The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-05-25
TO PUSH MORMON|SN.
Orders Sent Through the Wes'
by the Church Authorities.
CONDITIONS AS FOUND

Any Other Church, but Its Ruler,
Are Not Satisfled--lts Perfect
Missionary Organization--Talk OF
Polygamy Tabooed.
Last year more than 5000 mission
aries were employed in this work
ana this year the total number as
signed will not be less than 1000
Most of these recruits are young
men, who report to elders, men grown
gray in the service of the church.
These missionaries bring to the work
zeal and eafnestness that mean many
converts in the course of the year
The perfection of the organization OF
the church Is illustrated by the meth
ods employed in proselyting.
At Salt Lake City and two other
points schools are maintained IN
which the work of personal evangeli.
cation is taught. The brightest and
best takers among the younger Nor.
mons are selected for this work. They
are specially drilled in the tenets of
the faith and are made thoroughly
familiar with the Bible and the appli.
cation of its passage to Mormonfsm
Before they are sent forth they re.
ceive thorough test and examina.
tion.
A campaign Is carefully planned
from headquarters Men have prevl.
ously been sent into various parts of
state to spy out profitable territory
If the investigators disclose a Roman
Catholic community or one peop,ed
by Europeans with equally tenacious
ideas about religion, little time Is
spent
The most favored sections are those
where Norwegians, English, Germans
Swedes and emigrants from eastern
states predominate. 1t was early dis.
covered that the emigration to these
sections was largely from that class
of people which found its means too
small in the older settled sections to
purchase land at prevailing prices
the homeseekers with small means, in
other words.
When a section Is favorably report.
ed upon, missionaries are sent there.
There Is a perfect division of terri
tory. so that no effort Is wasted. The
missionaries generally travel by twos.
Each is garbed in black and carries
a Bible In hand or Goa, pocket. They
go up to a house. knock. and when
they gain the attention of the occu-
pants proceed to Dnsh their work
with all of the pertinaci:y of the vet
eran book agent. If they receive the
slightest encouragement they come
again and again.
they are under instructions TO pic,
out thrifty, prosperou, and industri.
Gus citizens of the middle class, and
where possible these receive suhstnn.
tial inducements - JOIN the colonies
In the northwest.
These missionaries are careful to
state that Mormonism has eschewed
the doctrine Of polygamy, and they
not only do not teach 1t, but teach
against 1t. The younger Mormons, as
a matter of fact, are opposed to polyg.
amy. 1t has long been recognized as
all unnatural condition in a civilized
country and education is making II
more repugnant to the younger of both
sexes. Many Of them refuse to counte
nance it in any way.
The church organization is so com
pact that 1t Is possible for it to act
quickly, and the mail and telegraph are
freely used to transmit edicts. Within
two days after President Smith has for
raulated one. 1t is in the hands of every
Mormon church officer within a radius
OF 1000 miles. Discipline is vigorously
maintained. ana disobedience has met
with such prompt punishment that it is
rare nowadays.
1t is asserted that the Mormon church
Is growing more rapidly than any other
In the world. and all credit Is laid to
the thorough organization for evangeli.
cation. hecruits are coming from all
parts of the globe, and the general poll
Icy OF the church to mass its strength
in Utah and adjoining states is still be-
ing followed.
Half of the vote in Salt Lake City Is
S"st ny OImOHS, anu IN tne remainder
OF the state the church polls so per
cent of the total, In Idaho nearly a
third Of the voters are Mormons and
this fact has given the leaders there i'm
mense political power since by throw
ing it one way or the other political
control is fixed. There is no fanatical
political feeling among Mormons, and
they readily obey the order of the
church, which has many eminent poll
ticians on its official roll
The Mormons have a unique way of
suppressing jealous and quarrelllne
wives. When one starts trouble in the
the husband reports the mat
ter to the teacher, who is the ruler of
the district. He calls at once upon her,
informs her that she must be a good
and obedient wife, because no woman
can enter the presence of God except
through her husband This is one OF
Mormonism's strongest tenets. It moi
only makes old maids scarce in Utah
but keeps divorce at a minimum since