THE MORMON PERIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 304, 18 May 1911, Page 8

THE MORMON PERIL.

BISHOP WELDON ON THE 11 EN AC!-: TO WOMEN. "SERIOUS EVIL." YOUNG WIFE DESERTS TO UTAH. London Express Special Correspondent. Manchester, April 2. ! Bishop Wclldon, the Dean of Manchester, to-night, in an interview with me thus summed up the case against Mormon activities in this country: i "It is a serious evil. I myself have been to Utah and Salt Lake City. Of, course we were told that polygamy was not practised, but the elders got over the difficulty of law by 'skipping their bail' as they say. I had undeniable evidence of polygamy by reports in local papers on certain Mormons who had died and left three or four sorrowing wives behind. If a public meeting were called I would throw the whole force of my position into it to stop the Mormon campaign. "The ciders do not preach polygamy here," continued the Bishop, "but that it is carried on is beyond dispute. It polygamy is against the law, so ought the preaching of it to be. "This question was discussed at th« last session of Convocation, and a representation was made to the Government, for foolish girls are having promises of happy conditions held out to them of life in Utah." Dr Weldon emphasised that it was in country districts of Lancashire that harm was being done. He showed me photographs of the Temple and the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. "The former," he said, "has the finest acoustics in the world. I tested it myself by letting a pin drop, and it could be heard at the other end of the building. In the Tabernacle the wives are sealed to Mormons. "Yes, if I can do anything in the way of organising or helping a meeting to combat Mormonism I will gladly do so," he continued. "It is time wo woke up to the true facts of affairs. The remarkable thing is that the United States Government, which is the most liberal in the world, is apparently unable, to deal with this. "Mormonism should be resisted by every right-thinking man and women for the sake of the danger to youjng girls." HOW MISSIONARIES WORK. , LONDON VICAR'S DESCRIPTION OF THEIR METHODS. 1 The manner in which the Mormon 1 missionaries carry on their propaganda in London was described in detail to an ! Express representative by the Rev. E. B. Scott, vicar of St. Peter's, South Tottenham, whose residence is only a few hundred yards from the new "Descret," ! the present Mormon headquarters in the ■ High Road. "The Mormon missionaries," said Mr. , Scott, "have been very active in the , neighborhood since they moved into the ■ new •Deseret' between two and three years ago. Their attentions are especial- • ly marked in the smaller streets. On •j Saturday nights they may be frequently . seen here in the road preaching outside ■ the Roman Catholic Church.

"In their housu-to-house visits, which are undertaken, of course, with a view to secure new converts, they generally work in pairs. Whenever possible they make a point of calling in the afternoon when, as generally happens, the master of the house is away at work, and only the women and children are at home. "The wife, daughter, or maid, as the case may be, answers the door to find herself respectfully greeted by two well-dressed young men in every-day attire. "The callers prove to be glib, pleas-' ant-spoken men, whose accent, however, readily proclaims them to be Americans. She is informed that the Church of Latter Day Saints is conducting a mission somewhere in the district, and asked i whether she will aocept a tract and thereby confer a great favor. "Will the 'sister'—for thus is she addressed—enhance her kindness by perusing it when she lias a iaw minutes to spare? I

"Courteously doffing their hats, the young men take their departure. A scrutiny of the leaflets prove them to be quite innocent affairs, despite their faulty theology and somewhat wishywashy nature.

"The visit is merely the prelude to others at discreet intervals. Not a word is mentioned, however, about polygamy. J

"Before long the 'sister' is informed that a little devotional meeting, with light refreshments afterwards, will be held at 'Deseret' on a certain night. She is cordially invited to attend. So the attempt to convert her is gradually ox-l tended.

"These meetings, I am told, are frequently packed with people, the vast majority of whom are women and girls. The difficulty we have to contend with here is the obtaining of definite tangible evidence of a specific case of an offence against the letter of the law." I

The vicar proceeded to relate a remarkable encounter he himself had recently with one of these missionaries. "The encounter," he stated, "seemed to me to indicate strongly at least the atmosphere in which some of these missionaries live.

"About three months ago a Mormon missionary who called at my front door here in Talbot road and thrust some leaflets in was intercepted by me just as he was walking away from the house. "I invited him into my study, and tried to discuss his real or alleged doctrines with him. In the course of our conversation he

(1) Sought to justify polygamy on the ground that it was sanctioned bv thc Old Testament. (2) Declared that if Hrigham Young had practised polygamy, at least his plural wives had been happy. (3) Stated, in reply to a hypothetical case I put to him, that if twelve men were shipwrecked on a desert island in which twenty-four women were discovered, he 'saw no harm' or |snw nothing wrong' in each man tak-. ing two women apiece. "The young man, despite his glibness was apparently somewhat new at his business. T wonder was he, therefore franker!"