Here another view of the sisters presents itself. Much of the success of "Mormonism" in foreign lands is due to the fact that the elders, like Christ and his apostles of old, went about preaching the gospel "without purse or scrip."
This apostolic custom captivated woman at once. Her sympathies were charmed. She admired the heroic devotion and self-abnegation of such ministers of Christ. Their examples directly appealed to her, so like were they to her own faith. The disinterested aims and efforts of these men for human good so accorded with her own divine aspirations, that she leapt with a glorious enthusiasm to their side. For once woman had found the opportunity to exercise her own methods of apostleship.
She saw these elders upon the altar of sacrifice for a Christian cause. Out in the wilderness of society were they, during the best years of youth, preaching without purse or scrip, trusting in Providence for their daily bread as truly as do the sparrows whom the Great Father feeds. Wandering through the world were these devoted men, often with blood in their well-worn shoes, preaching the glad tidings of a new dispensation which the angels had opened to bring immortality to mortals, and establish the order of heaven on earth. Such were the examples which the elders presented in their ministry, and such examples woman loved.
Though they bore the title of elders, these missionaries, especially the native ones, were generally young men from the age of twenty to thirty. Scarcely were they converted ere they were sent out to mission the land. The prophet Joseph had well cogitated on the saying of Christ, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few;" and it was at once a bold and happy stroke of genius on his part to leave the beaten track of choosing only matured and experienced divines, calling instead a multitude of youths and striplings to aid him in evangelizing the world. This was much like Mohammed's choosing of the youthful enthusiast Ali to be his lieutenant in his religious empire-founding mission. And so at one time might have been found in Europe nearly a thousand of these young men, out in the ministry, bearing the title of elders. Strange example! Elders at twenty; veterans at twenty-five, who had built up their conferences! This pleased woman. It was unique. The example touched her heart and stimulated her faith through her very sympathy for and admiration of the heroic.
Into the villages of England, Scotland and Wales these youths made their way, with hymn-book and Bible in hand, but with no ministerial recommendation except a forceful, innovative intellectuality, and souls inspired with the glories of a new and conquering faith.
Alone, at eventide, they would uncover their heads, on some green bit of common, or, if on the Sabbath day, would daringly near the old village church, which well might tremble at such sacrilege, as did they literally in those bold missionary attempts, that never had been made but for youth's rich unconsciousness of inability. Then would ring out the hymn of the Latter-day Saints:
"Go, ye messengers of glory,
Run, ye legates of the skies,
Go and tell the pleasing story,
That a glorious angel flies;
Great and mighty,
With a message from on high!"
Or perchance it would be this instead:
"The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled;
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world."
And many a village has been startled with this tremendous proclamation, from the lips of young men: