The age-herald., 1900-01-30
THE HOME LIFE
 OF THE MORMONS

From the New York Mail and Express
 In her address on Home Life Among the Mormons," at the home of Miss Helen Gould yesterday morning. Miss Sarah J. Elliott made some telling remarks and aroused her hearers to a high pitch of in- terest.
 Miss Elliott, who is a deaconess of St. Georges church, went to Utah for her health seven years ago. and soon after her arrival founded a mission Sunday school in the little town eff Moab. in the extreme southern part of the state. This little mission she called 'aSt. Georges in the Desert and conducted it along the same lines she had worked in New York. In connection with her mission she founded a mems club, boys club, a. girls club and what she calls the Busy Woman's Club of Mos5. A free travelling library was started by her efforts, and also eirculat- ing library of magazines and newspapers, which is carried across the mountains and the desert in gunny sacks to the men on the COW and sheep farms. St. Georges in the Desert was supported entirely by Miss Elliott for seven years, and during the last two years she taught in the pub He school of Moab. and applied her salary to the support elf the mission.
 T wish you would say this for mission work in Utah. said Miss Elliost to a Mail and Express reporter last night Every one of my helpers in Moa5 was educated in a mission school. It is only during the last eleven years that public schools have existed in Utah. and they were not insti- tuted until the Gentiles insisted on them My helpers are all most efficient, and this. O. course speaks volumes for the need and value of mission schools In that region One of my teachers is an apostate a woman Who left her own Church of Mormon and had all her children but one baptized into the Christian church. Her eldest daugh- ter is the third wa'e of prominent povg- amist. but the others are GentiIes Mormon homes," continued Miss Elliott 'are cultured homes, beautiful homes. and the women entertain charmingly. but-they are fatherless homes"
 It was this point which created such a wave of feeling and made such a dramatic effect at Miss Gould's yesterday morning
 ''There is absolute peace in these homes however" said Miss Elliott; '|.here is no jarring. and I never sat down at tahle in a Mormon household without a blessing
 
 1t. Mormon women-those that have met are pure, good women, according to their lights. They are absolutely faithful and true. have never known a woman false to her husband in Utah. They are clever. brilliant industrious, and they are splendid women as rule. They work hard the higher class are physicians. writers, etc., and the country women work on their farms l never saw a poor person In Utah. Why, the woman who does my washing drives to the house and brings her own machine.
 "The children, I find, crave education They are strong and healthy hvng out of doors so much and are naturally bright So my idea is to begin with the children and educate them. If the women of the east who have been fighting poygamy in oppos- ing Roberts want to keep up the work they can do an immense amount of good by es- much Legislation as education that is need cd. Of course. we want legislation, too, es- pecially the amendment making polygamy a felony, but no educated Mormon girl will contract a polygamous marriage except un- der the most strenuous circums stances.'
 When asked if Mormon homes were hap py homes, Miss Elliott said "In the old days the homes were not happy, and today they are not what 1 would call happy. system which is degrading to woman Is the degrada ton of the human race"
 Miss Elliott will remain in New York un- til the spring. Since her arrival here in Mo- vensber she has spokes 250 times.