Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1902 — MORMONISM IN NEW YORK. [ARTICLE]

MORMONISM IN NEW YORK.

Its Rapid Growth There la Alarmln* Other Missionary Bodies. The rapid spread of Mormonism In New York ia attracting the attention of the home missionary societies, the mem* beri of which bodies are about to take steps to prevent its further growth in the metropolis. Already the Latter Day Saints own three churches and number 8,000 New-Yorkers as sdherents of the faith. At a meeting of converts there Sunday, Apostle John Henry Smith, of Salt Lake City, one of the twelve charged with the direction of the church’s affairs, traced the history of Mormonism and explained the doctrines of the church. Apostle Smith msde no reference to polygamy during his discourse, but throughout there was a note of defiance of the Federal authorities, and he recalled with pride how in the early days of Mormonism the followers of Joseph Smith, who was his uncle, expelled the Federal troops from Utah. He stated that the Mormon religion had now become an international question and spoke of the thousands of converts gathered in recent years throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and other parts of continental Europe. The doctrines of Mormonism seem to attract the masses and converts ar* being made in New York at an alarming rate. The directors of the church claim to have gained 20,000 converts In this country last year. They maintain 2,000 missionaries in the field all the time.

The world’s conference of the Y. M. 0. A., which meets once every four yean, will bo held thia year In Ohrletlanla, from Aug. 20 to 24. Th* storthing, or parliament, of Norway, has made a government appropriation for this conferones.