| OCR Text |
Show -THE UTAH EVANGELIST.- <br><br> GROWTH OF THE MISSION WORK IN UTAH. <br> (R. G. McNiece, D. D., in the Home Missionary for March.) <br> There is a Christian* redemption going on in Utah, and it is the most energetic force of all. <br> This Christian redemption is a two-fold work, namely, an educational work and a religious work. There being no free school system in Utah, and the public school system being under exclusive Mormon control, all the Protestant denominations here are carrying on American schools over the Territory, taught mainly by teachers from the East, and supported by funds from the Mission Boards of the various denominations. In this city, the Episcopalians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Presbyterians are carrying on large graded schools, equal in merit to the graded schools in Eastern cities of this size. In each of them, the course of study is carried far enough to prepare students for the best Eastern colleges. The Baptists are just beginning to organize another school, so that there are now in this city about 1,400 children receiving an American education, about sixty-five per cent of them from Mormon families. Our Collegiate Institute now has an enrollment of 255, and employs a superintendent, two professors, and four lady teachers. The new mission on the west side of the city, called "Camp Chapel," has an enrollment of 82 pupils, and employs two teachers. <br> The educational work carried on by the various Christian denominations, has become a mighty power in the Territory. There are schools in about sixty-five different towns, and the following statistics, freshly gathered, will give an idea of the extent and power of this glorious work. <br><br> [Denomination.] Schools. Teachers. Pupils. <br> Baptists… 2… 3… 110 <br> Congregationalists… 25… 38… 1,475 <br> Episcopalians… 5… 26… 691 <br> Methodists… 9… 23… 607 <br> Presbyterians… 33… 56… 2,275 <br><br> To maintain this work requires an annual expense of $65,000; and in most of the outlying towns the teachers and ministers labor in the midst of an isolation, a self-sacrifice, and a malignant opposition beyond the Power of language to express. But the light is radiating very fast from these schools. <br> The religious work carried on by the various churches is also beginning to impress itself upon the Territory. In this city, the four Protestant churches that have carried on the work here for the past twelve years are getting a strong foot-hold. Their congregations and Sabbath schools are steadily increasing. The pastors of the Episcopal, Congregational, and Methodist churches are scholarly and talented men. The Baptists began work here about eighteen months ago, and are just getting ready to dedicate one of the prettiest church buildings in the city. The following statistics give the individual and aggregate strength of these denominations in the whole Territory: <br><br> [Denomination.] Ministers. Communicants. <br> Baptists… 2… 120 <br> Congregationalist… 7… 202 <br> Episcopalians… 7… 455 <br> Methodists… 10… 235 <br> Presbyterians… 15… 316 <br><br> Total 41 ministers, 1,278 communicants, 146 teachers, 5,183 pupils. This religious work is carried on at an expense of about $60,000 annually. And there is no missionary work on earth, not even in the heart of Africa, that requires more moral courage or faith in God than this Utah work. One of our Ministers, who has labored in Africa, has told me repeatedly that the difficulties in the way there are not so great as in Utah. O that the united church of Christ would lift up its united prayers in behalf of the isolated ministers and teachers amid the moral darkness of Utah. <br> But the light of divine truth is beginning to dissipate this darkness. Even as I write, a powerful revival work is going on in this city. The Methodist, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches have been holding union meetings now every evening, except Saturday, for four weeks. The interest has become so deep that an afternoon meeting has been started which is largely attended. I have never seen so much religious interest among Christian people, and many sinners have been already converted. How much we need the prayers of God's people in the midst of this mighty conflict with the hosts of darkness, that the work thus begun may develop into a religious revolution that shall bring great honor upon Christ and His Gospel. <br><br> FROM ST. GEORGE. <br> Our school progresses slowly, but, we hope, surely. Last quarter closed with twenty-four enrolled and an average of 16 1/2. <br> We have now twenty-eight on the roll and an attendance of twenty. Three new pupils last week and some old ones returned. <br> We had a little entertainment last Tuesday evening, in which all the children took part. The parents seemed happy over it and the children were delighted. It compared favorably with such exercises in our Eastern schools. Some of them did admirably. <br> They all recited the Beattitudes [sic] and the XIII chapter of 1st Corinthians. They love to commit and repeat Bible verses. <br> They are improving in manners, too. Mrs. Cort gave them a party a few weeks ago, and one of the older girls, neatly dressed, chose a barefoot boy at the beginning of a play, and all went off nicely all the evening. <br> Two little boys have attended every day*, barefoot, all winter. Isn't that encouraging? And yet I felt bad about it. But they were as merry over the snow as any of us. I want the readers of THE EARNEST WORKER to pray for our school, and do not forget the "benefit boys." They are fatherless ones. A. E. B. <br> ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 12, 1884. <br><br> Joseph Cook lectured Friday evening on the subject, "Does Death End All?" <br><br> SOME MORMON STATISTICS. <br> The Fifty-fourth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met in Salt Lake City, April 4th, and the sessions continued three days. The attendance, as usual, was very large, not less than 12,000 being present from all parts of Utah. No theme whatsoever of a religious nature was presented. The addresses, without exception, related to persecution, polygamy, the "Order of Enoch" (a scheme for getting possession by the priesthood of the titles to all real estate), but, more especially, to the encouragement of home manufactures and productions of all kinds, so as to be independent of their foes, and to live apart from them. <br> A membership was reported of 92,000, and, in addition, children under eight years, to the number of 46,000, or a Mormon population of 138,000. These thousands are scattered over seven States and Territories: In Utah and Idaho, 132,700; in Arizona, 4.593; in Colorado, 1,578; and several hundreds each in Wyoming, New Mexico and Nevada. <br> The number of church officials is given as 28.838, or an overseer to every four and a half persons, male or female, old or young. The grade of these magnates, who stand in place of Divinity and utter his voice to the people is as follows: 12 apostles, 68 patriarchs, 3,413 high priests, 4,747 seventies, 12,191 elders, 1,611 priests, 1,786 teachers, and 5,022 deacons. As showing the strength of this system outside of Utah, it is well to note the fact that, in Colorado and Arizona are found 5 patriarchs, 84 seventies, 183 high priests, 540 elders, 29 priests, 67 teachers and 205 deacons. And comparing these figures with some published by the powers that be, in 1880, it appears that the ordained and inspired authorities in four years have increased in this vigorous fashion: Patriarchs, 20; high priests, 213; seventies, 589; elders, 2,106; priests, 321; teachers, 327; and deacons, 205; or a total of 5,386. <br> The number of missionaries sent out by the late Conference is but 95, or less than last year by 73. To Great Britain 29 are to journey, ‘‘without purse or scrip" (last year 39); to Scandinavia, 7 (last year 23); to the Southern States, 8 (last year 68); to other portions of the United States, 33 (last year 17); to New Zealand 6; and to the Sandwich Islands 5. The elders sent to the Northern States find their work almost wholly among the foreign born population-Danish, Swedish, English, etc.-and so gather into their net the same intellectual class which their colaborers beguile with smooth words in Europe. As showing how little the morals of the candidate for a mission count in determining the choice, it may be stated that one Saint, the senior partner in a Salt Lake liquor store, was chosen on a Saturday to preach the Gospel in Great Britain, and lo, the Mormon police ignorant of the fact, within twenty-four hours had arrested him for selling liquor on Sunday*, and he was fined fifty dollars.-Independent*. <br><br><br> * the following is italicized: "Christian," "every day," "selling liquor on Sunday," and "Independent." <br><br> |
