The Vitality of "Mormonism": An Address

Delivered to the Denver Philosophical Society in December 1916, this address offers a clear‑cut exploration of why the Latter‑day Saint movement has not only survived but flourished. The speaker traces the church’s modest beginnings—six men gathering in upstate New York—to the fierce resistance it met from the moment it declared its purpose, laying a foundation for the discussion of its enduring vitality.

The talk is organized into three interlocking sections: concrete facts that demonstrate the church’s expanding membership and worldwide reach; the underlying reasons for its resilience, including its organizational structure and missionary zeal; and the broader consequences of its growth for both believers and the societies they engage. Listeners will gain a concise yet comprehensive portrait of a faith that has turned early hostility into a lasting, global presence, all presented with the scholarly clarity and measured tone characteristic of its early‑20th‑century origin.