The Mormon Church
in North Carolina
Many folks undoubtedly will be sur¬
prised to learn of the strides which
this denomination lias maile in
North Carolina during the last
thirty years.
DID you know that there are more than 6,000 members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (usually called Mor¬
mons) in North Carolina?
Did you know that there were four North Carolinians who were mem¬
bers of the original band of Mormon Pioneers who entered Utah a hun¬
dred years ago?
And did you know that there are fifteen church-owned chapels in
various sections of the state, with nine more to be erected within a few
years?
These facts, along with much additional information, was submitted
to us last week by three young men who are missionaries of the Mor¬
mon Church and'are now at work in this state. Believing that our
readers would be interested in knowing what the Mormons have been
doing in North Carolina during the last thirty years, we asked them
to prepare an article for us on the subject. It is being published here¬
with exactly as they wrote it.
It was just thirty years ago that
the first branch of the Church of
. Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
was organized in Mount Airy,
which is in the northwest part of
North Carolina. This is of particu¬
lar interest since in November of
1947 James L. Hiatt, of Mt. Airy,
who is the fifth generation of
North Carolina Hiatts to hold mem¬
bership in the church, was select¬
ed first counselor to Elder James
Robert Price, President of the At¬
lantic States Mission of the church,
of which North Carolina is a large
part.
Within the next few years there
will be erected in North Carolina
nine beautiful chapels in the cities
of Wilmington, Goldsboro. Tar-
boro, Colfax, Mount Airy, Durham,
Kannapolis and Burlington at a
total probable cost of over $300,-
000. There are at present fifteen
church-owned chapels in use, and
many congregations meeting with¬
out chapels. The astonishing de¬
velopment here in such a short
period of time speaks well of the
church membership of North Caro¬
lina.
Two Districts in the State
For growth and advancement,
any organization regardless of its
merits requires progressive lead¬
ers, and the rapid development of
the church in North Carolina is due
to the abundance of such leader¬
ship. At the present time North
Carolina is divided into two dis¬
tricts. east and west. Each district
is fully organized with a presi¬
dency composed of three men and
a district council of twelve men.
James L. Bennett, of Durham, is
now president of the west district
and Latham A. Wiggins, of Golds¬
boro, is president of the east dis¬
trict. As president these men have
two counselors from their respec¬
tive districts. In the west district
Kenneth L. Duke, associate pro¬
fessor of Anatomy at Duke Univer¬
sity, is the first counselor, and Wil¬
liam LaMar Webb, credit manager
of Wachovia Bank in Winston-
Salem is the second counselor.
These men devote as much of their
free time as required in their vari¬
ous church activities, which are
very extensive, with approximate¬
ly 3,000 members in each district.
In the west district there are
branches of the church located in
Durham, Roxboro, Burlington,
High Point, Winston-Salem, Mount
Airy, Kannapolis, Gilreath, Char¬
lotte, Asheville, Colfax, Hollifield
and Aldridge. In the east district
the organization is comprised of
branches in Goldsboro, Raleigh,
Tarboro, Rocky Mount, Wilming¬
ton, Harkers Island, Hamstead,
Kinston, Deep Run and Mount
Zion.
The Women's Organization
One of the most active auxil¬
iaries of the church in North Caro¬
lina is the Relief Society, the wom¬
en's organization, founded in 1842
by Joseph Smith, the first presi¬
dent of the church. The North
Carolina Relief Society is making
an impressive record of service
and achievement. With few excep¬
tions each branch in the state has
an organized Relief Society which
meets weekly with a definite out¬
line of activities scheduled. One
meeting of the month is devoted
to a study of theology, the next to
social science, and another is de¬
voted to a study of the family and
how to make and manage a happy
home. One day each month is set
aside by the ladies for a work-and-
business meeting. It is the direct
duty and purpose of the Relief
Society to care for the needy and
The Utah Centennial Quartette, now singing in North Carolina. Left to
right; Elder Lendon Barney, Elder Wayne F. Pearson, Elder LaVon Fife
and Elder Serge Huff.
THE STATE. DECEMBER 27. 1947
