Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-26
EMISSARIESOFEVIL.
Arrival OF Thirteen Mormon MissiOna-
ries at Chattanooga to Work in
the Southern States.
An Interview with Elder MOrgan-AI-
most Fifty Branches Of the Mormon
Church in Tennessee.

! CHATTANOOGA, TENN October 25-Elder
| John Morgan, who has charge OF the recruit
ing service in the South for the Mormon
| Church, arrived in this city Saturday night,
| in charge of nine other noted Latter-D Day
| Saints, who visit this city for the purpose
of preaching the doctrines Of Joe Smith.
| These Mormons were delegated to the South
by the semi-annual conference which met
| in Salt Lake City on the 9Th instant They
will separate here, two going to Georgia,
two to Alabama, two 10 Virginia, two to
| North Carolina, and the others will remain
| in Tennessee.
Elder Morgan was asked if he and his
companions were all preachers.
"No," he replied, "none of us are preach
ers in the sense OF the word, as Understood
by our Church. These nine elders, who have
just arrived, did not know five minutes be-
fore their names were called out in confer
ence that they would be sent out on this
work. They ara farmers, mechanics, ETC.,
and have left everything without momeuts
warning 10 engage in this work, and more
than the., We PAY our own expsnse- aad- lnss-
judge OF our sincerity"
They have branches of their Church or
ganized in the counties Of Wilson, Coffee,
Wayne, McNAiry, Perry, Hickman and
Lewis, in this State, and several olhers scat
tered over the South, making more than fifty
IN all. There are at present seventy elders
travelling in the Southern States.
"Are you not afraid the Federal govern
meut will crush you out at an early day"
was asked.
"Oh, no." said Morgan;''a we fear is that
a raid will be made on our treasury under
the pretense of reform. You may depend
upon this, however: The Mormons will
never raise an arm against the Federal gov
ernment, no matter how severe the oppres-
-1r.LN B N
likely be denied TO us, and we will meekly
submit to everything else the government
may ssk?"
Have you many Protestsnts in your coun-
try?"
"Yes, large number; nearly all denomi-
nations of the Protestant faith have their
missionaries there at work, and we kindly re-
ciprocate by sending missionaries from our
Church all through the States. We make
war on no one. Oar churches are open 10 all
denominations. George Francis Train aRd
Bishop Pierce have lectured and preached in
our Tabernacle, in Salt Lake. Our religion
consists in doing right in all things. We are
all equal. Why, there is one of President
Taylor's nephews sitting by your side [point-
ing to Elder James Taylor1 He was cent
ont on the hard work just like the rest of u.s."
"But what about your plural mSrriages?"
"Well," replied Elder Morgan, 1--WE marry
wives are reunited in heaven. We think it
the duty Of every man 10 take care of more
than one woman. They are most entirely
dependent upon men. God says, Multiply
and replenish the EARTH and He has given
us talents which we must not hide. Why,
just think of it, here in Tennessee you have
1000 more women than men, and under the
law of the State these women must violate
the solemn command of God TO marry. But
our Church is greatly misrepresented. There
is not more than one in ten of our married
population who has more than one wife, and
most of these only have two."
The whole party are genteel and courteous
gentlemen, and seem deeply in earnest.
They were all huddled together in one room
at the Florentine Hotel, and were busily
engaged in arranging plans for operating in
the South. Their names are as follows:
Alexander Hills, Henry Beckstead, Henry
Thompson, Willis Robson, james Taylor,
Levi Taylor, john Woolley, Samuel Parish,
OrVille Thompson and Elder John Morgan.