The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-02-10
LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
WHAT THE MoRMONs ARE DOING IN
THE SOUTH.
Interesting Facts About What the Apps
ties of Polygamy Teach and How They
Teach It-Tntcrviow with
Brand-New Saint.
fspartanburg IS. c. Cor Charleston News
Courier

Some of the citizens about Paris ford on
the FacOlot, twelve miles north of this place.
have from time to time mentioned the fact
that the Mormon elders were among them.
and they feared that they would do harm.
few OF them talked about driving the
elders from the county by force. and caus-
ing their converts Is follow, unless they be-
haved themselves This being the feeling Of
the people, your correspondent thought the
subject worth looking into. The "gentiles7
could give no information, except that the
elders put up with one James s. Russell, and
made frequent visits to the neighberhood.
They said that Russell had increased the
Mormon population by moving about
twenty-five Indians from Rock Hill and Civ
ing them houses on his land. This is about
all the information they could give. A
note was addressed to Mr.. Russell asking
for an interview. This he cheergully
granted
Mr. Russell was disposed to talk very
frsely about Mormonism, and seemed to
have no sort of malice against those who on
posed this new religion. He says the church
at salt Lake has sent ont missionaries t. al
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 Spartanburg they
have confined their operations lp to this
time. They have twenty to twenty five con-
Yerts IN York and four in this county The
elders travel on foot, and are not allowed to
receive collections from their congregations
They bear their own expenses, staying
wherever night overtakes them, if permits
, sion is given. If q charge is made for Iody-
ing they always pay for it, The president
Of the southern work resides at Chattanoo "a
He visits all the state conferences which
are composed OF the elders and all
the membership 1t was such a Il
ference as this that was broken up at Rock
Hill some time ago by indignant citizens
There is a family of GordonS about Whita-
ker that has united with these Latter Day
Saints In this country James S Russell
and his wife and Hamp Robinson and we are
| the only converts up to this time.
The elders viii preach in any place where
| permission is given. They would even come
| 10 SpGrtanburg and let the new light shine
in the court house or any other place They
| are anxious for controversy and. as Rus
| sell says; They glory in arguing about
| that u plurality OF wives is authorized bv
the Old and New Te5tamants a. well as by
! the book of Mormon 1Eay receive the Pre-
| teatant Bible as the word of God, but thcv
| ct@in that the Mormon Bible is Of equal
| weight ami authority.
| When Russell was asked II NEGROES were
admitted to their church, he said: mo,
God never makes revelation to negroes.
| All of or members are expected 10 rraa IA
! If necessary; hut one to whom no revelation
| comes cannot preach, We bapti2e the mgr,
| when be asks il, but that does not eutisis
him TO membership with the saints Tn.
| doctrine viii make Mormonism popular with
| certain of oar Citizaas OF the ARIEL" Strina
| The el 'ers in this stata are all sent ont from
| Salt Lake. North Carolina and Tennessa.
each las about Twenty-Five missionari s
Two OF the elders in this state are married
and two are single The wives OF the mar
| ried men are in Utah They baptiZ
by immersion and believe that bap
| tism Is essential They also rebsp
! TIE those who come TO them from the Ban
fist Chuch They seem to make q sort o
"strad he on Calvinism, preaching tina
doctrine in a way that would have PLEASED
Jonathan Edwards, but at the same tim,
they preach free agency. As to their belle
in the book of Mormon and the infallbiiit,
of the teachings OF their elders, they are q
devout As the bast sectarians in the land
They do not preach that men should hav
plurality Of wives III a state that forbls it
In all cases they advise their followers +
obey Tire laws Of their country. asked Mr.
Russell what he would do if he and his wifi
wives Ho said: That would not be n
please The church would have to b
satisfied as to my character before perrnis
sion would Ice granted, and it may be that
revelation is necessary They allow onl,
such persons to marry as are able to supper
families"
On the temperance question they praac
against the Use Of ardent spirits and prac
tice what they preach. There were II
dram-ShUps, gaming houses, and brothels i
Utah until the "gengiIes' introduced thes
civilizing and eJeyating institutions
| II seems TO be the intention of those pee
pie to continue the missionary work unit
the elders tramp over every county of til
state. They are generally quiet and well
behaved people, and are well read i'll thci
own literature. Books, tracts, pamphlet,
and papers arc distributed The Desm
| News is their organ. 1t is rather difficult t
ascertain what is the object Of the Mormo
church in sending ont missionaries to Tia
south. The general opinion is that the
wish immigrants 10 20 70 Utah in ordor t
keep up a Mormon majority there, AMI Il
the same time to coiOnize Idaho, COiural.
and Wyoming. They do not expect men
| haIsllil nr church r.garIiypt i,us mara