The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-09
The Mormons in ueorgi..

CINCINNATI, March S.-The Enquirer's
Atlanta, Georgia. special: The Nor
mons have chosen North Alabama as
missionary held and have been vigor-
ously prosecuting their work during
the past six months. Among other
the Mormon elders, under the guise of
travellers, go from house to house dis
tributing little twenty-five page PAM
phlet entitled Doctrines OF the Latter
day Saints, by Elder John Morgan"
The book contains their articles of faith
and gives an account of the revelations
made to Joseph Smith. 1t also claims
that Mormonism is the only true reli-
gion. When person joins them, the
elders give him what they call their
"mystic sign" which consists of
paper upon which is written their
articles Of faith and the name
of every convert in that Sec
ZION. The possession of this proves
IL e owner a true saint. One of their
most enthusiastic converts in Shinborn
Valley is w. ]. Conger. Living upon
Conger's farm is young man by the
name of Bollings, who has been very
bitter towards the elders and their con-
verts. About SIX weeks ago Bollings
found a paper near his house, which
stated that Mormonism was the only
true religion, and that unless he Joined
influence to get his neighbors to Join,
he must leave that section of the coun-
try. The paper was signed by all of the
elders, by Conger and a number of
other converts. Bollings has not left,
and stated that he did not intend to
leave, and so far no effort has been
made to force him to leave. Last
September or October Elder Davis
came over into Choccols County Valley.
within five miles of Oxford, and in
a short time he was joined by Elder
Allrad, who came direct from Utah. In
little while they had made converts
of James Tillman and his wife, and
later on, Hiram Harrison and his emit e
family. Tillman soon became m IL b
elthused with his new religion, and de-
clared that The thanked the Lord for
6 nding Mormon Elders to teach him
the true religion" Elders Davis and
Alfred spent most of their time, while in
this section, at the homes of Tillman
and Harrison, and few nights ago.
A committee of citizens surrounded
HaTrison's house and called for the
elders. They happened to be spending
that night at the house of Thomas
Richards and the committee, not find
ing the objects of their search.
notified Harrison that he must not
let the elders stop at his house
again. The next day Harrison bought
. gun and supply of ammunition and
his son wrote the following note to the
citizens:
Come to our house another night
and some of you will eat breakfast in
hell next morning." After writing the
notice, young Harrison shot a pistol |
bail through the paper and then stuck
it on the gate post of the man he sup
posed was one of the committee of citi-
zens. The Shinborn Valley elders were
reinforced in January by Elders Butler
and Wilson, and in that section thew
have brought not only their converts
but many other ignorant people to be-
lieve that the entire Territory of Utah
IS the exclusive property of the Mormon
church and that it is land overlooking
with riches, long life and happiness.
and naturally most of their con-
verts are anxious to get there as
soon as possible. The elders have
very little to say about polygamy and |
tell their-converts that only the Church |
officials or any pious members are |
allowed to have more than one wife. |
The elders are fed and clothed by their |
converts and also receive regular in |
stallments of money from Salt Lake |
City. Deserted homes, separated |
families and friends changed to bitter |
enemies are some of the results already |
accomplished by Mormonism in Ala.
bama.