Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 November 1899 — MORMON CONVERTS. [ARTICLE]

MORMON CONVERTS.

Utah Religion Spreading Through Central States. Mormonism is gaining a firm footing ia the North Central States. The report which was submitted at the annual conference in Anderson, Ind., by Elder Louis K. Kelseh, president of the North Central Mission, which includes the eleven States north and west of the Ohio and Missouri, was a great surprise to even the elders Who have served at the missions in the field. Three years ago the Mormons began their work in the section, which takes in lowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Dakota—North and South—Wisconsin and Minnesota. The first year there were very few converts to the unpopular religion. The next year there were a few more, while during the third year, just closed, the number of converts and baptisms have been twice aa great as during the first two years, and it is claimed that the number of baptisms the coming year will be as great as all of those of the three years. There are now 1,100 baptized and accepted Mormons in the sections named. Though the missionaries who come in to the field from Utah believe in polygamy and say that it is a part of their religion, they are not preaching its introduction. The feeling against Mormonism was very bitter in the States in Which the missionary work has been taken up during the last three years because of the practice of polygamy, and in some cities the feeling against the elders has reached such a pitch that they have been stoned out of the city or conducted to the limits and told to stay out. In one or two cities the workers have been rotten-egged and other indignities have been heaped upon them. In almost all cities they have been barred from the churches and have been preached against from pnlpits. Mormon workers accept no pay, ask no alms, take np no collections, but maintain themselves at their own expense.