MORMON CHURCH WORK

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26031, 7 February 1950, Page 2

MORMON CHURCH WORK

INCREASE IN N.Z. MEMBERSHIP

There was an increase of 66 per cent, in New Zealand last year in tne membership cf the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church, said Messrs P. Wheelwright and R. Holmes, two of the church’s 14 missionaries in the South Island, yesterday. Since their church increased its missionary forces overseas after the war, its membership had grown rapidly. The biggest increase recorded last year by any other church in New Zealand was cnly 5 per cent., they said. There was a total of about 14.000 members of the church in New Zealand at present, with about 40 active members in Christchurch. There were four. missionaries, ‘ including two women, at Christchurch, four at Timaru, and six at Dunedin. Nearly all of them were between 20 and 22 years of age, and were half way through their degree studies at university, which they would take up again on their return after their two years’ term as missionaries abroad. They received no payment from the church, and had to subsist entirely on their own savings, and the assistance of .relatives and friends. Mr Holmes said that from 1890 the Mormon Church forbade the practice or even the preaching of nolygamy, on pain of excommunication. Obedience to the civil law was one of the fundamental tenets of the church, he said.