MORMONISM IN TARANAKI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 113, 4 July 1911, Page 7

MORMONISM IN TARANAKI.

A SPECIAL MOIIMON MISSIONARY. Wo had as a visitor to our oflico yesterday, says Friday’s Mauaia “ Witness,” - Alj. G. Thurgood, who dosci il;od himself as a special Mormon missionary for the Maori districts of this island. Ho wss accompanied by a young Southern Maori as an assistant in his work among the natives, and lie spoke of him as an enthusiast in the work of Mormon propaganda. Mr. I liurgpnd said he wished to he allowed to make a statement.relative to tiie religion J;e represented, and, as he understood, tilings had appeared in the press reflecting on their methods and morals, lie was prepared to answer any questions that might' lie pur to him. Fie had, he said, seen it stated that they preferred girl convert!'. to men. Lie admitted that similar statements had appeared in English papers, hut there was no tnitii in it. In reply to a question* as to what class of people- Mormon missionaries were; whether they > were educated and what guarantee., there was as to their character and morals and their fitness for the hind of work” they undertook, he said lie was himself the son of a butcher in Utah, •and ho had received a. common school education and was selected for the I •work ho was engaged in because, in 4 the opinion of the Elders, he had spe-w cia). quid ideations. He wished to ho allowed to contradict the statement that the Mormon missionaries lived on Idle charity or benevolence of the Maoris. As for himself, ho got remittances by mail regularly from Utah and had no need for assistance from anyone. As to their proselytising work among the Maoris in this district, fie admitted they had made satisfactory progress, and the work was still going on. Out of the forty thousand Maoris in New Zealand, they had won fully six thousand over to Moroionisni. Some of those had go no out to Utah, but they paid their passages out. They bad scut some Maori families out from this district, ai d tic hoped in a short time they would be able to send more. 1 bis district was a promising field lor i hem, and they had some very good workers amongst the natives themselves.