The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-29

have the elders and their converts be-
come in that section, they defy those
who seek to drive them away. Mootry
had left Randolph County poor man;
and by his careful worded stories of the
wealth acquiredin Utah and the purity
Of the Mormon religion he had no diff
Guilty in inducing nearly all his old
friends and relatives to embrace the
faith of the Latter Day Saints" Elder
John Morgan left his office in Chatta-
nooga to visit the mission Of Clay coun-
ty, and he Was so we'll pleased with the
situation that he ordered all the elders
to remain in that vicinity and gradual
ly extend the work as the number of
converts increased. So quietly was the
work carried on that it was nearly two
years before the Mormon settlement
was heard of beyond the immediate
vicinity of their mission. In the mean-
time about one hundred converts had
been made and the force of elders in
creased to ten.
READY TO FIGHT FOR THE FAITH.
When driven from other sections the
elders had never dared resent the rough
treatment they received. but when
they became so firmly established in
Alabama they displayed more nerve.
Having aroused the Indignation of the
better citizens by some of their peculiar
religious rites, the first trouble in Ala
bama was brought about some two
years after the mission was established
at Oak Ridge. A committee of citizens
waited on the elders and ordered them
to leave the neighborhood at once.
'We will not leave and we defy you,"
was the answer made the committee
by Elder Stevens. When the newly
made converts learned that the elders
were in danger they were up in arms
at once. One Of the boldest converts
was Hiram Harrison, who had EN-
braced Mormonism, together with his
family of five daughters and two sons.
The elders spent much of their time at
the house of Harrison, and few nights
after the first warning was given the
citizens committee, headed by a man
named Boiling, called again. This time
they simply posted written notice on
Harrison's gate, that all Mormons, ell
ders and converts, must leave the neigh
borhood within ten days.
Next day one of Harrison's sons shot
pistol ball through this notice and
then wrote beneath it on the same pa
per, "Conle to our house another night
and some of you will eat breakfast in
hell next morning" He then carried
the notice and posted it on the gate of
Boiling, the leader Of the committee
That day the elders and their converts
armed themselves and awaited develop
ments. The citizens were awed by the
warlike attitude Of the Mormons, and
made no attempt to drive them from
the neighborhood.
GATHERING IN THE WOMEN.
Since that time the Mormons have
continued their work unmolested in
that section, and have made many con-
verts. Several of the elders have gone
into other counties and in several places
were forced 10 leave in a short time.
About three times year the converts
from the different missions are gather
ed at Chattanooga and sent to Utah in
charge Of one or more elders. The ma
jority of the converts are young women,
and in one instance known to the wri-
ter woman left her husband and two
children to join the Mormons and Went
to Utah. The work is going on quietly
in several places in this state, but no.
where else in the south have the elders
gained such footing as at the mission
described above. Half dozen elders
are now at work there, and it is said
another squad Of twenty-five recruits
will be sent to Utah in short time.
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