The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-29
MoRMONS MAKING CONVERTS.
Elders Boldly ut Work in the South Gath
ering in the Women.
TFrom the New York Herald.

FROM the Ne" OFk I1eTdlu.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, March 10, 1883.
Before the late war a few MOrmons,
missionaries from Utah, visited various
sections Of the south and made few
converts to the religion of Joseph
Smith, but the work was not prosecu-
ted with much vigor.
Soon after the close of the hostilitIes
the work was resumed in spasmodic
way, but it was not until some eight or
ten years ago that the attention of the
church was drawn to the fruitful fields
to be found in the backwoods sections
of the states Of Tennessee, Alabama,
Georgia and North Carolina.
In 1878 Elder John Morgan, of Salt
Lake, prominent pillar in the church
and the author of a widely circulated
work or Mormonism, established his
headquarters at Chattanooga, Tenn,
and assumed charge of the work in the
allowed named state. The mountain
regions of East Tennessee and western
North Carolina proved most fruitful
fields for the work Of the Mormon
elders.
The simple people of this section were
easily deceived by the smooth talking
and plausible elders, and embraced Nor
monism il: the hope Of bettering their
pecuniary condition in the home prom
ised them in Utah. From Chattanooga
the elder radiated in every direction,
and reaped rich harvests of converts,
who were at once sent off to Utah. At
last the people became aroused, and
the lynching of two elders i'll Tennessee
and the severe tlogging of several III
North Carolina stopped their work in
those states for awhile. The headquar-
tcrs at Chattanooga were not abandon
ed, however, and the elders sought new
fields in Georgia and Alabama.
NOhhlNH Nf.OllI-A.
In North Carolina they established
several churches and carried on their
work without trouble for two years. In
this field they were very successful, and
at one time sent batch of seventy con-
vcrts to Utah. Finally the better and
more intelligent citizens rose in arms
and drove the elders from the neigh
borhood. They reported to Elder Nor
gan, ut Chattanooga, and 4 council of
war WAS held. 1t was decided to seek
new fields, and the elders were sent
prospecting in Alabama.
The counties of Clay, tlrhurnr and
Randolph. in northeast Alabama, were,
until recently, remote from railroads
and towns of amy sizr, and were i,ihal-
itrd prlripally 10y small farmers VIII"
were huth poor and ignorant. This Soc
tiun proved II fertile field for the Nor
mon missionaries.
tIlN,ilNt: TO ALABAMA.
About twenty years age John Moot
ry. "I Randolph County, went west and
dritrh finally to Salt Lake tity, where
hr juEnrd the Mormon church and soon
lu,nrr nu elder. When Mormau's = men
huI been driven from North Carolina,
Tennessee and Georgia, and II was de-
rhl,M to invade Alabama, Mnntry, who
WAS living at Salt Lake city, WAS or
drrr,l To report ut Chattanooga. He
came, and Morgan ordered him to lead
an expedition to Alabama and attempt
the establishment of church, or re-
cruting station. Mootry left Chatta-
noogu in company with Elders knsiah,
Stevens, Dcl.ameycr, Fcan, Engrl and
Davis, and went direct to his old home
in Randolph County, Ala. He found
his relatives scattered, but ut the home
of a nephew, Thomas Mitchell, who
lived in Clay County, Mootry and his
men were allowed to establish their
hcaduuartcrS. The second Sunday III
July, 1854, these seven Mormon elders
held Il public meeting ut Oak Ridge
school house, in Clay County. Elder
Kasiah leading the service. From this
beginning has grown the largest Nor