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Show COME FROM. 161 I will now endeavor to explain the workings of their missionary and emigration systems, which add so many to the population of Utah every year. Proselyting and emigration go together. When an individual accepts their religious creed, and joins the church, he is taught that it is his duty, and will greatly conduce to his happiness to emi grate immediately to Zion in America. At the April session of the semi- annual conferences, in Salt Lake City, the elective officers of the church are elected, and the appointments of others announced. Among the latter are the appointments to missions. A man must have been ordained an Elder, before he is eligible to the office of a missionary, and the more important missions are supplied by persons ranking high among the clergy. The English mission is considered the most desirable, and is usually filled by one of the Twelve. The head of the mission is called the president. The president has two counsellors, also of high grade. He might be said to control all foreign mis sions, as his duties pertain to other works, as well as that over which he more immediately presides. For labor among the people ^ Elders are sent out, subject to the orders of the president, and are responsible to him for the manner in which they discharge their duties. They usually go in pairs j but larger numbers are sent to the more important missions, and the largest to the English, as might be inferred from the statistics of emigration. All missionary appointments are made by the president of the church, and announced at the conclusion of the con ference, just as are the appointments of ministers to their stations, by the annual conferences of the Methodist church. Usually it is understood beforehand, who are to go on mis sions ; but it sometimes happens that an announcement, for instance, of an Elder being ordered to India, falls like a thunderbolt upon some unsuspecting saint. The English mission is one sought after by influential men, being regard ed as a profitable one, pecuniarily ; while the more unde sirable ones are shunned, and regarded as punishments. A few years ago, Mr. Jennings, the prince of Mormon mer- * 8 |
