The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-30
RECRUITS souaHrFoR MoRMoNDoM
The Active But Quiet Missionary Work
In the South-What IL Aimed At.

IL Is nearly Ten years now hlilCt lncuposNcs
OF Joseph Smith and Brigham Young began
their systematic missionary work in the
Southern States. During these years many
humble but happy homes have been wrecked
and ruined and several thousand converts
have been added TO the Mormon Church.
Today no mission work in heather lands Is
so thoroughly organized or so vigorously
prosecuted as the work Of the Mormon elders
in the States Of Alabama, Georgia and Ten
ncsscc. Mormonism has become so strongly
intrcnched In sections OF these States that in
diyidual or organized opposition is power
less to stop It's work.
I'VE violate no law" they cry, and those
who would drive the cunning elders from n
community ustbecomc the aggressors and
law breakers.
Senators and Representatives In Congress
who have discussed the Mormon question
and have tried to devise means to crush out
polygamy In Utah have never dreamed OF
the extent Of Mormon prosclyting in the
Southern States. The progress Of Mormon
ism in sections Of the States named above is
appalling. Very quietly they have gone
about their work, selecting sections Of
country NO remote from towns aud cities
NAAN ~ ANAN WI ~ iNhNANA VI Nv ~ hANAA
iculty TO ascertain the extent OF their work.
QUIET Ann ELECTIVE WORK.
The elders enter a community without
any blare of trumpcts, and In many in
stances they have made dozens of converts
before the more intelligent residents are
even aware OF their presence or their work.
Brief accounts Of the work OF the Mormon
elders In various sections have appeared In
the newspapers from time TO time for woe or
three years past but In no instance has one
half the truth been told. A newspaper cor
respondent Is a terror TO n Mormon elder.
They fear the owe OF the press more than
they fear the power Of Congress.
For several weeks | have been quietly In
? ~vestigating the work Of the Mormons in
Alabama. In the northeastern portion OF
this State they have found a fruitful field,
and there they have established the first and
, only Mormon Church In the South. In the
, guiso of a passenger agent wanting 20 sell
them tickets topiah, as a mine prospector
p aud us a news paper correspondent | have
/. visited the localities where they are at work,
and where they number their converts by
the hundreds. | have talked with a num-
bor OF the elders, with their converts, with
p their victims aud with those who have
, sought In vain y, drive the cunning teachers
! of pologmmy from the State.
1 The headquarters Of the elders working In
: the South have boon at Chattanooga Tenn,
Tor several years. Elder Joh Morgan, Of
\ salt Lake City, wusin charge, but ahout a
1 year ago lac rcturnSi 81 Utah and was sue
\ cocdcd by Elder William spry, who Is still
4 IN charge Of the work.
PLAk>ss orrlArIoSs.
Elders who volunteer Tor missionary work
J irst report to the head Of the church at salt
y Lake City. They are there assigned to some
= field Of labor for q certain number OF years.
y Those assigned 10 the South then report nj
headquarters In Chattanooga, where they
are furnished with plenty OF Nor non litcra-
turc, maps of the locality In which they are 10
work, and then they are sent into the coun-
try. Al stated intervals they are required
10 report to Chattanooga the progress Of
n their work, giving the name and pOstOfiicc
address Of every convert they have made,
. aud the names of those % whom u will be
" safe To NATL Mormon literature. These re-
ports are forwarded from Chattanooga 10
q salt Lake City ~tcmi-annually or quarterly,
A. In order that the head of the church may be
IA constantly posted ON the progress OF the
work.
ie When converts arc ready 10 go West the
10 elders Ia charge report 90 Chattanooga the
Ia number ready 90 leave ON n certain date and
r. railroad tickets nrc forwarded from head
!, quarters. An agcntof the railroad company
- usually accompanies the party ns far west n,
X the Mississippi River, aud from one to i've
N elders remain with them until they are safe
20 ~ landed In Utah, Arizona or Idaho.
ut LARGE MISSIONARY FoRCE.
10 About 300 elders arr now nc work In th'
IN South, and nearly 100 of them are In Ala
hama. They are operating la about a doncr
counties but their stronghold Is In Clal
no County. where their church Is located
lie From this point they work the adjoinin.
counties Of Clebumc, Randolph and ITALIA
iy dcgn.
n IN n narrow valley, shut out almost iron
- the world by rough hills and mountains, II
~. .-aHN..a.... ..AWN Il IIWw N.HHUNg 4
K. Bethel Church, or station, NJ the elders cal
nc a. This church was established about tire
pn years ago by Elder Amos, Mcrrick. Morri
nj aud others. Thu object Of the church Il q
hold the converts together until they Fan b
MI transported to Utah or Arizona.
Ui The people OF this section are not onll
IN. very Ignorant but extremely poor. The
m. live IN perfect squalor aud very lew Of then
10 can rcador write. lei souly In thc autumn am
winter, after their small crops of corn an,
lac cotton are sold, that they can raise cnoug
y. money 10 pay their way to the West, an
ur during the spring and summer tho elder
lac work from house 10 house.
~. When the suant harvest Of these poo
~. farmer. l. gathered the Mormon elder
Gather their harvest Of souls and bodies am
nj scnd them for safe keeping 90 the strong
h. holds OF Mormonism In the far West
.cc I0NoRAScE \ sQuALoh.
az Itwould require the pen Of Dickens 4
lr adequately dcsCtlee The ignorance, the pow
orty and the ff6alor oi the people irof
among whom tho Mormon cldcn secure the
il converts. Largo ifamilics-fathor, mother
IN sons and daughbrft--liye huddlod togcthc
~ in one little log cabin often not mon thaI
aid 1880 feet i'm sinG ala this one room mmilis
II of eight ten and sometimes twelve person
CO. cat aud sleep, no thought 81 privacy, no g
'Nc fort OF cleanliness being possible. AZ on
no cabin a. I entered Ftrppcd ovcra hog whic
Tor was summing ipql ON the doorstep tw
nt nunt. wolash l<sktlg cuu growled NJ M
get from under tho GIT bed In the cabin, Will
.ng In ono corner ofIhi anne article Of fum
, tnrc " hens ~ hshuns for the posse,
Of Half a dozen fAlipn, Of various agcs, al
il sallow faced, Welacci and thinly clad
scattercd ln all<tsctons a. the only uu
I'm bnoken chair in 1Ad room was brought for
or Wari for me 10 aLnpon. This was the HON
NV OF a Mormon oontaFI
id While pOoSr than some OF his neighbour
lrd he was above the average in intelligence, bt
IN. ing allie To- rtad a1itilc. lie was an cnthu
.cs. .is.tie believer IN the doctrines Of The Latte
ted nay salnts, and from a large pasicboard DO.
II filled with old circus posters and patcn
ply medleIne almanacs, be drew forth q pnckc
by IN Mormon litonturc, which he INSISTS
by would fully explain his reasons for the iaiu
Ie that was In him.
in. MULF0RD, JEWELER,