It Did Not Take
Mormon missionary work met with no favor in this vicinity
Eau Claire Weekly Telegram | May 7, 1897

Not one convert as far as known

Latter-Day Saints evidently discouraged by lack of interest in their mission, as they have not been seen here for some time.

Eau Claire- The Mormon propaganda in this city and county has proven a fizzle. About six weeks ago two missionaries representing the church of Latter-Day Saints arrived here and commenced work. They applied for the use of the Second Congregational church, stating they had no money with which to secure any place to hold meetings. The trustees of the church declined to permit the Saints to use the edifice. They then commenced distribution of tracts from house to house and did a little personal proselyting by word of mouth. They made no impression and attracted scarcely any attention and it seems certain that they did not secure a single convert. Evidently becoming discouraged with Eau Claire as a field of labor, they left and have not been seen here for two or three weeks.

The concerted movement for the promotion of Mormonism is now going on in many sections of the country is one of the notable features of current events, and has not been
given as much attention by the press as some less interesting subject.

Chad’s Take- Eau Claire the new Salt Lake City?

A few months back I wrote about an article for this blog that told of Eau Claire authorities trying to keep a fortune teller out of the area by imposing a hefty daily business tax on her. I guess the officials did not recognize that if they wanted people to ignore the psychic all they had to do was label her a Mormon.

My real interest in this article rests with the two missionaries that were sent to Eau Claire to spread the word of Mormonism. Just how mediocre were these missionaries that they were unable to convert one single person? Seriously, not one convert? Most anyone could descend on Eau Claire and start spewing information about a water God residing in Half Moon Lake, and within a week this person would have at least a couple of disciples.

However, this article has not completed diminished my view of Mormons, in fact the
the next time they knock on my door I am going to answer just to see if they have improved their pitch over the years.

Keep an eye out!