, 1885-02-06
TTER-DAY'sAIN
WHAT TIE MoRMons ARE DOING IN
THE SOUTH.
Interesting Facts About What the Apo~-
tie. Of PeiyEAmy Teach and How Thsy
Teach It-fntsrsiew With a
Bnand-New saint.

Cour3er.l
Some OF the citizsns about Paris ford, on
tho Pacolet twelve miles north OF this place.
nave from time 20 time mentioned the fact
that the Mormon elders were among them,
and they feared that they would do harm
A few OF them talked about driving tho
elders from the county by force. and caus-
ing their converts to follow. unless they DO
haved themselves This being tho feeling Of
the people. your correspondent thought the
subject worth looking into. The ~Hgsntilssr
could give nc information, except that the
elders put up with ono James s. Russell. and
made frequent visits 10 the neighberhood,
They said that Russell had increased tho
Mormon population by moving about
twenty-five Indians from Rock Hill and CIV
ing them houses m his land This Is about
all tho information they could give. A
note was addressed 70 Mr.. Russell asking
for an interview. h he cheerfully
granted.
Mr.. Russell was disposed to talk very
freely about Mormonism. and seemed 10
have no sort Of malice against those who op-
posed this new religion. He says the church
at Salt LAKE has sent out missionaries 10 all
the southern states In South Carolina there
are only four, with headquarters At Whita-
kers station, In York county. To that
county and one corner Of SpartanburR thoy
have confined their operations up 10 this
time. They have twenty to twenty-five con-
verts in York and four In this county. The
elders travel on foot. and are not allowed 10
receive collections from their congregations.
They bear their own expenses, staying
wherever night overtakes them, IL permis-
sion Is given II a charge e made for lodg-
ing they always pay for IT. The president
Of tho southern work resides at Chattanooga
He visits all the state conferences, which
are composed OF tho elders and all
the membership. Il was such a con-
ference ns this that was broken up at Rock
Hin some time ago by indignant citizens.
There Is a family Of Gordons about Whita-
ker that has united with these Latter-Dny
Saints. In this country james s Russell
and bis vito and Hnmp Robinson and We are
the only converts up 10 this time.
The elders will preach in any plaza where
permission Is given. .Thoy would even come
to S~pnrtanburg and lot the new light shine
In tho court house or any other place. They
are anxious for controversy, and, as Rus
sell says: They glory in arguing about
their church and doctrines" They teach
that a plurality OF wives Is authorized by
tho Old and New Testaments as vol as by
the book Of Mormon. They receive the Pro
testant Bible n the word OF God, but they
claim that tho Mormon Bible Is Of equal
weight and authority.
When Russell was asked II negroes were
admitted TO their church, he said: aNo.
God never makes a revelation to negroes
All OF our membors are expected TO preach,
II necessary; but one to whom no revelation
comes cannot preach. We baptizs tho negro
when no asks It, but that does not entitlo
him 10 membership with the saints" This
doctrine will make Mormonism popular with
certain OF our citizens OF tho aArielp stripe.
The elders In this state are all sent out from
Salt Lake. North Carolina and Tennessee
each has about twenty-five missionaries.
Two OF the elders In this state are married
and two arc single. Tho wives OF the mar
ried men arc In Utah. They bnptize
by immersion and believe that bap-
tism is essential. They also rebap-
tie those who come To them FROM the Bap-
list chuch. They seem to make a sort Of
~-straddie" on calvinism. preaching thai
doctrine In a way that would lave pleased
Jonathan Edwards, but at the same time
thoy preach free agency. As to their belief
In tho book OF Mormon and the infallibility
Of the teachings OF their elders, they are as
devout as the best sectarians in the land.
They do not preach that men should nave
a plurality Of wives In n state that forbids II.
In all cases they advise their followers 10
obey the laws Of their country. / asked Mr..
Russell what he would do II no and his vito
were TO move 10 Utahl Would he tako other
wivesl He said: "That would not be as !
please. The church would have to DO
satisfied as to my character before permis-
sion would DO granted, and it may be that a
revelation Is necessary. They allow only
such persons TO marry as aro able TO support
families"
On tho Temperance question they preach
against the use Of ardent spirits, and prac-
tice what they preach There were no
dran-shops, gaming houses, and brothela In
Utah until the -gontilos7 introduced these
civilixing and elevating Institutions.
II seems to be the intention of thoss poo
pie to continue the missionary work until
the elders tramp over every county OF the
state. They arc generally quiet and we'll
behaved people, and arc well read in their
own literature. Books, tracts, pamphlets,
and papers are distributed. The Desert
News their organ Il Is rather difficult 10
ascertain what Is tho object OF the Mormon
church in sending out missionaries to tho
south. The general opinion IS that they
wish immigrants 70 go to Utah in order to
keep up a Mormon majority there, and at
the same time to colombo Idaho, Colorado,
and Wyoming. They do not expect mem-
bership or church organizations hora.