Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-22
The Mormons
By Frederic J Haskin.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. ~ In
these brisk days of newer and still newer
cults and isms, when people change their
religions almost ms frequently as they do
their spouses, il is rather surprising. to
find nm old-time religion like Mormonism
still attracting crowds of recruits to It's
beehive banner.
The Church Of Jesus Christ OF Latter
Day Saints now has membership Oh
GOO. 900 souls, and this number u increasing
every week both by birth and by conver-
sion
Salt Lake City is full OF Bahalsts,
Yoaiists. Buddsts. and adherents oi
MANY other strange sects, IN addition 10
the usual variety OF faiths, but none of
thesr churches, il il said, has been able to
compete with the spectacular increase OF
the Mormons About rs per cent oil the
pop,ilaton of the state OF ttah Is now
Mormon, and according to such infaiilbe
authorities as MIR. Irwin Cobb the entire
country from Canada to Mexico ~ tilied
with the loyal descendants OF Brigham
Young alone.
One reason for this increase ~ apparent
at once. The Mormons do not believe IN
birth control They put premium on
large families and consequently otah
has more baby carriages than u has auto
mobiles Mormon baby carriages, with
the Zion trademark on them. Many oi
them, however, are the two-passenger
variety. -,
While baptism in the Mormon Church
ia administered only to adults, the chill
| dren are sent to Sunday school at an early
age, and so impressed with its doctrines
| that they can nearly always be relied
upon to grow up Mormons.
Add 10 these circumstances the TACT
that Mormon missionaries convert nun
dreds OF persons to Mormonlsn every
wear. and YOU can see why the numoer Oh
Latter Day Saints is 50 rapidly increasing.
HOW MISSIONARIES WORK.
Much as we prefer babies, we shall take
up the question of the missionaries iIst.
For the Mormon missionary system is
extremely interesting. These enthusiasuc
proselvters Journey into all parte oi
The world. but principally 10 England
and the Scandinavian countries, scattering
! the pearls Of Mormon wisdom totally
without the aid Of money. At least, the
church is said not to pay their expenses
and as many Of the missionaries are known
| 10 be moor and 10 have large families 70 be
| sunported at home, the thing remains a
curious mystery; unless you explain " as
| tho Mormons do-namely, that God takes
care Of the missionaries.
Wben s Mormon is called by the church
! 10 this duty he obeys instantly, no matter
/ how unexpected may be the summons
| or how unprepared his personal aftais'
| During the period of his service ne re-
4 ceives no salary. In fact, II Is said that DO
I official of the church receives any salary
1 But upon his departure last reception
/ is gwen in honor Of the missionary, 10
which all the members of his church arc
! invited and NJ which collection plate IS
4 nassed. The contents Of the plate are ex-
/ hArtad 20 defray his travelling expenses
I affer which the matter is TO be put up
| 70 God. Apparently God responds well
| 10 the responsibility thus thrust upon Him.
/ for the Mormon missionaries 60 about their
I proselyting in comfortable, if not lux
4 ,Irio,is wav. and have never been known 70
I starve.
Another thing which may explain the
sustained prosperity Of the church IS It's
| splendid system of organization. since
! the war. everybody knows how effective
/ ly organization steps in where enthusiasm
fears 10 tread. Wen. the cornerstone Of the
Mormon system OF organization Is inc
| tithine system Every Mormon is required
10 nav tenth OF his income to the church
II NAV be in farm produce or IN dry good
or in hardware or IN preferred stock, hut
Il must be a tenth of his worldly goods
Each ward Of the city contains tithine
house. presided over BY a bishop, and on
specific date every month this house takes
on the appearance Of a country iair' as
the faithful pour in with their varied con
| tributions.
The church organization also embraces
a remarkably good system Of iecreatlon
q