Mormonism on Vancouver Island: A Comment

Abstract

Robert J. McCue's recent article on the establishment and growth of the Mormon Community on Vancouver Island appears to have other objectives than to examine thoroughly the reasons for the spread of the religion. In a vein characteristic of those who write about a given religion from the inside, Professor McCue outlines in detail the names of the major personalities involved in the early stages and devotes a lot of space to determining whether Brigham Young's idea in 1845 of Vancouver Island as a possible haven could have had anything to do with the numbers of Mormons found here in the late twentieth century. He stresses two primary reasons for growth : the migration of Mormons from elsewhere and the success of the intensified missionary effort, particularly since the Second World War. He notes as well the difficulties that existed earlier to prevent this religion from gaining a foothold, i.e., strong opposition in Victoria reflected in adverse press comments at the beginning of the present century. At that time, it might be added, Mormonism was probably still best known for polygamy, which the Mormon Church had only officially proscribed in 1890. But, as Clifford has noted, there were other reasons given for rejecting it in Canada, including the equal authority claimed for the Book of Mormon compared to the Bible and the surrender of personal liberty to the priesthood. The trouble with McCue's article is that it does not make use of social science. Even if one concedes that the missionary effort was highly important, one is still faced with the question: why do people join? Social scientists in accounting for recruitment in religious movements do not confine their explanations to the actions of those who persuade others to join. They look for propensities or needs in potential converts which push