1930-03-29—Middletown NY Times Herald—Mormon Elders Here to Found Church Branch

Mormon Elders Here to Found Church Branch

Middletown NY Times Herald, March 29, 1930, p. 3.

Mormon Elders Here to Found Church Branch

Missionaries to Conduct Meetings Celebrating Centennial Of Their Faith

The first public move in organizing here a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ, of latter day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church, will be made next Friday night at a public meeting at seven-thirty in the American Legion rooms, in the Times Press building on King street.

The meeting is called as the culmination of three months of mission work here by Reed Scott of Idaho Falls, Idaho, a young elder of the sect. He was joined this week by Elder George E. Doty of Richmond, Utah, who came from Syracuse to take charge of the work here. They are under the direction of the Eastern States Mission in Brooklyn, of which James H. Moyle, assistant secretary of the treasury under President Wilson is head. Special missionary efforts are being made by the Latter Day Saints this year, according to Mr. Doty, because it is the centennial of the establishment of the church on the basis of the golden tablets said to have been discovered by Joseph Smith buried near Palmyra, N. Y. The Book of Mormon, added to the St. James version of the Bible, gives the church its name.

At the meeting Friday night the organizers will explain the doctrines and history of their church and invite public discussion. The meeting is intended to be the first of a weekly series. Whether a permanent church or mission is organized here depends on the response their efforts meet Mr. Doty said.