Ph. D.

The "History of the Southern States Mission, 1831-1861," traces the development of a system of proselyting in the southeastern United States, and its effect on the lives of both missionaries and converts who embraced the principles of the restored gospel taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.This study includes an examination of twenty-eight personal missionary journals, and consequently gives a valid picture of Latter-day Saint objectives and the sacrifices necessary to achieve them. Their objectives were to carry the message to the world and build up the Kingdom of God.To reach their goal, the Mormons developed an enthusiastic and extensive proselyting system. As members joined the movement and caught the spirit of the Kingdom, they were zealous to carry the message to their friends and relatives. The free-lance method developed into a system wherein definite calls were made to a particular field of labor.One of the earliest and most fruitful fields of Mormon proselyting activity became known as the Southern States Mission – an area of thirteen southeastern states.The South was first contacted by two Mormon missionaries in June, 1831. Each succeeding year, the number of laborers increased. By 1861, at least 230 missionaries had served in the South. Some of them returned again and again, as many as five times, to spread the gospel. Even the threats of mobs did not stop their work. They not only preached the gospel, but also collected money to finance the temples and help the poor, sold subscriptions to L.D.S. newspapers, campaigned for Joseph Smith as a presidential candidate and organized Saints for emigration.The mission was a field of training for leadership. Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Jedediah M. Grant, George A. Smith and others received valuable training for Church responsibilities.The hospitable and religious nature of the Southerners made success possible. Approximately 2000 Southern converts joined the Church during the thirty year period. They came from the various strata of society--from Negro slaves to the wealthy plantation owners. They responded to their profession of faith by contributing their time, talents and money to the Church.As soon as the number of converts in a locality justified an organization, they sustained a local member as president of their "branch." The first branch was established in Cabell County, Virginia, in 1832. A larger ecclesiastical unit composed of branches, was developed into a "conference" in 1836.When Joseph Smith designated ‘gathering places’ for his followers, approximately fifty per cent of the Southern Saints joined the emigration movement to Missouri, Illinois and Utah.Proselyting activities focused on Texas after the body of the Church moved to Utah in 1847, and hundreds of Texans were affected by the "spirit of gathering." They had a long distance to travel, and experienced much hardship and discouragement.The "History of the Southern States Mission, 1830-1860," shows the effect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the lives of men. It reflects the successes, joys, sorrows and satisfactions that came to those who embraced the Latter-day Church. For thirty years, before the outbreak of the Civil War, the South was a fruitful missionfield. However, in 1861, the war brought a cessation of missionary work and ended the first era of the Mission's history.

No description available.

M. A.

Water and soil samples collected from the mouth to origin of the Savannah and Tombigbee Rivers were treated for enumeration of organisms of the Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum (MAIS) complex. Their numbers in soil and water were compared to physiochemical characteristics of these samples. Further, the number of MAIS organisms recovered from acidified and alkalinized soil samples, measurement of possible movement of soilborne MAIS organism into water and the numbers in soil and sediment at one location in the James River were investigated. Most MAIS organisms in soil (95%) could not be recovered because of irreversible binding. Appreciable numbers of MAIS organisms from soil were recovered along the entire length of both rivers, while high numbers in water were recovered toward the mouth and from turbid water samples. However the numbers in soil were much greater than those in water and numbers in sediment were greater than those in soil. The number recovered from soil was highest in acidic samples and in those with high organic matter content. High soil conductivity was associated with high recovery of MAIS organisms in the Tombigbee but not the Savannah River. The recovery of MAIS organisms from acidic soil samples could not be decreased by increasing soil pH, nor recovery from basic or neutral soils increased by acidification. Waterborne MAIS organisms were recovered from soil in a laboratory simulation of percolation of water through soil. / M.S.

M.S.

The growth of for-profit hospitals in the southern United States was researched. Two regression models were developed to analyze the spatial distribution and growth of for-profit hospitals as a function of the locational characteristics of a hospital's service area from 1970 to 1980. For the first model, the dependent variable was the market share of for-profit hospital beds in 1980. In the second model, the dependent variable was the percent rate of change in for-profit market share from 1970 to 1980. Based on this research, the for-profit hospital of the 1970's appears to express a locational preference for areas which had limited hospital competition and were becoming increasingly suburban. A detailed review of the literature on for-profit hospitals and the method of analysis is presented. / Master of Arts

Soil acidity is a major cause of low yields of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in the southeastern United States. Two field experiments were conducted on an Ernest silt loam soil (fine—loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Fragiudult) to determine what conditions are necessary for optimal alfalfa growth in an acid soil environment. In the first experiment alfalfa was no—till planted to evaluate the influence of surface applied dolomitic limestone at 0 and 6.7 Mg/ha either 8 or 20 months before planting and at planting on alfalfa performance under acidic conditions. Yield increases, greater than two fold, resulted from surface application of limestone regardless of time of application. In the second field experiment treatments included surface and incorporated dolomitic limestone at either 6.5 or 13.0 Mg/ha, gypsum at 13.0 Mg/ha, foliar Mo at 560 g/ha and N as a split. Yields increased in response to surface and incorporated lime, Ca, Mo and N application, possibly as a result of Al activities in soil solution being as low as 0 and 0.05 uM in the surface and 1 m depth samples, respectively, for the surface limed soils. Low activity of Al in soil solution may explain why subsurface acidity was not toxic to alfalfa grown on these soils. This study showed that surface limestone at half the recommended rate is adequate for the growth of alfalfa under acidic conditions. The implanted soil mass technique was used to evaluate the influence of subsurface amendments (Ca, N, Ca and N, KOH and Ca(OH)2) on alfalfa root growth and N fixation on soils that received either 0 or 6.7 Mg/ha surface applied limestone. Of the various subsurface amendments the Ca(OH)2 treatment produced the most root growth and N fixation. This study showed that both the reduction in acidity and the availability of Ca are necessary for optimal N fixation and root growth. In vitro studies conducted in growth pouches showed that pH 4.5 nutrient solution was not ·detrimental to alfalfa growth unless A1 was present. Addition of 3.0 mM Ca to a nutrient solution containing 0.08 mM Al alleviated toxic effects of Al on alfalfa growth. No-till alfalfa can thus be grown on acid soils with surface lime by providing Ca and reducing acidity. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

Daily production data were obtained from 22 independent contractors. The collected information included the contractors' estimates of their maximum production capacity and the actual production achieved. Explanations were requested to explain any difference between actual and achieved production. Most frequent causes of lost production were: 1) adverse weather, 2) quotas,3) moving. Other reasons for delays included mechanical problems, and labor problems. Median capacity utilization for the study period was 70%. The region of operation had a significant influence on capacity utilization: Contractors from the Piedmont had the highest capacity utilization (median of 81%), Coastal Plain (70%), and southern Appalachian (63%). Rain had the most impact on contractors. Above average rainfall occurred over much of the region during the study period. Stricter environmental regulations are suspected to have increased the impact of rain on harvesting operations. Production quotas affected a number of loggers during the study, especially in the southern Appalachians. Capacity losses accounted for six to nineteen percent for these contractors. Overall, weather proved much more significant than quota. A model was developed to estimate the cumulative cost of extra capacity in relation to the risk of wood outage at the consuming mill. The model could serve as a starting point for a better understanding of stump to mill wood flow. Quality control statistical methods were adapted to analyze logging operations systems. Run charts, control charts, and cusum charts were used to measure variability in systems' production. Variation in production levels appear to be increasing with increased regulation. Elasticity has become essential for contractors to maintain profitability. High production during the relatively short periods of good weather and no quotas generated the margin necessary to sustain the contractors during periods of little or no production. Findings suggested that long term production record should be maintained for a selected group of contractors. Better knowledge on the southern wood supply system sustain ability and adaptability could be developed for use in operation and inventory management planning. An increased knowledge and a broader use of quality management tools should be considered in wood procurement. / Master of Science

This thesis describes the history of the Southern unity movement beginning in the mid nineteenth century, with a focus on the legal and political conflicts that surrounded it.