The Awful Teachings of Mormonism. The writer could not believe that every-day Mor- mons really held the awful beliefs of which he had read, until he had talked with many of its people in the present work. Some of these, which are held to- day, found in their books and make up the Mor- monism with which we have to deal, are as follows : There are many "gods", who have flesh and bone bodies, with sex and "every organ which man possesses," and who were formerly men and women on some earth; from which, through resurrection of the fleshly bodies and evolution, they grew into such "gods"; every Mormon can thus become a God, and all polygamists have the definite promise of this for themselves and "wives." Their "chief glory" in their heaven is to continue_ propagation as rapidly as possible, their babies being born_ spirits only, and later being allowed to come here and enter into baby bodies, in which to grow up and propa- gate and then themselves become "gods." Adam was thus the "god" of this world, and Eve one of his "wives"; and each divinity can make his own world for his plurals and posterity. (Gods, having thus been sinful men, must be them- selves sinners; Christ must thus have been tainted, and all con- ceptions of sin and holiness are confused or destroyed.) The Atonement is not for sin, but to bring about physical resur- rection and continued progress up to divinity; salvation is by ordinances and other works, especially by baptism, which washes from sin. Christ is thus the oldest sex-begotten child of the "gods" of this world in heaven, and likewise the sex- begotten child of Mary by Adam-god here. Mormonism is the only church, and membership in it the only salvation; the dead are to be baptized for by relatives here; three Bibles besides ours, which is unreliable, etc., etc. (See tract "True Mormon Doctrine.") These are the things which make up Mormonism ; and clearly such a fearful system, must primarily be met by instruction as to the. real truths of the Bible, leading to conversion where possible. The Very Rapid Growth of Mormonism. Mormonism was organized in a tiny York State set- tlement in 1830, with six poor members; now it has nearly half-a-million people, dominating regions with probably 200,000 square miles of territory, with a "church" income estimated at fully $4,000,000 yearly. It sends out, normally, about 1,000 missionaries a year to spread its evil self, keeping about 2,000 at work; it has formed organizations .of converts in about 375 places in the U. S. outside of the. Utah region, and has more than doubled its numbers in 25 years. Its politi- cal and financial influence and power with the press reach almost everywhere, and are used without any scruple when desired to further its ends. This growth is from births in the West and insidious proselyting work outside. Every Mormon young man expects to be sent on such a mission for two or more years, without salary, finding his own expenses and tracts ; and of late many young women are sent, also. He may swear at having to go, but generally he goes ; by psychological process he soon "gets a testimony" ("revelation") that Mbrmonism is from God, makes his two or three deceived converts a year, and returns with honor and perhaps to official position. When among us, he visits from house, to house, smoothly presenting the best view of Mormonism, largely made-up, and say- ing nothing of the real facts above — or even denying them if necessary ; emphasizing healings, and making Mormonism appear angelic and Joseph Smith "next to Christ" instead of the horribly wicked man he really was. (See our tracts "Why I could Never Become a Mormon," and "Story of a Mormon Convert.") A credulous person, ill-informed both as to Mormonism and Christian truth, may thus easily be made a victim, finally accepting even the above wicked teachings as gospel truth, and taking the terrible oaths with death- penalties in the polygamous or "sealing" ceremonies of the "temple." Such has been the downward course of thousands of members from our Christian churches ; and their children in Utah will be, born into these ter- rible teachings, and will so believe them that our real gospel truth will seem strange and unreal, a sham, and contrary to the Bible, — which has been thus awfully perverted to them. For such is the Mormon use of the Word that it can seem to prove these very opposites of the truth its sacred pages clearly tell ; and thus even the Bible becomes a source of awful error to this woefully misled people ! Surely their need is beyond words to describe 1 The Only Remedy. Every thoughtful person with such facts in* mind should see that the only possible cure for souls in such a condition, and the only way to rob such a system of its evil power, is to destroy the grip of its evil teach- ings by somehow getting the real truth into strong, kindly contact with its people as a whole. Only truth can conquer error, anywhere. And the truth must be brought by methods adapted to the need, or it will not be perceived or adopted. This fact shows that in our Utah work adaptation of method is extremely impor- tant, because of the exceeding peculiarities shown above; and that unadapted methods must largely fail, because they do not even reach the minds which need them. The Challenge of Mormonism to the Christian World. Mormonism is very possibly the most difficult mis- sionary problem thus far presented to the church of Christ. Given a half-million people, so intensely in- doctrinated with the worst errors that they are blinded and actually unable to see the A. B. C. of ordinary Christian truth and all their religious ideas are com- pletely distorted ; given the distinction between sin and holiness almost wiped out by making God a sinner, and Christ morally unfit and so unable to atone for sin ; given loyalty to their authorities ; given propagandist machinery controlling two to six years out of the life of every man and woman, almost without cost to the system ; given a tithe of income besides this man-power, in a rich country with its local market for everything — given all these features so planned by Satanic power as to fit the carnal heart of man in every detail — and we have a task in converting the people to God which only His wisdom and power can accomplish! Add to the above conditions the facts that Christendom is so divided that it cannot easily be. used as a unit, and is at present so weak in its general knowledge of Bible truth that most Christians are unable to meet Mormon arguments or defend their own views well even if they have any very clear ones, and the conditions become almost appalling. But we have only touched the high points of the situation. Surely it is Time to Be Awake! ! Trie Utah Gospel Mission was planned by Utah pas- tors to meet just these needs ; and nearly two decades of hampered operation has well-nigh perfected the plan first suggested, we believe by the Spirit. This seems adapted in every detail to the need, and only awaits the full Gideon's Band of workers every year, filled with the Spirit, to make it the complete success which is needed. ' Its greatest hindrance in the past has been the shortage of men, and more than once the need has been critical. THE GIDEON'S BAND FOR UTAH. The Band of old was made up of men twice-chosen of God from many others, with the timid, self-willed self-indulgent and faithless eliminated. There were left men of vision and consecration and faithfulness, who would thus go through with God. We need men, 1. Of genuine piety. No one can give to others what he does not possess himself ; nor can any one have spiritual appreciation of truth, or power to present it to others, who is not in constant touch with God in his own soul. We do not go as fighters of Mormonism, but as channels of individual salvation for lost souls. Incidentally, Mormonism will go out very much in proportion as Gospel truth and real salvation come in to the hearts of men. 2. Deep love for and belief in> the Bible. The only remedy for the false "revelations," evil teachings and sin of Mormonism is the Book of God and its deepest truths of eternal life — His words to man. 3. At least fair ability and education. The best of these will find full scope in meeting the metaphysical, theological, Biblical and moral sophisms of Mormon- ism. But men of lesser gifts can learn to be really effective under our instruction, if they have the other qualifications noted. 4. A teachable spirit. Mormonism is so radically different from other systems that one who seeks only to use methods planned for ordinary needs will not only ■not succeed but will hinder others. Long and intense experience has familiarized the Mission very closely with both the peculiar needs and the methods which succeed in meeting them for God. If Gideon's band had refused his new methods of warfare, which no doubt seemed quite visionary, they would have ignored God as well as him, and the Midianites would have be- come more rampant than ever. Our methods are simply the prayerful application of gospel business sense to the situation in hand, regardless of self. ( : See below.) 5. Unselfish devotion to souls and to God, finely careless of mere likes, dislikes and personal notions, only seeking to do one's utmost for souls and God. The selfish man always fails, the consecrated one always succeeds. Necessities of health and reasonable comfort are always provided for in our plan. (See Phil. 2:1-5: II Tim. 2:1-4.) Looking back over 19 years' experience, with over a hundred men, the writer feels sure that no man with the above qualities in fair degree has ever failed in our work, and that every failure in whole or part has been because of lack in them. Such are the. divine condi- tions of success. In age, pur men have ranged from 19 to 70, and 14 denominations have been represented; the work aims to be the impartial voice of all evangelical Christianity. THE FINAL ISSUE IS ONE OF MEN! If Mormonism can send out 1,000 emissaries a year and the chief means of reaching their people with the gospel cannot find a dozen to' go back among them, which side is likely to triumph? IS IT NOT FOR US TO DECIDE WHICH SIDE SHALL TRIUMPH, BY LISTENING FOR THE CALL OF GOD AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE SHALL BE MEN ENOUGH, if it be His will for us to go? The. best results require that men go for at least one year, and without support beyond expenses, these in- cluding everything actually essential in a given case. A year of earnest service will mean more than any post- graduate year of study to almost any man, and will be time gained instead of lost for his regular life-work, whether at home or abroad ; and even if this were not so, men should be willing to sacrifice. Mormons start soon when demanded, often to endure more for a Sa- tanic system than need be. endured in our work. If .we are not willing to "endure hardness" and they are, this one fact will decide the results largely against our cause, — which is that of Christ ! \Shall His cause suffer? Further details will gladly be sent on application. The year usually begins in June, but vacancies may be filled at any time. Address, as early as possible, Th'e Utah Gospel Mission, 9277 Amesbury Av., Cleveland, Ohio. Our Work in the West. Our Western work is threefold, as follows: First, the col- porter work, in which we aim to visit every home with half an hotir or so of personal religious conversation, explaining and awakening interest in the special printed matter which we then give them, and seeking to meet the spiritual needs of all as best we can. Second, the Bible work, in which, during these same calls, we endeavor to supply every home with the Word of God, and to awaken a fixed purpose for its daily, devotional, rational use. We also have gospel song books, and sometimes other books for sale. Third, the evangelistic work, in which we seek to hold one or more meetings in every settlement, at which the great fundamentals of religious truth, life and duty are em- phasized and personal decisions for eternity are urged. All our workers are unsalaried, to avoid Mormon prejudice. Every worker fills out a Weekly Report blank every Saturday night, giving details about his work for the week in each of the above departments; and each is desired to write briefly every week, Many a man has failed of duty because of real or fancied sacrifice involved. But doing thus is shun- ning the way of the Cross, by which alone can we be His disciples; and also making sure the failure of our share of His cause! ! Everybody should have our 25c sample package of tracts, so as to be posted on Mormonism. Also, the Secretary is prepared to give addresses on Mormonism, illustrated or otherwise, as his time will permit.