MORMONISM IN NEW ZEALAND.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 May 1901, Page 3

MORMONISM IN NEW ZEALAND.

The Elders Set Upon.

The reception of Mormonism in Christchurch (says the Press) has not been encouraging. Three of its elders, Messrs E. P. Brown, George O. Wilson, and D. D. Duncan, who havo recently been carrying on missionary work in various parts of tne colony, began operations in Christchurch a fortnight ago, and have given numerous street speeches. At several of these there have been slight disturbances, and on Sunday week a united assault upon the elders was threatened, which, however, did not eventuate. On Saturday one of their fiercest opponents here, who is alledged to bo a local barber, gave the evangelists great offence by publicly declaring that they should bo forcibly expelled from the town. Last evening another address was given at which this man, and another, alleged to bo an cx-captain of the Salvation Army, were present. Elder Wilson was pointing out tho necessity of Divino authority in a preacher, and on being asked by what authority he spoke himself, immediately mentioned Joseph Smith, the founder of the sect, to whom its teachings were supposed to have been confided by the angel Moroni. According to the elder’s account, it was this alone which especially incensed the two men before mentioned, and afterwards the crowd. An attempt was made to hustle the speakers. Elder Wilson dodged with difficulty a man who tried to knock him down, and the three took to their heels, and ran for all they were worth down Colombo and along Cashel street, with a crowd of about 500 people chasing and hooting.

Elder Duncan got separated from the other two, and was apparently lost to notice. Several of the police took Elders Wilson and Brown under their protection, and half a dozen constable guarded Hereford street bridge, while the two took refuge by the police station. The crowd still lingered about the bridge, and as the men were afraid of a disturbance arising if they should go home to their lodgings in St. Asaph street, they made their way, by indirect routes, and under police protection, to other accommodation in Salisbury street.

Speaking to a representative of The Press, Elder Wilson declared that no mention whatever had been made in their address of polygamy, which had been forbidden by the Morman Church for ten years past, and did not now exist in it. Elder Brown acquiesced in this statomhnt. The elders remarked that they had given addresses in Auckland, Wellington, Gisborne, Napier, and Dunedin, and bad never been so treated before. It was not polygamy which was objected to, for that nadnot been mentioned, but their American accent caused ridicule, and their sect was taunted with the alleged massacre of a large body of settlers in the fifties, which the Mormons declare were annihalated by Indians. The erdevs stated that though their doctrine was greatly misunderstood, they did not want pcop.c to listen to an explanation of it against their will, but thought that they might bo given free speech, and those who did not want to hear should walk on. They had 4000 followers in New Zealand.