The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-09-27
ACTIVE WORK OF MORMONS.
Latter Day Saints LabOring For Con-
yerts In Chicago.
Chi0i1O NCrs.

Through chickering's, challenges to
debate and other evidences of i'll feel
ing and bad blood between the Brig
hamitcs" and "Josephites,'' the two
great divisions of the Mormon Church
religious people in Chicago have begun
to awake TO the fact that the Church
Of Latter Day Saints is at present en-
gagged in what is perhaps the best or
ganized and most concerted attempt to
secure proselytes on wholesale basis
than has ever been made in this city
by the Mormons.
The unusual activity CT the Nor
mons has begun to attract widespread
attention, both from the student and
those who have ever entertained a
bitter prejudice against the followers
Of Joseph Smith. Th enemies of the
Mormon Church arc clamoring against
the visits Of the missionary elders TO
their homes, claiming that On effort is
being made to carry off their wives and
families to the remote Salt Lake
stronghold of Mormonism.
Several letters written in that tenor
have been received at the Office Of the
Daily News. When shown to the
Mormon elders these letters have
brought hearty laughter from them.
"We are not here to bring trouble to
the people Of the city, the mission
aries say, but rather to shed light
where there is darkness.
When @ mob seized upon Joseph
Smith as Mauvoo. ILL.,, ever half cen
tury ago and took his life, the mem
bers Of the gathering thought they had
annihilatcd Mormonism for all time.
Were these men alive to-day and en-
abled to visit Chicago they would stand
aghast to find the church devoted to
the form Of worship chosen by the
Latter Day Saints, number of regu-
larly organized missions, and open-air
meetings being conducted on sew
eral prominet street corners almost
nightly.
Nor would the surprise Of these pi-
oneer residents Of Illinois be percept-
IDLY diminished upon learning that
Chicago now has two divisions of the
Church, each holding the other to be
guilty Of unutterable acts of error and
each doing its uttcrmost to destroy its
rival.
The Salt Lake contingent, having
headquarters at Wicker Park Hall, SOL
West North avenue, has established
mission at 1913 Oakley avenue and
open-air meetings are held throughout
tho northwest side. In Englewood
and the South Side, 63d and Halsted
Streets and 39th Street and Cottage
Grove avenue are two of their most ia
vored corners. The "Josephites"
have their headquarters at ], ,2G7 North
Halsted Street, and are conducting
missions at 3,411 Cottage Grove ave.
me, II ,024 Union aveaue and 1867
Armour avenue. Their open air
meetings are held in all parts Of the
city.
The trouble between the two branch
es Anises out Of the fact that the "Jo-
sephites" havetorn down the veil of
Inspiration that is popularly supposed
to enshroud the head Of the Church,
and Tevolted against the successor to
Brigham Young, taking for them
selves the name Of the founder of the
sect.
The ''Josephites' declare themselves
to be violently opposed to plural mar
riages and question the similar claim
of tue Brighamites. AS a matter Of
fact, both bodies now claim to abhor
the practice.
The Salt Lake contingent justifes
the action of Congressman elect Rob
erts and other members Of their faith
who have failed to abandon their sew
eral wi ses whom they married prior to
tho passage Of the new anti-polygamy
law, taking the stand that it would be
and inhuman for them to Sc
lee. say oao OF their wives and aban-
doii the rest to shift for themselves.
In their missionary meetings both
factions show a disposition to relegate
the question to the background and
evade it unless called upon for an ex-
planation.
These missionary meetings partake
largely Of the character Of lectures,
tbo o1Jors eootfn~ IN r;vo tbo ,,n;t:,