..1 ftiiri CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell University Library BX8645 .H99 1857 Mormonism : its leaders and designs / by olin 3 1924 029 475 070 Cornell University Library The original of tinis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029475070 MORMONISM: ITS LEADERS AND DESIGNS. JOHN HYDE, JuN., rOBUEBLT A MORMON XLDEB AlTD BESIDENT OF SALT LAKE OITT. SECOND EDITION. NEW YOKK: W, P. FETRIDGE & COMPANY, No. 2 81 BROAD WAT, OPFOSITS BTEWABT^S. 185 7. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by W. P. FETEIDGE & CO., In the Clerk'a Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. STEEEOTTPED BT PBINTBD ItY TnOMASJs. SMITH, J. APPLE It Y^ 82 & 84 Beekman-Bt., N.T. 82 & 84 Beekman-st DEDICATION. TO THE HONEST BELIEVERS IN MORMONISM. My Friends : In writing the following work, I was not actuated by the base design of helping to malign an unpopular people, nor by the unworthy one of administering to mere idle curiosity. I wrote it neither to feed public prejudice, nor to supply public scandal. I wrote it for you ; to you, there- fore, I dedicate it. I know your sincerity ; I know also your delusion. As sincerely deceived as yourselves, I have preceded you to Salt Lake City. Some things of what I there saw, with the reflections they have suggested, are contained herein. Of the jnuch that ought to be said, I have endeavored to say a little. The subject, however, is by no means exhausted. While it is better to learn by personal experience than ever to remain ignorant, it is far wiser to profit by the experience of others. Although the practices of individuals , IV DEDICATION. can not determine the principles of communities, yet, when those practices are criminal and those individuals assume to be prophets and apostles,- all men ought to hesitate before committing themselves to their jurisdiction, believing their pretensions, or imitating their examples. If the following pages, for which I solicit your serious and candid perusal, accomplish no more, may they at least lead you to a thorough and careful re-investigation of your grounds of faith ; while they teach you to remember that new thoughts are not, therefore, true thoughts ; nor new light true light. To industriously declaim against the evils exist- ing in the world, does not render proposed remedies neces- sarily good ; and wise men should deliberate before rushing " from evils that we know, To those we know not of." I am your sincere well-wisher, THE AUTHOR. New Toek, July, 1851 INTRODUCTION. It is interesting to learn the peculiarities of a remote nation or an ancient age. It is far more important, however, that we should correctly understand the char- acter and practices of any extraordinary people of our own day. Mormonism and the Mormons are subjects that not only deserve attention or excite • iuterest, but demand the most serious consideration. The meanness of its origin, the singularity of its history, its present anomalous position, its still increasing dissemination, the mysterious influence it exercises on its followers, and its ultimate destiny, should commend its investigation to all persons. As a curious example of successful impos- ture, and a stern proof of human fanaticism, it must iu- terest the philosopher. As a system of absolute auto- cracy in the center of a republic, it must attract the attention of politicians. As ensuring human misery, and consummating human degradation, in the cases of thousands of credulous men and women, and thousands more of helpless children, it should be noticed by the philanthropist. As a religious delusion increasing very VI INTRODUCTION. rapidly, and entailing not only present suffering, but eternal loss on its infatuated adherents, it ought to axouse the divine to thought and action. Mormonism is no longer a myth ; and however wise the policy of contemptuous disregard for its mental delu- sion or its moral contaminations may have previously been, it is wise no longer. It has become a fact, and is every day growing more substantial and consolidated. As such a fact it deserves to be examined, and demands to be met. In so far as it is erroneous, it needs refuta- tion ; or wicked, it needs exposure ; or criminal, it needs punishment. To be met it must be understood ; and to be under- stood it must be investigated. There is much falsehood circulated about the Mormons. This every one must perceive. Knowing this, many truthful accusations are successfully denied by their apologists, disbelieved by their followers, and rejected by impartial persons, accus- tomed to newspaper exaggerations. In such case the testimony of an eye and ear witness, if credible, must be important. As such, the following work is submitted. The author has endeavored to exhibit the people of Utah as they are ; and while he has much " Extenuated, Has set down naught in malice." Prophetic assumptions must be sustained by prophetic conduct, or they fail The validity of bombastic preten- INTRODUCTION. VU sions to superior purity can only be determined by the extent of that purity. While this is inevitably true, still the correctness of principles does not depend on consist- ency of practice. A theory may be admirable and prac- ticable however much neglected or despised. Many sincere believers in Mormonism, as a system, deplore its exhibitions as a practice. To prove to such that the practices of Mormons are the natural consequents of their theory, is another object of this work. Circumstances throw many persons into controversy with believers of this system, but the press of whose oc- cupations prevents any elaborate and personal investiga- tion of their tenets and history, or of the opposing arguments. In order to supply, to a small extent, such information, and briefly to indicate whence such arguments may be drawn, has been another design of the author. And if the great Source and Ultimatum of all truth will accept and bless this work, to the inducing any mind to shake oflf the bondage of a miserable delusion the author will feel abundantly repaid. CONTENTS. INTEODtrOTIOH', CHAPTER I. THE AUTHOR. M0HM0NI8M IN ENGLAND AND AMEEIOA — EMBEAOBS M0RM0NI8M — IB OBDATNED AND PEEAOHES — GOES AB A MI88IONAET TO FEAHGB — LEAVES ENGLAND FOE AMERICA — VT3ITS NATTVOO AND OARTHAGB — THE SMITIIB — lOAEIANS — THE PLAINS — THE INDIANS — AEEIVE8 AT SALT LAKE — 18 INITIATED INTO MORMON MYSTERIES — EFFORTS TO LEAVE SALT LAKE CITY — APPOINTED A MISSIONAKT TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS — LEAVES FOE CALIFORNIA — DOUBTS AND DIFFI- CULTIES— PACIFIO OOEAN — AKEIVE8 AT SANDWICH ISLANDS — EENOUNOEB MORMONISM — BEIGHAM'8 OEETIF I GATE— MOTIVES FOE ACTING — CONDtJOT OF THE AUTHOEITIES TOWAED HIM, . . . . . . .IS CHAPTER II. SALT L, AKE OITT. "the big mountain" — ^EMIGRATION KANTON — THE BENCHES — QEEAT SALT LAKE — THE CITY WALL — THE CITY — THE INHABITANTS — THE HOUSES OF THE LEADING MEN NEAE TEMPLE BLOCK — KIMBALl's CITY PEOPBETY — BEIGHAM'B LION HOUSE — THE MANSION AND WHITE HOUSE — MOEM^iN THEATEE AND DANCING-HALL — PUBLIC BUILDINGS — TITHING OFFICE AND SYSTEM OF TITH- ING — COMMUNISM AND C0H3ECEATION — PUBLIC LANDS — TEMPLE BLOCK — TABEKNAOLE AND SABBATH SERVICES — ENDOWMENT HOUSE AND TEMPLE — a THE SOIL — CAPACITY TO 8UPP0ET INCEEASED POPULATION — STAEVATtON — MANUFACTORIES— LIQUOE MAKING AND CONSUMING — lEON AND GOAL FOE THE PACIFIO EAILEOAD— MINEEAL8 — WEAPON MANUPACTOEIES — THE MOEMON CENSUS AND LYLHTQ — MOEMON PEOSPEEITT AND PUEITT, , . .27 CHAPTER III. PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. FAMILY AEEANGEMBNTS — FAVORITES — DOMESTIC HAPPINESS — SLEEPING ALONK — MAKING TABEENACLES— MOEMON SALVATION— WIFE HUNTING— MOTHKEB 1* X CONTENTS. FAQS AND DATTGHTEE8 BEALED TO ONE MAW — HALF-SISTEE "WTPE — ^EFFBOTS OP POLYGAMY Olf FtRST WIVES — WHISKY — TERMAGANTS — ADULTEEY — JEAX-OtTBY — BBIGHAM ON OONN0BIALITIB8— PKOPOETION OP THE BEXB9 IN UTAH — AEGUMBNTS TTSED TO INDUOE YOUNG GIEL8 TO MAKEY POLYGAMI8T8 IN PEBFERENOB TO YOUNG MEN— WHY THEY DO NOT LEAVE — EFFECTS OF POLYGAMY ON THE CHILDEEN — MOETALITY — STERILITY OP WOMEN — EAELY MAEEIAGE — DIVORCE— MRS. MCLEAN AND PARLEY P. PRATT — MRS. COBB AND BRIGHAM— UTAH MABRU.GEe, ....•• 51 CHAPTER lY. MOKMON MYSTERIES. SEALING FOE ETERNITY — WOMEN SEALED TO ONE AND MAEEIED TO ANOTHER HUSBAND — SPIEITUAL WIVES — CAUSE OP SMITH'S DEATH — SMITH'S WIDOWS — "proxy doctrine" — MARRIAGE AND SEALING FOE THE DEAD — THE ENDOW- MENT — WASHING AND ANOINTING — FIRST DEGREE OP AAEONIO PRIESTHOOD -SECOND DEGREE OF AARONIO PRIESTHOOD — FIRST DEGREE OF MBLCHISEDEO PRIESTHOOD — SECOND DEGREE OP MELCHtSEDEO PRIESTHOOD — " BEHIND THE VAIL" — OBEDIENCE WITH EXAMPLES — 8BAL1HGS AT THE ALTAR — MURDERS — INITIATION LECTURES— fiEALlNGS TO INDIAN S^AWS — ADOPTION— SELLING DAUGHTERS, .......... 83 CHAPTER V. EDUCATION. PKACTIOAL BDtrOATION — SCHOOL SYSTEM — BRAGGADOCIO— SCHOOL TEACHERS- THREE months' terms and nine MONTHS' VACATIONS — EVENING SCHOOM — DANCING SCHOOLS — ORSON PRATT v. BRIGHAM YOUNG — ^KIMBALL ON EDU- CATED MEN — PRATT'S mathematical CLASS— GRAMMAR SCHOOLS — CULTIVATED FEMALE SOCIETY — HOME EDUCATION — FEMALE "BA8 BLBUS" — LITEEAET IN- STITUTIONS — NOVEL-READING — DESBEET ALPHABET — NEWSPAPERS — BOOK OP MORJiON — smith's REVELATIONS — ^NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE — BOOK OP ABEAKAM— KEY TO APOCALYPSE OP ST. JOHN— PROPHECIES OP ENOCH — GOSPEL OP ADAM— WRITTEN LAW V. ORAL LAW— C0NTBOVEE8IAL WORKS, 116 CHAPTER VI. BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. HIS BIOGRAPHY — BIRTH AND EDUCATION — EMBRACBB MORMONISM — MEETS SMITH THE PROPHET — JOURNEY TO MISSOURI — IS ORDAINED AN APOSTLE— PEBAOHEB — APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF THE APOSTLES — FLIES FOR HIS LIFE RELAYS FOUNDATION OF TEMPLE IN JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI — MISSION TO ENGLAND — RETURNS TO NAUVOO — BRIGHAM AND SMITH — BRIGHAM AND SID- NEY BIGDON — BUILD8 UP NAUVOO — 'CONDUCTS EMIGRATION — MORMON BAT- TALION — SALT LAKE CITY— EEIGHAM's LEADBESBIP — APPOINTED PRESIDENT CONTENTS. XI PAGE OF CHUEOn — QUAKKELS WITH JITDGEB AND EXPELS THEM — COLONEL 8TEPT0B — " MODUS OPEEANDl" — SUOITLD HE DIE, FATE OF THE OHUEOn — PEBSONAL APPEARANCE — IN COUNCIL AND IN PULPIT — SATELLITES TO THIS PLAOTJT — HIS MANNERS — STYLE OF ORATORY — AS A. -WRITER — A8 A HUSBAND AND FATHER — DOMESTICITIES — HIS WIVES — HIS FAVORITE — WOMEN COURTING THE MEN— OOCTTPATIONS AND PROPERTY— UNITE KSAL CONFIDANT AND ADTISEK — ADMINISTRATIVE BLUNDERS — SECRET OF SUCCESS, .... 136 CHAPTER YII. BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. INTENTION OF MORMONISM — SMITH's PREDICTION AND DESIGN — ^MORMON PRAYERS — CHRIST COMING IN 1890 — WHERE HE SHALL DESCEND BEIGHAm'S POSITION — BEIGHAM ON HIMSELF — DRAWING THE SWORD OF THE ALMIGHTY —SHEDDING BLOOD— BRIGU AM ON PE03PECTS OP UTAH — FANA.TI01SM— HK ARMY — HIS INTENTION IF ARRESTED — HIS METHOD OF GOTEENMENT — STEAL- ING BRIBERY — DEBT-PAYING — FEIOHTENING APOSTATES — MORMON MISSIONS AND MISSIONARIES — BEIGHAH^'S POLICY — HIS SUCCESSOR — JOSEPH SMITH, JUN. — HEBEE u. KIMBALL — O. HYDE — P. PRATT — JOSEPH A YOUNG — BEIGHAm''S GOD — ^ADAM THE FATHER OF CHRIST, . . . , . .172 CHAPTER YIII. OHRONOLOGIOAL HISTORY OF MORMONISMj 199 CHAPTER IX. ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL EVIDENCES OP BO OK OF MO RM O N. INTRODUCTION — NATURE AND PURPORT OP THE BOOK — CONTRADICTION AS TO PLATES — AS TO URIM AND THUMMIM — AS TO HEBREW LANGUAGE — JEWISH MATERIALS FOR WRITING — LABAN'S PLATES AND THEIR CONTENTS — GENEAL- OGIES — COPIES OF THE LAW — HffiTORY OF JEWS — VARIOUS PROPHETS OF BIBLE AND BOOK OF MORMON — CONTRADICTION IN PREDICTION — LBHi'S COM- PASS OR LIAHON A— NATURAL HISTORY OF BOOK OF MORMON— OP AMERICAN NATURAL HISTORY — IMPORTATIONS OF STOCK — ELEPHANTS IN AMERICA — AS- TEONOMIOAL ANTICIPATIONS — CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN THE PRETENDED AUTHORS OF TKB BOOK OF MORMON — SOLOMOnV TEMPLE IN AMERICA — GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT BEFORE CHEIST — JAEED'S BARGES, WHAT THEY WERE AND WHAT THE? BROUGHT — PLAGIARISMS FROM THE BIBLE — INOONSI8TBNOIE3 — PROPHETIC APOLOGIES, ..... . 210 CHAPTER X. EXTERNAL EVIDENCES OF BOOK OF MORMON. MORMON STYLE OF ARGUMENT — ATTACKS ON THE BIBLE EXAMINED — LAWS OF EVIDENCE — 0ONTEADI0TION8 BETWEEN STATEMENTS — URIM AND THUMMtM — XU CONTENTS. PAGH AFFroAVITS OP SMITH^B ACQTTAINTANOES — CONTRADIOTIONS OF PKOBABILrTIBB — smith's PREVIOTTB CHAHAOTEK — APFIDATITS OP ELEVEN CITIZENS OP PIFTT-OHE OP DIFFERENT INDITJDUALS — SMITHES THREE -WITNESSES CON- TRADICTIONB — OLIVBB COWDERT — MARTIN HARRIS — BATID WHITMER — OF THE EIGHT WITNBSBEB — AlfALTBIS OP TESTIMONY — FALSE GROUNDS OP THE MOR- MONS — THEIR PROPHETIO EVIDENCE — STTMMART, . • • • *"' CHAPTER XI. REAL ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. OEEDIBILITY OP TE8TIM0NT— MONET-DIGGING IN HEW YORK— CHASERS " PEEP- BTONE" — smith's mode OF TRANSLATING — ^PAGE'S STONE — SMITH'S PLATES — WILEY'S PLATES— OtrPIDITY OF SMITH'S FAMILY— SMITH'S OBJECT — MARTIN HARRIS'S INDUCEMENT — OLIVER COWDERT'B INDUCEMENT — ORIGIN OP NAME — ORIGIN OF MATTER — SPALDING'S RELATIONS' TESTIMONY — SMITH'S MEANS OP OBTAINING SPALDING'S MSB. — INCIDENTS OF BOOK OF MORMON — RELIGIOUS DEOISIONB — RELIGIOUS STYLE — GRAMMATICAL CONSTRUCTION — THE BIBLE, . 262 CHAPTER XII. THEORETICAL POLYGAMY. POSITION — ANTI-SOKIPTUEAL — ADAM — NOAH — lAMEOH — ABRAHAM — JACOB — DAVED — OHEIBT— PAUL— CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION — ANTI-NATURAL — PROPOR- TIONS OF THE SBXE3— NATUKE A CONFIHMER OF REVELATION — IRRATIONAL— ■woman's POSITION THE TEST O-F PROGRESS— CHILDREN'S DEPENDENCE ON THBIE MOTHERS — WIVES' INFLUENCE OVER HUSBANDS— HISTORY AND DESTINY OF RACES — DIPFEBBNT XAWS OF MARRIAGE— UNMARRIED PROPHETS— INFE- EIOB RACES MOST PROLIFIC — " POLYGAMY A PREVENTIVE OF PROSTITUTION" BX^OHED — ^ANTI-MORMON—REVELATIONS — POPULATION OP UTAH, . . 284 CHAPTER XIII. THE SUPPRESSION OF MORMONISM. JIOEMONISM AB A CIVIL POLITY AND AS A RELIGION- CAUSES OF MORMON PERSECUTIONS AT MISSOURI AND NAUVOO— J. SMITH A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY OP THE UNITED STAITES — SMITH A MOHAMMED — BRIGHAM SUCCES- SOR TO HIS DESIGNS AB WELL AS OFFICE — HIS MANAGEMENT — FAMINE V. AM- BITION — THE CAUSES OP HIS FUTURE FALL — MORMON POLITICS — THE OBJECTS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH REGARD TO THEM — SUPPRESSION OF POLYGAMY — DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PREMISES — BENEFITS OF ANNEXATION TO THE MEN AND WOMEN — MAJORITY OP THE MORMONS POREIGNEES — THE EFFECTS OF MERELY APPOINTING A GOVERNOR AND SENDING TROOPS — MOR- MONMM AS A RELIGIOUS EVIL — MEANS OF UPROOTING IT — DUTY OF SEOED- EE8 AND OF CHRISTIANS- ITS FUNDAMENTAL ERRORS AND WEAK POINTS, . 806 LETIKS ADDRESSED TO BBIGHAM YOrNGf . . . . . , ZBl MORMONISM, ITS LEADERS AND DESIGNS. CHAPTER I. THE AUTHOR. Mormonism in England and America — Embraces Mormoniam — ^la ordained and preaches — Goes as a missionary to France — Leaves England for America — Yisits Carthage and Ifauvoo — The Smiths — Icariens — The plains — Indians — Arrives at Salt Lake — Initiated into the Mormon mysteries — Efforts to leave Salt Lake City — Appointed a missionary to the Sandwich Islands — Leaves for Califor- nia — Doubts and difficulties — Pacific ocean — Arrives at Sandwich Islands — Renounces Mormoniam — Brigham's certificate — Motive for active conduct of the Church toward him. Books require to be instructive and credible. These qualities altogether depend on the opportunities of the author to obtain corrrect information, and the purity of his motives in imparting it. To have been a Mormon, is to be an object of suspicion. To be an apostate, is to be regarded with dis- trust. To be an apostate Mormon, is to be doubly suspected. As the weight of testimony entirely depends on the credi- bility of the witness, I therefore commence my evidence with a statement as to myself. Who I am, how I became what I am, and why I write, are questions every one should ask. I endeavor to reply. Mormonism in England and Mormonism in Utah are two very different systems. In England all its objectionable principles were not only ignored, but denied. 14 THE AUTHOR. Its Apostles and Elders not only uttered negative but also positive falsehoods, in order to induce belief. They not only denied many things that were true, but stated many things that were utterly false. As a sample of their falsehoods, I will instance polygamy. This was practiced by Smith m 1838, and the Mormon Apostles knew it. Yet, when the Church was charged with its adoption. Parley P. Pratt, in Man- chester, England, before the general conference of the Eu- ropean churches, and in the Millennial Star of 1 846, thus pub- licly denounced it : " Such a doctiine is not held, known, or practiced as a principle of the Latter-day Saints. It is hut another name for whoredom ; and is as foreign from the real principles of the Church, as the devil is from God ; or as sectarianism is from Christianity'' (Millennial Star, vol. vi., p. 22). And yet this man knew that Smith and others had children living who were the offspring of this very practice ! John Taylor, another Mormon Apostle, in a discussion held at Boulogne, France, in July 1850, was charged with the belief of this doctrine, to which accusation he thus replied : " We are accused here of polygamy and actions the most in- delicate, obscene and disgusting, such as none but a corrupt heart could have conceived. These things are too outrageous to be believed ; therefore I shall content myself with reading our views of chastity and marriage, from a work published by us, containing some of the articles of our faith." He read in the Book of Smith's Kevelations, p. 330, the marriage covenant : " You both mutually agree to be each other's companion, husband and wife ; observing all the legal rio-hts belonging to this condition ; that is, keeping yourselves THEAUTHOR. 15 wholly for each other, and from all others during your lives/" And on p. 331 : " Inasmuch as this Church of Jesus Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornica- tion and polygamy, we declare that we beheve that one man should fiave one wife, and one woman but one husband, ex- cept in case of death, when either is at liberty to maiTy again !" And again, on p. 124 : " Thou shalt love thy wife with aU thy heart, and shall cleave unto her, and none else ; and he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, shall deny the faith, and not have the spirit, and be cast out." " There," exclaijped Elder Taylor, triumphantly, " that is our doctrine on this subject" (Taylor's Discussion at Boulogne, p. 8). And this man had four wives wrangling and quarreling at Utah, and was paying attentions to a girl at Jersey, Chan- nel Islands, at the very moment he uttered these willful, intentional falsehoods ! The illustrious examples of such pseudo-inspired Apostles were industriously imitated by similarly inspired Eiders. Where the former were content with mere aflBrmation or denial, the latter blasphemously called on God to attest their verac- ity ; and challenged the Almighty to disprove their statements. Some of theni denounced their acciisers with bitter curses, and threatened them with all kinds of spiritual horrors. From the lips of such men, and others who had been deceived by such men, did my father and myself &st hear of Mormonism. The character of Smith, his many mighty miracles, his pro- found sagacity, his inspired teachings, the love of the Saints, the purity of their Zion, their frequent tribulations and suf- ferings, their uncomplaining submission and uncompromising 16 THE AUTHOR. virtue, came fortti resplendent from their testimonies. Such statements, repeated constantly, and by different individuals, accompanied by vigorous attacts on the divisions, dissensions, and acrimony exhibited in too many sectaries, spiced by the empty bombast and cant of all pretended moral, political, and religious reformers, apparently sustained by positive practice ; added to these incentives, a bewildering method of using, and an extensive acquaintance with passages of Scripture ; novel dogmas sincerely believed and enthusiastically taught, for which they claimed special revelation as their origin ; aU this, heightened by the most barefaced assertions of predic- tions accomplished, of singular healings certainly performed, of positive promises of conviction following obedience, of the ancient signs, and of the old priesthood — all this uttered by men who hesitated at almost no falsehood " which should convert a soul," could not but arrest our attention. " To doubt is to be damned already," said Paul ; and he was right. Into this whirlpool of enthusiasm we, with many others, were insensibly borne. Very little attention was paid to the sub- ject by the conservators of religious truth. Despised, it was neglected ; and because neglected, it continued to grow. With little or no contradiction, and the little that was made, readily silenced by these men, they made themselves believed. All that was known of Mormonism was known from their statements ; positively thinking it something holier, purer and truer, it was embraced by hundreds. To fervently em- brace a delusion, is to more sincerely believe it. They clothed it in the drapery of warm emotions ; and good men, in their desires for something more exalted and God-like, viewed it THE AUTHOR. 17 through the distorted medium of their own wishes ; not know- ing it as it was, they thought it was what they hoped it to be. When they began to see the difference between their con- ception and the reality, many were too enmeshed to forsake it. Men always strive to make that appear true which they conceive it their interest to be true ; because they like to have for their actions the sanction of their own consciences. Nor is this mental process very difficult ; and it easUy and satisfactorily accounts for glaring absurdities, and yet actual sincerity. It is thus with many of the Mormons. They were sincere in embracing Mormonism ; and when their minds began to doubt, if they ever had sense enough to doubt, the weight of interest crushed down the resistance of conscience ; and, although ceasing to be true to themselves, they became true to their system. The dread of being called inconsistent induced sincere consistency to their religion, while sacrificing the only real consistency, that of man with himself. I had an ideal of what religion and the worship of God might be ; I imagined that this system, as I then heard it ex- pounded, realized that ideal ; and, in the love of that ideal, I embraced it and was accordingly baptized, on the 4th of Sep- tember, 1848, being then a boy of fifteen years. Since prov-, ing that that ideal religion is fallacious, and that the reality of Mormonism is depraving, I have abandoned it. That I was sincere in my faith and conscientious in my conduct, I believe no one will attempt to dispute. In the December of the same year, I was ordained a Priest, and commenced to preach Mormonism as I had received, and then 18 THE AUTHOR. believed it to be. This I continued to do in various places in England till, in June, 1851, I was appointed to join the French mission, as it was called, and then under the direction of Elder John Taylor, who had, in 1860, left Salt Lake, expressly to commence preaching Mormonism in that country. 'On the 1st of August, 1851, 1 was ordained, as the follow- ing certificate shows, to be " one of the Seventies," ^n office of equal power but inferior jurisdiction to that of " one of the Twelve." Qia !^U to va\]om tljesc |)r£sents sljoll come: SCIjis CtrtifitB tijat JOHN HTDB has been received into the CHURCH OP JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, organized on the SIXTH DAT OF APRIL, 1830, and was OR- DAINED into the EIGHTH. QUORUM of SEVENTIES, the First day of August, 1851, and by vii-tue of his OFFICE he is authorized to PREACH THE GOSPEL, and ofBciate in all the ordinances thereof, in all the world, agreeable to the authority of the HOLT PRIESTHOOD vested in him ; we, therefore, in the name, and by the authority of this CHURCH, grant unto this our BROTHER this LETTER OF COMMENDATION unto aU persons wherever his lot may he oast, as a proof of our esteem, praying for his prosperity in the Redeemer's cause. Given under our hands at Great Salt Lake City, this Fifteenth day of June, 1854. JOS. TOUNG, President. j Robert Oampbeil, Clerk. i ^ ^ . — ^___ — '^ I remained engaged in the French mission till January, THE AUTHOR. 19 1853 : a portion of which time I was in the Channel Islands, and a portion I spent at Havre-de-Grace. On February 5th, 1853, I sailed from Liverpool, in com- pany with nearly four hundred passengers for New Orleans. The passengers were exclusively Mormons, and all bound to the Great Salt Late Valley ; indulging high hopes of there realizing all that is desirable in holiness, purity, and brother- hood. We were organized in the Mormon fashion, with a President and his two Councilors, one of which I was chosen to be. After an ordinary passage to New Orleans, we ascend- ed the magnificent Mississippi, to Keokuk, Iowa. From Keo- kuk, I paid a visit to Nauvoo, in company with an estimable and talented gentleman, then a Mormon, but whom a view of Salt Lake, doings has since caused to apostatize and return to England. The Temple that the Mormons had built and com- pleted in 1845, was in ruins, a savage specimen of modern Vandalism. (See engraving^ I spent several days conversing with J. Smith's mother, wife, and family, and heard many charges against Brigham and his associates for actions in which, according to the Smiths, they had disobeyed the injunctions, contradicted the teachings, and maligned the memory of their late Prophet. From this place I visited the Carthage jail, where J. Smith and his brother, Hiram, were assassinated in cold blood ; and the wall against which he was placed, and barbarously shot at, after his death. (See engraving^ The camp was thronging with life, there being nearly two thousand five hundred Mormons preparing to start for the plains. It presented a very pleasing view, and was delight- 20 THE AUTHOR. fully situated on a hill overloolring tlie thriving city of Keokui on the one side, and the majestic Mississippi on the other. On June 1st, the company with which I traveled left for Council Bluffs City, crossed the river Missouri, on the 12th, saw the last civilized habitations that we were to see for months, and were fairly en route for Salt Lake. The scenery on the road, the incidents of camp life, with stampedes of cattle, toiling along by day, micomfortable watchings by night, bad roads to mend, bridges to build, the sense of free- dom exciting the mind, till the monotony becomes tedious and wearisome ; all this has been so ably and so often described, as to be familiar to every one. We met a large party of Pawnee- Loups, on the Platte. They had just come from a battle with the Sioux ; they were decked in all the glory of Indian war- paint, were well mounted and armed, and with their ferociously- daubed faces, heads shaved bare except the feathered scalp- look, their threatening gestures, screaming tones, and insolent conduct, were very formidable fellows. We made them a large present of flour and other edibles for their " hungry papooses" or, strictly speaking, they levied the tax, and we paid it. We arrived at Salt Lake City, in October, just, in time for the Fall Conference. I married a yoimg lady to whom I had been engaged in London, and began to teach school. Of course I was not long at Salt Lake before discovering the difference between what I had been taught to expect and what I saw. It may be asked why did I not immediately leave Salt Lake, and forsake Mormonism? Convictions re- ceived in Doybood, and that have been maturing and do«pen- THE AUTHOR. 21 ing with one's development, are not to be overturned by one disappointment or by one discovery. Inconsistency and con- tradiction do much to destroy belief ; but these inconsistencies might be imaginary. Every tie that could bind any one to any system, united me to Mormonism. It had been the re- ligion that my youth had loved and preached ; it was the faith df my parents ; of my wife and her relatives ; my mind had been toned with its views, and my life associated with its ministers. I knew little or nothing of any other faith, and I clung with desperate energy to the system, although I repu- diated the practices. On Friday, February 10, 1854, I was initiated into the mysteries of the " Mormon endowment." What was the nature of those mysteries, none, before initiation, could have an idea. To understand, it was necessary to receive them. His is a strona- mind over whom a mass of ceremonies could have no influence, in which representations of the most august beings are made to move and talk, and which included the most solemn oaths, accompanied by frightful penalties. The obligations of Free-masonry and Odd-fellowship exercise no small influence over the initiated ; nor am I surprised that a superstitious terror, in many instances, enchains these en- dowed Mormons, at Salt Lake, in complete subjection to their Prophet Brigham, and his coadjutors. In the spring of 1854, 1 determined to leave Salt Lake for California, but had not, neither could I obtain the means to do so. I candidly wrote and stated my views, however, to Orson Pratt, one of the Twelve Apostles, with whom I was in- timate, and we frequently conversed on the subject. I had 22 THE AUTHOR. then resolved to leave in 1855, if possible, but was still pre- vented by poverty. At the conference held in April, 1856, I was publicly appointed, without any previous intimation, to go on a mission to the Sandwich Isles, and was instructed to leave by the May follovring. I accepted the appointment. I thought that perhaps, as- 1 was told, I had "grown rusty;" that my waning faith was the result of inaction ; that to be actively employed in the ministry might waken up my old confidence ; that in the effort to convince others, I might succeed in recpnvincing myself. The religion of my youth was still so enwrapped around my habits of thought, that I was desirous rather to prove it true, than demonstrate it to bo false. I tried hard to believe it true, endeavored to act as though I did believe it, in the hope of producing conviction. In renouncing it, I have done so in spite of my prejudices. In May, accordingly, I left Salt Lake City for the Sandwich Islands, having been chosen as president over the missionaries destined for that location. None of the missionaries to the Sandwich Islands were allowed to take their wives ; this and other reasons compelled me to leave Mrs. Hyde with her relatives at Salt Lake. Besides this, my mind was at sea, floating in darkness and indecision. Ignorant of my real position, I knew not whither I should go if I were to turu ; I therefore went straight on. I had to leave, for to remain was to abjure Mormonism ; and I was not fully prepared for final and permanent apostacy. " I had seen Eome, was disgusted with Eome, and still tried to disconnect Romanism from Rome ;" and as it was with another, to some extent it was with me, it needed timej it needed thought, it needed collat- THE AUTHOE. 23 ing my recollections, that I migM feel the force of their sum. The opportunity for this thought and collation could not be obtained at Salt Lake City, nor in the business of crossing the plains. I endeavored to view Mormonism objectively, for theoretically it assumes to be the religion of human progress, apW from Mormonism subjectively, as it was then existing. I tried and failed. On the Pacific ocean, in communion with God and my own soul, the darkness of doubt that had blinded my eyes, and the mists of indecision that had paralyzed my energies, left me, and I resolved not only to renounce Mormon- ism, but also to tell the world freely, fully, and fearlessly, as well my reasons, as my experience. To this end I have labored in the Sandwich Isles, Califor ■ nia, and elsewhere ; and to this object do I determine to devote myself. If Mormonism as it is be true, the better it is understood the better will it be for the world. If it be false, it is the duty of every man to endeavor to manifest its errors. To deter persons from embracing delusion, and to rescue from complete self-sacrifice any who have already em- braced it are my only motives for adopting my course. My opportunities for knowing Mormonism as it is, will not, I think, be disputed by any of its believers. My motives for revealing that knowledge are open to God and the world. Ever since my first cdnnection with the Church, honors and authority have been heaped upon me. Increased and in- creasing honors were before me when I abandoned it. I could not have been actuated by disappointed ambition, therefore, because they never gave me any neglect to avenge. Nor could it have been from personal pique, as I know of no 24 THE AUTHOR. antipathy felt toward me. That my secession was entirely voluntary, and my reputation unquestioned, the subjoined document, handed to me immediately previous to leaving Salt Lake, will prove. The tone adopted by the Mormon authorities toward me, subsequent to my secession, may be judged by the following extract from a sermon, preached by H. C. Ejmball, at Salt Lake City, January 11, 1857 : " There is a little matter of business that we want to lay before this congregation in regard to John Hyde, who went to the Sandwich Islands on a mission. There are a couple of letters that the brethren have received ; we shall read a little from them, and give you to understand the course he is taking. (The letters were read.) You hear the letters and the testimony of our brethren in regard to John Hyde. Such matters, many times, have passed along, and we have not noticed them, but have let men deny the faith, speaking against it, and deliver lectures through the world. Many times we have let them run at large, but the time is now passed for such a course of things. By the consent of my brethren, I shall move that John Hyde be cut off from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I will put the motion in full ; that is, that he be cut off, root and branch ; that means pertaining to himself. When this motion is put, I want you to vote, every one of you, either for or against, for there is no sympathy to be shown unto such a man. Br. Wells has seconded the motion I have made. All that are in favor that John Hyde be cut off from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that he be delivered over to Satan to be buffeted in the flesh, will raise their right hands. (All hands were raised.) A motion has been put, and imanimously carried that THE AUTHOR. 25 SCo !a.U J|)£rs0n0 to roljont tljis C^tWr si) all QLome : ®|is Uriifixs that the bearer, Elder JOHN HYDE, Jun., is in fun faith and feUowsUpwith the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTBR-DAY SAINTS, and by the General Authorities of said Church, has been duly appointed a MISSION to SAND- "fflCH ISLES to PREACH THE GOSPEL, and administer in all the ordinances thereof pertaining to liis office. And we invite all men to give heed to his teachings and coun- sels as a man of God, sent to open to them the door of life and salvation — and assist hinx in his travels, in whatsoever things he may need. And we pray God the Eteknal Father to bless Elder HYDE, and all who receive him, and minister to his comfort, with the blessings of heaven and earth, for time and for all eter- nity, in the name of Jesus Chmst. Amen. Sigiub af §unt Snli ITahe Cttg, Teeeitoet of Utah, April 10th, 1856, in behalf of said Church.' ■iOA/v^ (U cM>n/v.; ^-^"^^^^ FiEST Pbestdenot. 26 THE AUTHOR. John Hyde be cut off root and branch ; that is, himself, and all the roots and branches that are within him. This has no allusion to his family. He has taken a course by which he has lost his family, and forfeited his priesthood ; he has for- feited his membership. The limb is cut off, but the priest- hood takes the fruit that was attached to the limb and saves it, if it will be saved. Do you understand me ? His wifa is not cut off from this Church, but she is free from him ; she is just as free from him as though she never had belonged to him. The limb she was connected to is cut off, and she must again be grafted into the tree, if she wishes to be saved ; that is all about it." — Beseret Jfews, January 21st, 1857. Not only was I not influenced by prejudice, pique or disap- pointment in my secession from the Mormon Church ; but, in spite of all prejudices, at the sacrifice of all friendships, at the hazard of breaking every tie that united me to happiness and the world, and at the risk of life itself, I have acted as I have. That I have done right I am convinced. God knows I have done it in the love of right. To be able, in how slight degree soever, to expose error and yet to remain silent is to connive at and share the responsibility of that error. While deploring that my best years for improvement have been squandered in delusion, it is a duty I owe to others similiarly circumstanced, to endeavor to convince them of their true position. Less than this is less than right. For as the subject is of paramount importance to the world if true, and to the Mormons themselves if false, so its correct ex- posure must therefore be equally important, and conse- quently, so far obligatory. If in the succeeding pages I may have been guilty of ex THE AUTHOK. 27 aggeration, I am not aware of it ; I certainly do not intend it. Mormonism licenses too much corruption under the name of religion, to need any exaggeration to make it atrocious. The Mormons are guilty of too many crimes to need any ad- dition to them to render them abominable. CHAPTER II. SALT LAKE CITT. " The big mountain" — Emigration kanyon — ^Tlie benches — Great Salt Lake — ^The city wall — ^The city — The inhabitants — The houses of the leading men near Temple block — Kimball's city property — Brigham's Lion house — The Mansion and White House — Mormon theater and dancing hall — Pubho buildings — Tithing office and system of tithing — Communism and consecration — Public lands — Temple block — Tab- ernacle and Sabbath services — Endowment house and Temple — The soil — Capacity to support increased population — Starvation — Manufac- tories — ^Liquor making and consuming — Iron and coal for the Pacific railroad — Minerals — "Weapon manufactories — The Mormon census and lying — Mormon prosperity and purity. Between the western border of the States on the Atlantic side, and the Pacific States of this great continent, there are vast prairies, dreary and treeless, sand-hills, mud flats, rocky mountains, and rapid rivers. Sixteen hundred and sixty-seven miles of travel from St. Louis, Mo., vid Council Blufis City, brings one to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. A journey through tortuous mountain defiles, crossing creeks with pre- cipitous banks, over roads that terrify even expert Jehus; wearied with a monotony more fatiguing than a sea voyage, any valley would seem lovely, and any respite would be hailed as a paradise. This fact accounts for the joy with which travelers hail the first glimpse of the barren and bare-valleyed home of the Saints. Will the reader make the tour with me ? We have just climbed up a steep, rocky hill. Three or SALT LAKE OITT. 29 four teams to each wagon have at last di'agged them all safely to the summit of the " big mountain.'' The cattle are pant- ing and puffiag and lying down for a rest, while we gaze at a very imposing scene. We are now standing on an eminence of the Wahsatch mountains, over eight thousand feet above the level of the ocean, surrounded by peaks that rise majest- ically above our heads, and in the deep nooks of which con- tinually ghtters the eternal snow ; beneath this, fringed and shaded by dark masses of balsam, fir, and pine. Behind us are receding ranges of hills, streams sparkling like silver threads, the trembling foliage of the quaking aspen, and nar- row gorges looming like abysses in the distance. Before us, mountains growing lower, till a strip of valley relieves the sight, in the south-west. This is the first glimpse of the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Mormons fall on their knees and pray ; some shout hosannas and hallelujahs ; many weep ; husbands kiss their wives, and parents their children, in their paroxysm of joy, and the very faithful declare they feel the Spirit of God pervading the very atmosphere, and they en- thusiastically declare that all their toils are repaid, for they have at length come home, where the " wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest." Poor people — poor deluded people ! We are not so overcome, and prepare to descend the " big mountain ;" glad to remember only 18 miles now separate us from rest and society. We neither break our necks nor our wagon axles, and wind up a very pretty " kanyon" — a mountain defile. We are met by many a team and wagon crawling up toward the big mountain, for fire-wood. We 30 SALT LAKE OITT. cross another mountain ridge, and are in a most delightfully picturesque gorge, " the emigration kanyon." Admiring the beauties of its rocky heights, the slopes covered with shrub- bery and painted by the sun in all sorts of rich colors, as though a rainbow had been wrecked on the hill side and had left its beautiful shades on the grass and feras ; forgetting every thing but the scene around us, we suddenly turn an abrupt point, and the valley is stretched before us. To our light and left is the continuous range of hills from which we have just emerged. We are on the rolling brow of a slight decline, and observe that for several hundred feet above our heads, there are long, level lines of ridges, which are deeply and evenly indented on the mountains, as far as our sight can reach. We notice also that there are other such before us till they form a narrow flat surface through which a river flows, and that the ground rises similarly up the mountains before us, 30 miles away. These are called "benches;" they extend throughout the entire range of valleys, are plainly visible, exactly level, and are the ancient shores of the Great Salt Lake. Like a blue tinted mirror reflecting the sunshine, we remark the lake about 35 miles to the north-west. It is now about VO miles long, from north to south, and 30- miles wide, from east to west. It once filled, and most prob- ably formed the entire " Great Basin,'' as it is termed, extend- ing 500 miles from north to south, and 350 miles from east to west, hemmed in by the Sierra Madre mountains on the east, and the Goose Creek and Humboldt ranges on the west. Mountains were then jagged islands, ravines the straits, sweeping hollows the gulfs and shores of this vast and silent SALT LAKE CITY. 31 sea. It has shrunk away to its present dimensions, and is the immense reservoir into which all the streams and rivers of the " Basin" pom- their melted snows. It has BO apparent outlet, although gradually diminishing apparently more rapidly than can be accounted for by mere evaporation. Many flats of black mud with an incrustation of dazzling salt crystals, were covered with water when the Mormons first went there ; and their flat-boat was pushed easily over long stretches of now baking and cracked soil. Its bottom is very flat, however, and a very slight increase of water would again submerge miles of now exposed sur- face. The density of the water varies necessarily in different seasons from the quantities of fresh water pouring down into it. It averages from 1.16 to 1.18 of sp. gr. It is the strong- est natural brine in the world, holding in solution over 22 per cent, of different salts. Its dark sluggish waves forcibly recall the Dead Sea to the mind of the gazer, and were it not that this is 4,200 feet above, and that lies 1,000 feet below the level of the ocean ; and that this is completely locked in by abrupt and surrounding mountains, while that rolls over the " cities of the plain," it would be e.iay to fancy one self away in Palestine, and on that scene of human corruption and divine vengeance. The water is extremely buoyant, and it occasions a singular feeling to be unable to sink in, and very difficult to swim through it. Its water produces immediate strangulation, excessive smarting in tlie eyes, nostrils, and ears, and on coming out converts even negroes into crystallized white men. Numerous salt boileries are erected on the shores ; from 32 SALT LAKE CITY. four gallons of water they obtain nearly one gallon of clear dry salt. Nature, in her great laboratory, bowever, pro- duces thousands of bushels of coarse crystals, and deposits them on the shore. Teams and wagons come from the cities and shovel it up, and it sells often as low as 50 cents per 100 lbs. From an analysis of the water, made by I»r. Gale, it was determined to contain by weight 22.422 per cent, of solid substances, in the proportions of 20.196 chloride of sodium, common salt ; 1.834 of sulphate of soda ; 0.262 of chloride of magnesium, and a trace of chloride of calcium. We turn our eyes from the Salt Lake back to the city, which is just peeping from under the hill. We are stopped by a mud wall 12 feet high, 6 feet wide at the base, 2^ feet on top ; in front of it, is a wide, deep ditch, and it is de- fended by semi-bastions at half-musket range. These are pierced with loop-holes to afford a front and flank fire in case of attack. It was pretendedly built to keep out Indians, but as it encompasses the city, which covers an area of six square miles, all its male population could not thoroughly defend it. The hills rise abruptly round it, and there are abundance of eminences where a rifleman could kill persons in the city, and the wall be but as a thread paper beneath him. It was built in 1854 ; its design was to give the people something to do, as to keep the mind and hands occupied is the best means to prevent impertinent inquiry and leave no time for rebellion. We enter at a gate of the wall, and are ia the city. We remark that it is divided into blocks, o' ten 10 acres each, intersected at right angles by streets, running due north and south, and east and west, 130 feet wide; that the roads in SALT LAKE OITY. 33 them in wet weather, are almost impassable ; that there are very few houses in the suburbs, although they grow closer to- ward the center ; that here they are mud hovels, with dirt roofs, or mere log shanties. We observe, too, that the side- walks are 20 feet wide, and they have a stream of water at times iSowing down each sidewalk : that on some of these streams, cotton wood, and other rapidly-growing trees are planted ; that the houses are all built on the edges of blocks, leaving well-cultivated fields and gardens in the center. We notice that every thing bears the impress of work, and when one looks back at the bleak mountains, and forward at the barren valley, without spontaneous vegetation higher than a willow bush, we realize that it must have been hard work. There are about 15,000 inhabitants at Salt Lake City. They consist of a very few Americans, and the large ma- jority English and Scotch ; very many Welsh, and numerous Danes. I think certainly not one third of the whole would embrace all the Americans in the city, and not one fourth of the whole in the entire Territory. These are principally from the western borders of the States. They have all the power in their hands, fill all the offices, ecclesiastical and civil, and receive all the emoluments. They are almost without exception polygamists, and are singularly full of prejudice, intolerance, and boasted fidelity to Mormonism. Here we are at the Temple Block, in the center of the city. We have come up a street full of stores. There are some very excellent business premises here, and enormous stocks of merchandise are yearly imported across the plains. 34 SALT LAKE CUT. in tuge ox-drawn -wagons. The merchants mate money- very rapidly, profits on some articles amouuting from 150 to 600 per cent. We remark that all the stores, etc., are built of adobe, sun-dried bricts ; and from their slate-white color, make the streets very lively in appearance. On these streets there are some good houses. A very pretty house on the east side, was occupied by the late J. M. Grant and his five wives. A large barrack-like house on the corner, is tenanted by Ezra T. Benson and his four ladies. A large, but mean-looking house to the west, was inhabited by the late Parley P. Pratt and his nine wives. In that long, dirty row of single rooms, half-hidden by a very beautiful orchard and garden, Hved Dr. Eichard and his eleven wives. Wilford Woodrufi' and five wives reside in another large house still further west. 0. Pratt and some f6ur or five wives occupy an adjacent building. All these are " Apostles ;" they are well known among the people, and their names are insep- arable from Mormon history. Looking toward the north, we espy a whole block covered ■with houses, barns, gardens, and orchards. In these dwell H. C. Kimball and his eighteen or twenty wives, their families, and dependants. Strange scenes disturb the serenity of this Mormon Paradise. Walking toward the east, we pass three or four low cottages. In that seraglio D. H. Wells has some six of his " feminines" installed. Passing these, we arrive at Brigham's Lion House. This is of stone to the first story, on the ridge of which, in front, is a very excellently sculptured lion, " resting, but watchful." It is a tangible compliment to Brigham, he being called "the Lion of the Lord." The SALT LAKE our. 35 peaked gable, narrow pointed garret windows projecting &om the steep roof, attract our notioe. That house is occupied by- some seventeen or eighteen of Brigham Young's wives (see chapter on Brigham at Home). This house cost him over $30,000, and would have cost more but for his method of building it. It was completed and ready for shingling in 1845. The shingles were ready and waiting. At a Sunday meeting in the Tabernacle, Brigham announced that he had a mission for all the carpenters, and demanded if they would accept it. They raised their hands, and were then coolly com- manded to " shingle the Lion House in the name of the Lord, and by the authority of the holy priesthood." So Brigham's Lion House was shingled, for although the carpenters grum- bled still they obeyed. A range of neat offices next please the eye, and speak well of Mormon architectural taste ; and we arrive at Brigham's mansion. This is a large, handsome adobe building, excellently plastered, and dazzlingly white. It is balconied from ground to roof ; on the top is an observa- tory, and surmounting all is a bee-hive, the Mormon symbol of industry. This cost over $65,000, and is the best edifice in the Territory. It is occupied by Brigham's senior wife and her family. Orchards and gardens lie behind and around it. On the hill to our right is the " White House," formerly Brigham's. This and its adjoining grounds he lately sold to a rich Englishman for $25,500 in English sovereigns, and pre- sented the money to liquidate an old Church debt, due for money borrowed in emigrating the poor Saints to Salt Lake City from Europe. Struck with the fact that all the eligible property appears 36 SALT LAKE CUT. to be in the hands of " the authorities," we continue our walk to the Social Hall. This is an adobe building, VS x 33 feet. In it is performed dramatic representations, from Shakspeare'a tragedies to Colman's farces, by a company of unpaid Mormon amateurs. James Ferguson, oiie of the stars, says " they excel any thing he ever saw in Europe." Faith works won- ders 1 In it, too, Brigham and the other leaders " teach the young idea" to dance. Cotillons, contra-dances, and reels are in vogue. They repudiate waltzes, mazourkas, schottisches, etc., because disliking to see their wives and daughters so "intimate with other men." A Mormon genius has invented a " double cotilion," giving two ladies to each gentleman, some- thing of which kind is necessary, too, as I once counted over three and a half females to each male in a ball-room. The Council House, a two storied building, 45 feet square, attracts our notice. It is used as the printing-office, and thence issues the Mormon weekly and weakly paper called the "Deseret News." The Court House, a large adobe structure, is pointed out to us from the roof of this one, into an observatory on the top of which we mount to get a good view. The Arsenal, on the north hill overlooking the city, also arrests the eye in its passing glance. On the north-east corner is the Tithing- office, a large spacious building, with cellars, store-rooms, and offices attached. Each person on entering the- Mormon Church is required to pay the tenth part of his or her property to the Lord's servants for " building up temples, or otherwise beautifying and adorning Zion, as they may be directed from on high." Having tithed their property, they must tithe their yearly increase for the same purpose. This tenth part SALT LAKE CITY. 37 is really a fifth pai't ; for each man is required to work every tenth day on the Temple, or hire a suhstitute, and as well pay the tenth of the increase on the other nine days' labor. It is even more than this in many cases, amounting neai'ly to fifty per cent., as the ladies pay the tenth part of their fowls, then a tenth part of the eggs, and then a tenth part of the chickens that may be hatched, irrespective of loss. This law of tithing, however, is only the " milk of the gospel ;" and was the preparative to a more rigid system of property-hold- ing. Smith, in the beginning of the Church, attempted to estabhsh Communism, each giving their all to the Bishop, and only drawing out of the oflace suflBcient to live upon. This, however, was not more practicable for Smith than for Fourier or Cabet, and it was silently permitted to glide into the pay- ment of tithing. In 1854, however, Brigham attempted to revive the old law in an improved shape. He commanded the people to consecrate by legal transfer all right and title to all personal property. A law was passed through the Legis- lature making such transfers strictly valid ; quit claim deeds were drawn up, and from their land to their wearing apparel, the majority of the people transferred every thing to Brig- ham, or his successor, as trustee in trust for the Church of Latter-day Saints ; and some, in the exuberance of enthu- siasm, threw in their wives and families. The property of each is retained by each person only at the option of Brigham Young. He can eject any person who has thus " conse- crated," for he becomes strictly a trespasser by toleration on Church property. Each is permitted to enjoy the fruits of his labors on condition of his paying a net tithe for immediate 38 SALT LAKE CITY. puTposeSj.and to be ready to give up all should it be required in any emergency. Thus in fact Brigbara is the positive owner of almost all the property in the Territory, and is one of the wealthiest men in the world, holding all at his uncon- ditioned will. He frankly stated the object of this policy at the confer- ence. It was to prevent Gentiles from purchasing any property without ecclesiastical sanction ; to hinder departing apostates from taking any property from the Territory ; to make it the interest of every man to be submissive, and thus to more completely rule the people. Said he, " Men love riches, and can't leave without means ; now, if you tie up the calf the cow will stay.'" Some distressing circumstances have already resulted from the operation of this law. Brigham was in earnest at its devisal, and will be in earnest as to en- forcing its execution. He thinks of re-establishing Smith's system of ecclesiastical communism by degrees, and by using the mace of the priesthood, to drub refractory individuals info the practice of obedience. The tithing contributed by the people is paid to the employees of the " Public Works ;" and, as the authorities are engaged on public duty, of course they have the first selection, the tithing clerks posting an open account between them and the Lord. Favoritism the most glaring is exhibited in the distribution of the articles. They pretend to pay very large wages to artizans, and salaries to the clerks, but charge equally exorbitantly for articles paid; and while the leading clerks, etc., have an abund- ance, the poor artizan is half starved, half clad, wretchedly housed, almost insulted on applying for any thing ; and, by a SALT LAKE CITY. 39 singulai' system of book-keeping, are always found heavily in debt, should tliey wish to quit and find other employment. I can g-ive instances of these things hj dozens. It is univer- sally known at Utah, and almost universally reproached. I have seen many tears, heard many groans and curses on D. H. Wells, the Supeiintendent of the Public Works, •general business man, third President of the Church, and a prophet, seer, and revelator forsooth, for the misery endured by the suflfering " hands.'' In some cases such pretended balances of account have been collected by law with mon- strous officers' fees, from persons who were disgusted with Mormonism, and who were leaving Utah. But here is the Temple Block. This is a square contain- ing ten acres ; it is surrounded by a ten-foot wall, with four gates, around which are planted some handsome shade-trees. We enter at the south gate, and to the west is the Tabernacle. This is an adobe structure, 126 feet long, and 64 feet wide. It has the inside shape of an elliptic arch, the width being its span. Here Brigham and the other leaders give the word of the Lord every Sabbath to the people. It will seat over 2,000 persons, and is generally well attended. They have an instrumental band that plays marches, and even polkas to enliven the feelings of the people, and get up the spirit ; be- sides a choir, who sing from original Mormon songs in the tnue of " Old Dan Tucker," to Bach's chants and Handel's oratorios. They pretend to give to their meetings a relig- ious form, always commencing by singing and prayer, but discourse on adobe-making, clothes-washing, house-cleaning, ditch-digging, and other kindred subjects ; advertise letters. 40 SALT LAKE CITY. appoint labor days for the wards ; get up pleasure excursions, organize relief companies to meet the arriving emigration, etc., etc. It is no more worship than any thing else they do, as they open their theatrical performances with public prayer, and dismiss the actors, and some of them very intoxicated too, with a benediction. This plan is also adopted in their balls, Brigham not only praying for a blessing on the dancing, but often stopping the ball to give the people a preachment; when, by the inspiration of dancing, he had got under the influence of his prophetic afflatus. North of the Tabernacle is a frame erection, called " The Bowery,'' and is used for conference meetings, being capable of accommodating 8,000 persons. It is a singular scene to witness it crowded full of decently dressed people, and sitting under the ringing voice and fluent " talk " of Young, the nonsensical trash of Bjmball, the enthusiastic declamation of Hyde, the calm reasoning of P. Pratt, or the abstractions of his brother Orson, swayed by every thought, and eagerly gulping all down as gospel inspiration to this wicked age, if they did but know it. In the north-west corner of this block is the Endowment house, where is administered the secret ordinances of Mormon- ism (see chapter on Mormon Mysteries). On the eastern side of this square are the foundations for the famous Temple. They are now nearly level with the ground, and are 16 feet deep, and as much wide. They are of solid rock, and, with the wall, have already cost over $1,000,000, in material and labor, more than the whole of the Nauvoo Temple when complete. The proportions of the proposed building are very Temple Building at Salt L-.ikc.Ciiy. SALT LAKE CITY. 41 imposing. It is in shape a parallelogram, 193 feet long from E. to W., and 105 feet wide, having an octagonal tower, 40 feet in diameter on each corner. The main building is to be nearly 100 feet high to the ridge of the roof. It is intended to build it of cut stone, and the Mormons for the last three years have been unsuccessfully digging at a canal along the benches to boat instead of carting the stone. Its architect- ure is symbolic and original. On some buttresses will be representations of globes in all positions, on others the sun in its various phases. On others Saturn, with its rings and satellites, and in the pompous Mormon style, "every stone has its moral lesson, and all point to the celestial world." Its entrance will be on the east side, and will consist of another tower. Surmounted by pinnacles, it will " point upward continually." It was intended to build it of adobe from the first story upward ; but they have now determined on erect- ing it entirely of cut stone. It is going to be the chef cCoeuvre of all human architecture, and is expected to survive the conflagration that will some day enwrap the world. The accompanying view is accurate, being the copy of the ex- tended drawjng at Salt Lake. Its designer, Mr. William Ward, who was also the sculptor of the Lion on Brigham's house, has seceded from the Mormon faith, and left Utah. This will probably occasion some delay and changes in its erection. All the ground has to be irrigated very extensively, in order to produce even cereals. As the water privileges are very limited, there is consequently but little cultivated soil, and often very slight crops. Along the benches there is a 42 SALT LAKE CITY. strip of alluvion, and by using the mountain creeks for irriga- tion, the people can avail themselves of this narrow strip. Hente, all their settlements are on the western inclines of the mountain ridges. The vast portion of Utah is sandy and alkaline deserts, dry dust in summer, impassable swamps in winter. Much interest attaches to the question of its capa- bility of sustaining a large increase of population. There are now about 50,000 inhabitants, at the outside, in the Ter- ritory; and they are perhaps, with the exception of 500 persons, exclusively Mormons. Their pursuits are chiefly agri- culture and stock-raising. The unwatered ranges during the spring, and mountain gorges in the fall, supply excellent pas- ture for their stock. This strip of alluvion affords all their tillable land. They have not, however, sufficient water, even now, for irrigating all they attempt to cultivate ; and there is more quarreling and positive fighting about the water than all other subjects. With the assistance of more engineering capacity than at present possessed, however, canals might be dug, and they would treble the quantity of available soil by affording more water. One difficulty, however, they labor un- der, which can not be obviated. Timber is very ioarce and un- come-at-able. It requires two days for mule teams to fetch a load of fire-wood from the mountains, and, with the increased consumption, grows necessarily daily scarcer and dearer. Cutting down the timber, by exposing the soil, dries up the springs, which materially lessens the creeks, and this dimin- ishes the water supply, while the increasing population de- mands a greater abundance. This inevitably dries up the ground, and makes stock-feed very scarce and expensive. SALT LAKE CITY. 43 which augments the price of fire-wood in the ratio of time and expense. Although they have discovered coal in the southern portion of the Territory, the badness of the roads and distance to Salt Lake City, make it cost $30 per ton ; it is only used by blacksmiths for forge purposes. The scarcity of wood for fuel and building purposes tries the patience and perseverance of the Saints excessively. Another disagreeable consequence of thus stripping the mountains of their fringes is painfully felt. While the summers are a continual drought, the winters have deep snows and violent storms. The trees used to retain much on the hills, which, melting gradually in the spring, produced full creeks. It is now blown iu clouds into the valleys, bury- ing up feed and killing off stock fi'ightfully. Hence it is that at every succeeding winter they have increasingly deep snow. In that of 1854-'55, many thousands of animals perished with hunger and frost, the snow being four to six feet deep. It was naturally followed by very little water in the streams in the spring, because the snow had been deposited in the valleys in- stead of on the mountains. Last winter the snow was still deeper, and Ibis spring there is still less water in the creeks. Add to this, for the last three seasons the crops have been eaten up by grasshoppers and blue worms, or filled with smut. The harvests have been light, and many starving persons were compelled to subsist on wild roots during the winter. The future promises nothing better ; but with the continual influx of population, they must either constantly find new valleys to settle, or starvation and removal will be inevitable. The Mormons, in selecting Salt Lake, chose it as a place where no 44 SALT LAKE CITY. others would wish to come ; and where no others would re- main if they did come. Their desire was only to get out of the world : for their object, their selection was good. They have fiercely battled with obstacles thus far in their strife with nature. I think that even Mormon energy and hardihood will not be able to maintain the unequal combat much longer. A few more seasons such as their last three will effectually starve them out ; and to judge physical probabilities by ap- pearances, there is little else before them. The Mormons are an extremely industrious people. Ee- membering the short length of time they have been at Utah, their utter poverty when they arrived, their many diffi- culties since, and then viewing their present condition, all must admit their steady industry. They have various manu- factories. Wool-carding machines, cloth and blanket fac- tories, tanneries, a pottery for coarse brown-ware, machine- shops, iron and brass founderies, beside all the ordinary avo- cations. In 1853 they brought some machinery for the manufacture of sugar from beet-root. It is now in the hands of the Church. They have not yet been able to produce any sugar, through incompetent management; for in Utah as elsewhere, personal friendship, far more than proper capacity, induces many appointments, and principal of the sugar works is not an exception from the general rule. The whole affair has almost been useless, except to afford the Saints something to boast about. I forgot, however, one very important opera- tion it produced. In 1 854 some hundreds of gallons of syrup were spoiled by the charcoal through which they were en- deavoring to refine it. It was, of course, very wicked, accord- SALT LAKE CITY. 45 ing to Mormon economy, to destroy so much property. A luminous thought struck Brigham in 1856. It could not be converted into sugar, it could not be used as molasses, he would distill it into rum. Accordingly, this bad molasses was converted into worse liquor ; and, after coloring it with h^irnt sugar and flavoring it with green tea, the delicious compound was sold by Brigham's adopted son, W. 0. Staines, at the very reasonable price of eight dollars per gallon. By this in- genious operation quite a little sum was clearly gained, and it was slyly hinted that the proceeds were expended in helping to build the Temple. If it be true, and I confess I doubt it, it was cementing the walls of the Lord's house with human drunkenness and human degradation ! , Nor was this by any means the only distillery in Salt Lake City, although, in order that the Church might regulate such matters, and perhaps to prevent competition, all the other dis- tilleries were prohibited from making any liquor during the above saintly speculation. A Dr. Clinton had a distillery producing the most infamous decoction- of wheat. He was sent on a mission, and the Church purchased his distillery from his wives for its own private working. A Hugh Moon has quite an extensive one in operation at Salt Lake. During the life of Dr. Eichards, a- prophet, seer, revelator, and editor, his little cart used to make daily visits to Moon's distillery, and take thence from a quart to a gallon of liquor ; and J. D. Ross, now preaching in England, was sent away from Salt Lake as a missionary, almost entirely because he was over- bold in asserting that Moon made the spirit that inspired the leaders in the " Deseret News." There is also another distillery 46 I SALT LAKE OITY. in the city, and several in other parts of the Territory. Brigham has a city named after himself, on Box-elder creek, sixty miles north of Salt Lake City. Even in this holy place, a man named Clarke produces a liquid he calls and the people buy for whisky. At Ogden City there is another such distillery ; another at Provo, and so on throughout the whole Territory. Added to the hogsheads of wash produced at these Mormon factories, each of the merchants imports hundreds of gallons every year, and, as a general rule, although not arriv- ing till June, all is sold out by Christmas. Besides these, there were seven breweries in active operation at Salt Lake alone ; and hundreds of gallons of something called beer was consumed weekly. Of course, the other cities of Utah could not be behind their elder brother of Salt Lake in the neces- sity that demanded, or in the skiU that supplied these delect- able compounds ; and " cakes and beer" stared us full in the face, go wherever we might, through the cities of the Saints. The Church, however, has several times endeavored to pre- vent the sale of these things. Stringent city ordinances were passed by the Council, prohibiting all sale except by order of the mayor. StUl all who so applied succeeded in obtaining these orders, and all who could make, made ; and all who had, sold. In 1854, that was attempted, but the " Church" getting out of supplies, the ban was taken off from Moon's distillery and he produced some "just for the Church." Inl 1855, it was again resuscitated, preached about, and enforced. Several poor brewers were fined, their utensils destroyed, themselves threatened, etc., etc. A Mr. Nixon boldly said that it was a shame to punish the poor beer makers only, SALT LAKE OITT. 47 when there were far more important men equally transgress- ing ; for which manly and honorable speech he was mulcted in fine to a considerable amount. Messrs. Williams & Hoop- er, an extensive business firm, had a large quantity of liquors the same season, and they obediently refused to sell any, but as it would have much afficted the authorities to have so much money lost, Brigham got possession of it for a mere trifle, and himself and his adopted son, W. 0. Staines, entered iato partnership. Staines took the liquor home and sold it very discreetly. They, however, watered it down till it was very weak and charged a very high price for it, so that it was difiBcult for the people to purchase it and almost useless, for intoxicating purposes, when they did obtain it, and thus they appeased their consciences. Of course, some unbelievers dared to suggest that this was profitable as well as expedient, and were astonished the city ordinances about sale of liquor were not enforced in their case. Perhaps the evil did not last long enough, for, although watery, weak, expensive, and only to be bought with cash, it was all sold in an incredible short space of time. A similarly discreet disposition was made in another case of some more liquor. Its owners were forbidden selling it, but the Church made the purchase of it, early in 1856, and Joseph Kaine, one of Brigham's pets, was permitted to vend it. Some scandalous persons said that water came in at the back, as fast as liquor went out of the front door ; and hinted that the liquor was only a little less inebriating by passing through the saintly, hands of Mr. Kaine, but the money was in Church coffers, and that made all the difference. There are vast mineral resources in Utah, which, had the 48 SALT LAKE CITY. Mormons more skill, might be made productive of great wealtli. Two hundred miles south of the city is Iron county. Iron in almost inexhaustible quantities, together with abun- dant coal, is found there. The Mormons have been long labor- ing to get up furnaces, but want of correct chemical informa- tion has much retarded their progress. Should the great Pacific railroad pass through or near Salt Lake, iron and coal for a third of the route might be obtained there. Among other minerals, they have found silver, at Los Vegas, and some lead. It is said that the Church know where there is gold, near the Valley, although I am disinclined to believe it. They have vast quantities of sulphur, alum, borax, and sale- rat«s. They have laid down saltpetre-beds and have com- menced the manufacture of gunpowder. Swords, Colt's re- volvers, rifles, lances, and guns are made in great abundance, and every man is compelled to have a weapon, to be well supplied with ammunition, to enlist in a military company, and regularly drill. There are some very singular springs in Utah Territory ; chalybeate, sulphur, salt ; boiling hot, and very cold ; deep sink holes, rivers losing themselves in the sand, small cataracts, remarkable rocks, and other natural curiosities. The atmos- phere is astonishingly clear. Optical illusions are very re- markable, and often lead to ridiculous mistakes. Mirages and deceptive distances puzzle many a new comer. It is reported by the Mormons that there are over 76,000 inhabitants in the Territory. This I know to be a palpable falsehood. Cache valley, with only a dozen Church herds- men, at most, is given a census population of over 700 per- SALT LAKE CITY. 49 sons. They named the oxen and cows. In Battle creek returns they report many whom I know to be dead, some who died before leaving England, many who are still in England, but who purpose coming to Utah when they can ; and, in some cases, all the children that courting couples might expect to have, if they were married, and if they should have offspring ; and all that old married people ougftt to have had in the esr timation of the census agents. These outrageous falsehoods were sworn to by the different agents. The object of the whole affair was to present a more imposing appearance at Congress on demanding admission into the Union as an in- dependent State. They publicly defend lying for expediency, believing the end justifies the means. To be unwilling to approve such " evil that good may come," is to them a sign of sectarianism, and Gentilish. This practice they pursued with regard to polygamy for fourteen years, and with regard to other dogmas they still pursue it, contending there is no evil, per se, and that the intention of the act and its results only determine its goodness. How much reliance can be placed on the statements of such men, is evident, when mental re- servation is advocated ; equivocal expressions constantly being employed in all their preaching ; they intending to convey an erroneous impression by the use of terms, that, strictly construed, are not in themselves a lie. Jesuit casuistry is not more ingenious in. the " deceiving by truth" than are some of the Mormon Elders ; but who knows not that the most out- rageous falsehoods can be communicated, and yet the words in a different sense be true ? The Mormons have labored diligently, and are therefore 50 SALT LAKE CITT. prosperous. It is the only policy by wMcli they could he kept together, and be made contented and happy. When they begin to feel less contented, and less happy, Brigham only makes them work all the harder. To give no time for thought prevents thought ; and by making them merry when not laboring, helps them to make them satisfied. Hence, the Mormons are a jovial people, hospitable, dance and song, and dram-loving. Their kindness to strangers, their general affec- tion for each other, their devoted obedience to the authorities, their bitter animosity to all Gentiles, their rigid adherence to ceremonies, their lax code of morals, and yet precise restriction to that established code, arrests the attention of all observers. One thing must be also remarked. There is less public drunkenness, no houses of ill fame, no public bad women, less monstrous crime among the Mormons than in any other com- munity of equal size. These are the inevitable results of their system, as will be shown. They were far worse at Nauvoo than they are at Salt Lake, were worse at Missouri than at Nauvoo ; but compared with another deluded, isolated sect, the Shakers, they are far inferior in every thing good. The Mormon community must not be compared with any irreligious community ; composed exclusively of Saints, up to the standard of their own selection and boasting must they be brought. Their crimes and their degradation assume other shapes and hues than that of the rest of the world. Their sins are toned with the peculiarities of their religion. They are essentially Mormonic, but while vaunting the absence of other atrocious species of crime from among them, they must be reminded of the flagrance of their own. CHAPTKE Iir. PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. Family arrangements — Favorites — The men — Domestic happiness — Sleeping alone — Making tabernacles — Mormon salvation — Wife hunt- ing — Mothers and daughters married to one man — Half sister — The women — First wives — Whisky — Termagents — Adultery — Jealousy — Fanaticism — Brigham on connubialities — Single girls — Proportion of the sexes — Arguments used to induce young girls to marry poly- gamists in preference to young men — Why they do not leave — The children — Mortality — Barrenness — Boys — Girls — Early marriages — Divorce — Mrs. M'Lean and Parley Pratt — Mrs. Cobb and Brigham Young — Utah marriages. The only correct method of judging a cause, is by the effects that result from its operation. The most confounding argument against the Mormon doctrine of polygamy, is the Mormon practice of polygamy. The Mormons ever en- deavor to conceal the real workings of their system from outside inspection. They must feel great confidence before allowing any one to grow intimate. One must be very inti- mate, before being competent to correctly describe their "family arrangements." The intention of marriage was to increase personal hap- piness, to propagate a healthy oifspring, and to secure to those children protectors, instructors, and support. What are the eifects of polygamy on these objects ? 52 PRACTICAL POLTGAMT. The Mormon polygatnist has no home. Some have their wives lotted off by pairs in small disconnected Louses, like a row of out-houses. Some have long low houses, and on taking a new wife build a new room on to them, so that their rooms look like rows of stalls in a cow-barn 1 Some have but one house and crowd them all together, outraging all decency, and not leaving even an affectation of con- venience. Many often remain thus, until some petty strife about division of labor, children's quarrels, difference of taste, or jealousy of attention kindles a flame, only to be smothered by separation. When they live in different houses, they generally have different tables, and the husband has to give each house its turn to cook for him, and honor their tables with his presence in rotation. The evenings at his disposal, his constant distribution of himself among them, has to be by rule. Jealousies the most bitter, reproaches the most galling and disgusting, scenes without number, and acrimony without end, are the inevitable consequences of the slightest partiality. It is impossible for any man to equally love several different women ; it is quite possible, however, for him to be equally indifferent about any number. The nature most in unison with his own, will most attract him. The most affectionate will be certainly preferred to the least affectionate. I am acquainted with scores of polygamists, and they all have favorites, and show partiality. To feel partiaUty, and not to exhibit it, is unnatural. To exhibit it, and for it to pass unnoticed by a jealous women, is impossi- ble. For it to be noticed, is for it to be reproached. The Mormon polygamist, therefore, has to maintain a con- PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. ' 53 stant guard over himself. Any husband might feel to kiss his wife gladly : to go round a table and kiss half a dozen, is no joke. It is so in every thing with him. With a dozen eyes to notice at what time he retires to rest, or arises on any one occasion, and half a dozen mouths to talk about it, he must be perfectly governed by rule. Every look, every word, every action has to be weighed, or else there is jealousy, vituperation, quarreling, bitterness. For this reason, the idea of obtaining domestic felicity is ridiculed. Brigham is the model, and he to some extent adopts the dogma of the Quietists, " Repose is the only perfect happiness." He acts as though he felt, and wished others to feel, that man was the frigid master, performing every act of kindness, not as springing from his heart, but because he had reasoned it out, to be an act of duty. "Warmth of feelings, tenderness of attachment, devotedness of attention to a woman, is there called, by that worst of Mormon epithets, " Gentilish.'' " Man must value his wife no more than any thing else he has got committed to him, and be ready to give her up at any time the Lord calls him," said Brigham one Sunday afternoon ; and J. M. Grant followed the remark by saying,. "■ If God, through his prophet, wants to give my women to any more worthy man than I am, there they are on the altar of sacrifice ; he can have them, and do what he pleases with them!'" They carry this same coldness of affection into all their connubial relations. Brigham always sleeps by himself, in a little chamber behind his office. I have heard the leading men p"blicly advocate the adoption of this practice. They 54 PRACTICAL POLTGAMT. quote the animals as an argument in favor of polygamy, and adopt their instincts as models for practice. Marriage is stripped of every sentiment that makes it holy, innocent, and pure. With them it is nothing more than the means of ob- taining families ; and children are only desired as a means of increasing glory in the next world ; for they believe that every man will reign over his children, who will constitute his " kingdom ;" and, therefore, the more children, the more glory! Said Brigham, September 20th, 1856, speaking on this subject : " It is the duty of every righteous man and every woman to prepare tabernacles for all the spirits they can ; hence if my women leave, I will go and search up others who will abide the celestial law, and let all I now have go where they please ; though I will send the gospel to them." — Deseret News, October 1, 1856. Marriage, consequently, is only an addition to man's mon- ster selfishness. Not only do they admit, but they even advo- cate openly, that salvation is altogether a selfish matter ; and Lorenzo Snow, an Apostle (!) publicly contended that " God was the most intensely selfish being in existence." To sacri- fice one's self, to the most trivial extent, for a wife, is therefore esteemed as beneath manly dignity. To love home, or seek to make it your rest and heaven, is called " squeamishness ;" and men bedin your ears to "take another wife, and that will cure you," and they are right. The first effect of polygamy on the Mormons was to force them to deny the doctrine, and disavow their families. For many years after they practiced it, did the leading men indignantly deny it. Its next efiect PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 55 ■was to make them heartless. It first made them liars, and then bvutes ! " If it does not increase their happiness, and it certainly does their care and expense, why practice it ?" Mormonism teaches that all salvation is material ; that men's positions here determine their stations hereafter, and as a man can only rule over his family, then, no wife, no family ; many wives, much family ; much family, much glory ; therefore, many wives, much glory, and as the selfish desire for glory is the only incentive of Mormon action, so, therefore, he tries to get as many wives as he can. They quote Paul's words, "Woman is the glory of man," and argue, the more women, the more glory ; no women, no glory at all ! Full of this thought, I have seen old men with white hair and wrinkled faces, go hunting after young girls, deceiving them with all sorts of professions and promises, using the terrors of Brigham's name and threatening the penalty of excommunication and conse- quent perdition, in order to induce them to marry them, and then to leave them, despoiled and degraded, either to the obloquy of a divorce, or to the incurable sorrows of a grieved and a wrung heart. I could mention the names of a dozen such, who ought to be thinking of God and their graves, who instead, visit arriving trains and pester the girls with all the ardor and far more impudence than the young men. The utmost latitude of choice is permitted to the faithful, in their selection of wives. It is very common for one man to marry two sisters ; Brighara advises, indeed, that they both be married on the same day, " for that will prevent any quarrehng about who is first or second 1" A E. Sharkey has 56 PKACTICAL POLTGAMT. married three sisters, one of whom was married to, and di- vorced from another man. A George B. Wallace left a wife at Salt Lake and went to England to preach. He made the acquaintance of a very worthy man named Davis, who had three fine-looking girls. Mr. Davis and family were per- suaded to embrace Mormonism. When Wallace returned, as he occupied a high position in the Mormon Church, he appro- priated Church moneys for the emigration of Mr. Davis and family to Salt Lake Gty. Poor, and under obligation to this man, and, by " counsel" of Brigham, Davis gave him his three daughters, to all of whom he was married ; and, when I arrived at Salt Lake, were all living with Mrs. Wallace, proper, in a little two-roomed house. Wallace kept a butcher's shop, and it was currently reported that he was engaged with others stealing cattle and selling the meat on his premises. A Cur- tis E. Bolton is married to a woman and her daughter. A Captain Brown is married to a woman and two daughters and lives with them all. When their children's children are born it will be bewildering to trace out their exact degrees of relationship. This may appear disg-usting enough, and prove degradation enough. A G. D. Watt has excelled either of them. He brought from Scotland his half sister to Salt Lake City : took her to Brigham, and wished to be married to her for his second wife. Brigham objected, but Watt urged that Abra- ham took his half sister and " reckoned he had just as much right as Abraham." The point was knotty and difficult. If Abraham's example justified polygamy then it must equally iustify this action. "God blessed Abraham although he did PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 67 it," say the Mormons, " and ought to bless me if I do it too." The girl happened to be good-looking, though, and so, to cut this gordian knot he could not untie, Brigham took her him- self. So far so well. But she was not contented, or Brig- ham had reconsidered the matter, or from some cause, after a few weeks he told Watt that, after all, there was force in his argument, that it was just as lawful in him as in Abraham, and, accordingly, iJ. D. "Watt accepted his half sister to wife from the arms of Brother Brigham ! This piece of complai- sance recommended him to the favorable attention of the " authorities ;" as a good illustration of the childlike sim- plicity and implicit obedience of which they so constantly preach. What the brutalizing effects of such marriages are on the men's minds, can easily be conceived. With small houses and several wives, more than one often sleeping in each apart- ment, men must soon lose all decency or self-respect, and de- generate into gross and disgusting animals. Many of them frequently sleep with two. of their wives in the same bed. Indeed so evident are the effects, that Heber C. Kimball does not scruple to speak of his wives, on a Sabbath, in the Taber- nacle, and before an audience of over two thousand persons, as " my cows ! !" This he has done on more than one occasion and the people laughed at him as at " A fellow of infinite jest." As the Mormons are taught to believe that all their honor and " glory" in the kingdom of God, depends on the number of their wives, all their anxiety is, therefore, to obtain a large 3* 58 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. number. Irrespective of their ability to provide, careless too about any incongruity in disposition, careless about every tiling but obtaining them, they spend their time in courting. If they be poor, it is expected that the woman ought to be able to do enough to support herself. If their temper be incongruous, the Mormons boast " great powers of govern- ment," and expect to " break them in, like horses, to the har- ness." This last is a common and favorite expression among them. "Whether they are on missions, away from their wives, or present with them, their care is to induce more girls to marry them. Many do not do this at Salt Lake, but their faith is considered weak ; for unless they entangle themselves inex- tricably, so that the interests of Mormonism become neces- sarily their interests, but little attention, and no honor is paid them. As future salvation is made to depend on the size of the family, almost all present reputation is made to depend on the same cause. Such are the results of this practice on the men. "What are its effects on the women ? The females are divided into two classes, first wives, and those taken subsequently. We will view them separately. I will narrate a few instances as to the first wives. I in- tend mentioning names, not only to convince the reader of the correctness of my statements, but because I think men who act thus ought to be named and known. Mrs. S. W. Eichards is an interesting and intelligent lady at Salt Lake City. She accompanied her husband among the early emi- grants. In 1852, he went to England as a Mormon mission- PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 59 ary, and was absent several years. During Ms absence, in the love of her husband, she labored for her own support and that of his children. He returned, and to prove to her his appreciation of her fidelity and affection, he took three other wives ! One was his cousin and a mere girl ; and one was a lady who ran away from the arms and heart of her father, in Liverpool, and whose attentions, during his stay in that city, had often consoled him for his absence from home. Mr. Richards took his wife round to her share of the balls, theaters, and other amusements; but no one could help re- marking, in the wasted and sallow wreck of a woman, all the ■withering effects of an anguished heart, wounded in its keen- est susceptibility, and sinking unloved, unpitied, and with its griefe untold. " She never told her grie^ But let concealment, like a worm 1' the bud, Feed on her damask cheek." Ml'. Gr. P. Dykes accompanied the Mormon Battalion to Mexico, leaving his family at Council Bluffs, Iowa. On re- turning through Salt Lake, he was appointed to go to Europe as a missionary, which he did. During his residence in Europe, Mrs. Dykes and family toiled their way to Salt Lake, so as not to be burdensome on her husband on his return. They sustained themselves, and made some little provision for the future, hoping and expecting to welcome him on his com- ing home. He returned, accompanied by a lady who had run away from her husband in England. He was married to this person at Council Bluffs City, and amid the first greetings 60 PRACTICAL POLT&AMr. between himself and Ms first wife, at Salt Lake City, was, of course, an introduction to the woman who had supplanted her in his afifections ! The first wife was neglected, till her wrung heart demanded a divorce, which was readily ac- corded. It was an easy thing to sacrifice the wife of his youth and the mother of his children for the paramour of his afiections. A Mr. Batie was married to an amiable person, and they had a very interesting family. He desired another wife, had seen and loved a young person and courted her. Mrs. Batie, however, ifor a long time, had refused her consent, and had weepingly told him if he married this girl it would break her heart. To yield to her afiection was to submit to be con- trolled. To consider her feelings was to be " ruled by petti- coats." As she would not consent, he was married without her consent, and without her knowledge. Is there any man or woman who can fail to conceive her feelings ? A Mr. Eldredge had a very handsome lady for a wife. She had shared her husband's sufierings and privations. To- gether they had toiled, happily and afiectionately. They had amassed some property around them, and were very com- fortable, too comfortable for Salt Lake City. On their dream of peace Brigham Young rudely broke by a command that " Brother Horace must take another wife !" Disobedience would be contumacy, contumacy is to be cut ofi", and that is taught to be perdition. He chose to obey. He married a second, who was inferior in every thing except in ag^ to Mrs. Eldredge. She, however, speedily weaned her husband's af- fection irom the first wife, whom he soon after turned out of PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 61 the apartments she had toiled to furnish, and installed his second wife therein. The feelings of Mrs. Eldredge can be imagined, it is impossible that they be described. I could quote a score of similar cases. The real effects of polygamy on the first wives can be im- agined, when they force Brigham Young to use this language from the pulpit, September 21, 1856 : " Now for my proposition ; it is more particularly for my sisters, as it is frequently happening that women say that they are unhappy. Men wiU say, ' My wife, though a most excel- lent women, has not seen a happy day since I took my second wife ;' ' No, not a happy day for a year,' says one ; and another has not seen a happy day for five years. It is said that women are tied down and abused ; that they are mis- used and have not the liberty that they ought to have ; that many of them are wading through a perfect flood of tears, because of the conduct of some men, together with their own folly. " I wish my own women to understand that what I am go- ing to say is for them as well as others, and I want those who are here to tell their sisters, yes, all the women of this com- munity, and then write it back to the States, and do as you please with it. I am going to give you from this time to the 6th day of October next, for reflection, that you may deter- mine whether you wish to stay with your husbands or not, and then I am going to set every woman at liberty and say to them. Now go your way, my women with the rest, go your way. And my wives have got to do one of two things, either round up their shoulders to endure the afflictions of this world 62 PRACTICAL POLY&AMY. and live tlieir religion, or they may leave, for I will not have them about me. / will go into heaven alone, rather than have scratching and fighting around me. I will set all at liberty. 'What, first wife too?' Yes, I will liberate you all. " I know what my women will say ; they will say, ' You can have as many women as you please, Brigham.' But I want to go somewhere and do something t) get rid of the whiners." — Deseret Wews, October 1, 1856. Even in Brigham's family, and that is the best-managed in Utah, there is still " scratching and fighting." From all I have seen of Salt Lake polygamy, I can assert the almost universal rule^a man does not marry a second wife, until he finds somebody he prefers to the first ; and when he is married, it is not long before he exhibits the preference. It is pretended that the consent of the first wife is obtained to such subsequent marriages. That consent is asked by the husband, and who knows not the thousand petty tyrannies that a husband can use toward his wife to extort or compel acquiescence ? If the consent be given, she is willing to con- tribute to his glory, and the ceremony is performed. If she do not consent, women must not be an impediment either in doing one's duty, or obtaimng one's salvation ; so, therefore, the ceremony is performed just the same, whether she con- sent or no, whether she like the girl or no ; for her husband to win it, is for the Lord to will it, and nothing is left to her but to bend and groan. Polygamy, however, does not thus affect all the first wives at Salt Lake. That which will crush one woman into the gi'ave, and I know more than one such case, PKACTICAL POLYGAMY. 63 ■will sink another into depravity, arouse another to despera- tion, incite another to retaliation, ' and by others will be re- garded with the most stoical indifference. I can name a dozen families where the men and women have sunk into the most complete and disgusting brutishness. They fulfill the defi- nition of man, " food-cooking animal," and that is almost their only distinction. If superior to the animals at all, it is only in adding disgusting talk to disgusting deeds ; in aggravating the instincts of nature with the excitement of meditation ; deceiving simple girls, and appeasing their own consciences by disguising their practices with the name of religion. There are many women in Utah who drink whisky to a very great extent. To drown thought, is to kill feeling. Many women who will not become depraved, try to be indifferent. I asked a lady once at Salt Lake, why she never appeared jealous of her husband's attention to his three wives? Her reply struck me painfully, " Mr. Hyde, my husband married me when we were both very young in England ; O ! I was very fond, and very proud of him. We\!ame out here, and he took another wife. It made me very vjretched, Mr. Hyde, but I am not jealous now, /or I cease to care any thing about him !" When love dies, jealousy ceases. Nothing makes people more indifferent than does liquor ; not only indifferent as to others, but also callous as to one's self. Many Utah women seeking this callous state of heart, drink very exten- sively. Of this no .resident of Salt Lake can be ignorant. Some, however, become termagants, fiercely jealous, and fu- riously violent. The quarrels i;gsulling from such matters often cause merriment in the gossiping circles of Utah. The 64 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. constant policy of the " authorities," howeyer, is to' train the mass of the people to despise such proceedings, and to view with contempt any such woman. By this means they crush the voice of nature under the weight of their public opinion. Instead of such a course eliciting sympathy, if it be felt, it falls still-born and unexpressed ; and the poor woman, goaded till she is mad, has to stand alone. To stand up under the pressure of public vituperation ; to endure the coarse crimi- nation of the Tabernacle platform, where on Sundays Brigham and Kimball will refer most minutely to the persons, and sometimes even name them before the whole congregation, needs a stronger mind than possessed by most women. If she be discontented, there is the divorce alternative ; but to be divorced is to lose her children. If she decline divorce, she must submit. Broken and crushed, she must submit ! There is yet another class of first wives. These, finding their jealousy only increases neglect, and their reproaches only serving to drive their husbands from them to others and more affectionate of their wives, fall a step lower. Neglect breeds anger ; anger engenders hatred ; hatred meditates re- venge. They are powerless to retain their husband's affection, hut they can retaliate his infidelity. The penalty of adultery is death, unsparing and bloody. It has been inflicted, is being inflicted, and yet they can not arrest the commission of the sin. Startling and frequent have been the disclosures. Brigham, in his public sermons asserts, that even in his own family, he can not preserve his own honor. For that reason, among others, he said, " he wanted to get them all in one house, under his own eye,"' because he " could trust no one PRACTICAL POLYGAMT. 65 else, and not even them." Just previous to my leaving Salt Lake City, a very flagrant case got into the public mouth about one of the wives of P. H. Young, Brigham's brother. While he was with his other wives, a young man in their employ, was consoling her for his neglect. The women are very poor ; many of them almost entirely destitute. Their husbands and fathers, burdened with debts, they can not pay, and with famihes they can not support, are often unable to buy clothes enough for them to be decent, to say nothing of being respectable. The love of dress is just as strong there, as anywhere else ; and to obtain clothes, leads to the same conduct there as anywhere else. Many of the mission- aries have to leave their families in penury. No assistance is given such families, in many instances, till they are almost perishing for want. Neglected by absent husbands ; knowing that in all probability they will bring home other and better- loved wives when they return ; surrounded by suffering chil- dren ; tempted by flattery and allured by irioney, it is not unnatural for them to fall ; it would almost be supernatural for them not to fall. I could name several such. It is this fact that makes the Mormons so averse to any out- side inspection of their " peculiar institution." Men who are giving constant reasons to be suspected, are the most suspi- cious of all persons. The Mormons, who are continually wringing their wives' hearts with jealousy, are the most tyrannically jealous. The most rigid watch is maintained ; and a look, passing word, a visit, above all when it is repeated, is tortured into " Proof strong as holy writ." 66 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. Heber C. Kimball refused to allow one of his wives to correspond with her fiiends, lest improper use might be made of the liberty. On the slightest occasion of distrust he will mount the rostrum on a Sabbath, and publicly tongue-lash his wives ; and it is a common jest at Salt Lake, that his reason for doing so at such a time and place, is because " they can not reply !" Coercive measures never produce virtue. To constantly suspect, is often to suggest crime. To bitterly accuse, is frequently to instigate. These are unfailing truths, and they ai'e as unfailing at Salt Lake as elsewhere. Were it not for the great counteracting influ- ence of a strong religious fanaticism, Utah would be a per-' feet pandemonium of debauchery. How can they permit it at all ? The whole secret lies in that one word, fanaticism. The women are all sincere : their sufferings and their sacrifices prove that. They are taught that polygamy is a heaven-ordained institution ; that it was countenanced by God anciently and is commanded by God now ; that the instincts of their nature which rebel against it are the results of false education and tradition ; their pride is flattered to think that the exaltation of man depends on them ; they learn to sacrifice themselves to elevate, as they think, their husbands. The desire to be eternally glorious, is made to overcome the wish to be temporarily happy. The ambition to excel their neighbors is also used to induce them to submit patiently to privation and misery. What will not weak minded persons endure from a feeling of rivalry? Where wealth is regarded as the summum bonum, any sacri- fice will be made to give wealth to their husbands. In Utah, PBAOTICAL POLYGAMY. 67 ■women are esteemed that summuni bonum, and therefore many sacrifice all personal feeling, and give other women to their husbands. The fanaticism that prompts it is old ; it is only this peculiar development of fanaticism that is new. It is common that people be fanatical ; it is growing to be too common that they should choose Mormonism as their style of exhibiting it. Some women in Utah seem contented enough. The most enthusiastic arguments in favor of poly- gamy are nsed by some of the women. That, however, is natural enough. If polygamy be not commanded by God, as they believe it is, then they would feel their fate as others see it. For them to see themselves deceived, is to know them- selves dishonored. To maintain their own self respect, they must maintain their own self-deception. Who knows not what an easy thing it is to find force in weak arguments that justify our position, and not to feel very strong ones that con- demn our actions. It is necessary that these poor deluded and degraded women should debate the questions very often, for they very often feel the necessity to out-clamor the voices of their own hearts. " Oh that some gude God would gie 'em To see themselves as others see 'em." The extent of this infatuation is very extraordinary. Mrs. Joseph K e was the only wife of her husband, whose position was very comfortable ; he having considerable property as well as a profitable situation in the post-ofHce. She was very desirous to obtain a second wife for Mr. K.^ thereby to increase his glory, and as she could only shine by reflecting his light, thus increase her own glory too. Accord- 68 PEACTIOAL POLYGAMT. ingly, when the new emigrants arrived from the plains, she visited their camps and invited several good-looking single young persons to come and remain with her during the winter. She treated them with all hospitality and kindness ; contrived excellent opportunities for her husband to plead his suit, and, as he was a little backward, often plead his cause for him. Unfortunately for her wishes, however, her efforts had failed, and she was, when I left, condemned to be the sole satellite of her planet-master. One of Brigham's wives affords a still stronger proof of this singular infatuation. An uneducated English girl saw Brigham and loved him. She read in the Old Testament that Jacob served seven years to get a wife ; and as the New Testament says, that in the last days, " old things shall pass away and all things shall become new," she interpreted that to mean, a reversal of matters ; and, conse- quently, determined to reverse the case of Jacob. She offered her seven years' service to Mrs. Young, only demanding as her hire, the right to marry Brigham. He was consulted as to this novel method of getting a husband, and, of course, had no objections to offer. Eliza served faithfully, demanded her wages, the thirtieth share of Brother Brigham. She was married, and I saw Brigham fondle her child, and call him his " English boy." It was an attachment on her part worthy a better object. A Mrs. Howard is an intelligent person, but madly in- fatuated with Mormouism. Her husband saw a young lady and admired her ; got acquainted with and fond of her. He told his wife of the affair, and desired her to call on this young lady and request her to marry him. The wife wept PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 69 bitterly at this singular command ; she had lost her power to longer please ; another had supplanted her in the affections of the man whom she devotedly loved, and to whom she had borne four children : she felt as a woman in such a position only can feel, but Mormonism was stronger in her soul than her nature itself. She went and asked this girl, who directly refused. She informed her husband of the result, and this man bitterly reproached his madly-devoted wife for not succeeding in persuading her, attributing the failure to his wife's jealousy. Mrs. Howard did not murmur, but only wept; while he blubbered like a boy, told her how much he loved this young woman, how miserable he must ever be without her. I be- lieve he induced this heart-wrung woman to visit and again make this offer, but was again refused. With these women Mormonism is inwound in their hearts, every hope is centered in it ; out of it they fancy there is nothing but despair. They are taught to think that God has re-established a priesthood on this earth ; that this priesthood is almost immaculate and quite infallible, as a priesthood ; and brought to this stand- point, they blindly believe and as blindly obey all they are commanded. Degraded into slavery by this Mormon step- back into barbarism, they are almost as submissive and as miserable as the Indian squaws around them. The engine of Mormon power is not brute force ; not at- tempted or threatened violence, but the lever of a skillfully- combined and ably-handled system of religious machinery, operating on duped and bewildered fanatics. They feel its force, are not able to explain or investigate and discern its reality, but supinely obey its impulses. 10 PRACTICAL POLTGAMT. " While it is not very surprising that the first wife should submit, or be compelled to submit, how is it that the single girls themselves marry old men with several wives, in pref- erence to young men with no wives ?" This is more sur- prising from the fact of there being, in Utah, so many single men. By the census returns of 1851, made by the Mormons themselves, the remarkable fact is proven, that there were seven hundred and ten more males than females in Utah. That is, there were nearly a thousand more marriagable men than women ; and as some of the authorities monopolize from thirty to five wives each, and as there are a great number of others with two and three wives each, there must have been a very large proportion of the males compelled to be single, because there were no wives to be had. This proportion is materially reduced, since that time, from several causes. Many young men have left the Church and Utah ; many have been sent to the States and Europe and commanded to be sure and bring back wives ; many of the married Elders who have been sent out have been counseled " to bring in as many ewe-lambs as they could into the sheep-fold ; though not to appropriate any till they got homer (H. C. Kimball.) There are also a larger num- ber of females than males who emigrate to Utah. Yet, not- withstanding these causes being in operation, there is not a large plurality of females, and there are still hundreds of young men in Utah unable to get wives : and many of the new-coming ladies marry old polygamists in preference. While nothing proves more plainly their fanaticism than this, nothing proves more plainly their sincerity. Men, who, PEACTIOAL POLYGAMY. 7l by a long course of fidelity, Lave "proven themselves" receive as a reward for their merit, certain mysterious ordinances ; pass by secret rites into a sacred order and are finally " sealed up against all sin to salvation, except the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is denying the faith, exposing the mysteries, and shedding innocent blood." These men, who are thus sealed, think that they can not be lost ; nor their wives, nor their little ones, nor any who shall " cling to them." Having, they believe, acoomplisbed their own salvation, they are able, like Jesus, " to save to the uttermost all who shall come unto them." To be married to such a man, it is taught to these confiding neophytes, is to " secure eternal salvation with a high degree of glory." They have been previously made to beheve that woman can not obtain any kind of salvation but through the man. " Eve led Adam out of Eden and he must lead her back again !" As her future position will be regu- lated by that of her husband, and as she is taught that to ob- tain a high position ought to be the only object of her exist- ence, hence she is induced'to desire to marry a man who has been thus sealed. Mormon women go to Utah, zealous in their religion ; they go there for its sake ; they have made great sacrifices already, and are prepared to make still greater for it ; they are firmly convinced that these atrocious dogmas are the precious truths of heaven, and that these men are God's vicegerents ; they swallow the gilded bait, marry, and when they wake up to the temporal miseries of their positions, console themselves in more dogmatically believing their fanaticism and their creed. V2 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. Not only the prospect of securing their own salvation is held out to these misguided beings, but that of entailing sal- vation on their children. The Mormons beheve that the pure seed of the house of Jacob can not be lost : they are " chil- dren of the covenant made to Abraham.'' It is also believed that Brigham's children can not be lost : they are " children of the covenant made to Brigham !" It is thus with all those who have been " sealed up to eternal life." Every woman has a strong love for her children, even when they are only prospective. It is a chord that can be played upon, that wiU send out deep vibrations. The Mormons play on that dehcate fiber of the female heart. The woman is told that by mar- riage with this young man, he may apostatize and be lost ; she would share his fall and ruin ; her children, assimilating, not to her, but to his character, would be lost too, and that thus she would barter eternal loss for a little passing pleasure. To marry this old, well-proven, and sealed man, would not only secure her own salvation but that of her children ; and if not to enjoy all the temporal happiness fehe might with the young man, she should enjoy more of the Spirit of God and secure eternal gain by suffering a present loss. If this be not enough to persuade the deluded victim, pre- viously confounded by bad argument, as to the scripturality of the practice, and bewildered by pretensions to infallibility by the Prophet ; then they use another and more powerful appeal. Who knows not the love that clings around the sacred memories of the dead? If these men can perform such works of supererogation as to save children yet unborn, they can also save people who are dead. This is inevitable. PRACTICAL POLYGAMT. 73 and hence the Mormons claim to be " saviours to the dead." The. rationale they adopt is this : Mormoaism is the gospel; not to have heard Mormonism is not to have received the gospel, and that is not to be saved : but the dead can hear the gospel' in spirit, and their friends at Zion can receive the ordinances for them as proxies or agents. This then, say they, will be your privilege, if you take this man. Salvar tion for yourself, for your unborn generations, and for your dead kindred. They went there for the sake of their faith, and on the shrine of their faith, with the devotion of eastern idolatry, they immolate themselves. The sincerity of their hearts or their purity of motives, can not be questioned; whatever is said must be as to their credulity. " But they must awaken as wives and as mothers, why do they'not leave ?" Fanaticism may be strong ; self-love is stronger. Many do awaken, and weep bitterly. Many would fly, but they are mothers, they would be forced to desert their children. The mother's love often overcomes the woman's shame. Besides they are dishonored, betrayed ; however innocently on their part, they are still degraded. -To lose self-respect is to lose the energy of a motive. They are poor, entirely dependent, and could not leave if they would. They are a thousand miles from civilization. To solicit the protection of a com- pany would be to subject herself to the vilest slanders from the Mormon authorities, and, perhaps, death ; some shame and much curiosity from the company ; and would certainly subject her protectors to arrest for abduction ; a suit in a Mor- mon court for monstrous damages ; extortionate fees for 74 PRACTICAL POLTGAMT. officers, and the property of the offender would be sold at auction, for almost nothing ; as well as, in all probability, a pistol-ball through his head for daring to interfere in a Mor- mon's domestic arrangements. Not only this, but having all her few friends at Utah ; seeing polygamy constantly practiced, and hearing submission constantly preached ; no adverse public sentiment to support, or sympathy to console, and no one to protect her ; alone and wavering in mind, she sinks, and to sink is to be lost. Besides, virtue deferred is virtue lost ; for the practice of vice is like the waters of a fabled river, it soon petrifies the heart. What are the effects of polygamy upon the children ? It is urged that polygamy is beneficial to increase of popu- lation. " It is not the question," shrewdly observes Paley, " whether one man will have more children by five wives, but whether those five women would not have more children, if they had each a husband ?" That Brigham has more children by his large number of wives, is certain ; but whether there are as many childi'en in the world as there would have been had each of his wives been married to a separate husband, and whether those children gof Brigham are any better de- veloped, physically or mentally, is an important question. Nature, as shown in the proportion of the sexes (see chapter on Theoretical Polygamy), points to monogamy, and she will punish any infringement of her law. This is plainly shown in Utah. The proportion of female to male births, is very much in favor of the female sex. In monogamic countries, the sur- plus is on the male side. In polygamic countries, as in Utah, it is the reverse of this. Were the inhabitants of Utah, there- PRACTICAL POLYaAMT. 15 fore, to grow up, intermarry witliout any mixture from other incoming people, and practice polygamy as they now practice it, the male race in a few generations would become extinct. I have observed, very frequently, that the more wives a man has, the greater the proportion of female to male children he has This might have been predicted not only from facts ob- servable in all polygamic countries, but also from well-known i^hysiological laws. If the Mormons were to adopt the old Arab custom of burying female children alive, when they had more than one or two, hundreds of babes would be murdered in Utah. Not only is there this disproportion, but there is a fearful mortality among the Mormon children. I think I can say, more children die in Salt Lake City, notwithstanding the salubrity of its climate, than in any other city of its size in the Union. According to their own census, the mortality of Utah is next to that of Louisiana, and the large proportion is children. Salt Lake City is therefore nearly as unhealthy as New Orleans. This mortality, too, is particularly noticed in the families of polygamists. Brigham Young, considering the number of his wives, has but a very small family, something over thirty children. Quite a number of his wives are sterile ; many others have had large families, but who have all died in in- fancy. His houses are filled with his women, but their chil- dren are in their graves. Joseph Smith had many wives ; no one but himself knows the number, and many of them had children, but with one or two exceptions they are all dead ; and well for them, poor little ones. Many of the Mormon leading men have many wives, but their children are not 76 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. proportionably many. Facts like these are not confined to Utah. Meh.-immed had many wives and concubines, some say twenty-five ; he had but one son. Fatima, the only one of his children who survived her father, died soon after, and Mohammed's direct line was extinct. There are many barren women in Utah, and as this is regarded as a signal curse, it has led, to my knowledge, to more than one case of adultery. A Mr. Hawkins was absent on a mission to the Sandwich Islands ; he had left behind bim a wife, who had never had any family. Boarding at her house was a Mr. Dunn, whose wife was on the road to Salt Lake, coming to join her husband. Mrs. Hawkins was, however, found to be enceinte by this man, and the affair was patched up by a precipitate marriage be- tween them ; although her husband- was away preaching Mormonism to the "Kanakas." When Mrs. Dunn arrived, her feelings may be imagined. Many expected that Hawkins would shoot Dunn on his return ; but Brigham hushed the matter very quietly, and Mrs. Hawkins Dnnn now fondles her two cliildrea. If polygamy be inimical to the physical, it is still more so to the moral and mental developments of the children. Parents owe other duties to children than merely to beget them. Many men marry wives, quite indifierent about their means of sus- taining them. It is notorious at Salt Lake City, that men have been walking about, doing nothing, and making their wives support them' by taking in washing. I could name several such. With all their toil it is as much as most of these men can do to supply their physical wants. Food aud clothing, and both scanty and poor, exhaust their purses and PEACTIOAI, POLYGAMY. '1'! energies. They Lave no time, and if time, no disposition to at- tend to the mental culture of their children. There are always too many domestic quarrels to adjust ; some old wife to scold, or some new wife to court. What they have not time to attend to themselves, they have no money to pay others for. The Salt Lake system of schools is merely a farce and a name (see chapter on Schools). Their children are impatiently turned over to their mother and their aunts, as they call them, who drive them out of their httle crowded houses. They com- panionize with children bigger than themselves ; go with them to herd cattle ; become early inured to vice, and accustomed to foul thoughts and words ; premature observers of the brute creation ; practicing, many of them, the worst vices, and mak- ing the most sacredly private matters of their families a jest for their playmates. As soon as they can crack a whip or use a hoe, they have to work to help support their brothers and sisters. Education is neglected, and consequently despised. The habits of men are contracted at the age of boyhood. Many of their parents, themselves born in the backwoods, encourage their precocity. Their cheating the confiding, is called smart trading ; mischievous cruelty, evidences of spirit ; pompous bravado, manly talk ; reckless riding, fearless courage ; and if they out-talk their father, outwit their companions, whip their school-teacher, or out-curse a Gentile, they are thought to be promising greatness, and are praised accordingly. Every visitor of Salt Lake will recognize the portrait, for every visitor proclaims them to be the most whisky-loving, tobacco-chew- ing, saucy and precocious children he ever saw. It is true, however, that the Mormons have been driven from place to 18 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. place ; and to some extent this has prevented much attention being directed to the education of their children. This will account, perhaps, for tbe ignorance of the older boys ; but this ignorance is almost universally the case, and indeed could not be otherwise. Large famiUes of young children, and many wives, with frequent female ailments, are all dependant on the toil of one man, where most persons are agriculturists, and where they can not raise even cereals without irrigating the land several times. All are obliged to work as soon as able, women and children as well as men, in the fields and gar- dens. Add to all this bad school regulations, incompetent instructors, and the leaders, fiercely declaiming against the Gentiles and their education ; ignorance, wickedness, and cor- ruption among the boys is inevitable. With the girts, the routine, though diflferent, produces nearly the same result. There is a weekly meeting at Salt Lake Tabernacle attended exclusively by women ; it is called the " Council of Health," its object, to discuss the most in delicate subjects. It is presided over by an old man named Eichards, whose ordinary topics of conversation make even Mormons blush. It is attended frequently by H. C. Kimball, from whom I have heard the most disgustingly filthy talk before eighty or a hundred men and women. The subject- matters of this Board of Health form staple for conversation during the week. Marriages and births in detail are the morceaux choisies. The presence of young girls, instead of re- pressing, excites their garrulity. " To blush at truth," says Kimball, "is from the devil." These women copy their prophet ; mock the blush of half shame and half horror ; and PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 79 laugh nt the look of childish wonder. The consequences are certain. Children from hearing learn to repeat ; from repeat- ing, learn to understand; from realizing, learn to act! The sore begins to bloat with corruption ; and as the climax of abomination, the authorities now advocate early marriages ! With snow constantly in sight, they urge the example of tropical nations. They expect to obtain the hardy bodies and sound minds of northern Saxons from the worst practices of effeminate Asiatics. The fact is, some remedy has to be adopted. Passions precociously developed will be precoci- ously gratified. If not licensed, they will be gratified illicitly. " Boys should marry at fourteen and fifteen, and girls at thirteen and fourteen,'' says Kimball. " Boys should be married," teaches Brigham, " and still live under their fathers' direction." Accordingly both these men had their boys married and living at home. But as to the offspring of these marriages ? " The sins of the fathers shall descend upon the children, unto the third or fourth generation.'' Men can not transgress nature's laws with impunity. To infringe her ordinances, is to secure her penalties. Where marriage is thus prostituted to gratify licentiousness, either there must be a great facility of divorce, or else there must be an unmitigated hell. Jesus said. Matt., xix. 9, " Whosoever putteth away his wife, except it be for fornica- tion, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth her which is put away, committeth adultery." The Mormons are wiser than the Saviour on this subject, as well as on many others. The most trivial imaginable cause justifies and obtains a divorce at Salt Lake. Nor is any 80 PKACTIOAL POLYGAMY. scruple made to re-marrying sucli a divorcee. One woman in Salt Late has been married six times ; four of her previous husbands are, I believe, still in Utah. Several cases occurred where people were divorced a day or two after their marriage; several cases where divorcees were married a few days after being divorced. So common did the applications for divorce become, that in 1854, Brighara had to impose a price to be paid in cash (then very scarce) upon all " bills." He charged ten dollars if married for time ; fifty dollars if sealed for eternity. The money went mostly to the clerk. Not a few amusing scenes occurred, where parties who came for divorce had to return and live together, because they could not raise money enough between them to pay for the " bill." It had the desired effect : it decreased the applications. One peculiarity of the Mormon Churches outside Utah, can not but be observed, and that is the number of mis-matches that become Mormons. Motives of interest, advice of friends, thoughtless indifference, or an act of jealousy, have united many men and women. Mormonism to them offers peculiar charms : a divorce to be had for the asking, and a free choice afterward. There are also at Utah many women who have deserted their husbands for the sake of some of the Elders. Some very dLstressing circumstances have occurred in conse- quence of this feature. One particularly is very painful. Mrs. M'Lean was married, and had several children. She embraced Mormonism in San Francisco, where she afterward saw P. P. Pratt, one of the Mormon Apostles, and admired, believed, obeyed, and loved him. She several times endea- vored to abscond with her children from her husband ; he, PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. 81 who loved her and them very devotedly, prevented her taking his children. The children were finally sent from San Fran- cisco to Louisiana, to their grandparents. Mrs. M'Lean went to Salt Lake and married this man Pratt, where I saw her in 1855. She came with him from Salt Lake in 1856, went to her parents' house, pretended repentance and regret, promised amendment, and accused the Mormons. She obtained their confidence, and then stole the children from their refuge ; leaving the grandparents and their father nearly distracted. Mr. M'Lean has subsequently shot Pratt in Arkansas, U. S. I much regret his desperate action, however deeply I sym- pathize with his misfortunes. I made the acquaintance of Mr. M'Lean in Cahfornia, where he was universally respected and esteemed as an honorable and an upright man ; deeply devoted to his wife, and tenderly attached to his children. Another of this Pratt's wives, I understand, was a similar case, but not so far prosecuted by the husband. Nor is this Parley P. Pratt the only one of the authorities who has acted in this manner. Both Joseph Smith and Brigliam Young may be cited as examples. A Mrs. Cobb saw and loved Brigham at Boston, Mass. She embraced Mormonism, and absconded from her husband, taking with her her daughter Charlotte. She got to Salt Lake, and was married to Brigham. Charlotte is still there ; she is con- sidered the helle of Salt Lake ; and if Brigham does not take a notion to marry her himself, will most likely be " sealed" to one of his sons. Marriage with the Mormons is regarded peculiarly as a re- li^ous rite, to be performed by the priesthood, wholly irre- 4* 82 PRACTICAL POLYGAMY. spective of any civil authority. " Any High Priest, Bishop, Elder, or Priest," can perform it ; and as almost all the Mor- mons hold one of these offices, almost every man has the right to unite a couple. In this way a great many marriages are performed that are only lawful in Utah. Outside Mormon- dom they would be regarded as concubinage. This is an "artful means of keeping people in subjection, and of retaining them at Salt Lake. Thus far we have reviewed the immediate effects of poly- gamy. The Mormons have, however, another system of mar- riage, in the carrying Out of which there is still more of the atrocious and corrupt. This is what they term " the sealing for eternity," and will require a separate chapter. ^<^a?i Jyua^^ CHAPTER IV. MORMON MYSTERIES. Sealing for eternity — ^TVomen married to one and sealed to another hus- band — Spiritual wives — Smith's death — Smith's widows — "Proxy doctrine" — Marriage and seahng for the dead — The endowment — Washing — ^Anointing — Creation — First degree of Aaronio priesthood — Second degree of Aaronic priesthood — First degree of Melchisedeo priesthood — Second degree of Melchisedeo priesthood — ^" Behind the vail" — Obedience — Examples — Murders — Sealing at the altar — In- itiative lectures — Sealing to Indian squawa — Adoption — Selling their daughters. The married relationship, say the Mormons, was intended as eternal. As marriage is a religious ceremony more than a civil institution, they urge, therefore, it must be performed by an ecclesiastical dignitary. All other marriages are mere contracts sanctioned by law, but dissolvable at the option of both contracting parties. As marriage, ordinarily adminis- tered, is only "till death ;" it is perfectly null and void for any period after death. As they believe that unless married, the saved will not enjoy any " glory" in the next world ; and if not married on earth, can not be married afterward, therefore they " marry for eternity T This power is vested in Brigham only. He can, however, transfer it at option to any other Apostle. Heber C. Kimball 84 MORMON MYSTERIES. usually performs the ceremony. These marriages are always performed in their sacred and secret Temple, in a singular manner — of which hereafter — and are termed sealings. Peo- ple, according to Mormon technology, are married for time, but sealed for eternity. It is impossible to state all the licentiousness, under the name of religion, that these sealing ordinances have oc- casioned. A woman has been married to a man she does not lite. She comes to Salt Lake and sees some one whom she does like. The man's position, however, is such that she does not wish to leave her husband, but only desires to secure another for an eternal husband. She can be sealed to this other man and still remain with her first husband ; and the Mormons believe that all her children will belong to the man to whom she is "sealed." " No marriage is valid till physic- ally consummated," is a maxim of all human and divine law. These marriages or sealings are therefore consummated to make them valid. But the husband may know of the seal- ing ordinance, and desire to get his wife sealed to him. To tell him the real facts might make him apostatize ; convert a warm adherent into a devoted enemy ; and, therefore, the Mormons will perform a " mock ceremony,'' contending that it is better one man be deceived, rather than the whole Church should suffer. In this way no man, unless his posi- tion be so high as to make it impolitic, is certain of his dear- est wife's virtue, or his warmest friend's honor. Suspicion and jealousy are the inevitable results. There is a Mrs. Dibble living in Utah, who has a fine son She was sealed, among others, to Joseph Smith, although liv- MORMON MYSTERIES. 85 ing- -with her present husband before and since. On the head of her son, Smith predicted the most startling prophesies about wielding the sword of Laban, revesiling the hidden Book of Mormon, and translating the sealed part of the rec- ords. There is not a person at Salt Lake who doubts the fact of that boy being Smith's own child. It is these wives, who, married to one man and sealed to another, are the " spiritual wives" of those to whom they are sealed. Joseph Smith lost his life entirely through attempt- ing to persuade a Mrs. Dr. Foster, at Nauvoo, that it was the will of God, she should become his " spiritual wife ;" not to the exclusion of her husband, Dr. Foster, but only to become his in time for eternity ! This nefarious offer she confessed to her husband. Some others of a similar nature were discov- ered, and Dr. Foster, William Law, and others began to ex- pose Smith. Their paper was burned, type and press demol- ished, for which Smith was arrested and afterward shot, by Missourians, at Carthage, LI. Of course, all this is denied by the Mormons, but the same men denied that Smith practiced polygamy at all. One of their denials is proven to be a false- hood ; may not the other be equally false ? Not only did they deny the action, but also the principle involved in the action. Not only have they subsequently acknowledged polygamy, but they now admit the principle ; but still persist in denying this action of Smith. Two of the facts being ad- mitted, when all three wei'e»previously denied, makes the third very probable. It is certain Mrs. Dr. Foster knew of the principle, else she could not have told her husband. It is also certain that she would not have known it had Smith no* 86 MORMON MYBTBRIES. revealed it to her. It is, therefore, strongly presumptive that as Smith certainlj did reveal to her the principle, that he did so for the object she states : and I think that her testimony, which is very positive, is irrefutable in the matter. The Mormons do not now seek to deny the fact that women married to one, may be sealed to another husband ; only asserting that such marriages go no further. But as they contend that no marriage is valid till consummated, and insist that these marriages are valid, either they destroy their own system, or else there is licentiousness and corrup- tion. There would be only one choice in the mind of any be- lieving Mormon. When a woman sinks low enough to prefer another man for her pseudo eternal husband, she is certainly sunk low enough to sin in deed as well as thought. When the promptings of affection are sanctioned by religion and legalized by precedent, few persons would hesitate at in- dulgence. As a man's " kingdom" depends solely on the size of his family ; and as all the children that the woman may have belong to her sealed husband, whether by him begotten or not; and as if the husband dies, all his anticipated glory seems to be arrested ; the " Saints" have, therefore, adopted the plan of appointing brethren as their agents to continue their '■'■glorifying,''' after their decease. Alexander McRae, an old Mormon and companion of Joseph Smith, but not a polygamist, was called on abruptly, at Fillmore, in 1855, to "increase the kingdom" of a dead brother by taking his widow ; she having seen, liked, and wanted him, and having gone to President Kimball and solicited to have him counsel MORMON MYSTERIES. 87 MoRae to take her. Kimball gave McRae the " word of the Lord," and, although it very much displeased him, he had to submit. Many of the widows of Joseph Smith, who could not find other husbands, were taken by Brigham, who has been endeavoring to perpetuate his kingdom on earth. Not only is it deemed proper to take the widows of some good brother, but also to take fresh wives for your dead brother. There was a lady named P , in Salt Lake, in 1854, who had heard of and loved Smith. He had been dead for ten years, but that is nothing to the wings of Mormon faith. She was desirous to be sealed to him, although, I believe, she had a husband still living in the States. Brigham consented to act as proxy or agent for Joseph Smith, and accordingly the interesting ceremony was performed. Mrs. P good soul, gave up all her property to the Church, faithfully believ- ing she had joined the numerous army of the Smiths in gen- eral, under the especial banner of the Prophet, Joseph. A still more atrocious, but natural result of his sensual salvation remains. As a man's family constitutes his glory, to go on a mission for several years, leaving from two to a dozen wives at home, necessarily causes some loss of family, and consequently, according to Moimon notions, much sacri- fice of salvation. This difficulty is however obviated by the appointment of an agent or proxy, who shall stand to them- ward in their husband's stead. Many and many a little child has been thus issued into the Mormon world. This is one of the secret principles that as yet is only privately talked of in select circles, and darkly hinted at from their pulpits and in their works. They argue that the old Mosaic law of a 88 MOEMON MYSTERIES. "brother raising up seed to his dead brother" is now in force ; and as death is only a temporary absence, so they con- tend a temporary absence is equivalent to death ; and if in the case of deatli, it is not only no crime, but proper; so also Jn this case it is equally lawful and extremely advantageous ! This practice, commended by such sophistry, and commanded by such a Prophet, was adopted as early as at Nauvoo. Much scandal was caused by others than Smith attempting to carry out this doctrine. Several, who thought what was good for the Prophet should be good for the people, were crushed down by Smith's heavy hand. Several of those have spoken out to the practices of the " Saints." Much discussion occurred at Salt Lake as to the advisability of reveahng the doctrine of polygamy in 1852, and that has caused Brigham to defer the public enunciation of this '' proxy doctrine," as it is familiarly called. Many have expected it repeatedly at the late conferences. Eeasoning their premises out to their natural and necessary consequences, this licentious and in- famous dogma is their inevitable result. Another result of their doctrines is another excuse for licen- tious indulgence. The Mormons believe, as before stated, in the possibility of man's administering salvation to the dead. Hundreds of devout, strangely devout and fanatically sincere people are immersed on the behalf of their dead relations ; males for men, females for women. But the salvation of the dead, say they, has to be consummated in the same manner as that of the living. " They will be nowhere," says Kimball, " unlesa they have wives:" and these immersed people are therefore married for their dead. But as marriage is only a MORMON MYSTERIES. 89 transient afiair, they have to be also " sealed" for the dead. And as a marriage ceremony is not valid till completed, there is practiced in consequence more abomination. For as the glory of the dead, as well as the living, depends entirely on the size of their families, these accommodating proxies raise children for the dead too ! That these practices should be indulged, is not surprising. That they should be vailed under the garb of sanctity, and excused on the grounds of religion, is infamous. Mormonism is ingenious in finding excuses for licentiousness ; it is a bitter and a burning satire on human purity and progress ; a dis- gusting but a palpable proof of human depravity. Much has been said of the Mormon endowment. It has been extolled by its recipients until the bewildered minds of their hearers have thought it something sublime. Men, who proud that they had a secret, and desirous that every one should know that they had it, uttered dark hints. They exhibited a singular kind of an under-garment which they constantly wore. This was fantastically marked and given them in the Temple. They promised this endowment to their awe-struck disciples, as the full fruition of the blessing of heaven, etc., etc., etc. As to what it really was, all was perfectly hidden ; as all who received the initiation were bound by the most fearful penal- ties not to reveal any thing of the matter. Oaths were ex- acted, obliging the person who took them, to agree to un- dergo a violent and cruel death on revealing the " mystery." I am about to make a statement, as nearly as I can remem- ber, of what the ceremonies, etc., were. I am induced to thi*" violation of my oaths, from five reasons. First, As no on 90 MORMON MYSTERIES. knew what were the oaths previous to hearing them ; and as no one on hearing could refuse to make them, they are not binding in justice. Second, As the obligations also involved other acts of obedience as well as secrecy ; and as I do not intend to obey those other obligations, it can be no more im- proper to break the oath of secrecy than the oath of unlimited obedience. Third, As the obligations' involve treason against the confederacy of the United States ; and therefore illegal ab initio ; and as the law makes the misprision or conceal- ment of treason, treason itself, it becomes a duty to expose them. Fourth, As the promise of endowment is one of the great inducements held out to deluded Mormons, to persuade to emigration to Salt Lake, it is right that they should know the value of their anticipated blessing ; and Fifth, It is better to violate a bad oath than keep it : as it would have been bet- ter for Herod to have forfeited his promise, than to kill John the Baptist. As to the penalties I incur, I have but one duty to God and the world ; and to God and the world I confide my safety. On Friday, February 10, 1854, pursuant to notice I had received, with no other instructions than to wear a clean shirt, myself and wife went to the Council House, Salt Lake City, at about seven o'clock in the morning. About thirty persons were previously waiting there, who were to be " en- dowed from on high" that day. Our names, with full par- ticulars of birth, marriage, etc., were all registered in a record ; our tithing-office receipts examined, because, before hearing the music, it is first necessary to " pay the piper." Ail those who had not been previously sealed to their wives, MORMON MTSTEEIEB. 91 were then sealed by Heber C. Kimball, wbo has under his peculiar direction the giving of the endowment, and we were ushered into a long room which was divided into many little compartments by white screens. All was solemn and hushed. Our shoes had to be removed in the outer register ofiioe, those who were officiating were in slippers, and the few words spoken in giving directions were only in a dim murmur. The women were sent to one portion of the place, the men to another. All was still ; the simmer of the wood in the stove made quite a painful impression on the nerves. The novelty of the situation, the uncertainty and expectation of what was to follow, the perfect stillness heightened by the murmuring whispers,, the dull splash of water, the listening and serious faces, the white screens themselves, every thing was calculated to excite the superstitious in any one. One by one the men were beckoned out till it was my turn. I was told to undress, and was then laid down in an ordinary tin bath, which I re- member was painted inside and out ; a Dr. Sprague — who, in passing, is one of the filthiest-minded men I ever met — was officiating as " washer," which ceremony consisted of washing, one all over in tepid water, and blessing each member as he proceeded, from the head downward : " brain to be strong, ears to be quick to hear the words of God's servants, eyes to be sharp to perceive," nose, mouth, arms, hands, breasts, with the peculiar blessing appropriate to each, down to the " feet to be swift to run in the ways of righteousness.'' Washed, and pronounced " clean from the blood of this generation," I was handed over to Parley P. Pratt, who was seated in a corner, and appointed to give to each 92 MORMON MYSTERIES. " clean man" a " new name, whereby he should be known in the celestial kingdom of God." He called me " Enoch," and I passed on back to our waiting-room, where each in turn was seated on a stool, and some strongly scented oil was ladled out of a mahogany vessel in the shape of a cow's horn, by means of a little mahogany dipper, and poured on his head. This unctuous compound was rubbed into eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, sodden in the hair, and stroked down the person till one felt very greasy and smelt very odorous. This ordinance, performed by Elders Taylor and Cummings, was accompanied by a formula of blessing similar to the " wash- ing," and was " the anointing," administered preparatory to being ordained a " king and priest unto God and the Lamb," which ordination, however, can only be performed in the real Temple. Greased and blessed, we had then to put on the " garments," a dress made of muslin or linen, and worn next to the skin, reaching from the neck to the ankles and wrists, and in shape like a little child's sleeping garment. Over this was put a shirt, then a robe made of linen, crossing and gathered up in pleats on one shoulder, and reaching the ground before and behind, and tied round the waist. Over this was fastened a small square apron, similar in size and shape to masonic aprons, generally made of white linen or silk with imitation fig-leaves painted or worked upon it. A cap, made from a square yard of linen, and gathered into a band to fit the head, socks, and white linen or cotton shoes, completed the equipment. While thus dressing ourselves, a farce was being performed in the next compartment. The creation of the world was being enacted. Eloheim, J. M. Grant, was MORMON MTBTERIES. 93 counseling with JehovaB, Jesus, and Michael (Adam), W. C. Staines, about making and peopling the earth. He sends these three down to take a look and bring him back word as to what are the prospects. They pretend to go, examine, and return to report. The first chapter of Genesis is then per- formed, Eloheim taking the " and God said" part ; the three pretending to go and accomplish the command, and return and make report, using " and it is so." The mind was struck with the wild blasphemy of the whole affair. When they came down to the creation of man, the three, Jehovah, Jesus, and Michael, came into our compartment, and by stroking each of us separately, pretended to form ; and by blowing into our faces, pretended to vivify us. We were then sup- posed to be as Adam, newly made and perfectly ductile in the hands of our makers (an allegory to be terribly carried out). But we were alone ; a little more farce, and our wives were introduced, who were similarly arrayed, and had been simi- larly conducted toward as ourselves, their ofiiciaries of course being women. Miss E. K. Snow, and some others. We were made to shut our eyes as if asleep, commanded to arise and see, and our wives were severally given to us. Joy of course filled our hearts, and we filed off by twos to the compartment where we had heard the voice of Eloheim. This compart- ment, by the aid of some dwarf mountain pines in boxes, (now paintings), was made to looking something hke a garden. W. C. Staines, as Adam, and Miss Snow as Eve, were our "fuglemen;" we did what they did. Some raisins were hanging on one shrub, and W. W. Phelps, in the character of the devil, which he plays admirably (I), endeavored to en- 94 MORMON MYSTERIES. tioe us to eat of them. Of course, " the woman tempted me and I did eat." We were then cursed by Eloheim, who came to see us : the devil was driven out, and this erudite astronomer and Apostle (!) wriggled, squealed, and crept away on his hands and Icnees. "We were then supposed to be in a cursed condition, and here commences the terrible intention of this otherwise ridiculous buffoonery. We were now helpless without the intervention of a higher power, and the establishment of a higher law. Any law that could apply to the body was of small consequence ; any power that could control the body was of no moment. Thus lost and fallen, God establishes the priesthood, and endows them with the necessary jurisdiction ; their power unlimited, their commands indisputable, their decisions final, and their authority transcending every other. They were to act as God, with God's authority, in God's place. Oaths of inviolate secrecy, of obedience to and depend- ence on the priesthood, especially not to " touch any woman, unless given by this priesthood, through the President" were then administered to the intimidated and awed neophytes. A sign, a grip, and a key word were communicated and im- pressed by practice on us, and the third degree of the Mormon endowment, or first degree of the Aaronic priesthood, was con- ferred. Man, continues the allegory, goes out into life, hav ing one law of purity, one key of truth, and one power of priesthood. With these he goes forth into the world, where light is made darkness and darkness light. He is lost in doubt as to where the truth is. He is, in the next room, sup posed to be in the midst of the sects of the present day. MORMON MTSTEBIES. 95 Several imitations of the common styles of Quakers, Metho- dists, and others are performed. The devil, W. W. Phelps, meets and accosts each of them with " Good-morning, brother Methodist," etc., " I love you all," " You're my friends," etc., etc. Three Apostles, Peter (P. P. Pratt), James (J. Taylor), John (E. Snow), entered, and after a little badinage between the devil and thetn, Peter commands him to depart in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the authority of the holy priesthood, and that makes him foam, bias, and rush out. These Apostles then begin to examine us as to our position ; and new instructions are given to us, not only as to priest- hood in general, as an abstract idea, but to the Mormon dig- nitaries as the only representatives of this idea of priesthood. The intention of this step is, that Peter, James, and John came down to Joseph Smith, and conferred on him this priest- hood, which has descended to Brigham Young ; that all the reverence that CJ|irist in them could induce, was now to be paid to this Mormon priesthood ; immediate, implicit, and unquestioning obedience ; to be, as Kimball said, " like a tallowed rag in the hands of Brigham Y^oung" Now, pre sumed this allegory, we were advancing toward the kingdom of God. The man Adam, lost by reason of his fall, the great original sin ; doubly lost by the addition of his personal sins, has received powers and blessings, and wandered away from the truth. As it was the priesthood who took him up in his fall, gave him the promise of a Redeemer, so it must be this priesthood that must be the instruments of accomplishing his redemption. God has now taken pity on the world wandering in darkness, and revealed his gospel to bmith, bt 96 MOEMON MTSTEEIES. stowed upon him this priesthood, and is now demanding entire obedience to him and his successors. An oath, with the penalty of throat-cutting, was the condi- tion of the first ; heart being plucked out, etc., etc., dragged into agonizing details, is the penalty of the second oath. New secrecy is impressed, and the second degree of Aaronic priesthood, with signs, grip, and key word, is bestowed. This farce, heightening into a fearful reality, is continued. The allegory presumes man to be now in a partially saved state. He is ushered into a room with an altar in the center of it. Undying fidelity to the brethren is here inculcated. " Never to speak evil of the Lord's anointed," or, in other words, tOj^hut your mouth on all iniquity ; to see and not to speak. Not only to think with their thoughts ; to come to them as mediators between Christ and man, as Christ is their Mediator between them and God ; to feel as they feel, and act as they act ; to render implicit obedience to any requisition however treasonable, however criminal, however unnatural, however impious it might be ; not only all this, but never to " speak evil of the Lord's anointed." To have the " Church" the first thing in your mind, and filling the only place in your affections ; to be ready to sacrifice to its dictum or its interests the warmest friend, the nearest relation, the dearest wife, or even life itself; to hold no trust as sacred, no duty obligatory, no promise or oath binding that militates or infringes the in- terests of the Church. On this oath being taken, the penalty, on either breaking or revealing it, being that you shall have your navel ripped across, and your bowels gush out, etc., etc., in all sorts of disgusting and horrifying details, another sign, MOEMON MTSTERIBS. 9? key word, and grip is communicated, and tlie first degree of the Melchisedec priesthood is conferred. Stupefied and weary ; bowing under a sense of fearful and unnatural responsibility ; excited by a species of apprehen- sion as to what would come next, we were ushered into an- other room. An altar was in the center ; on it the Bible, Book of Mormon and Book of Smith's Eevelations. Man and woman, we were ranged around the place ; Kimball in the same, and Brigham in the next room looking on ; ^Parley Pratt officiating, and the fourth oath was administered. The allegory presumed that man, now in a fair and certain way to salvation, had a great temporal duty to perform, not an ab- stract theory of obedience, nor obedience in abstr ct things, but a great positive, present, immediate duty. We were, therefore, sworn to cherish constant enmity toward the United States government for not avenging the death of Smith, or righting the persecutions of the Saints ; to do all that we could toward destroying, tearing down, or overturning that government ; to endeavor to baflSe its designs and frustrate its intentions ; to renounce all allegiance and refuse all submis- sion. If unable to do any thing ourselves toward the accom- plishment of these objects, to teach it to our children from the nursery ; impress it upon them from the death-bed ; entail it upon them as a legacy. To make it the one leading idea and sacred duty of their lives ; so that " the kingdom of God and his Christ" (the Mormon Church and its priesthood) " might subdue all other kingdoms and fill the whole earth." Curses the most frightful, penalties the most barbarous, were threatened and combined in the obligation either on failing to 5 QS MOKMONMYBTEKIES. abide or in daring to reveal these covenants. A new sign, a new key-word, a new grip, and tb.e second degree of Mel- chisedec priesthood was administered. We were now accept- able to God, and could approach him as children, but had to learn how to pray. We were now told that our robes were on the wrong shoulder and as a sign of our entire dependence on the priesthood in spiritual things, they set them right. In order to impart a deeper religious tone to these proceedings, and to feed the flame here kindled, a new method of praying was shown to us. All the endowees were to stand in a circle ; silently to repeat all the signs with their formula, and then to be imited by a fentastic intertwining of hands and arms. While in this position one who is previously chosen to be " mouth-piece," kneels on his right knee, takes hold of the hand of one of the standing brethren, thus completing the " circle," and prays slowly ; all repeating his words after him. Thus to meet in circle, to solemnize our thoughts by as- suming the garb, to refresh our memories and realize our obligations by repeating all the formula of sign, token, key- words and penalties ; and then to pray standing in a mysterious position, using abracadabratic terms, is thought to call down from heaven an immediate answer to prayer, because, finding peculiar favor in the eyes of God. These circles meet every week, and Brigham and the Twelve Apostles often meet every day in this manner and for this object. Standing thus. Parley P. Pratt prayed, and we slowly repeated his words, calling on God to bless or curse as we obeyed or neglected the covenants we had made. We were now brethren., members of the holy OT.-'ors of God's priesthood ; MORMOK MTSTEEIES. 99 admitted to the full participation in the privileges of the fraternity ; recognizing each other readily ; constantly wear- ing a garment as a protector and remembrancer ; bound to each other by tremendous secrets f chained to the priest- hood by fearful oaths. We were now to pass through the Vail, a thin partition of linen, through which all the whole formula had to be re- peated ; certain marks on the bosom and front of the shirt are cut with a pair of scissors ; another name is whispered very softly and very quietly, too soft and fast to be distin- guished ; and we were ushered into the Celestial Kingdom of God, having passed " behind the Vail !" The men then turn round and admit their wives, who have to repeat the whole affair once more, and the door is opened and they are let through. In the " Celestial Kingdom" we found Brigham, and many others waiting to hear the " Endowment Lecture" which is delivered on every initiation day. We were then al- lowed to dress, retaining our under-garments ; got a hurried lunch, it being nearly four o'clock, and returned to the " Ce- lestial Kingdom" to hear the lecture. This was by H. C. Kimball, explaining the allegory and enforcing the seriousness of the affair ; repeating the different signs with formulas of recognition ; giving some pointed warnings and uttering some tremendous threats ; and about six o'clock we returned to the office,. resumed our boots and shoes, and the affair was ended. There are very few minds, of the caliber usually converted and seduced into Mormonism, that can readily shake off the benumbing effect of such a day as that above described. 100 MOBMON MTSTEBIES. Free-masonry, Odd-fellowship, and other kindred ceremonies sway very mightily the minds subject to their influence, and initiated into their secrets. The mysteries of sacred orders paralyzed strong energies, inflamed cold hearts, and inflated hard minds of ancients. It is not astonishing that these ceremonies stimulate the terror and excite the supersitions of their initiated too. It is not surprising that thus bound ; thinking that the whole is a revelation; hurried along ; see- ing Brigham Young just as infatuated as any of them, firmly convinced that this is the kingdom ; this, the age ; this, the means ; and themselves the people, that they should suf- fer and act as they do. It may show them in a state of frail human nature, but it does not show them at all unnatural. That there is much genius shown — ^if genius be shown in the adaptation of means to ends — in these Mormon mysteries, none can dispute. They are admirably fitted to sternly im- print and superstitiously to enweave themselves in the hearts of their recipients. It is hard to concieve of a better means to soften prejudices, almost to amuse, by an apparent triviality, till leading one gradually and unsuspiciously along, making every word an iron bar, and every bar a step to the grand finale, till the farce deepens into the real, and the real is sub- limed into the tragic." There is one thing that is utterly ridiculous, the pretending to claim inspiration as its source. Its signs, tokens, marks and ideas are plagiarized from masonry. The whole affair is being constantly amended and corrected, and Kimball often says, "We wiU get it perfect by-and-by" The giving the " new name" is optional with the namer, and he has no rule. MORMON MTSTERIBS. 101 The inspiration of tLe moment is the inspiration of God. Many have the same name, but as they are not known by any but one's self, and he to whom they are uttered at the Vail, that does not make the slightest difference. One man forgot his name in the mass of excitement, and Pratt could not remember what name he gave him, and so, to settle the difficulty, he gave him another, and he passed through the) Vail, and that did just as well. From first to last, the inten- tion of the mystery is to teach unlimited obedience to Brig- ham, and treason against the country. However infatuated, they all see this plainly ; and the stronger their infatuation, the prompter their obedience. To many strange extremes do they carry this obedience. Mr. Eldredge had a daughter, handsome, intelligent, and amiable. She loved a young man, and he her. Brigham's nephew, Joseph W. Young, saw and liked, but was disliked by her. He spoke to Brigham, who told Eldredge " that he had to marry his girl to Joseph W., that it was his ' counsel,' and that every man must be master of his household." Her wrung heart, her crushed love, her blasted hopes, and her stifled aversion yielded at the shrine of this monster supersti- tion, and she married Joseph W. Young. Bishop Hoagland had a daughter, Emily. A Mr. J. C. Little was married and not desirous to become a polygamist. Kimball commanded him to take this girl, commanded Bishop Hoagland to give her, and commanded Emily to have Mr. Little. Indifference was overcome, the warm hopes of a girl's heart for a fond young husband, torn up like weeds, and she married, and she wept ! Z. Snow had been one of the Utah judges, was a 102 MORMON MYSTERIES. Mormon, kept a store, offended Brigham, who cursed him most fearfully ; reproached, rebuked, charged, threatened him, and finally commanded him to go on a mission to Aus- tralia, for at least three years. Z. Snow was a man of educa- tion, a lawyer, had fought his way to the bench, a man of money and business, had struggled with the world and had conquered ; but yet, like a child, he bowed his head to Brig- ham's withering rebukes, fearful criminations, merciless an- athemas ; left his family, gave up his business, said nothing, accepted the appointment, and is now in Australia, preaching Mormonism ! I could name a score of such evidences of the cruelest tyranny and the most superstitious obedience. Mor- monism, at Salt Lake, is a whirlpool ; once get into the stream, and you must either be sucked down into its vortex, or else be cast out bruised and broken. While men will themselves thus suffer unrepining, and never think of resistance, it is not at all astonishing that they should inflict suffering on others, and never dream of any thing but doing their duty. What is still more singular, men who have been employed iu the commission of positive crimes, never think of taking any extra freedom on that ac- count, but show and actually feel all the same veneration for their Prophet. Second Zeids giving up women to a second Mohammed, could not evince more superstition and more obedience. When the Mormons talk so much of death as a penalty, it is not the idle threat of imaginary killing, but the strong word of mercUesB men. They never threaten what they will not perform, and fear of risking the penalty with- holds many from apostacy. MORMON MYSTERIES. 103 That the Church has instigated many murders there can be no question. Not only do they not deny, but even pub- licly preach its propriety, as a means of salvation. As soon as the news of the murder of Squire Babbett and party reached Salt Lake, the impression grew strong in the minds of the people, that it had been done by the instruction of the Church ; as Babbett was very troublesome, was feared, had often been threatened, was a " covenant-breaker," and, consequently, by Mormon law, ought to die. The desire prompted the suspicion, and the more closely that the cir- cumstances were scrutinized, the stronger these suspicions be- came. Some weak-minded people, however, did not approve of such bloody measures, and Brigham, to effectually quiet their scruples, preached this strange doctrine on Sabbath afternoon, September 21, 1856 : " There are sins that men commit for which they can not receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spUt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof migbt ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins ; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world, " I know, when you hear my brethren telhng about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it is strong doc- trine ; but it is to save them, not to destroy them. I will say further ; I have had men come to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins. " It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for 104 MORMON MYSTERIES. sins through the fall and those committed by man, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit. As it was in ancient days, so it is in our day ; and though the principles are taught publicly from this stand, still the people do not understand them ; yet the law is precisely the same. There are sins that can be atoned for by an offering upon an altar as in ancient days ; and there are sins that the blood of a lamb, of a calf, or of turtle doves, can not remit, but they must be atoned for by the blood of the man. That is the reason why men talk to you as they do from this stand ; they understand the doctrine, and throw out a few words about it." — Deseret News, October 1, 1856. When the citizens of Carroll and Davis counties, Mo., began to threaten the Mormons with expulsion in 1838, a " death society'' was organized, under the direction of Sidney Eigdon, and with the sanction of Smith. Its first captain was Captain " Fearnot," alias David Patten, an Apostle. Its object was the punishment of the obnoxious. Some time elapsed before finding a suitable name. They desired one that should seem to combine spiritual authority, with a suit- able sound. Micah, iv. 13, furnished the first name, "Arise, and thresh, ! daughter of Zion ; for I will make thy horn iron, and thy hoofs brass ; and thou shalt beat in pieces many people ; and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.'' This fur- nished them with a pretext ; it accurately described their in- tentions, and they called themselves the " Daughters of Zion.' Some ridicule was made at these bearded and bloody " daugh- ters," and the name did not sit easily. " Destroying Angels" MORMON MTSTEBIBB. 105 came next ; the " Big Fan" of the thresher that " should thoroughly purge the floor," was tried and dropped. Genesis, xlix. 17, furnished the name that they finally assumed. The verse is quite significant : " Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward." The " Sons of Dan" was the style they adopted ; and many have been the times that they have been adders in the path, and many a man has fallen back- ward, and has been seen no more. At Salt Lake, among themselves, they ferociously exult in these things, rather than seek to deny or extenuate them. Some of the leading spirits of that band are still in Salt Lake City. Although they do not maintain their organiza- tion, being generally merged into " Brigham's Life Guards," yet without the same name, they have performed the same deeds. 0. P. Kockwell, the attempted assassin of Governor Boggs, and who was instructed by Smith to commit the deed, Brigham has had into the pulpit to address the meetings ! A W. Hickman, against whom many indictments are out in Iowa, and who is publicly known as an " avenger of blood," is one of Brigham's most particular intimates. It is no secret at Salt Lake that several men have disappeared after being last in the company of this man, and no question is raised as to the matter there. This man was one with three other such who left Salt Lake without any ostensible reasons for their journey, traveled near to the spot where Messrs. Margetts and Cowdy were said to have been murdered, and returned bearing the news of their murder. This circumstance is still more significant, remembering that Margetts and Cowdy were 5* 106 MORUON MTSTBEIES. both " covenant-breaking" apostates ; tbat tbey were return- ing to tbeir native country ; that they could make many ter- rible disclosures, and do Mormonism much injury in England; that it was Mormon law that they should die, and Mormon interest to kill them ; that these men had no other motives for traveling more than a thousand miles ; that they returned as soon as they had got near the spot where these unfortunate men and their femilies were murdered ; that the excitement at Salt Lake on hearing the news was so great that it needed Brigham to preach the above discourse in order to allay it ; and that in this discourse, instead of endeavoring to deny the suspicion or extenuate the act, he defends such means as the only remaining method of insuring their salvation. It is, say tbey, a portion of the penalty they invoke on themselves, and therefore secure to themselves. Whether Brigham he guilty of the murder of these men, can not, perhaps, be known till " the great day." I can not but feel that it appears strongly suspicious ; although one of them being my own cousin, perhaps incapacitates me from correct and impartial judgment. What is for the salvation of a saint, must, of course, be the very best means of securing the salvation of a "Gentile, and heathen without the gate." Men who are sworn not to hesitate at the sacrifice of themselves, will not be very chary at the sacrifice of others. Nor have they been; several Missourians, well known and well hated as enemies, have been put under the ground. When a man is missing at Salt Lake, it is a common expression, " He has met the Indians." Colonel Peltro and Mr. Tobin, with their ser- vants, were severely wounded by Mormons, who attacked them MORMON MYSTERIES. 107 in the night, on Santa Clara river, 3T0 miles south of Salt Lake. They lost six horses, worth at least one thousand dollars, and were compelled to abandon their baggage, which was perfectly riddled with shot. The object of their enmity and this attempted assassination was Mr. Tobin. He went with Captain Stansbury to Salt Lake in 1851 ; then met Brigham, and admired his daughter Alice ; was engaged to her, and left Salt Lake on business. He returned in 1856, and renewed his engagement with Miss Alice ; although she was at the same time under a written engagement to a Mr. W. Wright, whom Brigham sent off to the Sandwich Islands, to get him out of^ the way. Mr. Tobin told me in California that he had the most convincing proof that Miss Young had sacrificed her honor, and accordingly refused to marry her. For this. Mormon hated ; for the influence he might exert abroad. Mormon feared ; and because both hated and feared, he was nearly Mormon murdered. Elder Willard Snow, while sitting as a justice of the peace, in the trial of Mr. John Galvin, for striking a Mormon, said to him, " K you ever lay your hands on another Saint, I vdll have your head cut off before you leave the city. I thank God that the time is not far distant, and I shall rejoice when it comes, that I shall have the authority to pass sentence of life and death on the Gentiles, and I will have their heads snatched off like chickens in the door-yard." The threat was not vain, and the opinion is very commonly entertained. Mr. George Grant, then deputy sheriff, on the same occasion, said to the same individual, " If I had my way, I would drown you in the Jordan river." 108 MORMON MTSTEBIES. Suet are not only the sentiments of Brigbam, haranguing the people, but the large majority of the Monnon people, ex- pressing their sentiments through Brigham. The penalty of adultery is death. Dr. Vaughan was shot by a Mr. Hamilton, on suspicion. James Monroe was mur- dered by a Howard Egan, for the same reason. Should an endowed Mormon commit adultery he must die for his salva- tion. If a Gentile, he must die for atonement. The endowment they are now giving at Salt Lake, is viewed but as a temporary affair, in force only till a Temple is built, where it will all have to be repeated, with increased perform- ances. Since I went through the ceremonies, they have built an " Endowment House," in which they have added a sealing ordinance. This endowment is essential, say they, to salva- tion. No man but an endowee can have a wife ! " Prom him that hath not, shall be taken what he seemeth to have ; and to him that hath, shall be given more abundantly," is their generous reading of the promise. To have a wife you must be '' sealed at the altar." Unless previously endowed, one never sees the altar, nor knows what it means. Accom- panied by my wife, I went to the " Endowment House." "We assumed our robes, aprons, caps, etc., and, looking hke a mon- grel of half Hebrew half Brahmin, went to the " altar room." It is well carpeted ; its altar is a kind of solid table, nicely cushioned, with a cushioned ledge to kneel on. I, kneeling on one, and my wife kneehng on the other side of the altar between us, grasping each other's hands across its cushioned top, with the "patriarchal grip," Kimball demanded the usual questions as to willingness, and pronounced us " man MORMON MYSTERIES. 109 and wife for time and for all eternity, by the power and authority of the holy priesthood invested in me, and I seal upon your head the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for time and for all eternity, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Kiss yom- wife." Such was the formula ; Kimball had so often repeated it, that he gabbled it off without stops or pauses ; running " kiss your wife" into the amen, hke some clerks of courts administering oaths to witnesses. In the lectures, which used to be always delivered after the initiations, the most disgusting language I ever heard in my Hfe is reveled in by Kimball. He boasts, " you are under oath, and you can 't tell it." Comparisons and expressions that would disgrace a prostitute are luxuriously mouthed over, before a congregation of sixty to a hundred men and women. He speaks them as though he wished them to dwell on his tongue, the same as they dwell in his thoughts. Duties the most secret and sacred are not only plainly but filthily spoken of by him, as though the essence of nastiness had been distilled and his heart lay festering in it. I have heard him, in these meetings, avow " that a little drunken spree, if quite in secret and among a few good fellows, was no great sin." So sunk are they in infatuated and fanatical licentiousness, that the white women at Utah do not content them. Al- though Smith, speaking of the Indians, in his Book of Mor- mon, p. 66, says, " Cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed : for they shall be cursed with the same curs- ing," Brigham now teaches that " the way God has revealed 110 MORMON MYSTEBISB. for the purification of the Indians, and mating them ' a white and delightsome people,' as Joseph prophesied, is by us taking the Indian squaws for wives ! !" Accordingly several of these tawny beauties have been already " sealed" to some of the Mormon authorities. Another method of " increasing their kingdom," is by adoption for eternity. " Children,'' say they, " born out of the ' covenant of sealing,' are only bastards ; they have the claim of paternity on their father, but he has no eternal right to them." As their " glory" depends on their family, much wish is felt to get some of these children to adopt. The son must share the father's " glory ;" and, therefore, the more glorious the father, the more elevated the child. Many young men give themselves over to the leading men as " eternal sons," in the hope of sharing the honor of their adopted pa- rents. Both Brigham and Kimball have many such adopted sons. A W. 0. Staines is as well known to be Brigham's son, as a D. Candland is to be Kimball's. Brigham Young, and others of the authorities, have dis- covered another novel method of extending their kingdoms, by trafficking for sons. Woman adds to man's " glory," say they, only as a wife. If he can not marry her, she is a bur- den. Unmarried daughters, therefore, do not lead very happy lives. They are poor and valueless property to any but their husbands. Brigham, however, has turned his to some ac- count, by compelling the man who wants to mai-ry one, to be first adopted to him. " If," says he, " you won't help to glo- rify me, she sha'n't help to glorify you !" His daughter Alice, mentioned above, in connection with MORMON MTSTERIES. Ill Mr. Tobin, was for some time and to some extent " kept in the market" at these terms. When Mr. Tobin left, she was very quickly married to H. B. Clawson, notwithstanding Brigham had promised her to W. B. Wright, who was preaching in the Islands. When persons give themselves up, blindly and enthusias- tically, to the directions of other and designing men ; imagine they are invested with God-given powers, and endowed with a God-given sagacity, it is inevitable that they run into the wildest vagaries that lunatics could rhapsodise, or fanatics be- lieve. Nor is it surpnsing that men, by a gradual system of rigid self-training, should positively be sincere in their folly and their feith. Nor can it be astonishing that this sincere exaltation should be cunning in forging chains and artful in imposing them on the minds of other equally deluded, but less gifted believers. While this fanaticism can wield such a mighty influence over the female heart, crushing into the dust the tenderest susceptibilities, the dearest hopes, the voices of the heart, and the instincts of nature ; binding together tempers the most antagonistic, opinions the most diverse, na- tionalities the most jealous ; grinding woman to degradation and misery, and almost freezing her tears and stifling her groans, it is not singular that it sways the men. Eeligious fanaticism is almost epidemic. Like black and fetid pools that lie stagnating under the sun, noisome with miasms and feculent with contagion, are the reservoirs of de- lusion. Prom slimy depths breathes out this moral and men- tal malaria, and while men are wondering if such things can be, thousands are swimming in lasoiviousness ; and by sur- 112 MORMON MTSTERIB8. rounding it with a few ridiculous rules, teaching it with an affected sanctity, decking it in tinsel gew-gaws, flimsy trap- pings and trickery of the stage; defending it with a few specious sophistries, and obeying it with devout buffoonery, it can be made respectable in the eyes of the men, sacred in the eyes of the women, infallible in the eyes of future genera- tions. It. is thus with Mormonism. Designs the most trear sonable, Utopias the most impracticable, dogmas the most ridiculous, and pretensions the most ill-sustained; visionary projects and outrageous tyranny, self-abnegation and disgust- ing sycophancy, the very worst of practices under the very best of assumptions, and the whole greedily swallowed and enthusiastically taught. Thus it comes robed in the aegis of religious prerogative which enhances its deformity, while it disarms much opposition. Mormonism in the old is ridicu- lous and distressing ; but these are still bound by old ties to old friends, and old homes.' Mormonism in the young is frightful ; they know no sense of right but their Prophet's word, no standard of evidence but the Prophet's opinion, no aspirations but for the festering bathos of their impious creed, and no duty but implicit obedience to their conspirator lead- ers. Taught to regard all the world as their enemies, their country as their oppressors, and their duty to destroy it ; taught, too, that in the accomplishment of this object, all means are honorable, every weapon an especial providence, and every advantage a prestige of victory, they are being trained for desperate ends ; and I fear, finally, to be subdued alone by desperate measures. Mormonism has some principles of power in it, else like MORMON MTSTERIEB. 113 bloated and corrupt fruit it would burst and fall. Theirlaws allow male licentiousness, however it may be cloaked under pretense of religion, but it is only found in certain channels, and it is retained there. Under the enslaving shackles of religious fanaticism, they are strongly united; not with the cords of reason, or the garland-strings of love, but by the heavy fetters of infatuation. While this gags their press, cleaves down their liberties, and makes of men and women moral and mental slaves, it «till accomplishes some little good ; and viewing that little good, at the same time ignoring all the evil, the Mormons really believe that Utah is the best place in the world. It compels them to work hard, and that builds up cities and manufactories. It certainly does away with prostitution, and that is a prominent argument urged by the Mormons in its favor (see its refutation in chapter on Theoretical Polygamy). It prevents aU disastrous difference of opinion, by coercing/ all to believe alike ; and this makes intelligence stagnate. There are less robberies, murders, arsons, rapes at Utah, than in any other place of equal population in the world. While the bad is remembered, it ought not to exclude the good. These are the natural consequences of their system of government, but in order to produce these results a gross superstition with licentiousness peculiar to itself; belief in, and fear of ridicu- lous pretensions of religious authority and universal degrada- tion, has to be adopted. Imitating Mohammed in pohty of government, the Mormons obtain some of the results of Mos- , lem rule. All know that there is not so much crime among ' Mussulmans as among Christians, still but few Anglo-Saxons, 114 MORMON MYSTBEIBS. from that cause, would be willing to become Turks. Under the goad and- lash of a barbarous overseer, slaves work hard, produce wealth ; neither murder, rob or rape, and yet few would infer that therefore this overseer was a benefit to the country, or an institution of God. To secure to man the liberty of progressing in powers of intellect, in discovery of principles or their application, in freedom of thought, speech, and action, without also giving him greater liberty to commit crime, if he so will, is impossible. Opportunities of elevation and degradation must be equal. Nations renowned for their great and good, have also become infamous for their bad men. The Hebrew nation itself, when its opportunities and its greater light is considered, were the most wicked people on the earth. Other people have arisen, and lit by the star-glimmers of their vague intuitions, have culmi- nated to their meridian, and then sank into the silence and obscurity of an eternal night ; while the Hebrews, whom God has endeavored especially to direct and bless, have only left an equally checkered history, bright with illustrious characters, and black with outrageous sins. At either side of the broad line of mediocrity there is an infinite ; and the only means by which the one side can be trodden over, is by leaving the other equally free. The system, therefore, that degrades all men to one miserable level of fanaticism and mental debasement is fallacious, however successful it may be in the suppression of a few of the worst crimes. To repair a, partial evil, the remedy is too universally applied. To preserve a few from sinking too low, all have to be prevented from rising at aU. CHAPTER y. EDTTCATION. ■Woriing men — School systems — ^Braggadocio — School teachers — Three months' term, and nine months' vacation — Eyening schools — Dancing schools — 0. Pratt and Brigham Tomig — H. C. Kimball — Pratt's mathematical class — Grammar schools — Cultivated female society — Home education — ^Female lions — Literary institutions — ^Novel read- ing — Deseret alphabet — ^Newspapers-^Book of Mormon — Doctrines and covenants — New translation of Bible — ^Book of Abraham — Key to Apocalypse — Prophecy of Enoch — Gospel of Adam — Lex ora, v. lex scripta — Controversial works. The moral and mental health of a community can safely be predicated from their system of education . The physical system is relaxed or invigorated according to the nature of the food we eat, and so, also, the mental system relies on its aliments for present power and future hope. On the education of the boys of to-day depends the nature of the men of to-morrow. Thinking men discover principles of nature, working men apply them to the purposes of art. Brigham Young keeps the people of Salt Lake, as before remarked, constantly at work. He aims at making them working men and women, and has succeeded. In the attention bestowed on physical education, the mental and moral training is neglected. It is true that outside of Utah they boast, and in Utah they talk, of the school systems. Orson Pratt, in a sermon delivered at 116 EDUCATION. Salt Lake Tabernacle, February 10, 1856, very aptly remarked on this subject : " Have we had a high school here ? Not in this Valley. But, says one, we have had a parent school, and that is what we consider a high school. Yes, we have had a great many things in name, but mere name is not what is wanted. Wei have had a university in name, but as yet we have had no such university. " Have we colleges ? I believe none, even in name. Have we had academies ? I believe not. If we have, they have been very inferior to those in the eastern States. Go to the schools in the New England States and see the order that is kept in them, see the improvement of the youth who are taught in them, and then come back to our common schools and you will see that the common schools of the East will far surpass any that we have yet had in our Territory." — Deseret News, May 14, 1856. The " authorities" at Salt Lake send out reports of univer- sity boards, literary and scientific institutes, etc. ; dub men with names of offices, and send regents, professors, lecturers, etc., out into the world ; but, as Pratt himself is forced to ac- knowledge, they are only names. Their system of education is eminently practical, but, un- fortunately, any thing but eminently beneficial. They have in Salt Lake City, nineteen school-houses, one in each ward. It is only during the three winter months, however, that a boys' school is ever attempted to be kept. During the other nine months, at three or four of their school-houses, they have endeavored to employ a female teacher, who has great diffi- culty iu obtaining a class of little children, some being too EDUCATION. 117 poor to aflFord to send tlieir children ; some being too idle to get them ready ; some being too careless whether they go or not, and the generality regarding it as only one mode of getting their children out of the way! No respect is felt for a school-teacher ; he can only obtain a small salary ; experiences the greatest difficulty in procuring it after it be- comes duo ; is forced to take as " pay," the poorest and com- monest articles, at the most exorbitant prices, often obliged to take " trade" he does not need at all, and rely on bartering with it for some other commodity that he may require, or perhaps trade off again, and even after all this " trucking and trading" can never obtain more than one half or two thirds his due. This is so well known in Utah that it has become a common expression when a man can get no other employ- ment, " O you had better turn school-teacher !" or when a debt is extremely bad, and its recovery almost hopeless, " O it is just like a school debt." From these reasons, men who could at all teach, never attempt it, unless compelled by pov- erty, and, as generally, if they be sufficiently intelligent to teach, they are sufficiently intelUgent to obtain some other livehhood, consequently Mormon school-teachers are usually very ignorant themselves. The boys' schools continuing only for three months, with an interval of nine months, they return to their schools in the winter nearly as ignorant as when they left the preceding spring. All the work of education has to be nearly recom- menced under a different tutor, each one having his own pe- cuhar style of instruction, and very peculiar those styles are too ; confidence has to be established, obedience exacted, and 118 EDUCATION. attention enforced, and the struggle between the largo scholars and their teachers frequently ends in the triumph of the former and in the grieved feelings of the disgusted and insulted teacher, who often resigns before his term of three months has expired, and reproaches himself with the folly of attempting to " teach a school." In most instances these men would be the most efiBoient ; men of some sense and of some sensibility, who are neither boxers nor wrestlers, and who value their own dignity too highly to fight with their pupils, and prove their superiority vi et armis, I could mention names of wards in which such exhibitions have occurred. Mr. Pugh, who for many years was the principal of a large academy in Shropshire, England, heard, believed, and embraced Mormonism ; emigrated to Salt Lake with his family in 1853 ; and was persuaded to accept the teachership of the fourteenth ward school, the best and largest in the city. The trustees promised him a salary of $50 per month, where provisions are dearer than in Cali- fornia ! When his three months' term had expired, he wasted as much time in trying to collect the sums due from the parents of each scholar, and in 1856 had not been able to obtain more than two thirds of the amount. The same winter, the trustees of the thirteenth ward, the wealthiest in Utah, refused to pay over $30 per month to their teacher, and Brigham eventually discharged a clerk from his office, Mr. Corey, in order to compel him to teach the school, because Corey was qualified, and Brigham wanted to send his children there! In the winter of 1852-53, a Mr. E. B. Kelsey endeavored to establish a superior land of a school. EDUCATION. 119 Among other pupils were the children of the Presidents. One of Brigham's sons was very unruly, and refused obedience. Kindness being inadequate, Mr. Kelsey tried the ferule, in- tending to compel the submission he could not induce. The boy left the school and complained. Instead of sustaining the tutor in his authority, J. M. Grant, on a Sabbath fore- noon, before several thousand persons, laid down this singular doctrine : " Some children are bass-wood and may be bent, but these are hickory saplings, and they can't be bent or whipped into submission." Protected by the " authorities" in their insubordination, the result was inevitable. Mr. Kelsey threw up his school and wisely turned farmer. In the winter of 1854-55, W. Eddington, a school-teacher from Portsmouth, England, attempted to establish a similar institution. He was nearly reduced to starvation, as, having no -assistance, he had to be at the school-house. If he attended the school, he had no time to collect his fees ; if he neglected school, they refused to pay ; if he sent an agent, they either ignored the debt or plead a hundred excuses. From instructing the young he turned to be a small peddler in every thing, on the principle of universal barter. The consequences are unmis- takable. Those who could teach, will not. Those who at- tempt to teach, can not ! The young, therefore, do the best they know how, and that is always the very worst possible. There is yet another drawback on schools. The Mormons love dancing. Almost every third man is a fiddler, and every one must learn to dance. This is old, too, for Smith used to delight some beer-shop loafers at Nauvoo with scraping on catgut. A fiddling Prophet ! School-houses occupied by the 120 EDUCATION. classes during the day, are turned into dancing academies in tte evening. There are many who can afford only to pay one tutor. Their children ought to learn to read, but they must learn to dance. The children themselves urge this view very strenuously. The dancing-master must be paid in ad- vance, and either the day-school is neglected, or else the teacher is defrauded of his remuneration. In the winter of 1854-55, there were dancing-schools in almost every one of the nineteen school-houses, and necessarily so much more at- tention to dancing involved so much less attention to study. Just so much less education, and just so much more injury. Many abortive attempts have been made to institute an evening adult school. Every such endeavor has been dis- continued after a few evenings, with the gloomy announce- ment that receipts did not pay for fuel and candles. The instigators of the effort have been forced to turn to other oc- cupations in order to maintain themselves from hunger and destitution. Many a sigh and groan have been breathed over the spade-handle and ax-helve by blister-handed men ; who, had their talents been employed and encouraged, would have benefited the Mormon community. Many of the peo- ple express satisfaction in seeing these " better-dressed fellers" obliged to " nigger it" as well as themselves ; and some of them will come and slap such on the shoulder; laugh at their awkwardness, while they say encouragingly, " Wall, bruther, ye're gwine through the mill now, for sarten — ye're a cummin down from yer high horse to be one on us ; yer'll soon be perfeo' now !" This is by no means a rare occurrence. But what is the conduct of the " audiorities" in this re- EDUCATION. 121 spect. They ought not to be accounted responsible for the many foolish things said or done, especially considering the many foolish things of their own they have to answer for. Brigham is a very ignorant man. By his position as Prophet and President, he considers himself the only proper person to commence any wort, originate any principle, and turn on the "gas" for the listening multitude. For another to assume this privilege, is to usurp his prerogative, and that is to illumine his ire, and to awaken his power of prophetic rebuke. One Sunday afternoon, in the Bowery of Salt Lake, before 3000 persons, during the summer of 1855, O. Pratt was ad- dressing the people on the necessity of studpng from books. Said he, " Suppose that you and I were deprived of all books, and that we had faith to get revelation, and no disposition to un- derstand that which has been sought out, understood, and re- corded in books, what would be our condition ? It would require an indefinite period in which to make any great prog- ress in the knowledge that is even now extant." Brigham arose, his dignity hurt, his temper ruffled ; and he administered to Pratt, the presumptuous ofiender, the most outrageous tongue-lashing I ever conceived of. He said, " The professor has told you that there are many books in the world, and I tell you there are many people in the world ; he says there is something in all these books ; I say each one of these persons has a name ; he says it would do you good to learn that something, and I say it would do you just as much good to learn these somebodies' names. Were I to live to the age of Methusaleh, and every hour of my life learn something new out of some one of these books, and remember 6 122 EDUCATION. every particle I had acquired, five minutes' revelation would teach me more truth and more right than all this pack of nonsense that I should have packed into my unlucky brains." Orson Pratt hung his head, while the very faithful exulted in this defeat of Brigham'a favorite antagonist. This cele- brated speech was much talked of by the people. It was thought best not to publish it, however, and as it had irritated the public mind, and weakened rather than increased Brig- ham's influence, he, on the following Sunday morning, paid Professor Pratt a high compliment, and called on him to de- liver " a lecture on astronoTny" instead of preach a sermon ; which accordingly 0. Pratt did. Some extolled Brigham's magnanimity ; others slyly laughed at his astuteness ; and a very few made a memorandjum in their journals of the event, and asked, What next ? Brigham is the model and standard of every thing. It is thought that as the keys of the kingdom give all knowledge, to require any knowledge but that which comes through the holder of these keys is apostacy. His fiat revokes all science and destroys all demonstration. Now, Brigham not being an educated man, to commence to educate the people would be compelled to ask advice. To ask advice is to exhibit inferi- ority ; to betray inferiority would be to destroy confidence in himself, as far as that inferiority extended. To betray inferi- ority, is also to elevate some other to a higher position than he would occupy, to the extent of that other's acknowledged superiority. To sacrifice, for a moment, the people's un- bounded confidence, is to peril it on other points. Teach the people to doubt his unlimited authority, is to teach them to EDUCATION. 123 compare ; to excite remark ; weaken his influence and destroy Mormonism. Hence Brigham can not be active in education measures. He can only talk to the shallow extent of his own superficiality. He talks about it, but it almost stops there. Heber C. Kimball, the second man in the Mormon triad, not only does not possess, but openly ridicules education. It is a remarkable fact that all educated men apostatize from the Mormon Church ; and this is, therefore, a remarkable argument against education. To retain slaves, they must keep them ignorant. The mode of reasoning adopted by these men is peculiar, and ridiculously sophistical. Mormon- ism, say they, is the plan of salvation instituted by God. Fidelity to it is, therefore, the greatest blessing ; infidelity to it, the greatest curse. Any thing which increases faith in, or induces obedience to it is a good ; any thing which inclines to doubt is an evil. Now, Gentilish education only leads its possessors to dispute the wisdom of the authorities, to criticise their sayings and scruple at their deeds. This weakens their own faith and that of other persons ; consequently, they conclude. Gentile education is a positive evil. Kimball elaborated this idea once in his very remarkable style. Said he: " Here are some edicated men, jest under my nose. They come here and they think they know more than I do, and then they git the big-head, and it swells and swells till it gits like the old woman's squash ; you go to touch it and it goes ker-smash, and when you go to look for the man, why, he ain't thai-. They 're jest like so many pots in a furnace — yer know I've been a potter, in my time — almighty thin and almighty big, and when they 're sot up, the heat makes 'em 124 BDTTCATION. smoke a little, and then they collapse and tumble in, and they ain't no whar." These coarse but forcible comparisons form the staple of Heber C. Kimball's ordinary discourses. In the fall of 1855, O. Pratt volunteered to instruct a class in the higher branches of arithmetic, algebra, and mathe- matics ; proposing to charge only enough to pay for lights. He advertised and received one or two applications. He then offered, by advertisement, to provide the candles, fuel, and room ; and to teach the class gratis, if he could obtain twenty scholars, of any age or either sex. Not content with this, as he was desirous to induce the young to subh studies, he agreed to suit his evenings to the convenience of the largest number of the scholars ; only stipulating their regular attendance if they promised to come. One of the last ques- tions I put to Orson Pratt, before leaving Salt Lake City was, " How many applications did you receive ?" To this he re- plied, " Only three or four !" The class was never organized. I have 'heard some of the '' very faithful" predict the final apostaoy of this learned and talented, though grievously mis- taken gentleman, in consequence, they say, of his education. " It will lift him up, till he topples over." Several , have essayed to establish grammar schools. Strange have been the remarks they caused ; bringing both sexes together, they have occasioned many a suspicious hus- band to be jealous of his wife. The attendance has dwindled down to one or two, the most disgusting jokes perpetrated in them, and their entire utility questioned. One man, who stands high in authority, argued in this wise : EDTJCATION. 125 " The Spent is a gwine to lead, and to guide us into all truth, yer know. Now, if grammar is truth, why, the Sperit will jest lead us into it a tinder nateral like : and if it ain't truth, it 's no use, and I ain't a gwine to bother my brains and pay my money about it." Even the editor of their paper, the " Deseret News," denies all originality of thought. Denying it, of course, he is never guilty of it in his newspaper. A great incentive, perhaps the greatest incentive to educa- tion, is a cultivated class of females. The natural proclivity of one sex for»the other maintains a constant action, and induces by rivalry, great efforts at personal improvement. Men always assimilate with the society kept, as certainly as those who walk constantly together adopt each other's gait and carriage. InteUeetual female society, the great pphsher of manners, sharpener of wit, purifier of sentiment, and re- finer of expression is, at Salt Lake, entirely unknown. Not only is it unknown, but despised, and called " Gentilish affecta- tion." To be esteemed by the people, all must be esteemed by the authorities. To obtain their approval, they must feign entire inferiority, by simulating entire reverence for them. This might not be difficult if their minds were cultivated or their habits even decent. Conversation the most filthy, ob- scene anecdotes, jests, and allusions form much capital in the stock of Brigham and Heber. Indeed I have often heard it said praisingly of Brigham, that he can " tell the dirtiest story in the dirtiest way." To stand well with them, all must sink to the level of their social habits ; not to stand well with them is not to stand well in the estimation of the people, and that is to be suspected and annoyed. 126 EDUCATION. 80 complete is tbis mental sycophancy, that however trivial or serious be the subject a party may be considering, if any one has heard Brigbam or Heber express an opinion on the topic, all discussion is discontinued. I once listened in one of " the schools for the prophets" to some remarks from W. 0. Dun- bar, a more than ordinarily intelligent Mormon. He proved his position, I thought satisfactorily ; an American Elder however told him, that " Brigbam taught the contrary doc- trine." Said this mental Colossus, " If he said so, he must be right, and I withdraw my argument !" One very striking illustration of this mental abnegation occurred in the late Dr. Richards's oflBce in 1854. Mr. Thomas Bullock, Mr. Leo Hawkins and some others were talking to Kimball about the resurrection. The Mormons believe in a literal physical resurrection, and were desirous to learn " Whether, when the body came forth from the grave, it would leave a visible hole in the ground ?" " No," said Ejmball, " not at all, the atoms will be reunited, and they won't leave no hole." He proceeded to explain his reasons for this opinion, and presently Brigbam came in, when this important - question was referred to him for his prophetic decision. " Why, yes, certainly it will," was his verdict. " Christ is the pattern, you know ; and he had to have the stone rolled away from the sepulchre, and that left the hole visible, for did not the soldiers see it ?" " Brother Brigbam," immediately cried Kimball, " that is just my opinion !" Orson Hyde, the President of the Twelve Apostles, has EDUCATION. 127 endeavored to set a better example to the Saints. Himself and daughters assumed a more cultivated style, but it is the common sigiiiflcant remark, " The Elder was always a little Gentilish in his feelings." The greatest of all education is " home education.'' Home education depends upon the mother. "Where the woman is degraded, there is no home education. " To teach girls to sow, and weave, and work in the garden, and cook, and be smart -in the dairy, and neat about the house, is the best education," says Brigham ; " stuff their heads with reading and they go to novels and romances, and such hke trash, and neglect their duties, and they won't be obedient to their husbands and fathers. Teach them to work — teach them to work.'' This is good practical philosophy, but it is only half the truth. There is but one step from neglect of, to contempt ^f education. It is so at Salt Lake. Women who are taught to believe that the "husband's power is absolute," and that all " their sins committed in obedience to their husband's commands, are bonae by their husbands," care nothing for self-education, and as little for the instruction of their daughters. The few persons who go there, who are a little superior, are mocked. They are the " speckled sheep ;" the hearts which still cling to " Gentile customs and notions of things." " They- look back to the flesh-pots of Egypt." " The leaven of the gospel has only partially worked in them." Their apostacy is predicted, and any influence they might ob- tain, crushed out. Oases in a desert, a thousand hands heap sand upon them. Hence the women who endeavor to make 128 > EDUCATION. a reputation for mind' are the most rabidly fanatical. Miss Eliza E. Snow, tte Mormon poetess, a very talented woman, but outrageously bigoted, and one or two Mndred souls, are tbe nuclei for all tbe female intellect at Salt Lake. Let any recant from tbeir creed, or oppose it, she and her band of second Amazons orusb the intrepid one down. In the society of such women the Mormon youth stand abashed and terrified, like small children who, it is said, " ought to be seen but not heard." Another element has been lately introduced into Utah society. Mormonism is too- well known in America to attract any but the most ignorant to its standard. Mormonism in England, atrociously misrepresented, has attracted some rather better informed people. Among these are the printers of Utah, all Englishmen ; these tried to organize a " Typographi- cal Association," for the purpose of obtaining a library, hear- ing lectures, and procuring scientific apparatus, etc. They succeeded in getting up some halls, which was far more in unison with Mormon prejudices ; drawing up a constitution, etc., etc., all in due form. They got their society very ad- mirably on to paper, but could get it no further. A. Carring- ton advertised a lecture for their behalf, and could not obtain a sufficient number of persons to make an audience. Another institution arose, called " The Deseret Universal Scientific.'' Officers were elected, constitution framed, prospects and pro- jects blazed forth in double capitals in their journal, but, like a choke-damp, made much noise, emitted much " gas," but settled down in smoke. Elder E. Snow, one of the Twelve Apostles, then organized another institution in f855, and EDUCATION. 129 called it by a name that was new-coined for it by Pbelps, tbe Mormon devil, " The PolysopHcal Society." Its birth quick- ened other mushroom children of this humid soil. The " Seventies' Variety Club" was organized among a class of Elders ; dragged out its length over two meetings, and ex- pired. The " Deseret Universal Scientific" was resuscitated, but only to die again. Brigham grew envious of these little pistolets, and resolved to assume his position, and lead in this as in all other things, and fired ofi' his big gun. He founded an institution ! Its officers were the chief dignitaries. Its object " universal truth." Its name " The Theologi.oal Insti- tution." But Brigham found that his Elders could only preach "sermons" after the approved Mormon style. The people had enough of that on Sunday, and failed to attend the meet- ings, and so the " Theological" went out. The death of this was followed by the decease of all the rest. Some young men, however, tried again to bring an institution into life, and a " Deseret Literary and Musical Society" was commenced. I attended the organization meetings, and the great fear we all felt was, that perhaps Brigham and the authorities might patronize the institution, so it was agreed not to ast '' counsel" on the subject, but let it stand or fall by its own merits. It was dreaded that Brigham might nurse this to death ; and, without asking his consent, they commenced their meetings. It flourished pleasantly ; but I observed that Brigham began to pet it last summer, and I presume it has followed the path of its defunct predecessors. There are very few books in Utah. Very few persons are rich enough to carry libraries over the plains. There is a 6* 130 EDUCATION. public library, however, for which Congress appropriated $20,000. It is tolerably well selected, but is necessarily small, and but very little used by the people. Sympathizing in Brigham's views as to the futility of acquiring knowledge out of books, of course they do not allow their practice to disprove their faith. He often tells the people, "When you come here, you have got to unlearn all you have ever learned, and begin to learn all again. The Gentiles put light for darkness, and darkness for light, and we've got to turn you right round." Consequently, many would rather not attempt to obtain any book-information, believing it better not to he informed at all than to be incorrectly informed. While those works that could instmct or improve them are neglected, works of fiction are very ravenously sought for and devoured. The most trashj feuilleton is carefully preserved and constantly lent around. Over their lascivious and ridiculous pages the Mormon women pore and prose with ex- travagant zest, till Brigham's wholesale condemnation is de- served, " their reading only fills their head with trash and nonsense." While, however, this is their real practice, in their works they endeavor to impress a contrary lesson. In Smith's Revelations there is an express command, " Get learn- ing, even by study ;" but almost side and side with this law, there is the command, " Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and cleave unto her, and none else /" How much re- spect the Mormons pay to the commands of their deity, is very apparent. But still the Mormons have done something. One notable enterprise must be remembered. Brigham does not know EDUCATION. 131 how to spell, finds it very diflScult indeed to spell, yet in Ms broad spirit of philanthropy, has' endeavored to correct EngUsh orthography. With some very original emendations, he has adopted Pitman's system of phonographic spelling, as the basis of the " Deseret alphabet." Lines that would frighten Hogarth, and that would puzzle even Pitman's pliant hand to form, were adopted. This is nearly all the pretentious named " Board of Regents of the Deseret University" have accom- plished since their organization ; and this, like the other liter- ary efforts of the Mormons, although blazoned forth, fonts of the new type made, and schools instituted to teach it, has re- sumed its proper level. It began in a flash and ended in smoke ; " went up a rocket and came down a stick." As to their own hterature, they publish a weekly paper at Salt Lake, which is almost wholly filled with the autobiogra- phy of Smith, and sermons of the " First Presidency." It neither gives honest reports of speeches, nor correct state- ments of facts. Much talk has been made about getting up a separate paper, devoted to scientific and literary purposes ; but its friends are afraid the Church might become so fond of it, as to hug it to death, as it has their literary institutions. They publish a weekly sheet at San Francisco, California. Its editor, workmen, and even devil, are all " on mission ;" get nothing but food and raiment ; but are " therewith content." Their sincerity can not be doubted, whatever be said of their intellect. The " Mormon'' dribbles out its weekly quantum of saintly notice and opinion at New York. A " Luminary" , hardly Ht its own path into obscurity at St. Louis, Mo. At Liverpool they publish a "Millennial Star." By compelling 132 EDUCATION. the -believing to take several copies, they say they have a cir- culation of over 16,000. At Paris they published " L'Etoile du . Deseret," but the star has set. " Zion's Panier" iloated at Hamburg : a month's wind blew it into shreds. They still publish periodicals in the Welsh and Danish languages. Of their standard works, the Book of Mormon, although most mentioned, is not the principal. The Doctrines and Covenants, containing some of the Revelations that Smith pretended to obtain, is viewed as the " law of God to this generation." Its contents are very miscellaneous, comprising the organization of the Church ; revelations as to priesthood, and cattle medicine ; chewing tobacco, and sending out mis- sionaries ; " endowments from on high," and " building tav- erns ;" " supplying all the wants of my servant Joseph ;" and anathematizing apostates, etc., etc. Besides these. Smith . attempted a new translation of the Old and New Testaments. This translation, however, is kept very secret, the people " not being able to bear it now." Some singular extracts from it have reached their presses, but the impression they created was not favorable. More than Jew ever read, or Christian ever conceived, and far more than Hebrew or Greek MS. ever contained, is to be seen in Smith's new trans- lation of the Bible. While at Nauvoo Smith obtained four Egyptian mummies. In the bosom of one of them, a MS. was pretended to be found. Smith gave out that he made a " translation,^'' and the result was, " A Book of Abraham." He announced it (" Times and Seasons," vol. iii., p. 704), " A Translation of some Ancient Records that have fallen into our hands from the catacombs of Egypt, purporting to he EDUCATION. 133 the 'writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the Book of Abraham, written by his own hand on papyrus.'' This was received with especial unction by the devout. Al- though evidently the work of the same hand as the Book of Mormon, Smith had somewhat improved himself in the use of words. It contains several singular engravings, a chart of astronomy, and is altogether quite unique. The Apoc- alypse of St. John occupied the attention of Smith, and he composed " A Key to the Book of Revelations." The Bible- student would be startled at some of its views. As Smith had to labor to sustain his reputation as a prophet, accord- ingly, in December, 1830, he issued a Revelation, pretending to contain a " prophecy of Enoch,'' " A revelation of the gospel to Adam after he was driven out of the Garden of Eden." These, which are of course morceaux choisies to the Church, have been collected and bound together into a little work called the " Pearl of Great Price." But, happUy for the Church, they are not at all limited to their leffes scriptcB. 0. Hyde, at Iowa, taught that " these books were only our school-books, and as boys put away their elementary books, so Saints should learn to put away and live above these." This is very convenient doctrine, as too close a scrutiny in their book of Smith's Revelations, proves him a very singular prophet ; showing that Missouri was Zion ; then Nauvoo was Zion ; then Mormon salvation depended on building " Smith's Tavern," and as it was not built, all the Mormons must be damned, according to Smith ! And now Missouri_^ is not Zion, and Nauvoo is not Zion, al- though they were both to be " eternal habitations for my 134 EDUCATION. Saints, saith the Lord," but Salt Lake is Zion, about wHch the "Book" says nothing. The great criteria and guide to the Church, however, is, constant and oral revelation. " The words of our Prophet Brigham are as much more important to us than those of the Saviour and Apostles in the New Testament, as their words were to the people at that time more than those of Noah in the Old Testament." This is the doctrine constantly urged, and believed ; hence, Brigham's sermons are all revelations, and, consequently, standard works for the Church. It is rather amusing to notice how frequently those revelations of Brigham contradict themselves and all reason. Of their standard controversial works, P. P. Pratt's " Voice of Warning" is the most popular. 0. Pratt's works are the most able. A great spite is felt toward 0. Pratt at Salt Lake, in consequence of his refusing to blindly submit to the mere ipse dixit of Young. He published the " Seer" at Wash- ington ; and although it was the production of an inspired Apostle, Brigham not only publicly ridiculed it and its author, but also wrote to the " Saints in England and elsewhere," that it contained "many falsehoods, and much incorrect doc- trine ; but that they might exercise their faith and discern- ment, he would not point out its errors." This letter was published in the " Millennial Star" at Liverpool by Brigham's direction. Orson Pratt's influence was great in England; he was a little contumacious at home, and it was thought " wisdom to somewhat break him down." O. Pratt is the only really able man they have among them, " but his head is EDUCATION. 135 always among the stars," his love and hobby being the study of astronomy. The late Parley P. Pratt, something of a poet, something of a preacher, very much of a panderer, and a bad man, has written a singular work, " The Key to Theology," about which much expectation was excited, and much disappointment felt. Andrew Jackson Davis has contributed no little to its matter and style. The Mormons have other and less im- portant works ; an ephemeral effort of J. Taylor, " The Gov- ernment of God," and several pamphlets. The literature of the Mormons is like their preaching. What is lacked in ability7 is made up in earnestness. The singular success their Elders have met in proselyting, abund- antly proves that sincere enthusiasm is a very formidable weapon. It is a pity such earnestness and sincerity were not exercised in a better cause. CHAPTER VI. BEIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. His biography — ^Birth and education — Embraces Mormonism — Meets Smitli tlie Propliet — Journey to Missouri — Is ordained an Apostle — Preaclies — Appointed President of the Apostles — Plies for his life — Ee-lays foundation of Temple ia Jackson county, Mo. — Mission to England — Returns to NauTOO — Brigham and Smith — Brigham and Sidney Rigdon — BuUds up Nauvoo — Conducts emigration — Mormon Battalion — Salt Lake City — ^Brigham's leadership — Appointed Presi- dent of Church — Quarrels with Judges and expels them — Colonel Steptoe — Modus operandi — Should he die, fate of the Church — ^Per- sonal appearance — ^In council and in pulpit — Satellites to this planet — His manners — Style of oratory — As a writer — As a husband and father — Domesticities — His wives — His favorite Women^Courting the men — Occupation and property — Universal confidant and adviser — ^Administrative blunders — Secret of success. Brigham Young, the President of the Mormon Church and Governor of Utah Territory, was born at Whittenham, Ver- mont, June 1, 1801, and is, consequently, now fifty-six years of age. His father was a farmer, and had be§n a soldier of the Revolution. The whole family moved to the State of New York in 1802. Brigham's youth was occupied by the ordinary pursuits of a farmer's son ; familiarized vpith tools and accustomed to hard work. Ill the year 1832, being then thirty-one years old, he heard BRIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. 13^ and embraced Mormonism. He was convinced by Elder Samuel H. Smitb, brother to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, who has since apostatized, and was baptized by Eleazar Miller, now at Salt Lake. Brigham gathered with the Saints to Kirtland, Ohio, in September of the same year, and soon be- came intimate with Joseph Smith. He was ordained an Elder, and began preaching. His shrewd views of policy, and almost intuitive knowledge of character, soon attracted atten- tion and favor among tbe small and despised Church. Illiter- ate, among the ignorant his lack of education passed un- noticed and unknown. He accompanied Smith, in 1834, from Ohio to Jackson county, Missouri, with the companies who " went for the relief of the Saints," who had just been driven out of that, into Clay county. He had become a marked and prominent man. Eminently practical and far- seeing, at. a time too when practical ability of any kind was much needed to meet the exigences of the Church, then be- ing driven, starving and naked, in the winter season, from their homes to suffer and several to die ; he made his presence felt in the Church, and was regarded as one of the men of Mormonism. Accordingly, in 1835, on the 14th of February, at Kirtland, Ohio, Brigham Young, then thirty-four years of age, was ordained one of the newly-organized quorum of the Twelve Apostles ; he having been previously designated by a special revelation, that Smith pretended to obtain. Under the hands of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon, all of whom subsequently apostatized, Brigham was ordained and set apart to his office. The Twelve were sent from Kirtland, in March, to different parts of the States, and Brigham, firmly 138 BRIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. believing in the authority, and enthusiastically devoted to the person of Smith, as well as fully convinced of his being in reality an Apostle, and equal with Paul or John in the eyes of God, went out to preach. He traveled through the eastern States, and proselyted with much zeal and, therefore, with much success. Not only had he been ordained to the apos- tleship, but had subsequently received an especial blessing de- signed to peculiarly aid and comfort him in his travels at this particular time. When the Kirtland Temple was completed, in 1836, we find Brigham's name as being present at its dedication. A great many of the Saints on that occasion, were seized, as the Irvingites, with an uncontrollable desire to utter unknown sounds, called " the gift of tongues." Brigham, among others, was thus favored, and this, more than ever, confirmed him in the faith and inspired him with renewed zeal to " bring many to the knowledge of the truth." He continued to labor ar- dently in the Mormon ministry. In IBS'?, Smith's bank, " The Safety Society Bank of Kirt- land," failed ; his stores were seized, and goods sold, and him- self (Smith) was forced to fly by night, to avoid arrest, and very likely being mobbed. Brigham Young accompanied this second Mohammed, in this second Hegira, and Missouri was the Medina that opened its gates to receive them. A new revelation was obtained, and Brigham was commanded to make his home in this State of Missouri. Thomas B. Marsh, the President of the Twelve Apostles, had apostatized, finding Mormonism too bad a faith, or Smith too bad a Prophet. Brigham Young who, by having " preached BEIGHAM rOtJNG AT HOME. 139 in tongues" to the Saints, who did not understand Mm though, in 1836, and having abundantly proven his practical supe- riority, was appointed President of the Twelve Apostles in Marsh's stead. Then came the dark days of Mormonism ; days that proved Smith's tact and talent severely. Orson Hyde, the present " President of the Twelve," had apostatized, and testified against Smith. W. W. Phelps, the present Mormon devil, almanac maker, " Brigham's jester," etc., had made affidavits against the Church. The Pratts were wavering ; Dr. Arvard, a prominent member of the Danite band, had exposed the hidden machinery of Mormonism. Almost alone, and dis- couraged. Smith was arrested. Brigham fled to save his life, on September 14, 1838. He reached Illinois in safety, met with the Twelve at Quincy, HI., in council, transacted some " Church" business and returned to Far "West, where, in com- pany with several of the Apostles and " other brethren," he assisted to re-lay the foundation of the Temple at " The New Jerusalem" in Independence, Jackson Co., Mo. This was done at midnight on the 25th and 26th of March, 1839. In the darkness of a gloomy night, surrounded by enemies who had sworn to take their lives, who had previously driven them from their habitations, that lay in ruins silently around them, these men met to perform fantastic rites for a fanatic object. However much one may denounce their malpractices, or de- plore their delusion, he can not but admire the stern intre- pidity of these fearless and foolish men. On 14th September, 1839, Brigham was appointed with others, by Joseph Smith, to go to " open England by preach- 140 BBIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. ing the gospel." They landed at Liverpool on 6th April, 1840, partook of the sacrament, and commenced preaching. As they were penniless, and depended entirely on the charity of their audiences, then very poor and very small, Brigham suffered much and often. He here superintended affairs, issued an edition of the Book of Mormon, and commenced the puhlication of the Millennial Star, a weekly periodical still liviiig. He found that gullibility formed a strong in- gredient in the characters of residents of the old as well as new countries. He shipped off, to Nauvoo, 111., seven hun- dred and sixty-nine of the faithful who had been converted to Mormonism ; and on April 20, 1841, Brigham sailed for ITew York, leaving behind him many Mormon Churches with or- ganizations completed. His value was felt and appreciated. Smith received him cordially at Nauvoo, in the July following, and all the Saints applauded him very warmly. Although it is, and always has been. Mormon policy that there should be but one head, and he the all in all of the Church ; yet, in April, 1843, Brigham was possessed of influence sufficient to even grapple with Smith, as to the trustworthiness of the Twelve. Smith, who had trained Brigham, had to yield to the pupil he had educated. The summers were spent by Brigham in preaching, in which his handsome face and pleasing manners obtained him much success ; his winters, in attending to the necessities of his wives and children. It was June, 1844. Smith was shot. The Twelve Apostles were scattered in different places. Nauvoo was threatened. BBIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 141 Ulinoians were alarmed. The most absm-d rumors were cir- culated. Troops were in arms, and their generals had lost their brains. Brigham was then in Boston, Mass. Sidney Rigdon, to whom the right of presidency belonged, according to Mormon law, assumed his authority and began to obtain revelations, confer endowments, institute new mysteries, and dictate d la Smith. Brigham came hurriedly to Nauvoo — and now came the tug of war — convinced of his right to lead the people. O how easy it is to be convinced of what is to one's interest ! He called his quorum and the people together ; ran Sidney Eigdon into the earth completely ; broke up his organizations ; denounced his revelations as from the devil ; crushed his influence ; cut off himself and adherents ; cursed him; "handed him over to the buffetings of Satan for a thousand years," and was chosen President by an overwhelm- ing majority. He did not stay to reason with the minority, but cut them all off at once. The Church was going to ruin ; a thousand divisions threatened to tear it piecemeal. Four claimants to Smith's position appeared, and each had his fol- lowers among the people. Brigham aimed at the most prom- inent. His energy intimidated those whom it did not out off. He saved the system, and achieved his own triumph. One thing is certain, had Eigdon remained President, there would have been no Monnonism to-day. Brigham had given a strong proof of his administrative ability. The people obeyed him willingly, for people will always obey men who are able and determined to lead. Energy grew in him with its exercise. From pleading with the people, he began to teach them ; from teaching, he dictated to them. Possessed of 142 BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. a far more powerful mind, more dogged pertinacity, clearer views, and more pointedness of means than Smith, he soon made Nauvoo show the firm hand of the helmsman. The Temple was completed, the Mansion was growing fast, Nauvoo was increasing rapidly, and, with these, his popularity and power. Not only on the present did he keep his shrewd gaze. He felt the then position of the Saints was entirely a false one, and he was busy laboring to convince them of the necessity of moving from Nauvoo, even though it should be at the sac- rifice of their all. They had reared their Temple in the munifi- cence of their poverty ; to leave it was like forsaking a child. Smith's promises and prophecies about Missouri had failed ; those about NauVoo were about to fail too ; might not Brig- ham's predictions of the Rocky Mountains also fail ? They hesitated, and they wept. Still Brigham's authority prevented fmther expression. The force of a strong will bent them before it ; and his influence carried the measure through. The Tem- ple was finished in 1845, and endowments were commenced. Thousands were hurried through. They were bound together and to him by oaths, which, while they made them shudder to remember, yet made them love him the^more. Their ten- derest attachments, their deepest superstition, their fiercest passions, and most sacred reverence were artfully enlisted, to make them more united, and more unitedly obedient. Lov- ing Brigham as their brother, venerating him as their Presi- dent, obeying him as their God, they left even their beautiful Nauvoo. They crossed the Mississippi on the ice, in Feb- ruary, 1846. Here Brigham proved himself a general as BRIGHAM YOUHG AT HOME. 143 well as a commander. He directed every thing. Thousands were leaving ; many destitute, and all poor ; their future loca- tion was undecided and unknown, it being " somewhere in the Eocky Mountains," and all their property left behind them. Without confusion, without hurrying or even discord, their long trains rolled by him, while he comforted, inspirited, blessed, and counseled the weeping emigrants. Committees were left behind to-sell the property of the Church ; all business was arranged, and he left Nauvoo, for Winter Quarters, Iowa. The same skill and energy directed the next movement of the Church. Their avowed intention of going to the Rocky Mountains, then Mexican country, was to establish an inde- pendent government. Disgusted with the institutions of a coimtry that had allowed them to be expelled three times, they resolved to forsake it, and forever. In their style, they would " worship under their own vine and fig-tree, and none should make them afraid." But they were poor : money was needed to enable them to move. Their design they desired to cloak under a sham patriotism. The United States ofiered $20,000 bounty money, and Brigham recruited a regiment, persuaded, commanded them to leave their families, many of them perfectly destitute, and join General Scott's army, then in Mexico, and they obeyed. One hundred and forty-three men, with Brigham at their head, made the trip to Salt Lake, where they arrived July 24th, 1847; and leaving a few to commence farming operations, Brigham returned to Winter Quarters, Iowa, where the Church were suffering poverty and starvation ; while the cholera, and fever and ague, were mow- ing them down in ranks. 144 BRIOHAM TOtJNG AT HOME. A very serious step had pow to be taken. The veneration of the people for the memory of Smith was very sensitive. No man could supplant him in their affections : few men could have dared to attempt occupying his position. A thousand reminiscences of him, that the people loved to cherish, were sanctified in their thoughts by his blood. Brig- ham was only ruling the people in his capacity of President of the Twelve Apostles. He needed greater influence ; there- fore, he coveted the higher authority of the President of the Church. Cromwell was content to be ting in fact; Brigham demanded the name as well as the power. It was a bold step, but his feet were firm ; he attempted it, and succeeded The Church was reorganized at Council Blufl!s, Iowa, on the 24th December, 184Y. After the pattern of Smith, Brigham was chosen " President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints in all the world." He appointed Heber Chase, Kimball, and Willard Richards, to be his ■ Counselors. These three formed the " Mrst Presidency." All this was subsequently confirmed at a conference held 6th of April, 1848, at the same place. Brigham was then the nominal as well as virtual " head of this strange community." A greater trial demanded his forethought. The whole of the Church had to be moved a distance of 1030 miles, through an almost unknown country, full of dangers and difiiculties. Some ability is required to efficiently remove bodies of armed troops over such new and pioneering obstacles ; well sup- plied, equipped and mounted, it taxes a commander's skill ; but here were poor, unprovided, feeble men, women, and BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 146 , cliildren, shaking witli ague, pale with suffering, hollow and gaunt with recent hunger. Without strife, without discord, without almost a murmur, this heterogeneous mass moved off. Many groaned with anguish, but none with complaint. Brigham's energy inspired them all ; his genius controlled them all. Marking their road with their grave- stones, they arrived at Salt Lake Valley, destitute and feeble, in 1848. The desert, to which they had come, was as cheer- less as their past history. From cruel foes they had fled to as unfeeling a wilderness. Renewed diiflculties demanded a renewed effort from Brigham. Every thing depended on him. Starvation and nakedness stared in the gloomy faces of the desponding people. Murmurs, and complaints were uttered. He quelled every thing ; scolded, plead, threatened, prophesied, and subdued them. With a restless but resistless energy he set them to work, and worked himself as their example. He directed their labors, controlled their domestic affairs, preached at them, to them, for them. He told foolish anecdotes to make them laugh ; encouraged their dancing to make them merry ; got up theatrical performances to distract their minds, and made them work hard, certain of that rendering them contented by-and-by. Feared with a stronger fear, venerated with a more rational veneration, but not loved with the same clinging tender- ness that the people still felt for Joseph Smith, Brigham swayed them at his will. They learned to dread his iron hand ; and were daunted by his iron heart. They got enough to eat, and their previous want made their then present scarcity seem like paradise begun. They 143 BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. were by themselves, but still they were away from their enemies. Mexico was vanquished, California seized, much terri- tory annexed to the United States, and the Mormons were now desirous to be recognized by the federal Government. Accordirrg'ly the people elected a Convention who drew up the Constitution of the State of Deseret, appointed dele- gates, sent them to Washington, and prayed admission into the Union. Brigham of course was Governor ; the other offices were filled by the leading men of the Church. Con- gress in 1850 sheared some of the self-named and exten- sive proportions of " Deseret," and granted them a Terri- torial Government under the name of Utah. Fillmore, by the advice and intercession of Colonel Kane, who had em- braced Mormonism in Iowa, appointed Brigham as the Governor of Utah, for the first term of four years. Since that time, large bodies of emigrants have flocked in. The California excitement drove thousands through, who left much money and property. Brigham's policy of keeping the people to work constantly, began to show its fruits. Cities, towns, public buildings, roads, etc., were going up. A Temple block was dedicated, inclosed, and the Tabernacle erected. Meanwhile his influence began to increase ; thousands came from England, prepared to be- lieve him any thing he pretende.d, and every thing he said. They brought the skill of English mechanics added to the Mormon energy. Comfort and prosperity dawned upon the people ; and Brigham had a moment's respite. The year 1832 came, and the Secretary and Judges appointed by BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 14V President Pierce to Utah, came with it. Mr. Brocchus and others made some slighting allusions to the Saints, and their conduct. Brigham was aroused. The man who had crushed Sidney Eigdon, in the very teeth of the Church, at a time pregnant with ruin for the whole system, would not be cowed by one man, especially when there were thousands to support him in what he might do, and they were a thousand miles "from anywhere." Brocchus was bruised, bent, broken ; and the oflEicers fled. Others were appointed ; they yielded to Young, and remained. In 1854 another cloud darkened the temporal horizon of the Church. The crops failed. Famine stared the peo- ple in the face. Hundreds were suffering want and anxiety. The people murmured, and many left. Brigham recalled his old tact and energy. " The Saints were unfaithful, therefore they were cursed ;" or, rather, the Saints were cursed, therefore they were unfaithful. Brigham's famine sermons startled every body ; they succeeded where every thing else would have failed. He stifled out complaint by cursing the murmurers. The people bowed to the yoke, and only worked harder than ever. There was more suf- fering, and more prayer. Brigham had frequently declared that " no other man should be Governor of the Territory." Colonel Steptoe came in the same year, with his appoint- ment, generally suspected. Brigham courted the Colonel ; got up parties for the officers ; flattered, befooled, and used them as tools. Colonel Steptoe threw up his appoint- "Tnent ; got up the following memorial to President Pierce ; induced his oflBcers and civil friends to sign it, and for- 148 BRIGHAM TOTJNG AT HOME. warded it to Washington, praying for the reappointment of Brigham Young to the oflSce of Governor. TO HIS EXCELLBNOT FRANKLIN PIERCE, PEESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Your petitioners would respectfully represent : that Whereas Governor Brigham Young possesses the entire confidence of the people of this Territory, veithout distinction of party or sect ; and from personal acquaintance, and social intercourse, we find him to be a firm supporter of the Consti- tution and Laws of the United States, and a tried pillar of Repuhlioan Institutions ; and having repeatedly listened to his remarks, in private as well as in public assemblies, do know he is the warm friend and able supporter of Constitu- tional Liberty, the rumors published in the States to the contrary notwithstanding ; and having canvassed to our satisfaction his doings as Governor, and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and also the disposition of the appropriation for public buildings for the Territory, We do .most cordially and cheerfully represent, that the same has been expended to the best interest of the nation ; and Whereas his reappointment would better subserve the Territorial interest than the appointment of any other man, and would meet with the gratitude of the entire inhabitants of the Territory, and his removal would cause the deepest feelings of sorrow and regret ; and it being our unquahfied opinion, based upon the personal acquaintance which we have formed with Governor Young, and from our observation of the results of his influence and administration in this Terri- tory, that he possesses in an eminent degree every quahfica- tion necessary for the discharge of his official duties, and un- questioned integrity and ability ; that he is decidedly the* most suitable person that can be selected for that office. BKIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. 149 We therefore tate great pleasure in recommending him to your favorable consideration, and do earnestly request his re- appointment as Governor, and Superintendent of Indian Af- fairs for this Territory. Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, December 30, 1864. J. T. KiKNEY, Chief Justice U. S. Supreme Court, Utah. E. J. Steptoe, Lieutenant-colonel U. S. Army. John F. Eetnoldb, Brevet Major 3d Artillery U. S. Army EuFus Ingalls, Captain U. S. Army. Sylvester Mowey, Lieutenant U. S. Army. Latheit L. Livingston, Lieutenant 3d U. S. Artillery. John G. Chandler, Lieutenant 3d U. S. Artillery. Robert O. Tyler, Lieutenant 3d Artillery. Benjamin Ailston, Brevet 2d Lieutenant 1st Dragoons U. 8. Army. ^ Charles A. Perry, Sutler U. S. Array. William G. Eankin, Quartermaster's Clerk. Horace R. Wirtz, Medical Staff U. S. Army. Leo. Shaver, Assistant Justice of Supreme Court of U. S., Territory of Utah. William L Appleby, Qerk of Supreme and First District Courts U. S., Territory of Utah. Curtis E, Bolton (Book-keeper of Mr. Perry). A. W. Babbitt, Secretary of Utah Territory. Joseph Hollman, U. S. District Attorney for Utah ; and many Mormon signatures. The Colonel left, believing Brigham to be an ill-used and belied man ; and feeling that certainly, notwithstanding his fame in military and diplomatic circles, he was not the man to cope vpith this famous prophet aM would-be reformer. Other judges and oiBcers were appointed ; not one of them but sunk themselves, or was fiercely curbed by Brigham. One 150 BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. ofScer disgraced himself with an Indian squaw. Another was a notorious opium-eater, with which he killed himself. Another was accused of having gambling in his cellar. An- other for taking a public prostitute, seating her on the bench with him, and being .accessory to an attempted assassination. Another was a notorious drunkard. All fell, or all had to fall. It is a popular mistake that Brigham used physical force in any of these cases ; he is too wise a man. Physical force is the sole property of brutes, and they are brutes who make it their sole property. But although he never struck, he has over and over again threatened and intimidated them. He has instigated annoyances of a thousand different kinds ; frustrated their plans, and baffled their designs ; forced them to act under a mental and moral duress ; but he never yet attempted personal violence. They have all felt the pressure of his heavy hand, but none bear the marks of his fangs. Had they resisted him, however, I make no doubt but that some appointed individual would have sought a quarrel with the contumacious Judge, and have murdered him. Let an- other man give the Mormons the same reasons to be disliked or feared as Governor Boggs of Missouri, and Joseph Smith's successor will find another 0. P. Rockwell to attempt to assassinate him. That Brigham Young has been accessory to several murders, I am compelled to believe ; that he would not hesitate at such, if he thought it advisable and proper, I have not the slightest doubt ; yet, I think his heart would con- demn such an act, if not imperiously demanded by his policy. To his pohcy he would sacrifice himself; to it he would willingly sacrifice his country ; to it he will assuredly sacri- BEIGHAM TOtJITG AT HOME. ISl fice the whole Mormon people, by arraying them against federal authority and power ; and the immolation of a Judge or a Governor, would need but a small stretch of his con- science. While this is true as to his unscrupulousness, it is not true of his past conduct. The means he has employed to so completely rule the United States officials hitherto sent has been this — they have put themselves under his heel, and he has mercilessly trod them down, and compelled them to leave. Brigham Young has one design, and only one. However wild in theory and impossible in execution, he entertains it seriously ; and that is, to make the Mormon Church by-and- by control the whole of this continent. For this he really hopes, and to this end are all his efforts directed. By the native force and vigor of a strong mind he has already taken this system of the grossest absurdity and re-created it ; molded it anew and changed its spirit; taken from beneath it the monstrous stilts of a miserable superstition, and consolidated it into a compact scheme of the sternest fanaticism ; guided its energies and swelled its numbers ; increased its wealth and established its power, and all with the same ability that characterized his triumph over Rigdon, or his direction of the emigration to Salt Lake. His success in the past only inspires in him confidence in his future, and relying on con- temptuous disregard or fluctuating imbecility on the part of the Government, he is prepared to consummate his folly and his ruin. I have seen and heard him very often ; privately conversed with him ; watched him in his family and in his public ad- 152 BKIGHAM YOUNCt AT HOME. ministrations ; carefully endeavored to criticise his move- ments, and discover his secret of power, and I conscientiously assert, that the world has much mistaken the ability and danger of the man. This is independent of his system ; that is a piece of gross fraud, but it is a proof the stronger that he must be some- thing of a man, to make so much out of so poor and ridicu- lous a foundation. In a few years he will follow others to the grave ; Mormonism will lose his clear head and his iron fist. Under the vacillating weakness of Kimball, or the im- petuous thoughtlessness of the old apostate, Hyde ; the ab- stract ponderings of 0. Pratt, or the good-natured want of energy of George A. Smith ; the self-confident and self-ex- hibiting egotism of Taylor, or the wild theories of the others, Monnonism will decline. It must live its day, and die. Brig- ham is its sun, this is its day-time. Delusions have arisen in all ages ; like meteors, the more rapid their progress, the more heat and light they have evolved — but the more speedy has been their extinction. It has been thus with other systems of imposture, and will be so with this. Brigham Young is far superior to Smith in every thing that constitutes a great leader. Smith was not a man of genius ; his forte was tact. He only embraced opportunities that presented themselves. He used circumstances but did not create them. The compiling genius of Mormonism was Sidney Eigdon. Smith had boisterous impetuosity, but no foresight. Polygamy was not the result of his policy, but of his passions. Sidney gave point, direction, and apparent consistency to the Mormon system of theology. He invented BRIGHAM YO0NG AT HOME. 153 its forms and many of its arguments. He and Parley Pratt were its leading orators and polemics. Had it not been for the accession of these two men, Smith would have been lost, and his schemes frustrated and abandoned. That Brigham was superior not only to Smith, but also to Eigdon, is evi- dent. To carry on Mormonism demands increasing talent and sMU. Its position and progress becomes constantly beset with fresh and greater difficulties. The next President must be as superior to Brigham as lie was to Smith, or Mormonism win retrograde. Such an one does not live in the Mormon Church. Thus far with Brigham's past history. It may be interest- ing to ask what is his appearance and style. In person he is rather large and portly, has an imposing carriage and very impressive manner. To pass him in the street, he is one of those men we should naturally turn round to look after. In private conversation, he is pointed, but afiable, very court- eous to strangers, knows he is the object of much curiosity, takes it as a matter of course, and, so long as the curiosity is not impertinent, is very friendly. He talks freely, in an off- hand style, on any subject, does not get much time to read, and, therefore, often blunders grossly ; he is much more of an observer than reader, thoroughly knows men, a point in •whicb Smith was very weak, although be boasted " the Lord tells me who to trust." Men not books, deeds not words, houses not theories, the earth and not the heavens, now and not hereafter, is Brigham's view of matters. Hence his re- ligion is aU practical ; and, consequently, hence his practical 154 BKIGHAM rOTJNG AT HOME. Brigbam in a council and Brigham in the pulpit are not the same. Under the force of his prophetic afflatus, he talks, till, on reviewing his remarks, he has to say, " "Well, well, words are only wind." This is a remark he once made. In council he is calm, dehberate, and very politic ; neither hast- ily decided, nor easily moved when decided. His shrewd- ness is often, however, baffled by a set of sycophants that he has around him. He has unjustly browbeaten and crushed several of his warm believers through the instigations of men " whom I thought I could believe." So complete is his ascend- ancy that they, however, have only bowed their heads and tried to do better. The same petty jealousies, secret maneu- verings, pandering flattery, and entire self-abnegation, charac- terize his, as any other great man's satellites. One difference exists, and that is this, however bickering among themselves, they would all die for Brigham Young. One of the severest tests of greatness is the power to completely center in oneself a tliousand interests and the deep affecti6ns of a thousand hearts. All really great men have done this. Philosophy has had its disciples, adventurers their followers, generals their soldiers, kings their subjects, impostors their fanatics. Mohammed, Smith, Brigham have all been thus. No man ever lived who had more deeply devoted fi'iends than Brig- ham Young. The magnetism that attracts and infatuates, that makes men feel its weight and yet love its presence, abounds in him. Even his enemies have to acknowledge a great charm in the influence he throws around him. The clerks in his office and his very wives feel the same venera- tion for the Prophet, as the most respectful new-comer. It is BBIQ-HAM TOUNG AT HOME. 165 thus also in his public orations ; he soon winds a thrall round his hearers. Bad jokes, low ribaldry, meaningless nonsense, and pompous swagger that would disgust when coming from any one else, amuse and interest from him. I have seen him bring an audience to their feet and draw out thundering re- sponses more than once. Sermons that appear a mere farcical rhodomontade have been powerful when they were spoken by him. His manner is pleasing and unaffected, his matter per- fectly impromptu and unstudied. He does not preach but merely talks. His voice is strong and sonorous, and he is an excellent bass singer. His gestures are easy and seldom violent. He feels his sermons ; the people See he feels them, and, therefore, they make themselves felt. He makes con- stant and unmistakable allusions to individuals; imitating their personal appearance and peculiarities, and repeating their expressions. Brigham is a good mimic, and very readily excites laughter. Much that tells, therefore, very gallingly to Salt Lake audiences, who understand the allu- sions and recognize the parties, seems ridiculous when read. Even on reading, after denuding his sermons of the ridiculous and obscure, there is an evident vein of strong, practical sense. They are, however, much garbled in printing, and are still more coarse and profane, when spoken. Brigham has no education. He never' writes his letters, merely dic- tates them. This was also the custom of J. Smith. Smith's letters to A. Bennett, Clay, and Calhoun, and his address as candidate for the Presidency, which was thought to so clearly evince the man, were written by Phelps, the Motmon devil, W. Clayton, and others. In like manner, the epistles, ad* 156 BBIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. dresses, and messages that simple Saints have believed were the divine effusions of "Brigham's graphic pen" (!) were written by General D. W. Wells, Albert Oarrington, and others. His autograph, which is quite characteristic, dashed energetically up and down and curling off with a little flour- ish, is almost as far as Brigham's chirography extends. Much interest is naturally felt as to his family. As a hus- band he is kind not fond. As a father he is necessarily neg- ligent, indeed he makes a mockery of Solomon's injunction, " Bring up a child in the way he should go, and he will never depart from it ;" quotes Solomon himself as a proof to the contrary, and says, " According to my experience it is, bring up a child and away they go." Brigham is a tolerably well- preserved man, considering his travels and hardships, and the constant mental and physical demands on his system. He sleeps by himself, in a sacredly private chamber behind his office. He, as some old philosophers, teaches the doctrine that cohabitation is entirely for the purpose of procreation, and that all cohabitation should, therefore, cease with pregnancy ; nor be resumed until after weaning the infant ! This rule he endeavors to keep, although the birth of children proves him to have violated his own law, certainly in one woman's exception. There is also another practice he has adopted which eminently proves the- degrading nature of this Mormon institution. As cohabitation is merely for the jjurpose of pro- creation, therefore after his wives get past child-bearing, they are entirely discarded. They Uve in his house and eat at his table, but all attention from him, as a husband, ceases. Brig- ham believes that Solomon's injunction, "Waste not thy BEIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 157 strength on women," might be peculiarly applied in these instances. These women, thus neglected, usually become " Mothers in Israel ;'' pretend to great piety, aod endeavor to win the smile of approval as devotees, that is denied to tliem as wives. But Mormon piety is very peculiar in its nature ; it is not the spiritual purity and holiness that might be im- agined, but assumes quite a practical and Mormon cast : to convert young girls who dislike polygamy into advocates of the practice ; to convince young wives who stand alone in their husband's affections, that it is their duty to persuade their husbands to take other wives ; to visit the sick, and by anointing, and praying, and "laying on of hands," to en- deavor to heal them miraculously ; to teach newly-married wives their duties, which many of them do most indecently and even obscenely; to be present at child-births, and give motherly advice upon the most sacredly private affairs ; to attend their weekly " council of health," and tell their own and friends' experiences ; and disgustingly discuss the laws of procreation and human nature in general. Incited by feel- ings which are neither dead nor dormant, witnessing around them unblushing signs of sensuality, remembering the reasons that have induced the neglect they can not but feel, hearing but little conversation not connected with marriage, or birth, or their kindred concomitants, the vast majority of them are as above stated ; and who can be surprised that such results should inevitably follow ? Brigham has not only these discarded wives, and those with whom he lives, but also the widows of Smith ; besides many spiritual wives (temporarily married to other husbands) 158 BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. and likewise many women to wliom lie has been " sealed" as agent or proxy for some dead brother. Counting all tbese he has a very large number. Out of this number, there are only, I beUeve, about twenty-five with whom he lives. This, I think, includes the whole, but of this it is impossible to speak decisively. I can only say, that I am not acquainted with any more. It may be naturally asked, Where does he keep them ? How do they live ? What do they do ? When does he visit them ? etc., etc. Brigham has some of his wives in his Lion House ; others in his Mansion, and others in little houses, in different parts of the city. He intends to see them all once a week, and, if possible, once a day. This, however, ovring sometimes to his ill health, sometimes to the press of business, and sometimes from bad weather, he is not able to do.' His wives, if they want to see him, then, have to go to him. For thirty or forty women to be in a sick room, and all wanting to do something for their suffering lord and master, is no trifle for weak or disordered nerves. If he be sick, he has to name his attendant, and the rest go sadly away and weep, tiU their jealousy and anguish is over. Poor women ! there is many and often a wet eye, a pained bosom, a dreary heart-ache, and deep sighs ; but they murmur, " It is the wUl of the Lord," and try to stifle down the voice of nature that is pleading within them, against the monstrous cruelty. He may be in pain, and their kind hearts and, soft bands may uselessly wish to attend or comfort him ; he may die, and the whole of his family could not stand around his bed, to hear his last words or watch his last breath. They are the companions of his BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 159 passions, and not of his life ; panderers to his lusts, instead of being the partners of his affections ; obliged to be satisfied with a passing nod, a casual smile, or an accidental confi- dence : crushing out every hope of happiness, every dream of girlhood, every wish and every necessity of their deep woman . hearts ; searing themselves into a premature age, and age bringing with it inevitable neglect, and yet, most of them ap- pearing content to be thus degraded, for the sake of their religion ; preserving themselves pure for their impure hus- bands, till the observer is almost compelled to think, that they must have ceased to be women altogether in heart, in soul, and in mind. Brigham Young, imitating the sultan in his hareem, has imitated him also in having a favorite. This, of course, is vigorously denied by the men of Utah ; the women, however, whose perceptions are far more acute, especially when sharp- ened by jealousy, know the men are trying to deceive them. It is contrary to human nature for men, however brutal or however refined, to have several wives without feehng a warmer love for some one of them than for the others. Brig- ham Young, I presume, would deny the charge directly, were any of his wives to dare to make it : but with so many eyes to watch his glances ; to observe on whose face it lingers the longest ; or seems most tender while regarding ; or whom he gets to wait on him most, when sick ; or whose company he prefers, when traveling ; or who seems best acquainted with his views on private matters; or who exercises most influence over domestic arrangements; or who obtains the most attention if unwell ; or who is always best provided 160 BRIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. with assistance; or at' -whose accouchments Brigham, in spite of himself, exhibits most anxiety ; with so many eyes to remark, and so many hearts to treasure up such observations, it is impossible not to know. Brlgham has a favorite. She is a very good-looking per- son, of about thirty years of age. She is tall ; her eyes are a very soft blue, large and full ; her hair light brown ; com- plexion very fair, and general expression very intelligent and prepossessing. I believe she is Brigham's third wife, and, I understand, he married her at Council BluflFs, Iowa. She has had six children, most of them, however, are dead. In her case, Brigham violated his own law. For a little while, he indulged his vanity so far as to wear his hair curled ; much laughter and remark was occasioned by persons often noticing his head fixed up in papers and hair-pins, of an evening. This lady was the industrious hair-dresser. She is very de- vout in her rehgion and passionately devoted to her husband, that is, to her " undivided moiety" of a husband ! Mrs. Emeliae Free Young, however, is not alone, either in her worth or her affection. Brigham is very much beloved by all his wives, notwithstanding his bitter attacks on some, and cruel neglect of others, of them. They all certainly be- lieve in his authority, and are content to share his future glory, although that is so widely diffused, that it can come only in homeopathic doses to any one of them. There are still very many who would like to be married to Brigham, notwithstanding the size of his family.- Many great men, orators, tragedians, poets, or warriors have excited sim- ilar feelings in many bosoms. At Salt Lake the women not BEiaHAM YOUNG AT HOME. 161 only feel, but express such wishes. Nature has implanted the feeling of sympathy and the sentiment of admiration ; false education has taught many to mistake that sympathy for love, and that admiration for devotion : the Mormons have-broken down the barriers of modesty, and the women, thus in error are permitted to indiJge it, and gratify the new passion by » new marriage, if single ; or by a divorce and then/ a marriage if previously united. Great numbers have pestered Brigham so much to marry them, that he has been forced to declare, " My family is large, enough, and I do not want to take any more." I spent a few days at the house of an old gentleman from Pennsylvania, during the spring of 1856. He was a thorough German ; honest, honorable, very hard working, and com- pletely infatuated with Mormonism. He had a daughter, about twenty-two years of age, good-looking, intelligent, and very much courted by several wealthy and hard-working single young men, but had refused them all. She was moping, and doing her beat to make herself miserable, and I learned that-Melina had been spending a few weeks with Mrs. Emeline. Free Young, had thus been thrown into the society of Brigham, had become so impressed and enamored of him as to love him. She told me that she had asked Brigham to have, her, she promised him to labor for and support herself, told him of her love, and only wanted to call herself his wife. "When I asked her, very gravely, what Mrs. Emeline said to all this, she told me, " Why, brother Hyde, she was only desirous to add to her husband's glory !" 162 BRiaHAM YOUNG AT HOME. I demanded wLat reply Brigham made to this earnest and devoted appeal ? "Why, he told me that his family was large enough and he did not wish to extend it," replied the half weeping and foolish girl. " Then as he refused you, Melina," said I, " why do you not marry some of these young fellows, who are constantly pest- ering you to go to parties and sleigh-rides ?" Her answer struck me forcibly. " Brother Hyde, it is a principle of Mormonism that, if we resolve, and keep on re- solving, and keep on living up to our resolution, that we can accomplish what we want. Is n't that true ?" " Yes, to a certain extent, it is true, but what do you make of it ?" I demanded. , " Just this ; I am determined to be one of brother Brigham's wives ; God showed him to me in a dream, and I know he will have me, if I only resolve and keep sticking to my resolu- tion, and living for it and nothing else, and that is why I keep refusing all these fellows. I won't ride with them, nor dance with them, nor walk with them ; I '11 keep myself to myself, and I know I shall get my wish." Her perseverance is commendable, whatever be -said of its object ; and so Miss Melina is " still sticking to her resolu- tion." Brigham has some seventeen or eighteen of his wives in his " Lion House.'' Each wife has a separate sleeping apartment, except in case of discarded ones who sleep by twos. The rooms are scrupulously clean and neat ; sufficiently, but not well furnished. They are the sitting-rooms during the day- BRIGHAM TOUNO AT HOME. 163 time for their occupants. When well, all in that and the adjoining house are expected to eat at the general table. It is a curious spectacle is Brigham's dining-hall. Wives, child- ren, workmen, visitors, a crowd of hungry dinner-seekers. It needs no small amount^ of cooking, nor any slight quantity of edibles. Brigham keeps no servants ; his wives, unless sick, wait on themselves. In that case, they must wait on each other. Cooking, cleaning, dairy-work, washing, mending, tending cliildren, has to be distributed among them according to the taste or skill of each ; or else, by the absolute and final dictum of the Prophet ! Before the general table system was adojjted, each wife was supplied in rotation, and by weight and quantity, with vegetables, fruits, etc. Like old feudal barons, Brigham is obliged to keep a steward and purveyor for his numerous dependants. It must not be imagined that these wives lead an idle life. Brigham is a working man. Sternly practical in his views of policy, keeping the whole of the people constantly and diHgently at work, he makes his household a pattern for the Saints. " There must be no idlers in Zion, no drones in the hive," is Brigham's hobby-cry, and consequently the whole of his family work. His sons among the stock, herding, brand- ing, driving. His wives at household affairs, looms, spinning- wheels, knitting-needles, and quil ting-frames. They boast very extensively of , how many stockings, quilts, yards of flannel, linsey, and carpet they have made. " If a woman can not support herself, and partly provide for her family, she - is- only half a woman,'' say Mormon domestic economists. They try, therefore, to make their wives models of perfection ; 164 BRIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. ttey have to wort hard, " To dress well is costly, and that is extravagant ; and extravagance is a sin," say they ; and, consequently, they conclude, " to dress well is a sin." Proud of a delaine, pleased with a muslin or content with a cahco, they limit their wants to the wishes of their " lords,'' and are satisfied if none of the rest have any better. Roundheads could not he less costly in their dress ; Puritans not more punctilious in the trifles of life. I have often thought, indeed, that Brigham tries to imitate the old Puritanic style in every thing, except his polygamy. Stern old fellows who would pray while they drew their swords ; who would kill an antag- onist for the love of God ; who, in the fanatic hope of securing a heavenly hingdom, would tear down earthly governments, and sincerely rebel in the belief of doing their duty ; to whom blood was but an incense to the Almighty, and whose foes were the especial enemies of the Eternal ; these certainly present Mormon sentiments. Brigham's wives, although poorly clothed and hard worked, are still very infatuated with their system, very devout in their religion, very devoted to their husband. They content themselves with his kindness, as they can not obtain his love. Not being allowed to be happy, they try to be calm ; and endeavor to think that this calmness is happiness. Because their hearts may not feel, therefore they freeze their hearts. As their religion is all their solace, they try to make it their only object. If it does not elevate their mind, it deadens their susceptibilities, and not being permitted to be women, they try to convince them- selves that it is God's will for them to be slaves. As before rjmarked, Brigham sleeps alone. He not only BRIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. 165 practices, but publicly advocates this tabit, and that, toOj ■without any delicacy of thought or modesty of expression. The reasons he urges are very singular and ridiculous. "Audit solum ad vocem'Ubidonis." Brigham has many small children living, and one of his wives is school-mistress to the whole. His two large houses are comfortably furnished, and he has a piano and melodeon, on which his daughters have learned to play. His family is necessarily very expensive, but he is a very excellent business man ; and although he does not receive a cent from the Church in remuneration for his services, his position as Presi- dent secured to him all the chances of selection in the com- mencement, and every opportunity of improvement since. To this must be added his past salary as Governor and Super- intendent of Indian Affairs. He is a very extensive farmer, having the best locations ; owns several saw and grist-mills, much stock and other property. No one's farms are better cultivated ; no stock, finer breed ; no mills make better flour than those of Brigham Young. His practical genius shows admirably in the improvement of his own property. Of course his position secures also many valuable presents. From a barrel of brandy downto an umbrella, Brigham receives courteously, and remembers the donors with increased kind- ness. Any new variety of fruit, or stock, is always sent up to " Brother Brigham, with Brother So-'and-So's respects." I saw one man make him a present of ten fine milch cows. That man will some day get an exclusive grant to some nice pasture from the Legislature of Utah, or some rich claim to a wood kanyon ; or an important privilege in a valuable ferry. 166 BEIGHAM TOUNG AT HOME. Although, of course, the Mormons indignantly disclaim such bribery ; still it is thus at Salt Lake ; and as says Sam Slick, " human natur is human natur, wherever the critter's found." Brigham is a great lover of fruit, and a warm patron of the Pomologioal and Horticultural Societies of Utah ; although some rigid Saints are inclined to view Mormon co-operation with outside Pomological or Agricultural Societies, as evincing a hankering after " the flesh-pots of Egypt." Brigham's time is much occupied. He rises early, calls the whole of his family together. They sing a hymn, and he prays fervently, and they separate for the day's duties. He eats at the long table, and as his gustativeness is small, his fare is very simple ; often consisting only of a bowl of milk covered with cream, and dry toast or bread. To make his rounds, " see the women folks," is his next duty. To these he is cordial and kind, but no more. He is not Brigham the lover or the husband, but Brigham the Prophet and President. They feel for him more reverence than love, watch his face and treasure his words ; and torture every one of them into em- bodying the "key" to some great mystery. Then to his office, to meet his visitors and counsel with them. He is the director of every thing. From the slightest matter to the most im- portant, the Saints all consult with Brother Brigham. Many absurd things have occurred in consequence of this. Men of every trade seek his advice, and view it as a revelation from God for them to follow. None can divorce but him, and to him all such oases come for investigation and action. No other can give permission to a man to take any wives subsequent to the first, and therefore all such parties apply to him. An old BRIGHAM YOUNS AT HOME. 167 lady once went to seriously inquire " the word of the Lord" as to whether red or yellow flannel was best to wear next the person, and he as gravely advised her to " wear yellow by all means." C. V. Spencer was married to two ladies on the same day, and they disputing as to priority, he appealed to Brigham to determine the important question. Brigham's reply was characteristic. No speculation is entered on, no enterprise begun without seeking counsel from Brigham. He encourages and commands this : " If you do not know what to do in order to do right," said he, " come to me at any time, and I will give you the word of the Lord on the sub- ject." — Deseret News, June 25th, 1856. He is fully obeyed in this. Although it occupies much time and involves much labor, it is very admirable policy. It acquaints him with eveiy secret of their thoughts ; associates him with every ac- tion of their lives ; makes them feel him their truest friend, and renders him positively necessary to their prosperity. For them to uphold, cherish and love him is inevitable ; and what- ever may be said of his policy as a leader, or his conduct as a husband, all must acknowledge that Brigham is as true to' his frignds as he is unscrupulous to his enemies. He often enmeshes the affairs of the people, so that none but himself can disentangle them. A French soldier once, seeing a shell about to explode, threw himself on to Napoleon the Great, and sprang with him into a depressed earthwork. " Look here," cried, he, " you must not die. You have brought us into this scrape, and no one but you can bring us out. So it is with Brigham. Brigham^ knowing the business of all, can bleud interests, and plan more successfully than any 168 BBianAM young at home. oue else ; hence, also, if any grow contumaeioua, he can very easily ruin them, without being seen. A Mr. Howard was a Mormon merchant, but grew dissatisfied in 1845, and de- termined to leave ' Salt Lake. No sooner was his intention known jit head-quarters, than the line was drawn, and he found himself irrevocably entangled. His goods were seized and sold at auction, when they were bought in by the " OhurcK'' at a mere nominal amount ; his store was sold also and like- wise bought by the Church at their own price ; no one daring to bid against this unseen, but all-powerful inviduality ; and Mr. Howard found himself a ruined man. His wife was, however, a firm and fer^'ent Mormon ; she pleaded and im- plored him to remain ; consented even to procure for Mm, an- other wife. Several Mormons used their influence with him ; the " Church" threatened its anathema ; it alluded to his en- dowment covenants, and their penalties ; old infatuation was re-awakened, and Mr. Howard bent his head to " the will of the Lord ;" was re-baptized, blessed, and returned to his old allegiance ; helplessly sunk and hopelessly involved in the destiny of Mormonism. This case is but a sample of many similar. Mormonism has adopted Romanism as its model j^ government, and uses Jesuitism as its means of accomplishing its ends, and controlling its victims. Loyola might have learned something from Brigham Young. " So universally is this unseen power felt, although very seldom traced, that it has become a very common saying among the faithful Mor- mons at Salt Lake, " When I obey counsel, every thing pros- pers with me ; when I neglect it, I prosper in nothing." This united action under the able direction of one powerful business BBIOHAM YOUNG AT HOMB. 169 mind, is the main cause of the rapid prosperity of the Mor- mons ; but is at the same time a strong evidence of Brig- ham's administrative tact and ability. On several occasions, however, he has made great blunders, and had to retract. One very prominent error was the attempted settlement of Carson and Wash-ho Valleys. Being surrounded, however, with active, enterprising and ambitious men, whom he must constantly keep employed, it would be astonishing were he not frequently to fail. Xot long will elapse before this Crom- well shall fall, and under the lax administration of Brigham/s "Richard," or some more cautious than profound General Monk, this meteor shall fade, and " The king shall hae hia ain again." Brigham Young is not a temperate man. He loudly urges young men to quit the use of tobacco and liquor, as well as tea and coffee. He made a solemn covenant before the whole Church in 1851 that he would cease using tobacco. Excited by his words, and stimulated by his example, all the men joined in the obligation, and much was thrown away. Brigham persisted for several weeks ; grew languid and nervous; he accidentally met Ira S. Miles, who was just cutting his tobacco ; the temptation overcame the Spartan heroism of this would-be Lycurgus, and he asked for a piece. It was given ; Brigham chewed it with great gusto. " It is very good, brother Ira," said ha. "That is a question be- tween you and the Lord, brother Brigham," retorted Ira ; " Joseph says that God denounces it as bad !" Since that time the people have followed the Prophet ; the children . 8 IVO BBIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. imitate- the men, and tobacco is the best article of mer- chandise at Salt Lake. Lewis has received many a hundred dollars Aom many a Mormon Gentile hater. Not only with regard to tobacco, Isut also as to liquor, Brigham is decidedly intemperate. His two sons, Joseph A., and Brigham, jun., have long since been notorious for their indulgence ; and I haver seen Brigham intoxicated at the same time that he was seated in his office, pretending to give the " word of the Lord" to those who should consult with hjm ! This was on the evening of Monday, April Vth, 1856. Mr. Alva L. Smith was in company with me, and he also noticed it, and remarked it to ine, after we left the office. It had been conference-day. Brigham had spoken but very little ; but had been observed to have been '■'■full of the spirit" when he did speak. The whole secret of Brigham's influence lies in his real siincerity. Brigham may be a great man, greatly deceived, but he is not a hypocrite. Smith was an impostor : that can be clearly established. Brigham Young embraced Mormonisra in sincerity, conscientiously believed, faithfully practiced, and enthusiastically taught it. As devoted to Smith as Kimball is now to himself, he reverenced him as a Prophet, and loved him as a man. For the sake of his religion, he has oveT and over ag4in left his family, confronted the world, endured hunger, came back poor, made wealth, and gave it to the Church. He holds himself prepared to lead his people in sacrifice and want, :w in plenty and ease. No holiday friend, nor summer Prophet, he has shared their trials, as well as their prosperity. He never pretends to more than " the in- ward monitions of the Spirit;" and, not as Smith, to direct BBIGHAM YOUNG AT HOME. I7l revelations and physical manifestations. No man prays more fervently, nor more frequently, than Brigham Young. No man can more win the hearts, or impress the minds of his hearers than Brigham, while in prayer. Few men can per- sist in believing him a hypocrite, after hearing him thus pray, either ui his family, or in private meetings, or in public. I am convinced that if he be an impostor, he has commenced by imposing on himself. It is not impossible, as any reader of history knows, for men to be as grossly deceived as Brig- ham, and yet be honest in their intentions. The Florentine Savanarola is a strong pertinent illustration. Were it not for this real, constant, evident sincerity, he would expose himself before the entire people, and fall. He is a good specimen of a man in positive earnest ; and what such a man can do. He is in earnest ; if he makes nothing else felt, all feel this. Enthusiasm is the secret of the great success of Mormon proselytism ; it is the universal characteristic of the people when proselyted ; it is the hidden and strong cord that leads them to Utah, and the iron chain that keeps them there ; and it is, too, the real reason of Brigham's triumph. This earnest, obstinate, egotistical enthusiasm has been nursed by wily .men as deceived, but more ambitious ; it has been fed by false miracles, justified by false logic, fanned by perse- cution, and cemented by blood. Brigham, however deceived, is stiU a bad man, and a dan- gerous man ; and as much more dangerous, being sincere in thinking he is doing God's work, as a madman is than an impostor ; one being accessible to reason wnd inducement ; and the other knowing no reason but impotence, and no in- ducement but constraint. CHAPTER VII. BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. Intention of Monnonism — Smith's prediction — Their prayera — Chriat coming in 1890 — "Where ho shall descend — Brigham's position — Brigham on himself — Drawing " the sword of the Almighty" — Shed- ding blood — Brigham on prospects of TStsh — Fanaticism — His army — His intention, if arrested — His method of goTernment — Stealing — Bribery — On debt paying — Frightening apostates — Mormon missions and missionaries — Brigham's policy — His successor — Joseph Smith, jr. — Heber C. Kimball — 0. Hyde — Parley Pratt — Joseph A. Tonng — Reyelations — ^Adam the God of this world and Father of Jesus Christ. We have viewed Brigham Young as a m,an ; impartially certainly, and we believe correctly. However interesting such an inquiry raay be, it is more important that he be" accurately understood as a Prophet. Great abilities ever command re- spect, but the world have a right to demand the good use of great talents. The more skill evinced in crime only so far en- hances the criminality. That Brigham Young is a great man, there can be no question ; that he is a great criminal we .shall prove. The real object of the Mormon Church is the establishment of an independent kingdom of which Brigham shall be king. This they believe is a temporal kingdom to be soon set up, and to be begun at Utah, in fulfillment of ancient and modern BRIGHAM THE PHOPHET. 173 prophecies. It was Smitli's intention in Missouri and Nauvoo. It was Brigham's object in leaving Nauvoo, and it is his de- sign now at Salt Lake. Joseph Smith, on May 6, 1843, said: " If the government can not protect citizens in their lives and property, it is an old granny anyhow, and I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, that unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the State of Missouri, and punish the crimes committed by hei oflBcers, that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left, for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women, and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished." — Joseph Smitli's Autobiography. This speaks for itself, especially when it is remembered that it is Brigham's favorite dogma, "The duty of the Saints is to fulfill the predictions of the Prophets." Not only do they try themselves to accomplish this design, but even in their prayers, make it the chief end and object of their existence. President J. M. Grant, on the 24th July, 1856, the ninth anniversary of the entry of the pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, thus addressed the Almighty in a public meeting : " May we accomplish the great work thou didst commence, through thy servant Joseph. May we have power over the, wicked nations, that Zion may he the seat of government for the universe, the law of God be extended, and the scepter of , righteousness swayed over this wide world." — Deseret News, July, 1856. 174 BRIGHAM THK PBOPHET. The Mormons never intend to spiritualize sucli expressions in their prayers. They use plain words to utter plain thoughts. "Never pray for any blessing that you are not willing to help to obtaih;" is the constantly reiterated doc- trine of this same man. With these men there are no figur- ative prophecies about Zion. Christ's kingdom is a literal kingdom : God's Zion is a. particular location ; Zion's tri- umph will be a temporal and physicffl victory. Utah, to these men, is this Zion ; her enemies, the American people ; her triumph, America's downfall; her reign, the subjuga- tion of this continent. These are strange dogmas, but they are earnestly believed by these men ; who as firmly think that it is the duty of the Saints to literally prepare a kingdom for Christ to come to. Nor do they imagine either that it will be very long before he does thus come. Said J. Smith, on April 6th, 1843 : " I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, that the com- mencement of the diflSculties which will cause "much blood- shed, previous to the coming of the Son of Man, will be in ' South Carolina (it probably may. arise through the slave question) ; this a voice declared to me, while I was praying e; -nestly on the subject, December 25thf 1832. ■'I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following : 'Joseph, my son, if thou llvest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt se^ the face of the Son of Man, therefore, let this suffice, and trouble me no more in this matter.' " — J. Smithes Autobiography. As Smith was bom in 1805, this would make the date 1890. He often endeavored to make the "prophetic num- BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 175 bers" refer to this 1890, a.d. This is also as firmly believed by the Church, as the Book of Mormon. It is one of the most prominent promises made by the Elders to those whom they bless, that they " shall live to behold the -winding-up scene." Smith promised this to Brigham ; he likewise pub- licly prophesied in April, 1843 : " There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes." — Ibid. Not only have they determined when he shall come, but also where he shall come to. Said Brigham, on September 28th, 1856 : "Again, how does it contrast with Joseph's being sent forth with his brethren to search out a location in Jackson county, where the New Jerusalem will be built, where our Father and our God planted the first garden on this earth, and where the New Jerusalem will come to when it comes down from heaven P — Deseret News, October 8th, 1856. Those who have entered into the Celestial Kingdom, say the Mormons, must be ordained kings and priests : Brigham is thus ordained. He is the king to the people. The auto- crats of antiquity, or the early sultans of Turkey, were not more absolute than is Brigham Young. Said Kimball, September 21st, 1856 : "I have often said that the word of our Leader and Prophet is the word of God to this people. We can not see God, we can not- hold converse with him, but he has given us a man thafwe can talk to, and thereby knowhis will, just as well as if God himself were present with us. I am no more 176 BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. afraid to risk my salvation in the hands of this man, than, I am to trust myself in the hands of the Almighty. He will lead me right if I do as he says in every particular and cir- cumstance." — Deseret News, October 1, 1856. Brigham cites Kimball as the model Saint. Nor is this confined to him. Grant speaks equally plainly. " There is a spirit of murmuring among the people, aud the fault is laid upon Brother Brigham. For this reason the Leavens are closed against you, for he holds the keys of life and salvation upon the earth ; and you may strive as much as you please, but not one of you will ever go through the strait gate into the kingdom of God, except those that go through by that man and his brethren, for they will be the persons whose inspection you must pass." — Deseret News, Dec, 1856. The means to be adopted with reference to the unbelieving and those who will not hear, are equally pointed out. Said J. M. Grant, a prophet, seer, and reyelator, on Sept. 21, 1856, " We have been trying long enough with this people, and I go in for letting the sword of the Almighty be unsheathed, not only in word hut in deed." — Deseret News, Oct. 1, 1856. What this really means may be determined by a subse- quent paragraph. " Brethren and sisters, we want you to repent and forsake your sins. And you who have committed sins that can not be forgiven through baptism, let your blood be shed and let the smoke ascend, that the incense thereof may come up before God as an atonement for your sins, and that the sinners in Zion may be afraid." — Ibid. BEIGHAM -TBE PROPHET. l^V And while this doctrine is publicly taught and privately practiced, they dare to assert they commit no murders ! Brigham is yery candid about the position of the Mormons at Utah. Said he ia Sept., 1856, " I say as the Lord lives, we are bound to become a sove- reign State in the Union, or an independent nation by our- selves. I am still, and still will be Governor of this Territory? to the constant chagrin of my enemies ; and twenty-six years shall not pass away before the Elders of this Church will be as much thought of as kings on their thrones." — Deseret N'ewsi Sept. 1, 1856. However ridiculous such an object may appear, it is still the real design of these foolishly infatuated people. As before remarked, Brigham was ordained a king in their Temple ; and the people in their hearts reverence him as such. As to the means they adopt to begin their kingdom, they have private courts of their own, in which they try their own criminals. A United States appointed judge makes his charge to a Grand Jury, and they are dismissed to their room The foreman has been previously instructed by the Church, and he directs the judgments and controls the consciences of his fellow jurymen. Bills of indictment are found or cast out as he directs ; and he directs as advised by the " Church." Should a Mormon be tried by a United States Court for a capital offense, and the evidence completely convict him, if he will throw himself entirely on Mormon law, to be adminis- tered by Mormon authorities, unmindful of the evidence, of their oath, or of the judge's charge, the jury will acquit the prisoner ; even though that same nic/ht, as the Mormon jury 8* 178 BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. of a Mormon court, they would pronounce him guilty without rehearsing the evidence. Carlos Murray was the nephew of Heber C. Kimball ; he was accused of murder, and a bill of indictment was found against him. He was tried by the court in which Judge Drummond sat. The evidence was positive, and all thought he would be convicted. He con- fessed to H. C. Kimball that he was guilty of the crime, but demanded to be " tried and punished by Mormon law'' and implored to " be saved from hanging by a Gentile court." The penalty of both judicatories was death ; only, in the one case he would be " hung by the Gentile? ;" and in the other, he would be " shot by his brethren." Kimball interfered, the jury were instructed, and they acquitted Murray. He was carried off by the sheriflF's officers, all Mormons, from Fillmore to Salt Lake City, when Judge Drummond caused the whole party to be arrested, and brought before him as abetting the escape of a prisoner. Paralyzed under the duress of his position, with Brigham's hand upon him, and the excited populace ready to commit any outrage, Judge Drummond was forced to compound matters, and the result was that Carlos Murray got completely off. But the Mormon penalty was still over him ; and Mormonisra never forgives, although it often delays the blow. He was allowed to live as long as he labored to " build up the kingdom ;" but that as soon as he forgot his duty or his obligation, the penalty was to be exacted of him. He was commanded to move his family into Salt Lake City, and permitted to go completely at large. The chains of superstition were around his soul, and they were hi stronger than any chains about his limbs. He went to BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 179 Mary's river, a distance of 400 miles, got his family, and, with the intention of coming and living near the " authorities," and using his doomed life for the support of Mormonism, turned toward Salt Lake. The Indians, however, revenged their brother, whom he had killed, and murdered him. He would have been killed by the Mormons, just as soon as the supersti- tious terrors had subsided sufficiently to permit him to become disobedient and negligent. There are several men who are now living in Utah in this condition. Their lives are forfeited by Mormon law, but spared for a little time by Mormon policy. They are certain to be killed, and they know it. They are only allowed to live while they add weight and influence to Mormonism ; and, al- though abundant opportunities are given them for escape, they prefer to remain. So strongly are they infatuated with their religion, that they think their salvation depends on their con- tinued obedience, and their " blood being shed by tTie ser- vants of God." Adultery is punished by death ; and it is taught, unless the adulterer's blood be shed, he can have no remission for this sin. Believing this firmly, there are men who have confessed this crime to Brigham, and asked him to have them killed. Their superstitious fears make life a burden to them ; and they would commit suicide, were that not also a crime. James Monroe had criminal connection with the wife of one Howard Egan at Salt Lake City, during his absence. Egan returned home, became satisfied of the circumstance, and de- liberately shot Monroe. Brigham publicly applauded his action ; George A. Smith, one of the Apostles, defended him 180 BRIOHAM THE PROPHET. in a United States Court, and he was cheerfully and imme- diately acquitted by a Mormon jury. The strict Mormon law, however, demanded that Egan should also murder his wife, as an adulteress ; his heart and hand failed, and he spared her. He divorced her from him ; but although he murdered his dishonorer, he could not overcome his own affection for his guilty and abandoned wife. He visited, talked with, wept over, and, sic homo est, he pardoned her. He forgot his re- sentment and his divorce, and, according to Mormon doctrine, committed adultery with his own wife. He was an adulterer, and the adulterer must die. He told Brigham, and offered his life. Brigham's reply was peculiar : " Howard, go to the friends of James Monroe, tell them you have murdered him, and if they take your life, it is well. If they do not, go anywhere where there is fighting ; join any party, and try and fall in battle ; and, if you can not die there, go your way, and trust in the mercy of God and of your brethren. Whether he took the advice or not I do not know. He is now in California, and were Brigham to call on him to-day to return and be killed, I fully believe he would immediately comply. Another instance : Curtis E. Bolton, married a mother and daughter, and lived with both of them. During his absence as a Mormon missionary, it is said his step-daughter wife was prodigal of favors to some passing emigrants. On his re- turn he divorced her; but, as she had no other home, she stopped with her mother, aod called Mr. Bolton father, instead of husband. He loved her still with more than a father's BEIGHAM THE PEOPHET. 181 affection, and they sinned, and she became enceinte. He was an adulterer; and by Mormon law, his life was forfeit. He tried to conceal his crime by adding to it. He compelled her to take some virulent drug, to endeavor to procure abortion. Destroying the life within her, she nearly lost her own. The residents of the twelfth ward, where Bolton lived, learned the incident. He was tried by an ecclesiastical court, condemned, and cut off from the Church. His life is forfeited, and will be taken by-and-by ; but he still remains at Salt Lake City, a slave to his own superstition, and, although so circumstanced, was appointed in 1856 to go as a working missionary to Green river, among the Indian tribes. Such men are necessarily reckless of all consequences. All their safety consists in their obedience. They might easily fly, but stronger bonds than links of steel, a closer prison than stone walls, retain them willing captives. The African flies not from his fetish-man ; the children of the Orient never fled from their genii ; the Koman can not escape the anathema of his priest ; the Tartar cowers before the grand lama ; and the equally devoted Mormon shudders and groans, but he still re- mains. It is not unnatural, it is only human nature degraded. Such is a fair specimen of Mormon fanaticism. That these deluded men are sincere, madly, absurdly sincere, there can be no doubt ; and there are thousands such in Utah. These men will fight, lie, rob, itiurder for Mormonism if commanded, and really believe that they are doing God good service. By means of such influence over the minds of large bodies of such men, Brigham hopes to execute his designs. Mormon- 182 I BEI&HAM THE PROPHET. ism is attracting many sensible and educated men to its ranks. Mr. Bolton, above named, is an educated man, speaks several languages, has been editor of a French Mormon magazine, and firmly believes that he can establish the truth of his faith and the propriety of his devotion from the holy Scriptures ; and he can construct an ingenious argument, too. Nor does Brigham give much opportunity to a jury to de- cide according to their sense of justice, or their view of the evidence produced. A T. S. Williams was sued by a Mr. Leonard on an action of debt. As it was an important case, a jury was empaneled, consisting of several of the Apostles' and some of the Bishops of Salt Lake City. They heard and decided the case. As, however, their verdict did not suit the prejudged opinion of Brigham, on the Sabbath following he gave that jury a most outrageous haranguing for being " old grannies," and for " selling their verdict;" he cursed Williams' lawyer, and sent him ou a mission to the East Indies out of spite. Such treatment from " the Prophet" has rendered Mormon juries extremely solicitous to know his opinion before giWng their verdict, and then to prove their confidence in his judgment by delivering a verdict accordingly. Hence in this way Brigham's will is pre-eminent in even Gentile courts of law ; and thus is all justice frustrated at Utah. To be on good terms with Brigham, is to secure his favor ; and to dare to oppose, is to be crushed under himself and fiiends. I could cite a dozen instances that I have seen of such favoritism. As to expecting that a Gentile can obtain jutslce against a Mormon, it is ridiculous ; a jury would feel they were sacrificing their fiiends to their enemies in deciding agaiast their brother. BEIGHAM THE PROPHET. 183 Besides these means of self government, Brigliam lias adopted another method of destroying the influence and nulli- fying the appointments of the judges sent by the President of the United States. He has organized Probate and ilagistrate courts throughout the Territory, and installed in them his most devoted creatures. An appeal can he made from the decisions of these to the Supreme Court, but any application for appeal is almost always refused. To speak contemptuously of such courts is to become a, marked man ; and ruin and danger are the inevitable consequences of such unfortunate significance. , Brigham not only has a nucleus around which to gather fanatic disciples ; but he has also one about which to collect an army. In 1840, Smith organized the " Nauvoo Legion" and enrolled all the male Saints from sixteen to fifty years of age. Since then their numbers have been continually in- creasing, as all are compelled to enlist. This force, that still bears its old name, the Nauvoo Legion, is regularly drilled by competent oflScers, many of whom served in Mexico, with the Mormon- Battalion, under General W. Scott. They are well armed and perfectly fearless. They completely re-organized in May, 1857. They have frequent parades, and hkewise oc- cupation, in forays against the turbulent Indians. The same fanaticism that characterizes their worship, or their labor, also signalizes their military evolutions. They do it with an object, and worh at it. To them it is no holiday pastime ; they'do not play at soldiers. As devoted to Brigham and as convinced of his authority, they will as blindly and cheerfully obey, as the soldiers of Mohammed. The silk standard of 184 BKIGHAM THE PROPHET. MortDortism would be as firmly and furiously sustained as was the silver crescent. These men expect to fight, and are preparing for it. They even constantly pray for the time to come speedily when " the Lord shall arise as a man of war," when they can accomplish the saying of Isaiah,, that they so love to quote, " The nation and people that will not serve thee shall perish," Isaiah Ix. 12 ; or Smith's prediction, "And the wicked shall say, Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible and we can not stand ;" " when one shall chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight." — Doc. Cov., p. 136. I presume that about eight thousand such soldiers might be mustered in Utah. The number is contemptible as a military /oj'ce, but fearful as religious fanatics ; ridiculous in comparison with their object ; terrible in consideration of their delusion, and the ruin that would have to be consum- mated to subdue them. I have heard both Biigham and Kimball gloat over the anticipation that " the time of warfare would speedily come." Said. Kimball, " I will do as I did at Nauvoo ; when they de- manded our arms I loaded my old gun half way up to the muzzle, and prayed to God that the mean cuss who fired it ofi', might be blown into atoms." Said Brigham, " I carry two loaded revolvers on me constantly, and the man who touches me, to arrest me, dies. In the name of God I have spoken it." There is not the slightest question as to his keep- ing his oath, should such an event occur. Brigham bitterly reproaches the suffering of the Saints on the whole Amer- BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 186 ican people ; but forgets that it is Smith and. himself who have occasioned it. The criminals are not the enforcers of the law, but its transgressors. Some very distressing oases of extortion have occurred, with the connivance and by the direction of the Prophet. In 1854, a Mrs. Du Fresne left the island of Jersey, Channel Islands, to come to the city of the Saints. She had some money more than she needed to defray her expenses, and in- tending to do the Church a kindness, offered to lend $2,600 to the President, S. W. Eichards, at Liverpool, for six months, and required no interest. It was accepted gladly, and an order was drawn on Brigham for the amount, payable at sight. The old lady came to Utah, expecting to obtain her money as a fund to rely on, in case of desiring to invest it. She presented the order, it was dishonored. She demanded an explanation, and she was told she must either take a poor city lot and a hovel for the amount, or that she would have nothing. She expostulated, and was laughed at; reasoned with them, and was dictated to ; got angry, and was turned out of the offiee. Without a remedy and without a hope she left Salt Lake City almost penniless. They made $2,500 by this saint-like transaction. This nefarious system is in common vogue among th© " authorities in Zion." Some gentlemen in England were in- duced by John Taylor to embark nearly $100,000 in the purchase of machinery to manufacture sugar from beet-roots, and cloth, at Salt Lake City. Great promises of profit were • made by Mr. Taylor, both as a man and in his capacity as an Apostle of the Church. The machinery, sheep, and beet- 186 BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. seed were procured and forwarded, and with them went these credulous Saints. At St. Louis, one of the gentlemen hecame undeceived as to Mr. Taylor's real character and designs ; and left the Church and returned to his husiness in Liverpool. The others went on to Salt Lake. Brigham took possession of the machinery ; M. Delamere, one of the partners, robbed and ruined, had to work as a blacksmith's assistant to procure a livelihood ; Mr. Coward, another of these victims, went into the kanyons and chopped down fire-wood till he became sick ; Mr. Russel, another of these dupes, died, and the Church administered on his estate. This was bad, but a worse tinge was added to it. One of these gentlemen, although he had left a wife and family behind him in England, was induced to take another wife at Salt Lake City. She was an intelligent, educated English lady, but as deeply infatuated with Mor- monism as the rest. With increased experience, her fanati- cism has died out, and his has also much faded away ; but they are now irrevocably disgraced in their own eyes and irretrievably bound to this atrocious delusion. Nor is Brigham Young very chary about perjury, any more than extortion and murder. • In 1852 beef was scarce in the Tithing-office ; and the church herd was small, and very poor. Brigham Young, through General Wells, ordered a young man named Thomas Clayton, to fetch up a fat ox be- longing to Messrs. Holladay and Warner, merchants then passing through Salt Lake City. It was driven in, killed, and paid to the workmen on the Temple ! Messrs. Holladay missed the ox, traced it to the Church slaughter-yard, and prosecuted Brigham. The slaughterman was brought to the BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 187 ■witness-box, and he stoutly denied the fact. This young man was now the important witness. He might fail, and Brigham went to him, and told him, " Get out of the affair, and get us out of the affair without lying if you can ; but if you have to lie, Tom, donH break down !" He got them out of the affair by perjury ; acquitting himself, however, by a mental reserva- tion. He himself told me this incident, and rather boasted of it, as a proof how " Brigham could come it over the Gen- tiles r Brigham Young is not immaculate, either, on the score of corruption. Mr. Washburn Loomis, from Niagara county, N. Y., says, " he was sentenced to wear the ball and chain two years, and was pardoned by Brigham Young on his pay- ing him $200 cash in hand. Young reported that he had given him a free pardon, and it was generally supposed he had ; but, in fact, he had sold him it for $200. He required Mr. Loomis to keep it a profound secret." This individual is, I believe, still in California. Like Hor- ace Skimpole, however, Brigham might not consider this a hriie^ but " simply a gift, my dear young friend." That he does not entertain the strongest notions of honor is very evident from his own statements. A. Cyrus Wheelock had robbed an old gentleman from Lancashire, England, of a large amount of money, by borrowing without any intention of returning it. On arriving at Salt Lake, Mr. Lee requested payment, and was coolly told by Wheelock, " I used it for the poor Saints ; I shan't pay it, and now what are you going to do about it?" Mr. Lee appealed to Brigham, who thus publicly sanctified repudiation: 188 BEIGHAM THE PROPHBT. " If an Elder lias borrowed from you, and you find he is going to apostatize, then you may tighten the screws upon him ; but if he is willing to preach the Gospel without purse or scrip, it is none of your business what he does with the money he has borrowed from you. And if the Lord wants it to use, let it go, and it is none of your business what he does with it. And if you murmur against that Elder, it will prove, your damnation. The money was not yours, but the Lord Almighty put it into your hands to see what you would do with it." Out of his own mouth Brigham condemns himself; and yet so strongly rooted is the delusion in that old man's mind, that he still remains in Utah, and bows his head to this extortion and robbery. " 'Tis trae, 'tis strange ; and stranger still, 'tis true 1" Still there are some who do leave the Church, and they cause Brigham a great deal of trouble. His predictions con- cerning apostates are very terrible and ridiculous. Says he : " The moment a person decides to leave this people, he is cut off from every object that is durable for time and eter- nity, and I have told you the reason why. Every possession and object of affection will be taken from those who forsake the truth, and their identity and existence will eventually Annihilation, the heaven of Buddhism, is to be the final hell of Mormonism. Threats of violence, and the preaching of such dogmas, deter many from leaving, who otherwise would quit gladly. In some instances, however, this severity is di- BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 189 rected on the other side. In 1852, Albert Smith, then living at Salt Lake City, differed from Brigham on some points of doctrine, and began to teach his heresy ; thinking that a people who declaimed so loudly against modern intolerance, would be tolerant with regard to himself. He taught his opinions in his own house ; the Mormons threatened to tear it down over his head. He called a meeting on the public square ; the marshal dispersed his audience. He announced another meeting ; but was driven from the ground, and Brigham, from the stand in the Tabernacle, uttered these apostolic words : " It is nasty stinking little apostates like these, who have brought our enemies upon us ; and I tell Albert Smith that he .had better clear right out, and that right straight, too, or I will cut his damned throat, and send him to hell across lots ! !" Albert Smith sold his property for a trifle, and fled for his life. Since then, no one has had the hardihood and simplicity to publicly oppose Mormonism. This tyrannical supervision is adopted in all their proceed- ings. Brigham and his coadjutors arrange all the political nom- inations in their ecclesiastical council meetings. The Mormon people know, that elected or not, these men will have the seats ; and, therefore, very few vote, regarding the whole matter as a mere farce, intended only to maintain legal form, and preserve appearances. In ] 845, among other nominations for repre- sentative for Salt Lake county, was one A. P. Rockwood. He was very much disliked ; and a few men got up an oppo- sition ticket, substituting the name of Stephen H. Hales in the stead of this A. P. Rockwood. It was the first and last opposition ticket in Utah Territory. A small body of voters 190 BBlaHAM THE PROPHET. were brought, and Hales obtained tbe majority, as very few had voted previously or since. Although he had the majority of votes, and was therefore legally elected, Brigham was insulted ; such dangerous contumacy must be punished, or it might prove dangerous. Stephen Hales was accordingly sent for, by Brigham, who administered to him a severe reprimand, for daring to allow his name to be used as au opponent of " the Church nomination ;" and by duress, he terrified and compelled Hales to resign the election, while Kockwood had the seat, and what to him was more important, and his real object, the per diem. This tyranny of the hierarchy is also carried into private enterprises. Mr. William Nixon was a Mormon merchant, very liberal to the Church, and to the people. He had, in 1845, among other merchandise, some cooking-stoves for sale. I was standing in his store one day, when H. C. Kimball en- tered, and began to bargain for one of these stoves. K. How much do you ask for one of these. Brother Nixon 3 N. So much, sir (naming the price). K. You ask too much. Brother William. They are' only worth so much. You're growing too rich, sir ; you're making money out of the poor Saints ; you're taking advantage of your brethren. N. (deprecatingly). No, Brother Kimball, you are wrong ; they cost me more than that ; their first cost was thus (making the calculation). K. Don't tell me, sir ; I know as well as you do. You're losing your love for truth ; you're losing the Spirit, you're robbing the poor ! BRIGHAM THE PROPHET. 191 JV. But, sir — £". (angrily) I know, I tell you I know you, by the Spirit within me. We'll have to send you on a mission, to learn you to open the bowels of compassion for this people. You're getting proud and lifted up. JV. You wrong me. Brother Kimball ; take the stove at your own price ; but you really are mistaken. K. (relentingly). Well, it is necessary to trim you down a little, I see ; the Lord bless you. Brother Nixon ! Mr. Nixon added many more articles not included in the purchase, and consequently received a double blessing/ from this modern Apostle. Mr. Nixon got the blessing, and Mr. Kimball got the stove. This ought to have sufficed, but in the fall of the same year Mr. Nixon received an appointment as missionary to the Indians. TUthough it was made by one Prophet, another Prophet overruled, and Brigham cancelled it. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Nixon was sent to Carson Valley. He was a faithful Mormon, and he obeyed implicitly. He sold off his stock at a ruinous sacrifice ; rented his store for a mere nominal amount ; left his dwelling-house vacant, and several thousands of dollars due to him from many parties ; took his family and went to Carson. His enormous loss of money, time, and business, will perhaps teach him never to dispute with H. C. Kimball again. The greatest engine of Mormon power, without any ques- tion, is the missions. There are men in Utah whose oratorial ability and general information are far superior to Brigham's. The most infatuated can not help observing the difference. To keep them at home, would create schisms innumerable ; 192 BBIQHAM THE PROPHET. and in order to preserve his influence, he has to send them out to pre'ach. O. Pratt is never at Salt Lake without weak- ening Brigham's hold on some mind, and therefore he is al- lowed to be there but very little. It is not their best men, by any means, whom the Mormons send on missions. A man who is wavering in his faith, and trembling on the verge of apostacy, is sent out to be confirmed. Too timid, or too undecided to renounce Mormonism entirely, he is compelled to advocate it. This is very admirable and far-seeing policy. Often a man is sent on a mission to punish him. A lot of " gamblers, thieving lawyers, loafers, and drunkards," were sent, in the spring of 1856, to Australia as missionaries. Some of these Brigham cursed most frightfully, and the whole of them he denounced. Said he, " You have been raising hell here long enough, now go and raise little hells of your own in Australia." He told them plainly, that he " sent them to get rid of them, and that he never wished to see them again," Some are sent because they are too indolent to work; some because they allow themselves to talk too freely about the authorities ; some because they are in the habit of getting publicly in- toxicated ; some because they are in the way of some ambi- tious man in power; some because they are troublesome about some debt ; some because their creditors dun them ; some to England, because they were very poor, and Brigham wanted to help them out of the hberal purses of tl^e European Saints. I can fill in names by dozens to every one of the above examples. The great idea of Mormonism is, that "the iniquity of the preacher makes no difference as to the purity of the principle ; that the vices of the administrator can not BRIGUAM THE PROPHET. 193 aflFect the acceptability of tlie ordinance, if he only possess the priesthood." BrigBam Young lays down this principle very distinctly when speaking of Smith. Said he, " The docrine he teaches is all I know about the matter ; bring any thing against that if you can. As to any thing else, I do not care if he acts hke a devil ; he has brought forth a doctrine that vpill save us, if we will abide by it. He may get drunk every day of his hfe, sleep with his neighbor's wife every night, run horses and gamble, I do not care any thing about that, for I never embrace any man in my faith. But the doctrine he has produced will save you and me, and the whole world ; and if you can find fault with that, find it." — Deseret News, December, 1856. It is often quite useless, therefore, to attempt to convince a Mormon of his error from the iniquity of his ministers. They will admit the premises, but deny the conclusion. They forget that causes can only rightly be judged of by the efiects they produce, and the efScacy of the principles by practices ; for " the tree must be known by its fruits. Do men gather figs of thorns, or grapes from thistles ?" The question is often asked, " In the event of Brigham's death, on whom will the presidency fall ?" Opinion is divided on this subject. All the old Mormons who knew Smith cUng to his memory, and believe that Joseph Smith, jun., now at Nauvoo, will assume the position. At present he denounces the practice of polygamy, and brands Brigham as a usurper. He is much averse to conversing on the subject ; but his grandmother informed me that he firmly believes in the au- thority and mission of his father. The character he bears at 9 104 BEIGHAM THE PROPHET. Nauvoo is a very high one for intelligence and probity. Kim- ball says of him and his brothers : " At present the Prophet Joseph's boys lay apparently in a state of slumber, every thing seems to be perfectly calm with them, but by-and-by God -will wake them up, and they will roar like the thunders of Mount Sinai." Still, the number of old Mormons is very limited ; thefiame of Mormonism dies out very soon. Brigham remarked this sadly. Said he, August lYth, 1856 : " How many of those before me were personally acquainted with Joseph, our Prophet ? I can see now and then one ; you can pick up one here and another there ; but the most of the people now inhabiting this Ten-itory never beheld the face of our Prophet ; even quite a portion of this congrega- tion never beheld his face. But few of this congregation have been assembled together more than a very few years, to receive and be benefited by the teachings from the fount- ain head, directly from the living oracles." This is the case with this delusion everywhere. Twenty- one thousand persons had emigrated from Europe, from 1840 to 1855, to join the forces of this sect ; at least one half of that number have apostatized. Were it not for the impet- uous zeaLof its missionaries, it would have long-been extinct. Many believe that when Brigham dies, Kimball may suc- ceed him in the presidency. He is now the second man of this Mormon hierarchy. His history is that of Mormonism. He was born the 14th of June, 1801, and was baptized into Smith's Church in 1832. He met Smith in the September of the same year ; accompanied him and Brigham Young to BRIGHAM THK PROPHET. 19S Missouri in 1834 ; was ordained an Apostle in 1835, and was with Brigham in most of tis important labors. He is a coarse, sensual man ; calls himself " Brigham's echo ;" is called by Young, " the model Saint." His sycophantic, rev- erence for the "the President" is extremely ridiculous. Brigham always wears his hat in meetings. " I will uncover to God alone," says he. Said Kimball, June 29, 1856, be- fore 3000 persons : " I never feel as though I wanted to wear my hat when Brigham is present. I consider that the master should wear his hat, or hang it on the peg that God made for it, which is his head, of course." Kimball is the most disgusting speaker of the Mormon community ; and yet, much respected, and no little feared. His resentments are revenges ! His face exhibits the man. Although only thirteen days- younger than Brigham, he is very much more robust. He is a large, powerful man, with the most complete want of, and contempt for education. He sometimes boasts he has more wives than Brigham ; I only know of eighteen, of whom, though not yerj/ond, he is very jealous. By the law of the Church, Kimball should succeed Brigham ; but, by the precedent of Brigham himself, O. Hyde, the President of the Twelve Apostles, should fill the chair. Kimball lacks the confidence of many persons. Orson Hjde's cupidity is too well known ; his apostacy in 1838 too well remembered, and his impetuosity too much dreaded, for him ever to obtain- the suffrages of the people. The man who, next to Brigham, possessed their love, was Parley Pratt, 196 BRIGHAM THE PKOPHET. and he is dead — ^killed in his sins ; the measure he has so often threatened on the seducer of any of his wives, a wronged and maddened husband has inflicted on him, and he has gone adulterous and bloody into the presence of God. May he find mercy ! Brigham Young has a son, Joseph A. Young. He was in 1861, '52, and '53, one of the most rowdy young men in Utah, celebrated for getting publicly intoxicated, riding horses to death, furious driving, etc. From the whisky-shop and their pot-companions, he and W. H. Kimball, Kimball's son, were sent to England, to preach Mormonism. The Saints, instead of being astonished thereat, said coolly, " Well, that will sober them down !" Joseph A. Young returned to Utah in 1856, and was immediately elected member of the Terri- torial Legislature for Salt Lake county. What is his mental caliber is not of course known thoroughly. His past does not speak very favorably for his future. If Brigham lives a few years longer, which he has' every appearance of doing, and can prepare the way, Joseph A. Young will be the Presi- dent of the Church. The Smiths feel the authority has ffone out of the family. Brigham will endeavor to keep it in his. The Smiths were, the Youngs are now, the leading men of Mormonism ; Brigham, President of the Church ; Joseph, the President of the Seventies ; John was President of the High Priesthood, and is now a Patriarch ; Joseph A., a mem- ber of the Legislature, and certain to fill the next important vacancy, if he be at all decorous in his conduct, so as not too violently to shook the prejudices of the people. Brigham has only once pretended to write a revelation, as BKIGHAM THE PROPHET. IGY coming directly from God ; and that was when the Church was leaving Winter Quarters for Salt Late Valley. He then communicated the " order of traveling organization." He asserts that Washington was inspired by God to fight the British, and the Constitution Convention were inspired to frame the Constitution ; and that he is only similarly inspired to lead the people. Yet Kimball always proposes to the vote of the Conference, " that we sustain Brigham Young as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator of the Church." The people have often murmured, indeed, that Brigham does not give " new revelations ;" nor teach " new principles," as Smith did. As to the latter, Brigham tried his skill at invention in 1852, and discovered that Adam was a polygamist, and that he was the Ood of this world ; and the Lord and father of Jesus Christ ! This stupendous blasphemy he publicly taught, saying, " He is our God, and to him must we come, for we shall never have another." (Journal of Discourses, vol. i.) Kimball, of course, seized on this discovery with avidity, and pronounced it the height of inspiration. Said he, September 28, 1856 : "I have learned by experience that there is but one God that pertains to this people, and he is the God that pertains to this earth, the first man. That first man sent his Son to redeem the world, to redeem his brethren ; his life was taken, his blood shed, that our sins might be remitted. That Son called twelve men and ordained them to be Apostles, and when he departed the keys of the kingdom were deposited with three of these twelve, viz. : Peter, James, and John. Peter held the keys pertaining to that Presidency, and he was the head." — Beseret News, October 8, 1856. 198 BBIGHAM THE PROPHET. This new mystery was promulgated in England, and much written about it in the "Millennial Star," of 1853. A great many disbelieved it, O. Pratt among the number; many doubted it, as it contradicts all Smith's writings and teach- ings, and therefore Brigham commanded the Elders to " lay it aside, and not to teach it till the Saints were more fully prepared /" Now, however, Brigham has laid down the order of things definitely. On May 28, 1856, he said that they were "the Apostles of Joseph Smith." Joseph is the God of this gen- eration, Jesus is his God ; Michael, or Adam, is Jesus' God and Father ; Jehovah is the God of Adam, and Jehovah is in- ferior to Eloheim, who is in turn, subject to the grand council of assembled gods of infinity. All of these are polygamists, and they all rule over their own descendants, which are con- stantly increasing in number and dominion. This barbarous and blasphemous polytheism comports strangely with God's declaration, Isaiah xlv. 5, 6, " I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside me. That they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else." But this blasphemous degradation of God fully accomplishes the words of Paul, Romans, i. 22, 23, "Profess- ing themselves to be wise, they became fools ; and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image, made like to corruptible man.'' CHAPTER VIII. CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF MORMONISM. 1805. December 23. Joseph Smith, jun., bom at Sharon, Windsor county, Vermont. 1816. April. His father and family remove to Palmyra, Wayne county. New YorL 1820. March. Many revivals of religion in western New York, and Smith's mind becomes disturbed. Under the preaching of Rev. Mr. Lane he becomes partial to the Methodists. April. Smith pretends to receive his first vision while praying in the woods. He asserts that God the Father and Jesus Christ came to him from the heav- ens ; and, like Mohammed's Gabriel, told him that his sins were forgiven ; that he was the chosen of God to reinstate his kingdom and re-introduce the gospel, that none of the denominations were right, etc. 1823. September 21. Smith proved forgetful of his pretended revelation and swore, swindled, lied, and got drunk as formerly ; but says that an angel came to him while he was in bed, and told him of the existence and pres- ervation of the history of the ancient inhabitants of 200 CHBONOLOGIO AL HISTOET. 1823. America, engraved on plates of gold, and directs him wtere to find them. September 22. Goes as directed and discovers them in a stone box, in a hill side between Manchester and Palmyra, western New York. He attempts to take them, but is prevented. The devil and angels contend about him ; devil is whipped and retreats : he receives many instructions from the angel and begins prepar- ing himself for his future. 182Y. January 18. Smith married to Miss Emma Hale, after- ward " Lady elect of the Church." September 22. Receives the " plates" from the hands of the angel. 1828. July. Translation is suspended, in consequence of Martin Harris stealing one hundred and eighteen pages of MS., which have never been replaced. 1829. April 17. Translation recommenced, Oliver Cowdery acting as clerk. May 5. Smith pretends that John the Baptist came and ordained Cowdery and himself "priests;" and commanded them " to baptize and afterward re-ordain each other." 1830. Smith was ordained Apostle by Peter, James, and John. April 6. The Mormon Church organized at Man- chester, New York, and consisted of J. Smith, sen., Hiram and Samuel Smith, 0. Cowdery, Joseph Knight, and J. Smith, jun. Martin Harris, one of the witnesses, not being one among them I 1830. June. First conference at Fayette, New York. CHEONOLOaiC AL HISTOKr. 201 August. Parley P. Pratt and Sidney Eigdon converted to Mormonisrn. December. Smith is visited by Rigdon. 1831. January. The Churcli commai-ded to move to Kirt- land, Ohio, where Eigdon had a body of persons con- verted to Mormouism as a nucle is. May. The Elders sent out by twos to preach. June 7. The first endowment given ; Elders much dis- appointed in their expectations. Many ordained and sent out to preach. New branches growing up rapidly. June 17. Smith and party start for Missouri to search for a location for " Zion." August 3. Zion determined to be in Independence, Jackson county. Mo. Smith dedicates the " Temple block ;" names the place " The New Jerusalem," and returns to Kirtland. August 27. " The Kirtland Safety Society Bant," store, mill, and other mercantile operations commenced by Smith. 1832. February 16. Smith and Sidney Eigdon pretend to see in a vision the whole destiny of man, and his different degrees of glory and punishment. March 22. Smith mobbed, tarred, and feathered for dishonorable dealing. April 2. Smith visits Jackson county. Mo., where matters are ia disorder ; the Saints by their boasts and threats enraging the old citizens, and the " Church" quarreling among themselves about the communism that Smith had attempted to estabhsh. 9* 202 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTOKT. 1833. March 8. The first presidency organized by the ap- pointment of Sidney Eigdon and Frederic G. Wil- liams as Smith's counselors. July 23. The foundation of Kirtland Temple laidby Smith. The mob at Independence, Jackson county, Mo., rise against the Mormons, and extort a promise of half to leave by January, and all by April, 1834. October 30. The mob destroys ten Mormon houses. Two of the mobbers are killed by the Saints. This was the first blood shed, and the Mormons shed it. November. The Mormons fly from Jackson, and are kindly received in Clay county. Mo. 1834. February 20. Smith goes with companies from Kirt- land to Missouri, to the relief of the Saints ; organizes a small army, and begins to dream of physical con- quest and temporal sovereignty. May 4. Mormon Church first called " The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" by Sidney Eigdon at a convention at Kirtland. July 9. Smith returns to Kirtland, where his presence began to be needed. 1835. February 14. The first quorum of the Twelve Apostles ordained at Kirtland ; and .among them Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball. Classes of instruction and school of Prophets com- menced. Sidney Eigdon delivers six lectures on Faith, generally attributed to J. Smith, being unac- credited to their author, and bound in the book of Smith's Revelations (Doctrines and Covenants). CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY. 203 1836. March 27. The Kirtland Temple, finished at a cost of $40,000, is dedicated ; at -which Smith pretends to see Moses, Elias, and Elijah, who give him different " keys" of priesthood, which guarantied to their possessors unlimited power in spiritual and temporal things. Jmie 29. The Mormons are requested by the citizens to movefrom Clay county, Mo., to Carrol, Davis, and Caldwell counties, they having become impudent, encroaching, and threatening. They wisely decide to move, and leave with friendly arrangements. 1837. June 1. 0. Hyde and Kimball appointed to go to England as missionaries. November. Smith's Kirtland Safety Society Bank broke, store seized, goods sold, and himself insolvent. 1838. January 12. Smith and Eigdon run away in the night from their creditors in Ohio, who were threatening their arrest for fraud. March. They arrive in Missouri, and begin to scatter the Saints, in order to obtain political ascendancy in other counties of the State of Missouri. The citi- zens commence to murmur at being under Mormon rule. About this time Smith pretended to obtain a revela- tion from God authorizing him to practice polygamy, and began to practice it accordingly. July 4. Sidney Eigdon, in an anniversary oration, familiarly called by the Mormons " Sidney's Salt Sermon," threatens the Mormon enemies and apostates with physical violence. 204 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTOBT. 1838. July 4. The Danite Band, or United Brothers of Gideon, organized, and placed under the command of David Patten, an Apostle, who assumed the alias of Captain Fearnot. Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer, the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, are charged with lying, theft, counterfeit-coining, and def- amation of Smith's character, and are cut off from the Church. Orson Hyde, Thomas B. Marsh, W. W. Phelps, and many others apostatize from the faith, and give evi- dence against Smith, accusing him of being accessory to several murders and many thefts, and of designing to rule that part of the State of Missouri, and event- ually the whole Republic. August and September. Several emeutes occur be- tween the mobbers and Mormons. The latter steal sixty or eighty stand of arms at Eichmond, and fire on the militia, mistaking them for the mob, at Crooked river, where several are shot, when the militia return the fire, and David Patten is killed. September 30. The mUitia, to avenge the death of their comrades, brutally attack the Mormon women and children at Hawn's Mill, shooting them down and burning the houses, and committing other barbarous atrocities on the women. November. The Saints are kindly received at Quincey Illinois. Smiih arrested and about to be shot by the excited CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY. 205 military, but is handed over to the civil authorities, and is subsequently released. 1839. March 25. Brigham Young and others relay the found- ations of -the Temple at Independence, Jackson county, Mo. May 9. Smith goes to Commerce, HI., by invitation of Dr. Isaac Galland, of whom he obtains gratis a large tract of land, to induce him to settle there with the people. He accordingly receives a revelation, calls the Saints about him, and sells them the town lots he had received for nothing. September. Brigham Young, H. C. Kimball and others leave for England as missionaries ; O. Hyde, although previously appointed by " revelation," not accompany- ing them. October. Smith and others go to Washington, to try and obtain redress frpm Congress for their injuries in Missouri. 5. The town of Commerce chosen a " Stake of Zion" by Smith. 1840. April 21. Commerce changes its name to Nauvoo. October 3. Mormons begin preparing to build the Temple, and petition the State Legislature of Illinois for the incorporation of Nauvoo. 1841. February 4. Nauvoo incorporation act, passed in the preceding winter, begins to be in force. Nauvoo Legion, organized. J. Smith, Lieutenant-General. April 6. The foundation stones of Nauvoo Temple laid by Smith, with grand military parade. 206 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTOET. 1842. May 6. Governor L. W. Boggs of Missouri shot at by Orrin Porter Rockwell (now at Salt Lake City), witli the connivance and under the instructions of Joseph Smith. 1843. J. Smith, mayor of Nauvoo, vice J. C. Bennet cut oflF for imitating Smith in his spiritual-wife doctrine. July 12. Smith pretends to have a second revelation- on polygamy, in order to conciliate his first wife, who was angiy with his " ladies.'' 1844. February 1. J. Smith, as candidate for the Presidency of U. S., issues his address. May 6. Smith and party destroy the inaterial'of " The Expositor :" suit issued against him in consequence. June 24. The arms are demanded from the citizens of Nauvoo by the Governor of Illinois. June 27. Joseph Smith, Jr., and his brother Hiram are shot in jail at Carthage, Illinois, by a gang of Missourians. August 15. The Twelve Apostles, with Brigham Young at their head, assume the presidency of the Church ; and address, as such, an epistle to the " Saints in all the world." October 7. Brigham Young's authority is fully recog- nized by the majority of the Mormon people. Eigdon and all the contumacious members cut off, cursed, " and delivered to the devil to be buffeted in the flesh for a thousand years !" by Brigham. 1845. January. Nauvoo charter is repealed by the State Legislature OHRONOLOaiO AL HISTORY. 207 1845. February. Brigham Young and the Mormon author- ities begin to seriously contemplate a general move to the west. John Taylor, an Apostle, proposes Vancouver's Island, British America. Lyman Wight, also, then an Apos- tle, proposes Texas. Others suggest California, then but httle known. Much dissension as to locality. Some valley in the Eocky Mountains finally selected. May. The cap-stone of the Mormon Temple laid : and endowments soon after begin. 1846. January. Baptizing for the dead administered in the river Mississippi. 20. Pioneers leave Nauvoo to find some resting-place on the borders of Iowa. They select Council Bluflfs. February. Mormon companies cross the ice-covered river en route for Council Blufis. July. Brigham Young sells a company of his brethren as a Mexican battalion, for $20,000. September. Nauvoo, in which many of the Mormons were remaining, was besieged by the mob. 1847. April 14. The pioneers leave their Winter Quarters, Council BluiFs, Iowa, for the Rocky Mountains, and by following the trail of Colonel Fremont, arrive at Salt Lake. July 23 Orson Pratt and a few arrive at the Valley. 24. Brigham and main body of pioneers enter. This day, instead of the 23d, is always celebrated, as a compli- ment to Brigham, a species of sycophancy very custom- ary from the Mormon people to the Mormon Prophet. 208 OHRONOLOGIOAL HISTOBT. 1847. December 24. Brigliam Young nominated " President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all the World," at a special conference. He appoints Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards as his coad- jutors. N. B. — He was not the appointment of God but the choice of the people, even by his own statement. 1848. April 6. His appointment confirmed at the General Conference at Kanesville, Iowa. May. The Saints start for Salt Lake City, where they arrive in the fall. September. Some of the Mormons who had sailed from New York for San Francisco, expecting the Church to locate in California or Vancouver's Island, as first intended, came in to Salt Lake Valley from the west. 1849. March 6. Convention held at Salt Lake City ; Consti- tution of State of Deseret drafted by them, and Legis- lature elected under its provisions. July 2. They send delegates to Washington to present Constitution, and petition for admission into the Union as a " sovereign and independent State.'' August. Captain Stansbury, T. E., arrived to make survey of the Valleys and of the Salt Lake. September 9. Bill organizing Utah Territory, signed by President Fillmore. 1850. February. Brigham takes oath of office as Governor of Utah Territory and Superintendent of Indian Aifau's. April 5. Assembly met, and State of Deseret was merged into Territory of Utah. OHBONOLOGICAL HISTORY. 209 1850. June 5. "Deseret News" commenced under editorial charge of Dr. Willard Richards, "a prophet, seer, and revelator." September. Judges Brocchus Day, Brandebury, and Mr. Secretary Harris arrive at Salt Lake. 22. Mr. Brocchus insults the people. Brigham threat- ens violence, and the judges leave Utah. 1851. The Salt Lake Tabernacle built. 1853. February 14. Temple excavations commenced. April 6. Corner stones of Temple laid. 1854. August. Colonel Steptoe and soldiers arrive at Utah. 1855. May. Colonel Steptoe, having resigned the governor- ship of Utah, left -with troops for California. August. Judge Drummond, General Burr, Surveyor- General, and other U. S. oflBcials arrive at Salt Lake. 1856. May. Judge Drummond left. 1857. April. General Burr and the other U. S. officials leave Utah and return to the States. CHAPTER IX. ANALYSIS OF THE INTEENAL BVIDBNCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMOISr. Introduction — The nature and purport of the book — Contents — Contra- diction as to plates — ^As to TJrim and Thummim — ^Hebrew language — Jewish materials for writing — Laban's plates — Jewish genealogies — The copies of the law — History of the Jews — Various Prophets of Bible and Book of Mormon — Prediction — Contradiction in Book of Mormon — Lehi's compass or Liahona — ^Natural history of America — Importations of stock — Elephants in America — Astronomical antici- pations of the Book of Mormon — Contradictions between reputed authors of Book of Mormon — Solomon's Temple in America — Gifts of the Spirit before Christ — Jared's barges, what they were and what they brought — Precision of Book of Mormon Prophets — Plagiarisms from the Scriptures — Use of various terms not then known — Incon- sistency — Prophetic apologies — Conclusion. MoRMONiSM claims as its founder, Josepli Smith. The pre- tensions of the system depend on the founder. If Smith be an impostor, Mormonism must fall. To commence an an- alysis of the system, we must begin with the pretensions of the Prophet. It is not enough for some to believe him to be a liar. To say that one has a right to believe him false, is to say others have the right to beheve him true. Belief is the effect produced by evidence on the mind. Grounds of belief must, therefore, be searched for in the evidence. It is important to determine how much evidence ought to convince ANALYSIS or THE BOOK OF MOEMON. 211 ns. To believe without much proof is a sign of a, weak mind. To be obstinately skeptical is a sign of ridiculous vanity. It is just as much to be avoided to say, " I am the standard for every thing," as to say " Every thing is my standard." The higher the pretensions, however, the stronger should be the evidence and the stricter the analysis. An amount of evi- dence that would justify belief in a trivial matter, would be wholly inadequate when offered to substantiate matters of vital moment. The Book of Mormon claims our belief as being a revela- tion from God, inspired in its matter and translation. . Is it true or is it false ? This inquiry is important. 0. Pratt, the ablest Mormon polemic writer, says, " The nature of the mes- sage in the Book of Mormon is such that, if true, none can be saved and reject it ; and if false, none can be saved who re- ceive it." Pretensions involving such important interests de- mand the very best of evidence. Happily for the world, it is not a question of events and persons between whom and us centuries have rolled their mists of prevarications, contradic- tions, and falsehoods. Young men remember its rise. Living witnesses are conversant with the whole of its history. Professing to be a revelation from God, its evidences must be worthy of God ; because God can do nothing unworthy himself. God, in the first place, would not send a book that woxild not commend itself and endure critical examination. God, in the second place, would not send it in a manner that would not sustain the' most rigid scrutiny. God, in the third place, would not send it through a person whose character would not bear the most searching inquiry. 212 ANALrSIS OF THE BOOK OP MORMON. The nature of the book, the circumstances attending its production, and the character of its producer are the subjects proposed for discussion in the three ensuing chapters. The Internal Evidences of Boole of Mormon I. What is the book ? 1. It purports to contain a history of America from shortly aft-er the destruction of the Tower of BalDel, to the fifth cen- tury after Christ. It asserts- that this continent was peopled by three diflferent families. First. The family of Jared who emigrated from the Tower of Babel, and whose descendants were entirely destroyed more than 600 years b.c. Second. The family of Lehi, a Manassehite, who emigrated, about 600, B.C., from Jerusalem ; the righteous pai't of whose descendants were destroyed 400, a.d., and the wicked part of whose descendants are now the American Indians. Third. The " people of Zarahemla," Jews, who emigTated from Jerusalem about eleven years after Lehi, and the de- scendants of whom were destroyed by the wars or mingled among those of Lehi. The history of the wanderings and wars of these several families was engraved by their Prophets on different plates ; sometimes of gold, sometimes of brass, and sometimes of " ore" (as stated in the B. M.) These plates were religiously preserved until they all fell into the hands of Mormon, one of the descendants of Lehi, who made an abridgment of the whole, A.b. 384 ; when he buried the originals, together with certain other curiosities, in a hill ; handed the abridgment to his son, Moroni, to which Moroni added an " abridgment of the his- AJTALTSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 213 tory of the people of Jared," and finally boxed them up and buried them in a hill in New York State, a.d. 400. It is as- serted that they lay in this box till the 22d of September, 1827, when they were given by an angel to Joseph Smith, who " translated them by the gift and power of God." A portion of this translation constitutes the Book of Mormon. 2. In this book there ai'e mentioned certain other plates and curiosities, and most of which, if the book be correct, must still be in the hill " Cumorah," between PalmjTa and Manchester, N. Y. A list of these curiosities is subjoined, to aid us in further remarks ; the pages of the Book of Mormon (3d European ed.) on which they are described, are also stated : 1. Plates of Laban, B. M., pp. 9, 11, 144, 145. 2. Brass genealogical plates of Lehi, B. M., p. 11. 3. Brass plates of Lehi, afterward abridged by Nephi, B. M., pp. 3, 44, 62. 4. Brass plates of Nephi, containing " more history part," B; M., pp. 16, 138. 5. Brass plates of Nephi, containing " more ministry part," B. M., pp. 16, 144. 6. Ore plates of Nephi, containing " mine own prophecies," B. M., p. 44. 7. Plates of Zarahemla, containing "genealogy," B. M., « 140. 8. Plates of Mormon, containing abridgment of Nephi's " more ministry part," B. M., p. 141. 9. Plates containing record from " Jacob to King Ben- jamin," B.M., p. 141. 10. Plates containing record of ZenifF, B. M., p. 161. 214 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK O F M O ErM O N . 11. Plates (golden) of Ether, B. M., pp. 161, 189, 312, 516. 12. Plates of Alma's " account of his afflictions," B. M., p: 196. 13. Plates, Jared " brought across great deep," B. M., p. 530. 14. Copies of " Soirptures," out of which sons of Mosiah "studied 14 years," B. M., pp. 255, 271. 15. Many records " kept by people who went northward," B. M., pp. 394, 395. 16. Twelve epistles from different prophets at vj.«ious times, (B. M., in loci). \1. The round ball, or "Compass of Lehi," B M., pp. 33, 145, 314. 18. The sword of Laban, B. M., pp. 8, 143, 146. 19. The engraved stone of Coriantumr, B. M., p. 140. 20. The sixteen stones that " God touched with his finger," B. M., p. 620. 21. The two-stone interpreters of Mosiah, B. M., pp. 162, 204. 22. The two-stone interpreters of Jared's brother, B. M., pp. 522, 523. 23. A white stone, " Gazelem," B.M., p. 212. 24. A brass breast-plate, found with Ether's plates (No. 11), B. M., p. 161. Besides these, there were the plates containing Mormon's abridgment of the whole history (B. M., pp. 142, 443, 444, 607), and Moroni's " few plates," B. M., p. 507, the professed translation of which constitutes the present Book of Mormon. These plates. Smith says, were bound, into a volume by three rings passing through the back edge. ANALYSIS or THE BOOK OF M B M O N . 215 3. There is one oversighted contradiction that stares us in the face, about the plates themselves. On p. 507 we are told that Mormon buries all these curiosities, " except these few plates" (his abridgment of the history) which he gives to his son Moroni, On p. 509, we are told Moroni fills up his father's plates, and says, " I have no more room on the plates, and ore I have none, for I am alone." The plates of his fether, the book with rings, are all full. He has no more plates nor ore to make any of ; and yet, the matter of forty- seven closely-printed pages of pretended translation follows directly after. Where does Smith pretend to have got the originals of the forty-seven pages of printed translation ? He only professed to find one set of ring-hound plates, Mormon's abridgment. They were not in that, for Moroni " filled them up ;" he did not make any more plates, " for he had no ore, and was alone." Then where were the originals of this sub- sequent matter ? 4. Another and a graver difficulty presents itself next. Mormon, it is said, buries all the curiosities, giving Moroni only " these few plates." Moroni fills " these few plates," and then buries them up. Joseph Smith says he found, with these plates, the two-stone interpreters of Jared's brother (No. 22 in list), the breast-plate (No. 24), and the sword of Laban (No. 18). How could these few plates, which Moroni pre- tends to have buried, be with these other curiosities, which Moroni did not have ? They were buried apart, and yet they were found together ! 5. Lehi professes to live at Jerusalem in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah. The scenes, characters, and habits 216 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. must belong to this age. They must not belong to a period 500 years antecedent or posterior to this time. When any thing is definitely known of this period, for the Book of Mor- mon to directly contradict it, must be a proof of imposture. Nephi states, Book of Mormon, page 1, " I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians^'' The almost foolish reverence felt by the Jews for their Hebrew language is well known. They used to believe that it was given by God to Adam in the garden,-and spoken by man before the languages were confounded. It was in Hebrew that God had talked with Abraham and spoke on Mount Sinai. The imagery of Job, the tenderness of David, the expressiveness of Solomon, the sublimity of Isaiah, were all in Hebrew. They thought that while it was an especial gift, it was almost an especial sign to them. It was the only language in which they could name God. In the days of HezeMah the pure Hebrew of Moses to David began to decline. Till 784 b. o. was the " golden age" of Hebrew literature. After this time it became corrupted with its cognate dialects. These were Aramoean, Syriao, Chaldee, Phoenician, Samaritan, but not Egyptian. The Egyptians were hated by the Jews. Briton slaves felt not a fiercer hatred • to the Latin tongue of their masters than the descendants of the Jewish bondsmen to the language of their Egyptian taskmasters. For a Jew to adopt so thoroughly the " language of the Egyptians," that a Jewish prophet should call the Egyptian the '■'■language of his father, ^^ is contradictory to every thing that is known of the time and people. On page 2 we are told Lehi lived in "Jerusalem ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MOBUOK. 217 all his days." He was constantly talking to the Jews, his fellow-citizens of the holy city ; mingling with them in theii festivities, markets, synagogue, and houses ; had learned to talk among them ; had never left Jerusalem ; continually read the prophecies, which were in Sehrew, and yet we are told that his language was the Egyptian. Nephi pretends that God gave revelations to Lehi, and although the Eternal had never used any thing but Hebrew, and was communicating to a Hebrew, yet we are infprmed that God talked in the " lan- guage of his father," which was the " language of the Egyp- tians." Is not this requiring the world to believe too much, and, therefore, a strong presumptive evidence of ignorant im- posture ? 6. The plates, ^e must remember that it is a Hebrew youth, who " has lived at Jerusalem all his days," until he leaves for " the wilderness." He had no other privileges than those enjoyed by others of his circumstances and time. He did as others did. His ideas could extend but very little further than others. The writing materials then in use, and it was then only very few who could use them, would be those such a youth would be familiar with. Now the Jews did not use plates of brass at that time. Their writing materials were 1. Tablets smeared with wax. 2. Linen rubbed with a kind of gum. 3. Tanned leather and vellum. t. Parchment (invented by Attains of Pergamos). 6. Papyrus. (M. Stuart, 0. Test. Can.) All the writings of the Jews long anterior and subsequent to Zedekiah were in rolls. (Isa., Xxxiv. 4 ; Jer., xxxvi. 26 ; 10 218 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMOIT. Ezek, iii. 9, 10 ; Ps. xl. 1 ; Zech., v. 1, etc., etc.) These rolls were chiefly parchment and papyrus. The use of papyrus was as ancient as Hermes, 1500 b. o. Ancient monuments, in Mr. Abbott's collection, whose date are at least 1600 B. c, bear representatioijs of the inkstand and stylus. On this papjTus, were not only the ancient writings of Egypt, but the early copies of the Pentateuch. The use of this material superseded the stones filled with lead (Job), Hesiod's leaden tables, Solon's wooden planks, the wax tablets, so clumsy and easily erased. This material rolled up could be bound with flax and sealed. Isa., xxis. 1 1 ; Dan., xii. 4 ; Kev., V. 1. \Vide Kitto, Watson, Calmet.) The Jews used this material. The Egyptians, whose language Nephi gives his father, used this material. Had Lehi or Nephi really lived then, they would have used this material. Contradiction and inconsistency are stamped on any other assertion. This is another stroilg proof of imposture. 7. From pages 7 to 11, Book of Mormon, there is an ac- count of Nephi's return to Jerusalem to steal from his kins- man, Laban, some plates of brass, on which were engraven certain matters. He murdered him, cheated Ms servant, broke into his house, carried them off, took the servant prisoner, and returned to his father in the wilderness, thanking God for enabling him to accompUsh so many notable things, so worthy of a prophet and so honorable to the Deity I. What were the contents of these plates? On p. 10, "Then he (Lehi) beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, * * * and also a record of the Jews from the beginning even down to the commencement of the ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 219 reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and also the prophecies of the holy prophets, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah ; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah | * * * also a genealogy of his fathers, and of Laban, who was also a de- scendant of Jofeeph." To an uneducated youth like Joseph Smith, all this would not appear extravagant ; but let us see in what position h« has placed himself. First. The genealogies were kept by public registrars, and were written in Hebrew on rolls of papyrus and parchment, not on plates, nor in the Egyptian language. They were very extensive, embracing all- members of the family, and were sacredly preserved. — {^Kitto.') This mass of names, embracing from Joseph, son of Jacob, down to Lehi, even though they had been, as pretended, engraved on brass plates, would have formed an immense volume and a great weight. Second. They contained not only the genealogies, but the Pentateuch. A few years before this reputed time, in the reign of Josiah, king of Judah, " the book of the law'' was lost. Not one copy was to be found. The few copies, and they were few, that had existed, had doubtless been destroyed by Manasseh. The nation was in the dark, directed only by tradition. Eighteen years of Josiah's reign had thus passed away. He had broken the idols, dispersed the idolaters, re- paired the Temple, reinstated the high-priest ; and Hilkiah went in to the holy of holies before the Lord. He " found the book of the law" hidden in the house of the Lord. He sent it to Josiah, and Saphan, the scribe, read it before the king ; " who, when he had heard it, rent his clothes.'' (2 220 ANALYSIS or THE BOOK OF MORMON. Chron., xxxiv. 19.) The only remaining copy was found ; and so great had been the ignorance of its contents, that all Judea stood rebuked and cursed. Here, according to the Bible, a few years before, had all Judea lost the law, and Josiah, the good, who had been eighteen years on his throne, was so ignorant of it ; and now Smith impudently makes God say that Laban's father had a copy of this very same law en- graved on b7-ass plates, and although side and side with their genealogy, and, therefore, all Jerusalem constantly seeing it, yet entirely ignorant of it! Is not this impudent imposture ? Third. These copies of the Scriptures, which Smith, soon after this period, makes very common indeed in America (Book of Mormon, pp. 249, 265, 271), were scarce at any time among the Jews. Jehoshaphat sent the Levites and priests, the depositaries of the Word, (not Joseph's but Aaron's descendants) with the " law of the Lord" to the people, and they had to carry it with them ; it was not where they went (2 Chron., xvii. 7, 9). So scrupulous were the. Jews in making copies of the Scriptures, that they would not only copy the letter, but imitate its faults and even size. This involved much labor, and the copies were therefore very few. To have told one of those old Levites, so punctilious and even superstitious, that some one had copied their law in the lan- guage of the Egyptians (idolaters and enemies) in the first place, and had it durably engraved on brass, when they were handling so delicately those papyrus rolls, he would have called it an infamous imposture. Every wise man will imi- tate the skepticism of that Levite. Fourth. These plates contained, also, a " record of the Jews ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK 0¥ MOKMON. 221 from the beginning till the reign of Zedekiah." By whom written and compiled ? The four books of Kings and Chroni- cles were not compiled till Ezra,' many years after Zedekiah. Who compiled these ? Fifth. These brass plates contained " all the prophecies of all the prophets from the beginning down to Zedekiah," together " with some of the prophecies of Jeremiah." Let us glance at the list. It embraces the whole Assyrian period : Joel, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Jonah. AU these lived in the golden age of Hebrew literature, and all anterior to Zede- kiah ; although Smith does not seem to have been aware of this, and only quotes or names Isaiah in his book. These, however, are only a part of the prophets who had written. Besides these, there is the Book of the Wars of the Lord, Num., xxi. 14; Jasher, Jos., x. 13 ; Statutes of Kingdom of Israel, 1 Sam., X. 25; Acts of Solomon,. 1 Kings, xi. 41 ; Nathan and Gad, 1 Chron., xxix. 29 ; Ahijah and Iddo, 2 Chron., ix. 29 ; Shemaiah, Jehu, Sayings of the Seers, Isaiah's History of Uzziel, Life of Hezekiah, Life of Jehoshaphat, Lamentation over Josiah. Besides all these, which must have been on those wonderful plates, if the Book of Mormon be true, there are prophets mentioned and quoted in the book, about whom our Scriptures and Hebrew history are silent : Zenooh, Zenos and E2lias, Book of Mormon, pp. 411, 429, 455 ; besides all these there was " Jacob's Prophecy about Joseph's Coat," Book of Mormon, p. 336 ; Joseph's prophecies, " than which not many greater," Book of Mormon, p. 62. All this vast mass of matter, it is pretended, was on these singular brass plates : the Pentateuch, history, prophecies,' and of course 222 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OP MORMON. the Psalms, for was not David a prophet ? Add to all this the genealogies of their families ever since Abraham! One man could never have carried it all. A narrative so full of absurdities and positive contradictions of all fact, can not come from God, and must therefore be an imposture. 8. Lehi prophesies, on p. 11, "These plates shall go forth to all nations — never grow dim, nor perish." " These plates" are not, as the Mormons often try to apply the passage, the plates on which the Book of Mormon was engraved, but the plates of Laban. The Mormons claim literal interpretations of Scripture. It was the plates that should never grow dim, the plates that should never perish, the plates to go forth to all nations. Where are they ? It is pretended, Book of Mor- mon, p. 507, that Mormon, hid them up, and there they are still. If Laban's plates were to be the ones to go to all na- tions, why dig up Mormon's plates ? If they both are to go, why not send both ? It is evident that in commencing the Book of Mormon, Smith was not quite settled as to the exact plot of the affair, and after Oowdery had once written it, it could not be erased. 9. Nephi's ball or compass, Book of Moi;mon, p. 33, can not endure the application of any rule of criticism. " He be- held on the ground a ball of curious workmanship, and it was of fine brass ; and within the ball were two spindles, and the one pointed the way we should go in the wilderness." How they could look into a brass ball, how they were to know which one spindle was the one, and what was the use of the other, are questions that need some answer, before believing that God inspired bo vague and meaningless a sentence. On ANALYSIS OF THB BOOK OF MORMON. 223 p. 36, these spindles, inside ttis bmss ball, did not work in- dependently of its possessors, but " according to the faith and diligence and heed we did give unto them." It was only one spindle, before, that pointed. " And there was also written on them (not the ball, but on these fine spindles) a new writing, plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord, and it was written and changed from time to time." Nephi builds a ship by himself in a few weeks (it took Noah and all his men 120 years to build his ark), launches it, takes this " compass" on board, and sails. His brethren, however, rebel against, and bind him. The miracle of his compass, the still greater miracle of building a ship, when he " had even to melt the ore he found in the rocks in order to make tools," every tree to cut down, and every plank to hew out, and yet he completes, launches, and fits it for sea — all by himself, and in a short time, do not convince them. When they bind him, the " compass did cease to work," p. 42. BEs frightened brethren '' are driven backward three days ;" then " they loosed me, and I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it." Here is a jumbled mass of vague inconsistencies. If the compass " ceased to work," how could Nephi tell they were driven backward or forward, or sideward ? As they had lost their way, how did Nephi know in which direction to " desire it to work ?" One thing is painfully noticeable, Smith is very cautious not to give the slightest clew as to where they sailed from, how long they were reaching that point, in which direction it lay from. Jerusalem. All the rivers and valleys he makes Lehi name with new names. The little that is written about it only 224 ANALTSIB OF THE BOOK OP MORMON. serves to mislead the reader. It is not the plain honest nar- rative of an honest man ; it certainly is not the luminous narrative of a God-inspired man. Telemachus' Mentor, build- ing a ship on the island of Calypso, is rational, compared ■with this statement of Nephi's ship-builJing. His voyage across the island-dotted sea to America is a mystery of nav- igation. This vagueness, inconsistency, evident effort at being antique, is impossible in an honest naiTator of facts, ridiculous in a prophet ; but perfectly natural in an ignorant impostor. 10. " We found upon the land of promise (Central America) that there were beasts in the forest of every kind ; the cow, and the ox, and the ass, and the horse," Book of Mormon, p. 44. This is a palpable falsehood, and emiriBntly displays the impostor's hoof. "When horses were first brought to Mexico, by Hernando Cortez, they were objects of the great- est astonishment to the aborigines, who thought they lived on flesh as well as their riders, and brought flesh to feed them with. They thought that they devoured men in battle, and that their neighing was a demand for prey" (Herera, Dec. ii., lib. vi.) "They invented a new weapon, with which to catch and fight them" (lb., Dec. v., lib. viii., quoted Kobert- son's History of America). This occurs in a country and among a people, where the Booh of 'Mormon makes horses quite common. The first horse the Utah Indians ever possessed, they tied up till it died of starvation ; they thought it need not eat. South American horses have all sprung from those introduced by the Spaniards. Cuba obtained her horses from Spain ; Mexico got hers from Cuba. West American horses sprang from the Canadian, imported by the French. ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 225 Eastern America from the importations of British stock (Youatt on the Horse, in loci). It may be objected the stock could not have increased so rapidly since that time, 1500 ; but the wild horses of the Ukraine and Tartary have all descended from a few that escaped from their masters at the siege of Azoph, 1657. " The first horses brought to America were imported by Columbus on his second voyage, 1493. The first horses landed in United States territory, were brought to Florida by Cabega de Vagsa, who imported forty- two head, 1527. De Soto, in 1539, imported a still larger number, etc., etc. (Report of Superintend, of Census, U. S. A., 1852.) And yet Smith makes horses abundant in America, 600 B. c, which, Book of Mormon, p. 517, he makes imported in " air-tight, whale-like barges" from the plains of Shinar, after the destruction of the Tower of Babel ! They found '' cows and oxen.'' Cows and other domestic animals were all im- ported. Columbus, in 1493, brought a bull and several cows. In 1553, the Portuguese took cattle to Nova Scotia and New- foundland. In 1611, Sir Thomas Gates imported 100 cows and some bulls. In 1624, E. Winslow brought 3 heifers and 1 bull, etc., etc. (Superintendent's Report, Census, 1852.) " They also found the ass." "Washington was the first man who imported the ass into America" (Ency. Americana, Art. Ass.) Since his time, the raising of mules has become quite a business in this country., To say that these animals were here, that they lived till the fifth Christian century, and then became so extinct as to leave no trace, and be remembered by no tradition, is requiring a miracle to sustain imposture. Smith has evidently overreached his knowledge of fact. This 10* 226 ANALYSIS or the book of mormon. contradiction of well-known truths can not have been made by a prophet, and is, therefore, positive proof of impos- ture. 11. But Smith not only mates all these animals flourish " in large flocks," just subsequent to the destruction of Babel, but on page 533, he says, "The people had silks, and all manner of cattle and sheep and swine, and also elephants and cureloms and cumons.'' What these cureloms and cumons mean it is impossible to de- cide. The present elephant is not a native of America, and never since the creation of man has it been an in- habitant of this continent. Prior to his advent on the earth, when the climate of North America was very dif- ferent from what it has since been, gigantic species of elephants and mastodons lived, died, and left their bones in the post pleiocene formation of this country, as well as in northern Europe ; but here. Smith pretends that so re- cently as shortly before Christ, the people had them and used them, when their forms are seen upon no ruin, carved on no temple, represented by no idol. Sheep ; " neither North nor South America can boast any aboriginal, primi- itive, domestic sheep ; those which have received the name of ' natives ' having been ' brought at early periods by the colonists.'' (American Shepherd, New York Agri- cultural Society, 1854.) Swine are certainly not aboriginal to America. The earhest swine were imported by De Soto, in 1539, who brought 13 sows. The Portuguese took swine to Newfoundland, 1553. In 1609 the English ira- ANALYSIS OP THE BOOK OF MORMON. 227 ported 600 swine and many sheep and fowls. So plentifully had the imported swine increased that, in 1627, the Indians fed on the hogs that roamed the woods, half wild. The Spaniards took swine to their settlements in southern Amer- ica, where they also increased very rapidly. Does not such jumbling up of inconsistencies and contradictions not only demand the strongest possible evidence to substantiate, but become a positive proof of forgery and impostm-e ? 12. " All things denote that there is a God, yea even the earth and all things thereon ; yea and its motion ; yea and also all the planets which move in their regular form.'' Book of Mormon, p. 293. Here is the gist of Paley's design argu- ment anticipated. Not only the Egyptians but also the Greeks and all the world accepted Ptolemy's theory of the solar system. The earth was to them the stationary center, around which all the stars revolved. What the Jews knew of astronomy they had acquired from the nations around them. God revealed spiritual and not physical truths ! He certainly did not reveal to them a treatise on astronomy. Their acceptance of the Ptolemaic theory is evidenced in all the astronomical allusions of Job, David, and Solomon. Be- lieving all the stars to move, the word planet was neither needed nor used. Copernicus, when he discovered that some stars moved, while others were stationary, divided the heav- enly bodies into planets (from Gr. planeo, I wander), the mov- ing bodies, and the fixed stars. The Manassehite Alma, how- ever, is far wiser than all the rest of the prophets. He overturns all the astronomical theories, and just as an illiter- ate itinerant might, to-day, use a weak version of Paley's 228 ANALYSIS OP THE BOOK 1' MOEMON. argument. It is a question of probabilities. Is it tbe most probable that this Alma could have used such language, anticipated the discoveries of 2000 years' later date, excel all the other prophets, quote the oifcumstances as a well-kiiown fact on which to base an argument, when every thing we know proves it not to have been known at all ; or is it the most probable to believe it the ignorant forgerj' of an illiterate impostor ? This, however, is a small thing. On page 421 there is an attempted refutation of the modern infidel argu- ment about Joshua and the sun. Smith pretends that this argument was used by people who believed the same theory of astronomy as the ancients and therefore could not feel its pertinence and therefore could not have used it. " The earth goeth back and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still, yea, and behold this is so, for sure, it is the earth that moveth and not the sun." Here are all the prophets tran- scended ; Ptolemy refuted ; Copernicus and all his discoveries anticipated 2000 years before he was born. The only pity is, that this was not published, however, until 200 years after he was dead ! 13. One great peculiarity of the Book of Mormon is the number of direct contradictions among its inspired men. "We ■will quote a few examples. On page 3, it says Lehi left Jemsalem because " God directed him in a dream ;" but on page 411, we are gravely told Lehi was " driven out hy the people." On page 109, Nephi tells his brethren, " We are descendants of the Jews-''' and on page 113, he says, "the Jews from whence I come ;" yet on page 235, Amalek testi- fies that "Nephi and his brethren were of the trihe of Ma- ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OP MORMON. 229 nasseh." On page 617, we are assured that "the Lord led Jared and his brother out to America ;" but on page 406, the reader is divinely instructed that it was " the Devil." All the world have considered America was a continent ; all the writers in the Book of Mormon call it a continent; but the Lord is made to tell Jacob " it is an isle of the sea.'' (Book of Mormon, page 18.) " At the death of Christ," it is pre- dicted that " darkness shall cover the face of the whole earth for three days." (Book of Mormon, page 428.) The New Testament says three hours ; and the Roman records do not even notice that casualty. It is certain that darkness did not cover the earth for three days. Smith not only regulates the motions of the planets, but on pages 426 and 434 he makes a " new star." Not a brilliant conjunction of stars, but a hona fide new planet, for he makes it move too. Where is it now ? 14. The Nephites build on America (Book of Mormon, page 65) "a temple like unto Solomon's;" and this poor family had come to this land destitute a few years before. They "offer burnt offerings therein," page 145. They "ordain high priests" page 208 ; and priests, page 225. If the Bible be true, there could be but one temple ; but one holy of holies ; but one high priest. The location for that temple was to be Jerusalem, the city of God. No high priest could be chosen out of the tribe of Levi and of the seed of Aaron. " The stranger that approaches thereto shall surely be put to death." Yet here it is asserted that Jews or Manassehites dared to break God's most holy law, administer God's most holy ceremonies, usurp the authority of God's most holy priesthood. 230 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. and that the Lord blessed and sanctioned this violation of his word. They were not Levites ; they were strangers; they did go into the holy of holies, and yet Jehovah falsified his own threat and favored the transgressors ! 15. In the holy Scriptures, we are informed that the Saviour had to die in order that his disciples might obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost. " If I go not away, the Comforter can not come.'' " He, when he is come, shall bring all things to your remembrance, and show you things to come." ' John xiv. Smith makes the Nephites far more favored. On page 234, the reader is divinely informed, that " there had been made known unto them that which has been, which is, and which is to come ; having been visited hy the Spirit of God, having conversed with angels and spoken to by the voice of the Lord, and having the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts ; the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation ;" and all this. Smith pre- tends, occurred more than three hundred years before Jesus Christ came. If we believe the New Testament is true, we must reject the Book of Mormon as an imposture. 16. Come we to a still more startling proof of imposture. From page 517 to 626 of the Book of Mormon is contained an account of how Jared, his brother, their families and friends were miraculously conducted to this continent from the plains of Shinar. They are commanded to gather "their herds and flocks, two of each kind, male and female," also " all kinds of animals after their kind, male and female," also " fowls of the air," likewise " swarms of bees ;" beside these, ANALYSIS OP THE BOOK OV MOBMON. 231 they "did prepare a vessel, in which they did carry with them the fish of tlie waters," as well as " seeds of the earth ,of every kind." With this mass of material they cross the ocean, on which they are tossed about for " three hundred and forty and four dai/s." (Book of Mormon, page 526.) How did they cross? Not only have they to take all these creatures, hut they have to carry with them food for all of them for a year. Not only food, but fresh water for the same length of time, and some of the animals need so much. What means were adopted ? They crossed in eight barges, which are thus described (page 519) : " And they were small and they were light upon the water, even like unto the light- ness of a fowl upon the water ; and they were built after a manner that they were exceeding tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish ; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish ; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish ; and the ends thereof were peaked ; and the top thereof w^s tight like unto a dish ; and the length thereof was the length of a tree : and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish." " And Jared cried unto the Lord, we shall all perish, there is no light to steer by, and in them we can not breathe for there is no air.'' " And the Lord said, behold thou shalt make a hole in the top thereof and also in the bottom thereof; and when thou shalt suffer for air, thou shalt imstop the hole thereof and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, ye shall stop the hole thereof that ye may not perish in the flood." But the light difficulty needed another remedy. " And Jared did molten out of a rock, sixteen small stones, and they were white and 232 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. clear, even as transparent glass." (N. B. Glass at the time of the deluge .') These stones he brought before the Lord, and " behold the Lord stretched forth his hand, and touched them one by one with his finger." He then placed them, one in each end of his eight barges, " and they shone in the dark- ness." While they were " as a whale in the sea, swallowed up in the depths of the sea, and the mountain waves should dash upon them." Eight canoes are formed of as many trees, hollowed out inside, peaked at the ends, having a shut down door. And now, Smith pretends, that " two of each kind of animals," "fowls of the air," "swarms of bees," "a large vessel containing fish of the waters," " all manner of seeds of the earth," " twenty-two grown persons and their sons and daughters" (page 526), all the food they would need for a year, and all the fi'esh water they would require, with vessels in which to carry it ; all this vast amount of matter is snugly stowed away in eight canoes, " which were small and light like unto a fowl, and only the length of a tree !" It would be folly to attempt to apply figures either as to their capacity to receive, and much less to sustain these things. To attempt to palm such a statement on to man as a revelation from God, is the act of an impostor. 17. God, in the predictions of the Bible, has left a species of ambiguity. Pretended prophets take especial care to leave nothing vag-ue in their predictions, when their prophecies do not profess to come to light till eighteen hundred gears after the accomplishment of the event foretold. This is peculiarly the case in the Book of Mormon, about the coming of the Saviour into the world. The most minute incident of his ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OP MOEMOlSr, 233 life, from the first sign of his advent till his final ascension, as it is left us by the Evangelist, is definitely foretold. While, however, it predicts every thing of which we have any account, it is silent about those things of which we have no account His mother should be a virgin, named Mary, who should con- ceive by the Holy Ghost, p. 227. The star in the east, p, 426. He should be born at Jerusalem, p. 227. Not at Jerusalem but at Nazareth, p. 20. His name should be Jesus Christ, pp. 76, 226. Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, Redeemer, Maker of heaven and earth, coming to and rejected of his own. Only-begotten, full of grace and truth. High Priest, etc., pp. 17, 150, 235, 246, 223. His baptism by John and descent of Holy Ghost as a dove, p. 17, 110. Has twelve apostles, heals sick and casts out devils, pp. 29, 21. Is spitten on, smitten, scourged, p. 45. Cruci- fied, p. 21. Three days in sepulchre and rises on third day, pp. 96, 150. Ascends into heaven, p. 180. His people in America calling themselves Christians one hundred years before he came, p. 335. John's Apocalypse, p. 29. Is not this " fitting prophecy to the event ?" If it were true, it would be most extraordinary that the Lord should thus singu- larly favor these Israelites with so much clearer views of his scheme of salvation, and, therefore, so signally neglect the Jews, when the Jews were " his own," and he declares that he had " cast the Israelites out from his sight." 18. From page 2 to page 428, pretending to embrace a period from 600 b. c. to a. d., I have counted no less than 298 direct quotations from the New Testament ; some of them, paragraphs of verses ; some of them, sentences from verses. 234 ANALYSIS OF THB BOOK OF MORMON. Besides these, there are whole chapters of the Old and New Testament copied verbatim, and often not acknowledged. Below is the list : Isaiah, chs. 48 and 49 are from pages 46 and 60, B. M. (3d European edition). Isaiah, chs. 50 and 21 are from pages 68 and 71, B. M. Isaiah, chs. 2 and 14 are from pages 79 and 94, B. M. Isaiah, ch. 62 is from page 477, B. M. Isaiah, ch. 54 is from pages 480 and 481, B. M. Malachi, ch. 3 is from pages 482 and 483, B. M. Matthew, chs. 5, 6, and 7 are from pages 457 and 464, B. M. 1 Corinthians, ch. 13 is from page 556, B. M. " In the Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament there have been counted 800,000 diflFerent readings, as to conso- nants alone. (M. Stuart, Old Tes. Can., p. 192.) How comes it then, with such a margin for slight differences, that all the above quotations are copied in the exact words of King James's translation ? The style of thought and expression in the original of the Boot of Mormon and these interpolations, are entirely different. From the nervous, luminous English of the Bible, Smith wallows in the fogs of his own barbarous twaddle. The shghtest investigation will show that Smith copied them verbatim from the English translation of the Scriptures ; will show him to be an impostor. 19. I might urge the utterance of ideas and the use of words which these ancient writers, if genuine, could not have known, as an argument against the authenticity of the book. Such as " Bible," not employed to express the idea of the united Scriptures, till Chrysostora, in the fifth century. Or ANALYSIS or THE BOOK OF MORMON. 235 " flissenters," a word of Latin origin, a language not then known, and the word not employed till Wickliff', and not generally till 1662, the great era of non-conformity. Or " church," which Smith puts into a Jew's mouth, 600 b. c. (B. M., p. 9), but which was not thus employed till after Christ's ascension. Or " martyr for Christ," or " cimeters." Another strong evidence of forgery may be found on page 513, "^or do we not read, that God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, and that in him is neither variableness nor shadow of changing ?" The first part of this sentence is to be found in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, chapter xiii., ver. 8 : " The same yesterday, to-day, and forever." The closing clause was written by James, i. 17 : " Father of lights in whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning." The Ne- phites do not pretend to have these epistles ; how, then, could " they read" what they did not have ? Smith made a terrible oversight here. 20. When the prophets of the Scriptures had predictions to utter or events to narrate, conscious of their authority, they spoke without circumlocution or excuse. Many men are forced to concede their dignity who question their veracity. With these compare Smith's pseudo Prophets of the Book of Mormon ; " Many shall say we have a Bible, and there can not be any more Bible." (p. 107.) " Neither am I mighty in writing like unto speaking." (p. 113.) "Condemn me not because of my imperfections, neither my father, because of his imperfections, neither them who have written before him, but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more 236 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF MOKMON, wise than we are." (Strange talk for an inspired Prophet /) "And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew, and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold ye would have no imperfection in our record." (515). "Whatever imperfections we find, therefore,- we must attribute to the records not having been written in Hebrew. They were not written in Hebrew, because their plates were not large enough. But they made their own plates ; they had abundance of gold, as we are over and over informed. They might have made their plates, consequently, just as large as they pleased. It is impious to charge the omniscient God with such trifling puerilities. The Book of Mormon consists of two parts. One is stolen, and the other original. Its copied part consists of plagiar- isms, culled from the commonest books, collected without knowledge, and combined without skill. Its original part is a mass of contradictions, and miracles sublimed into absurd- ities. To attempt to palm the whole on human credulity, as a revelation from God, is folly and fi:aud. i> * • <^ hi *^ ^ I I I I I I -' — - -J* f j Mil '^-^ X !^^ 1 "^^^m ■