--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Nordgren, Weston N. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 31 number: 7 published: 1928-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Weston N. Nordgren, “A Missionary Mobbing,” *Improvement Era* 31, no. 7 (May 1928): 594–598." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3107unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera3107unse start_page: 594 end_page: 598 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1928-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3107unse publication_year: 1928 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1928, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Missionary Mobbing A Missionary Mobbing By Weston N. Nordgren "Yes, it is terrible to be mobbed!" The speaker was a young man of perhaps twen- ty-six years, light, slight of frame, intelli- gent, and earnest. Around him, seated in chairs and on the single cot, were other "Mormon" elders. "Tell us about it!" they urged. Con- cern and sympathy were written on the eager faces of the group. "All right," said Lee, who had spoken first; "but, mind, I don't want to give you wrong impressions. The Indians of Ten- ango del Aire, Mexico, who mobbed mc weren't to blame. They did it as a relig- ious duty, thinking that my companion and I had come to destroy their churches and idols!" He looked slowly at each elder in turn. Seemingly satisfied, he continued: "Throughout Mexico, there had arisen a religious controversy due to conflict be- tween church and state. There were two religious parties, each striving to obtain the vantage ground in Mexico's religious muddle. The first of these, the Mexican Catholics, or Cismaticos, had separated themselves from the second party, which consisted of the staunch Roman Catholics, who held firmly to the Church of Rome. "In the forepart of March, 1925, the Mexican Catholics, (whom we will call Cismaticos, to distinguish them from the Roman, or staunch. Catholics) stormed and took by force several churches in Mexico City. Immediately, a great religious excite- ment ensued throughout the whole of Mexico. Strangers and merchants found it unsafe to travel alone in any of the out- lying districts, and especially in the Indian villages. "Our semi-annual conference had just concluded. President Rey L. Pratt and visitors to the conference were returning home, leaving the missionaries to return to their fields of labor. I had been given a new companion, a native boy, who was a new convert in the Church, and about three months old in the mission. His ex- periences were few as a missionary, but he had a wonderful testimony of the gospel. It was this testimony that gave him the courage to resist the unjust demands of the irresponsible, infuriated mob. "Two days before the mobbing, which we experienced on Friday, March 13, 1 925, we were driven out of a small Indian village at the point of a knife, and hastened away from a second village later in the day, when threatened with clubs. The Indians had been warned to keep all strangers out of their villages, to avoid the sacking of their churches. The Catholic padres, or priests, had told them to be on the alert, and to drive out any strangers who came, for fear they might be Cismaticos. To these uneducated Indians, their churches and idols were everything, and it was to protect these things that they were so ac- tively present. "In the second village, at each door where we called, a woman met us with a club. After we had gone about four blocks, without any good results, or with- out any chance of conversation, we found that about fifty or more women were fol- lowing us with clubs and sticks. They threatened us with bodily harm if we stayed; so we left rather abruptly. "Being discouraged in our tracting, we decided to visit a family of Saints in an- other little village, Tenango del Aire, about twelve miles from Amecameca, where we were living. We made it a point to visit all of our Saints at least once a month, or get in touch with them through a cottage meeting. "Leaving Amecameca Friday morning at eight o'clock, we arrived at Tenango del Aire about eleven o'clock. We went afoot, deciding to return by train that night. Brother Malaquias Indan's family was indeed pleased to see us, since it was not often we made personal visits to them. A MISSIONARY MOBBING 595 Brother Inclan was not at home when we arrived, having gone to the railway station to load corn. We visited with the family most of the afternoon, singing hymns, and explaining the principles of the gospel. About five o'clock, wc walked uptown to see just when the train would leave. On the way back to Inclan's, we noticed small groups of natives standing at corners and gates, talking eagerly. Not in the least did we suspect anything amiss. We nodded a friendly greeting and they returned the sal- utation as we passed. When we arrived at the home of the Saints, the bells in the churches pealed forth with thundering noise. We paid no particular attention to this, since the Mexican people are always ringing bells, for saints' days, festivals, and on almost any other occasion. "Five minutes later the big gate, or saguan, swung open, and in rushed an angry mob of about twenty men, armed with clubs and sticks. The district judge was in the lead; drunk, but supported by a little girl of about twelve years. His eyes glared balcfuUy, and his lips trembled for words. Wc were seated in the patio near a door of the house, and as the judge ap- proached, we rose to our feet and faced him. 'By what authority arc you here?' he shouted questioningly, 'Why are you here? Who are you?' His eyes were slits of fire. " 'Wc are just here as visitors,' I an- swered. He wasn't satisfied with my reply and turned to Sister Inclan. " 'Where is Malaquias Inclan?' he de- manded. "Sister Inclan threatened to report him to the prestdente, and he withdrew, taking the mobbers with him. Time came for us to catch the train, but we dared not make the attempt, since the mobbers had increased in numbers and were murmuring and grumbling outside the walls. We could hear them quarreling, and felt very unsafe. Brother Inclan then arrived, and was met by the mobbers, who threatened to hang him if he let us escape before morning. I heard the threats directed at him, and, open- ing the saguan, I stepped out to face the mob. I assured them that wc would not leave before morning, and that if they wanted us in court on the morrow, we would be glad to come, but that we didn't wish to be molested before that time. I told them we were visiting members of our own Church, and were not Cismaticos, which I feared they believed us to be. Part of the mob listened, but most of the mobbers milled around and muttered among them- selves. "At eight o'clock, an officer came in, stated his occupation, and demanded to know if we had weapons. He said he would protect us. We told him the only weapons we had were our Bibles and Books of Mormon. Then he went out, and im- mediately began firing his gun into the air. The mob rallied again and surged against the saguan. The noise became greater and our situation correspondingly precarious. We tried to sleep, on palates, or mats, on the floor. There were nine of us in all: Brother Inclan and wife, his father and mother-in-law, his partially blind brother- in-law, and an investigator with his wife, besides the two of us. In another room slept the baby of Brother and Sister Inclan. "The noise increased. We hid our val- uables, and placed our Bibles in our coat pockets. Brother Inclan tried to talk to the mobbers, but they demanded the 'Mor- mon' ministers and would not be stilled. He returned and wc held a circular prayer. We all knelt down together and each, in turn, offered a prayer for our safety. I know the Lord heard and answered our petitions that night. "We decided to hide in the rafters where cob corn was hung, knowing that we could not face the mob. We thought that per- haps the mob would think we had escaped, and go away. We hid on the boards that held the corn, just as the mob broke its way in, by pushing over some loose vol- canic rock at the rear of the patio. The Saints, women and men, battled with tho mob, until they were overcome. One of the mobbers grabbed the baby up and threw it back onto the hard slats of the wooden bed. After hunting in vain for us, the mob started to beat the Saints. Wc were ready to join in the melee, when one bright young fellow decided to climb 596 IMPROVEMENT ERA the loft to look for us. He had a shot- gun. I met him with the gun facing me, and, in the tussle which followed, we fell through the rafters to the floor below. Then those below closed in on me, strik- ing at me with sticks and clubs. I fought my way to the patio, to the side of my companion, who was now in the midst of the mob. We were taken to the street. dropped flat and held my breath while the mob rushed by. Two stragglers came into the field and saw me. " 'Here he is!' And then the scrap was on again. The mob rushed upon me from all sides. From the threats that came my way, I gathered that someone of affluence had convinced them that we were Cis- maticos. 'Why did you come to destroy Amccamcca, Mexico, where Elders Lcland M. Mortcnsen and Abdon Aragon lived at the time of the mobbing. Insert: Elder Mortensen. threatened, and beaten. It was unbearable, and I spoke to my companion in English. 'Brother Aragon, let's run!' He got free first, and dashed away; then I got loose and ran around the corner, and down the street. In some way, we ran in op- posite directions; then I saw him stumble. 'Shoot him! Shoot him!' came the cry! But the natives either dared not shoot, or had no ammunition, for they swarmed along behind, uttering curses and threats. I ran zig-zag to misplace any gun sights that might be aimed at me, but no one fired. I had been a long-dist- ance runner in school, and I could have left the mob behind, but I was afraid for Brother Abdon Aragon. I determined to return and help my companion. A field, vacant and weed-covered, loomed up. I our churches and idols i* Why did you try to deceive us?' were the questions hurled at me. Machetes, rocks, clubs, sticks — all came my way. I fought a losing fight, but time after time I struggled to my feet, as I found I could better protect myself in this position. The Mexican with the gun was a menace, but I finally discouraged him by dodging when he attempted to ram me with it. "One thing was in my favor. There were so many natives trying to hit me that they got in one another's way, and did much damage to themselves. Finally I was beaten to the ground, and the last I remembered was the hurting crunch of pieces of volcanic rock as they hit my head and back. "Later, as I was dragged through the A MISSIONARY MOBBING 597 streets, the moistened atmosphere brought me back to consciousness!. I struggled to my feet, and the mobbers started to beat me again. Some, however, had com- passion on me, and in a diplomatic man- ner, interceded in my behalf. I was taken to a schoolhouse where I found Elder Abdon Aragon, and the so-called officers of the village. I had thought them mob- bers, but they had not entered the mix-up nor allowed their guns to be used. Broth- er Aragon was terribly beaten and lacer- ated about the head and face. I was dumped on the floor, and the mobbers who had brought me in started beating my companion. Finally the officers stopped them. Then they made me sit on the floor, with my back to a bench. Every time I leaned over, an officer would make me straighten up. "Someone in the crowd suggested that it would be a good idea to make us con- fess to the cross. With a knife and gun poking in his stomach, Elder Aragon vali- antly refused to embrace it. Then the judge walked in and took the matter into his own hands. He started a conversation with my companion, and drove the mob- bers out of the room. Brother Aragon explained the principles of the gospel to him, and won him over to our side. "I kept pleading for water, but the officer who guarded me (and who had promised us protection earlier in the even- ing) showed me his gun, and taunted me, 'This will satisfy your thirst soon.' The judge, after conversing for a while with Brother Aragon, was moved to sym- pathy, and ordered out the officers. He told one of the mobbers to get me a drink of water, over at Indan's; but he soon returned, saying that he could not gain admittance, and that the women were all inside, crying. The judge ordered him to pick me up, and together we went to Inclan's. I shouted until the Saints knew who it was, and they opened the gate. I drank eagerly, and no one tried to pre- vent me from drinking too much. I was bleeding, and had a fever, and, of course, was very thirsty. Later in the night I began to chill and shake as if I had the ague. I was taken back to the school house, and laid on the palates, and covered with quilts. The judge kept two offi- cers to guard us through the night, and dispersed the mob. Fever triumphed, and I slept. The next morning we were taken to the court house, where our testimonies were taken, along with those of the three leading mobbers, who had been caught. "Later in the day we were put on board the train and taken to Chalco, the county seat. There we were thrown into the 'hospital' section of the jail, to await the arrival of the presidente of the town. The only claim to being a hospital our room had was the fact that it held another sick man. No doctors, no medical care, were provided. We were told that we would have tjo remain there until the following Tuesday, when the presidente would arrive home. "Saints and elders from the Ozumba dis- trict came to our assistance, and tried to have the secretary of the town let us go; but in vain, for he was adamant in his decision to keep us for the town's over- lord. A merchant of Chalco, who was a member of our Churc^h, heard of our plight and brought over his only Amer- ican mattress for us to lie upon. During the day Mexican Saints brought us food and tried to comfort us. It made tears of gratitude flow to see those dear sisters come into the room loaded down with food and clothing. "The poor old brother who was partly blind, due to age, had escaped the mob. and had traveled in the night from Tenango del Aire to Amecameca, a dis- tance of about twelve miles, to warn the Saints of that place of our danger. Our landlady sent a telegram to the elders in Mexico City. "In the night following, I kept Elder Aragon busily engaged attending to me. I was in much the same condition the next morning, Sunday. Early in the day. Elders William Walscr and Dewy S. Farns- worth arrived from Mexico City, secured a doctor, and had our wounds treated. This was the first medical assistance we had received. Elder Farnsworth returned 598 IMPROVEMENT ERA to Mexico City, and Brother Walser stayed all of Sunday to help us. He left about noon Monday, and Elder Famsworth re- turned with Elder Thomas D. Burningham and Vice Consul-General Evans, of Mexico. They obtained our release, and at one- thirty in the afternoon we were taken away. I was placed in the American hospital in Mexico City; Brother Aragon's wounds were treated and he returned to the Mission Home. "I recovered rapidly, and in three weeks we were back in our field of labor, preach- ing the gospel. We started tracting, but were stopped by orders from the mis- sion headquarters. Our meetings contin- ued, and twice more we were delivered by the Lord from mobs which gathered about us. We were able to see some good from this mobbing affair, for one of the officials of Tenango del Aire made special trips to Amecameca every week for tracts. Books of Mormon, and to converse on gos- pel topics. He sold the Books of Mor- mon to his friends. The last that I heard of him, he had become a very earn- est investigator. The Saints seemed to have a greater love for us, and many new friends arose on every hand to delight our souls. Our testimonies were greatly strengthened, and even the Presidente of Tenango del Aire gave us a special invita- tion to visit him in his home any time we wished. The greatest part of the testi- mony I gained was through seeing how Brother Aragon's testimony had been tried and tested, and found tt*ue and stead- fast!" Four elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in our room in El Paso, Texas, felt indeed humbled. We felt in sympathy with the poor, un- enlightened people who had persecuted our brethren; we felt in sympathy with our brethren who had withstood the mobbing, and who had risen from their beds of afflic- tion with truer and firmer convictions in their souls that they had the true gospel. And though Leland Mortensen didn't seem to realize it, he became a hero, where he had almost become a martyr. To God he gives the credit for the results of the trials he has gone through. In a quiet, unassum- ing way, he praises his Maker, and tries to live the gospel as he sees it, as he has taught it, as he tries to help other missionaries to see and live it! And to us who were in that room, the testimony of this dear brother is a living, flaming spark of faith that will ever be a light to our feet in trudging life's uncertain pathway. Sigurd, Utah Destiny Destiny spins a silken thread. As she weaves the pattern of life; Into her loom the years are fed. To be crossed with joys or strife. But we command the shaping hand. Of Destiny's patient weaving; Obedient still to our master will, She weaves, from us receiving. The pattern is rolled into the past, Forgotten are details made, But the warp is strong and colors fast. They neither break nor fade. For you and I, as days go by. Must guide the weaver's weaving; And the pattern, whole, must clothe the soul, When earthly life we're leaving. IRVIN L. Warnock