1870-03-01-Millennial Star-New York Herald

The Elders in the United States

Millennial Star, 1 March 1870, pp. 137-138.

The New York Herald of Feb. 8, says that Bishop R. T. Burton has established Branches of the Church at Hempstead, Baldwinsville, Patchoque, and other locations near Rockville Center. The Herald continues—

During the past week the war against the ’Gentile’ world was carried on with increasing vigor, and other laborers have been despatched north and south throughout the island. Several new elders have arrived from the City of the Saints, and during this week an additional force of elders and priests, headed by a bishop, will reinforce those already here. The labors of Bishop Burton during the past week have been very successful at Freeport, the old branch established by Brigham Young about thirty years ago. The church, under the care of J. K. Benedict, an elder baptized by Young on the first establishment of the colony, has been built up and confirmed in the faith as taught in Utah. Twelve persons, most of them wealthy and able and willing to co-operate in the work, have been converted and baptized there by Bishop Burton and his assistants, of whom he has eight or nine. In Baldwinsville twenty Mormons, most of them recent converts, have rented a large upper room in the single hotel of which the village boasts, and there hold forth three times a day to crowds of wondering rustics, telling them of the recent revelations from the Most High, and warning them of the coming trouble by fire and sword, and of the dire destruction of all who refuse to believe in and tender their allegiance to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of the principal towns in Maine, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, have been set apart as districts which are now being worked, and consequently a grand rally around the banner of Mormonism may be expected. In Connecticut also proselytes are being gathered, and a large staff of missionaries, principally natives of that State, have returned from Utah and come to warn their friends against the approaching day of wrath. Bishop Burton and the other leading Mormon church dignitaries now in Long Island make no secret of their intentions, and express themselves as being certain of the ultimate success of their mission and the spread of Mormonism until it becomes the established religion of the world. The principal congregation of the Saints on Long Island, however, is not to be found in any of the places already referred to, but in a place much nearer home—14 Grand Street, Williamsburg—where there is quite a large congregation, and from which drafts are repeatedly made for colonists for Utah. The movement has obtained a very strong footing in Williamsburg, and the degree of success which they continue to meet with gives rise to much apprehension on the part of the Christian community there. Three sessions are held every Sunday, and the large room engaged by them in Grand Street is rapidly becoming too small for the increasing congregations. A special session was held yesterday to listen to an address from Elder Jackson, a prominent member of the Church recently returned from Utah. The large room was crowded to excess, and a number of the missionaries from Hempstead and district were present.

A New York correspondent of the Cincinnati Chronicle says—"Mormonism is flourishing in this section, it is said. Missionaries are busy at work on Long Island and make many converts. It is wonderful how zealous these people are. Here, when they have gained a subject they do not suffer his enthusiasm to cool, but proceed to rivet his chains by the waters of baptism; then give him work to do; engage him to convert others, that his burning, passionate zeal may have an outlet in the efforts to make proselytes, and he become confirmed in the faith himself. These men understand thoroughly the human nature of the class with which they have to deal."