Jesus' Cause In The Salt Lake City Ogden, Utah Area
This writer and his wife worshipped with the church in Roy, Utah, on Sunday, May 1, 1966. Roy is between Salt Lake City and Ogden. This is the only known congregation walking in "the old paths" in the entire state of Utah which has approximately 891, 000 people. I preached the morning and evening lessons. The church was meeting in the home of brother and sister Charles Baugh.
The first meeting as a church was in the Baugh's home on October, 1965. The last meeting in the Baugh's home was on June 12, 1966, because a building more suited for services had been rented in Kaysville. The building is The American Legion Hall, Post 82.
Every church in the Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah area has accepted one or both aspects of the twofold apostasy that has engulfed many churches of Christ today. The twofold apostasy is (1) church maintenance of human institutions and (2) The Herald of Truth. Examples of human institutions are asylums for children and old-folks. Christians that do not believe in and accept the twofold apostasy must sear their conscience and souls in order to stay with an existing congregation.
Five families with thirteen children or eleven Christians wanted "the answer of a good conscience toward God. " They, therefore, disassociated themselves completely from the church in Clearfield.
The five families did not act hastily. Much prayer and talking was done before they completely left the church in Clearfield. The eleven Christians started a church only after it was evident to all honest seekers and practitioners of truth that Clearfield was not going to reject the twofold apostasy!!
The trend of the Clearfield church was seen after the gospel meeting of brother Eural Bingham. His meeting was held in August, 1964. Brother Bingham's lessons, conversations, and behavior were in complete accord with the Bible. The majority of Christians disagreed with brother Bingham and did not appreciate his presence. The direction of the Clearfield church reached its pinnacle of no return when brother Elvis Bozarth was refused permission to hold a gospel meeting in the summer of 1965.
"Majority vote" kept brother Bozarth from holding the meeting. "Majority vote" clearly revealed that brother Bozarth was rejected for two reasons. Brother Bozarth stands for the Bible which is against the twofold apostasy and brother Bingham gave brother Bozarth the address of the church.
"Majority vote" in unknown to God's Word. The prayer and hope of the eleven Christians is that Clearfield will "stand... and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and... find rest for... THEIR (placed here by G. T. E.) souls." These Christians stand ready to discuss differences and work for the Bible solution..
The Clearfield church is the only congregation in David County. The Salt Lake City church is the only congregation in Salt Lake County. The Ogden church is the only congregation in Weber County. Identification could not be made with any of the existing churches. The Salt Lake City and Ogden churches are just like Clearfield. None are patterned completely after the N. T. nor do they desire to be under the authority of Jesus Christ. All are doing things that are foreign to the Bible.
Hearts of Christians are saddened as Jesus Christ is rejected as the sovereign ruler and saviour of His people and church. The grief is sharper when one realizes that Clearfield was not supporting the twofold apostasy financially, when these five families had to leave. Her financial condition would not permit such.
The church in Kaysville is making a request. Would a gospel preacher come quickly to the heart of Mormon Country and help us establish and build the Lord's cause in Utah? The preacher must "make tents" to support himself and his dependents or find churches and Christians with our help that will support him. This congregation has much spiritual strength and is willing to pay a minimum of $200.00 per month toward an evangelist's wage. No preacher will have to work long at "making tents" before the church will be paying a very suitable and livable wage.
Are there any families with the abilities of Aquila and Priscilla? You are also asked to move to this spiritually void area and work vigorously sowing the seed of the kingdom.
The three counties of Davis, Salt Lake, and Weber have the glazed asbestos-white humps of the Rocky Mountains lingering in the distant horizon. Better than 50 per cent of Utah's total population of 891,000 people are concentrated in these three counties. The three counties still has much land for houses and industry. More Mormons are found in these three counties than any other single area in the world. These three counties form the bulk of a beautiful green, desert-like, and canyon-filled valley.
Salt Lake County with its approximately 330,000 people is the largest populated county in Utah. Salt Lake City with its estimated population of 200,000 people is Utah's largest populated city. Salt Lake City fascinates one with its unexpected complex: Temple Square, New England houses, blue-chip company names, "Biblical reminders", and spires that dominate the city.
Temple Square is the headquarters of the Mormon Religion. It is found in the heart of Salt Lake City downtown business district. Tree-lined streets fan out from Temple Square. Any street east, west, north, or south is numbered from Temple Square. For example, 55 South 45 West means fifty-five blocks south of and forty-five blocks west of Temple Square.
Temple Square is a ten acre block of land. A high-walled fence completely surrounds the ten acre block of land. Inside the high-walled fence, there are beautifully landscaped grounds and solid, majestic buildings. You will find the granite Temple, whose entrance into is permitted to only certain Mormons, the historic Tabernacle, the statute of the Angel Moroni standing on the highest of the Temple's six spires, the Assembly Hall, monuments such as The Sea Gull, a museum, a Bureau of Information, and the Oldest House in Salt Lake City under Pergola.
The name "Beehive" is used all over Salt Lake City as well as the state. It is even part of the state seal which has in its center a shield upon which appears a "Beehive." The nickname of Utah is "The Beehive State." Many businesses have "Beehive" as the first word of their name such as Beehive Laundry. The prominence of the word "Beehive" is due to Brigham Young.
Young's house was named "The Beehive." "The Beehive" was Young's own seal. The front door of Young's house had an ornate pewter "Beehive" doorknob with a silver bee on top. Deseret News, the afternoon newspaper, means in The Book of Mormon language "honeybee" and symbolizes industry. A glorious field of "Beehives" appears on the rug in the Victorian lobby of the church-owned white brick hotel, just across from Temple Square.
Salt Lake City has excellent transportation facilities, scores of neighborhood shopping centers, brand name department stores, leading and well known chain stores in all fields, the University of Utah, fine elementary and secondary schools, and diversified employers.
The smoke stacks of industries such as Kennecott Copper, Hercules Power, Boeing, and Litton can be seen from any high point in the valley. As this tells, Utah's heaviest concentration of industrial plants is around Salt Lake City.
Weber County with its population of about 112,000 is the second largest populated county in Utah. It contains Ogden which is the second largest city in Utah, with a population of approximately 75,000. Ogden has Weber University, a state supported institution, and many diversified and brand name consumer businesses and employers as does Salt Lake City.
The federal government as an employer in this three county area has (1) Hill A. F. Base, (2) Ogden Supply Depot, and (3) a new Internal Revenue Center.
Utah ranks fourth among the eight mountain states in tourists per year. Sights to see are many and varied. For the people that enjoy fishing and hunting, Utah is the place.
There is a heavy concentration of industry in the Salt Lake City-Ogden area. New industries are moving in every year. Utah is one of six states where economic expansion has been dramatic in recent years. There are not any signs that the dynamic pace will slow down. Most of this economic growth will be and has been in the Salt Lake City-Ogden area. This is a major reason why people are moving into the three county area every day.
The bulk of the inflow of people are not Mormons. This heavy influx of people is slowly reducing the percentage of Utah's total population that are Mormons. Today, it is estimated that 55% to 64% of Utah's total population are Mormons. Years ago, approximately 85% were Mormons.
No word has to be spoken about the climate of the three counties. A wonderful spring, summer, fall, and winter is enjoyed. The climate and the mountains are other reasons that draw people to this area. A visit to the three county area will win most people to become Utahans because few areas of the U. S., if any, have what is found here.
Utah's public policies, entire economy, and social outlook reflect Mormon ideals. The Mormon principles of thrift guides state spending, which is on a "pay-as-you-go-basis." Property tax rates are well below the national average. The rates are based on 30% of realty and tangible personal reasonable fair cash value. Utah has a retail sales tax as well as a personal income tax.
The national average of state and local spending on relief was rising by 40% in the decade that ended in 1963. Utah reduced relief spending by 25%. A Mormon on relief is not a common occurrence. Utah's per capita expenditure in 1963 was $6.83, less than two-thirds of the national average.
Spending on schools is high. This is based on Mormon belief that "the glory of God is intelligence." Utah leads all other states in the proportion of young people who graduate from high school, enroll in college, or pursue scientific careers.
Employers generally rate Utah high on industrial productivity and low on absenteeism. Utah's crime rate is well below the national average. Salt Lake City in 1965 did not report any juveniles who were arrested for murder, rape, or narcotic offenses.
An obstacle facing Christians is getting to know Mormons through social means. Such exists because Mormons are busy working for their beliefs and their preference generally for each other in business.
The space between the two giants, Ogden and Salt Lake City, is attracting a great number of the newcomers and those tired of city life. This is Davis County which has 268 square miles as its land area and an estimated population of 70,000 people. Examples of the growing cities are Roy, Clinton, Clearfield, Layton, Washington Terrace, Sunset, and Kaysville.
It is in Davis County that the New Testament seed can find the "good ground. ' The "good ground" is beckoning for the savior of mankind. Jesus Christ can be established here. His word can grow in the "good ground" provided that there are Paul's and Aquila's and Priscilla's who will move here soon and sow Jesus Christ in the "good ground." Who will answer the call?