The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-04-01
PREACH POLYGAMY NOW
NEW MORMON CAMPAIGN IN PRO-
CRESS IN THE WEST.

Policy of Bunchini. Converts -PoiitiCal
Power of the Mormons.
The missionary branch of the Nor
mon Church is just now more than uSu-
ally active i'm the States of Nebraska.
Kansas and South Dakota. writes the
Lincoln ,NebJ correspondent OF the
New York sun. For years it has been
sending missionaries abroad aud their
work has been successful Larger
numbers of missionaries have now
been put into the field. and the plan
of campaign has been materially
changed.
Most of Che missionaries TOOL, ana
act like farmers sons turned into
preachers without much moro pycpar-
alton than a thorough knowledge OF
the Mormon Bible. The farming com
munities of the three States named
have been selected as the fields or
their operations ana they try TO i'm
ducc people TO cmigrate. They are
constantly dilatinS upon The advau-
tagcS of Utah and Idaho. where they
say the agricultural conditions are
vastly superior TO those OF the drought
stricken region of las; year.
Formerly the missionaries were con
tont simply to prosclyte for their faith
Converts were all they were after
They generally travelled in pairs. and
went from house to house. quietly
pushing the work of convincing men
and women that the Latter-Day
Church offered simpler and nobler
plan of salvation and belief than the
older denominations.
They were careful. i'm order to over
come in part at least the antipathy TO
anything Mormon. to insist that the
Church had been reorgani2cd and that
polygamy was no longer one Of it's car
dinal doctrines. They admitted that
the old leaders had practiced polygamy
and that while they were obeying the
letter of the law i'm that they lived
with but one wife they were not shirL-
ING the duty of support TO the others
still alive.
In their crusade they were aided by
the general belief that the Church had
submitted to the inevitable and had
banished polygamy. They held public
meetings also and openly sought for
converts. That they were successful
was proved by the number of congrc-
cations they organized in various parts
of Nebraska. Kansas and Iowa.
The campaign now being prosecuted
is masked one. 1t is no longer in
sisted on that polygamy has been ban
ished from the Church In covert
way it is stated that they are now
seeking converts to The Church he
cause polygamy is possible in Utah and
Idaho, where the Mormons are the
dominant power in politics.
One of these missionaries is quoted
as having said recently in talk with
prospective converts that the true Nor
mons have never rclnquished their
polygamouS beliefs, and that he OK
pccted to secure many converts be
cause most men are by instinct poly
gamous, and that in Il church gov
erned and run as a business organiZa-
ton a plurality of wives is not only not
burden, but Il distinct help to world
ly prosperity.
These arguments, confined as they
are to the less educated part of the
population. have been bearing fruit.
and it is said that the spring will see
considerable immigration 20 the two
suites named
These missionaries have been quot
ing leaders of the Church as saying
that the law OF plural marriage is God
given, and that no Mormon need fear
man-made laws. They are also ac-
cused Of tempting their prospective
converts with picture of Mormon SUI
premacy in the future by reason of
the fact that plurality of wives means
larger families. ana that as the aver
age non-Mormon family numbers no
more than three children. in time the
whole earth will be filed by the true
believers They seek TO prove ,hat i'm
ancient days according To both their
"'ple ana 'ha' On inc 'hTlsilan ohurch,
pony E'n'E was MOI regarded as sin.
III iact tneSe missionaries are preach
lnE inc oIu &oSp'I according 10 Joseph
',''''''' ou' WIN more cunning anu d!-
ploll"c'. mere III 'h' West 1t is rec
oS"'Ncu lil"l 'ile Mormon Ohurch hoI"s
'"r o'I''il'e ol po,iulaI power i'll Nyo-
.,''lE' .>e'"u" anu Iu"no. "hlch means
'""' I'S very prac'''"l readers hnd iI
CSSs 10 ,,''N' "Is'lnS WIN 'he ma
e.'',', po'''l'','ii'' VINO I'LL TURN Ior votes