1904-02-25-Millennial Star-Eastern States Mission
Eastern States Mission
- Millennial Star, v n , 25 February 1904.
- by John G. McQuarrie, President of the Eastern States Mission
THE Eastern States mission embraces that part of the United States lying north of Virginia and east of Ohio, embracing within its limits about onethird of the population of the country. It was in this section that the modern Prophet was born and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had its birth. It was here that the proclamation of the Truth, in modern times, was first sounded. In our present ministry we occasionally cross the trails, or notice the footprints of men, such as Brigham Young, John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff and many others who did yoeman service for the Church when the Gospel truths first commenced to fight their way to recognition.
During the early period of the Church history, many of the honest in heart were gathered into the fold from this section, and strong branches were built up in Pennsylvania, New York and New England, but the fierce storm of persecution that culminated in the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri and Illinois, also drove the Elders from this field. The doors of other countries commenced to open and more fruitful fields were found in other sections, hence this district was practically abandoned until 1893, when President Woodruff sent a few Elders here under the direction of Elder Job Pingree to try to locate and revive the scattered Saints. They found quite a number who had remained firm in the faith through all the years of separation from their brethren. Elder Pingree was honorably released in 1895, and Samuel W. Richards was sent to take charge. The special mission given to President Richards was to meet public men, to try to allay public feeling, to write for the press, etc., as a kind of preparation for the work that was to follow. He was assisted by about twenty Elders who kept in touch with the Saints, traveled as they were led, taught the Gospel and located profitable fields of labor; but this was more of a pioneer movement, as the boundaries of the mission were not definitely fixed. There were no divisions of territory, records or reports.
In 1897 President Richards was honorably released and Alonzo P. Kesler, a young, energetic Elder who had just returned from a mission in England, was sent here to preside. The boundaries of the mission were then enlarged and fixed; the territory was divided into conferences and the working force gradually increased until, in December, 1898, there were one hundred and fortynine Elders laboring under his direction. President Kesler was released March 11th, 1899, and William H. Smart was chosen to preside. The work had grown very rapidly during the administration of President Kesler, and it was very apparent that a more perfect system was necessary to correspond with the increasing importance of the mission. President Smart immediately called to his aid some very efficient help. Edward H. Snow, of St. George, Utah, and John M. Whitaker, of Salt Lake City, were chosen as first and second counselors respectively, and Arthur F. Burton, of Afton, Wyoming, was chosen as clerk.
I have noticed in the growth and development of the Church the peculiar fitness of the men who have guided her destiny, each one so suitable for the period in which he lived. The same thing is often manifest in the various departments of the Church. The men mentioned above seemed particularly suited for the work in hand. The mission was thoroughly organized and was soon placed on a firm financial basis. A comprehensive mission history was opened, and no pains spared in hunting important data and dates, and a very complete summary of past events was secured. The names and genealogies of the Saints were listed and arranged in convenient order; statistical records, blanks for reports, etc., were printed; plates were prepared for printing tracts and books necessary for proselyting, and everything commenced to work with the exactness and precision of a perfectly adjusted and well oiled machine. Not only was the mechanical part of the organization complete, but the spiritual power necessary to make it operate was also enthused into it by the energy, faith and spirituality of President William H. Smart and his associates in office. When President Smart was released in August, 1900, he was succeeded by Edward H. Snow, who had so ably assisted him in his labors. President Snow had little opportunity to reap a harvest or see the results of his work. He presided over the mission during the winter of 1900 and 1901, and in March, 1901, he was released and called to preside over the St. George Stake of Zion.
I received my appointment from President Lorenzo Snow and took up the work just in time to reap the fruits from the good seed sown by my predecessors.
We had very marked success during the year 1901. Up to this time most of the work has been done in country districts. The converts were scattered, and we found it quite hard to develop their faith, and the few scattered members did not add much to our prestige in the country, so we decided to centralize our forces more in the principal cities, not that we expected to make more converts, but public sentiment is manufactured in these large centers, and if we could get permanent organizations effected they would act as powerful agencies in correcting false reports; besides, the millions residing in these great cities had to be warned and we could never hope to reach them by traveling from house to house in the country.
I well remember how small I felt when I first stood on the Brooklyn Bridge and watched the stream of humanity flow by. I wondered how we could ever reach such vast multitudes. The mystery deepened as every effort at personal contact was repulsed. When we hired halls and scarcely any were even curious enough to step in and hear us, when we found most of the houses so guarded against intrusion that the doors would open just wide enough to allow the occupants to learn our business, I thought, how can a few Western boys ever make themselves heard or felt or known in a place like this where there are thousands of educated, cultured, eloquent ministers who are never known beyond the narrow circle of the few who happened to attend their church. Had it not been for the assurance that God was able to bring about his purposes, I would have given up in despair, but we kept marching around the stone walls of prejudice and indifference, blowing our trumpets and trying to do our part with a full faith that the Lord would do His, and He did not fail to do it. He has brought to our assistance most powerful agencies, and the Gospel message has been flung from the press with its ten thousand tongues and sent direct to the ears of the rich and proud, as well as to the poor and humble. During the past three years our work has been kept almost constantly before the world by the most important papers of America. Much has been said on both sides, but those seeking the Truth have had an opportunity to find it, and we can say like Paul that all people have beard the Gospel where we have been appointed to minister.
We have steadily increased our numbers, and for some time past we have been able to hold regular Sunday services in New York, Brooklyn, Boston, Albany, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Allegheny. Whenever our enemies attempt to create a newspaper sensation, the reporters immediately come to our meetings or headquarters to find something on the other side, so that the bad effect is usually counteracted. It is becoming much harder to raise a storm against our people, for the character assassins feel obliged to have at least a shadow of fact to support their assertions and facts suitable for their purpose are scarce.
We have at present one hundred and fifteen Elders. Our baptisms during the past year have averaged about two to each Elder.
I can only touch on methods of work in this article, but I suppose our methods are similar to those adopted in other fields. The Elders in New York live in groups of four, they rent a small suite of rooms where they have a spare room for study which serves also as a reception room. They are supposed to study from nine to eleven a.m., meet in class from eleven to twelve, tract in the afternoon, hold meetings, or visit Saints or investigators in the evening.
We make a special effort to get our friends acquainted with each other, and we enlarge our circle of friends and bind them closer together by occasionally giving entertainments or socials. Members can get their friends to attend an entertainment when they would not come to a religious service, but after coming in contact with the people and hearing of the faith their prejudice disappears, they grow more bold and commence to attend the regular Sunday meetings.
I appreciate the step taken by President Grant to draw the missions closer together. The missions in the past have been strangers to each other, and the only way we can become neighbors is to have a common place in which to meet and discuss questions and relate experiences. This can only be done through a mission organ. I am glad to learn that the MILLENNIAL STAR is the "mission journal of the Church.” I am glad of this opportunity to introduce the Eastern States mission to the European mission and all the missions in the world, and after we have all made our debut, I trust we will discover the fact that we belong to the same family and that we will enjoy a freer intercourse in the future.
In the name of the Elders of the Eastern States mission I extend greetings to our comrades in all parts of the world.
New York, February 3rd, 1904.
