The Lancaster ledger. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, November 03, 1852, Image 1
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VOLUME I.
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From Arthur's Home Gazette.
THE MORMONS,
?OR?
Latter-day SaintsThe
origin, rapid development, and present
prosperity of thin religious scot, is one
of the most remarkable and instructive
historical events of the present century.?
That Joseph Smith, a native of Vermont,
an oltacure individual, without ,>nonev,
education or respectability, should, under
the influence of an overwhelming religious
enthusiasm, successfully induce a belief in
his immediate inspiration in the minds of
huudredsof thousands of people, and cause
a book entitled the''Hook of Mormon," to
be conscientiously received by them as of
e<|Uftf authority with the Scriptures, and
a continuation of the sacred rovt^iions of
Jleaven, that, in twenty years' une the
disciples of Joseph Smith should have increased
from six to f U0,000, should have
founded a State in the distant w'! h-rness,
and compelled the government of the
United States practically to recognise thein
as an independent people with the right
of self-government; that the emissaries of
this religious sect should now he preaching
its doctrines with success, in the most
enlightened nations in Europe, and in pagan
countries, and that convcr* should
be continually flocking to the Mortnon settlement,
in the valley of the (treat Hall
Lake, from all parts of tlm earth; those
ifro fscts worthy the researches of the
philosopher, the consideration of statesmen,
and the pen of the historian. Such
a revelation of the superstition and folly
of humanity in modern times, throws a
bright light on similar events which have
occurred in former epochs of the world's
history, the revelation and Koran of Mahomet,
Ac.
The following Is the account givon by
Lieutenant Gunnison, [from whose intereating
book just published by I.inpincott,
Grarobo A Co., the facts set forth in this
article are obtained,] of the origin of tlio
Mormon sect:
'The founder of the Mormon sect was
Joseph Smith, a native of Vermont, who
emigrated when quite young in his father's
family to Western New York. According
to his autobiography, published in a
aeries of letters, he was of a religion* turn
of mind, and, when seventeen yearn of
age, became greatly interested in the "revivals
of religion." often occurring among
the "denominations" in that section of
country. In one of there times hie feelings
were so powerfully wrought upon that he
gave hunscif up to continued prayer for
some days?and moditating still at night,
he ?| length arose while ail tbo family
ere hushed in sleep, and poured forth his
*ot| "agonizing" to have made known to
hirtHhe truth, among tha conflicting opinions
v heard by the various sects. His
sp***10 '*c?meauddenly illuminated,
*n?;?rW withhirt**r<*1 *nd eonversod fa
^ ? nfrkrhte.**. instructed him in
aUoWt?nt there was no Worming him
-oh upon
1)t i
TO LITERARY,
the earth. The doctrino taught on this I
point is, that the church which was once ?
established, had fallen under iho rule giv- '
en by tbe prophet, and had "changed tho ,
ordinances," "broken tho everlasting cov- <
cn&nt," and "corrupted the faith;" for which !
cause it was removed from eartli?or, in ]
their figurative expression, "the nmn ;ki 1
was caught up into heaven,'" which means *
that the priesthood was taken away fifteen *
hundred years ugo. And Joseph w as told 1
that his prayea were heard and registered I
in tlio hooks on high, and that, bpingdear- ]
ly beloved of the Lord, he should be coin- j '
missioned a priest after the order of Mel- I 1
chisidek, and restore that line among men, I
organizing a church of faithful persons, to 1
receive the Lord in the Millennium, which ' t
time should bo hastened according to their j i
degree of mighty Jaith, for he was deter- 1
mined "to cut the work short in righteous- | i
ness." In after visits he was further in- i4
strutted that "truth should spring out of 1
the earth"?(Pa.)?and that, accordingly, I
lie should be conducted to the hill Cumorali, >
in Palmyra, New York, and receive from >
out the ground holy and prophetic records |
concerning a lamily of Jews that cmigrat- "
ed from Jerusalem in the time of Zedekiah, 1
and were miraculously led to America, '
! across the Eastern ocean.
"On being guided to the spot, he found
a square stone U>x, eight inches high, cov- 1
ered with u slab, cemented upon it; and 8
made repeated trials to open it. lie was
struck back hy an iuvisihlu blow, and in- *
formed, in answer to his earnest prayer,
that the want of success was owing to his
listening to the suggestions, of Satan, who 1
had walked at his elbow on the w ay, and c
had made him resolve to make use of the
golden plates on whieli the records were !
engraved, as well as the contents when
published, to advance his temporal for- 0
tunes. This was sin?to think ho should 8
liecome famous, was unholy ambition; that J'
he should be rich and powerful thereby,
was avarice.
"Hut, on sincere repentance and sub- '
mission, four years after, the contents of
the Ik>x wero shown to him, the angel ^
opening it; which consisted of the "Sword
ot j^iiDan," brought from Jerusalem, a
breastplate an<l two stones, "bright ami
shining,'' and golden plates engraved with j
characters, and united at the backs by ,.
rings. A portion of the records was received,
constituting the Hook of Mormon, ,
in which are depicted, much in the stylo of ^
the Itible Chronicles, the various fortunes
of tho four brothers of the emigrating
family, nrul of their descendants?how
some tribes were evil in their practices, despising
reproof, and became cursed with a
dark *!? ? or?d loathsome habits, and were !'
made acour</?>s,to igliurs ? ii:.- ?w U
troin tho truth?the sayings, teaching*,
and warnings of their prophets, who fore- 1
told by r.amc the advent of the Saviour v
of the world?the organization among tho *
purer i>oople on this continent, of n church ''
by Christ, who mine down to thorn after j ,l
liis ascension at Jerusalem, and gave them | j1
I lis gospel nearly in tho words of the Ser- j ^
iiiou on the Mount, and how that for *
apostacy these Christians were tiually de- ^
stroyed by the Gadianton robbers and the '
red men?the last prophet, Morani by ?
name, sealing up the Records, and deposit- *
ing them, with the sword, b rim and
Thumtnim, and breastplate, at Cuinorali, ^
there to remain until "the fullness of time" I1
should demand .their exhumation; ami i 1
which should be brought forth, "by way v
of Gentile," for the "convincing of boll) ^
Jew and Gentile thai Jesus is the Christ." n
(See l'refacc, lk Mormon.)
"The restoring angel was the spirit of ;
this same Morani, the soil of Mormon the | "
Seer, w ho iiad in.ale a compendium ul the \
holy writings and deliveied them to him;
and Joseph uow constituted tlie Seer, by j
means ot the I'rim and Thiimiiuni, placed I
in a bow and looked through U|m>ii the | '
oegun uieir iraiitiaiioii, unci preach- 1 l
e?l the news of liis ini|M>rlniit mission." ; 0
Such in tho account given by Joseph '
Smith and his followers of tho origin of ,(
tho Book of Moruiou. Fanaticism will f
ever meet with opponent* in men whose 1
minds arc enlightened by science, ami [ J
where Christian principles are firm anil i
settled. It is alleged by the opponent of 1
Moriuonism, that the Mormon biblo w as j a
fabricated by Joseph Smith, out of a , c
manuscript writteu by tho lato Itev. Mr. Spaulding,
at Conuoaut, Ohio; and of a
: which he became possessed. This manu- i
I script was written bv Mr. Spaulding, to (
account for tho ruined cities and temples t
discovered in Central America. These re- ?
mains of a past civilization, which anti- c
quariaus have not yet been able to account f
for, wore chosen by Mr. Spaulding as the c
subject of hit MS., which ?? a rotrtnuoe tn ii
show the manner in which America was a
peopled by tho Jews, and tho "lost ten i<
tribes of Israel," together with the sul.se- s
quetit events that occurred to their des- i
cemlents, and the origin of the Indian na- <\
tious which overspread! the continent of J
America when it was discovered by Col- s
umbos. A clear idea of the origin of the ?
Mormon bible can be had from tlie affidavit
of Mr. Henry Lake, given at (Jonnea.it, ]
in 1838, which is eormlKwated by an a- ,
bundance of other testimony. t
"He affirms; "I left the State of New t
York in the year of I8HX, and arrived in c
this place nhout the first of January fol- c
lowing. Soon after my arrival 1 formed I
.11 I-.1 4J~1- C3 1 J*
? copHnn<.'n?iii}> '?iw omuiimu ^pruiHiing *
He frwjuently read to iue from a r
manuscript which ho was writing, and. t
which he entitled the "Manuscript Found," i
which lie represented as tieing found in \
this town, t spent many hours in hear- t
ing him read eaid writing*, and Ixwanie t
acquaint*! with their contents. He wish- t
ed me to assist htm in getting it printed, j
alleging that a book or that Lincl would r
moot with a rapid sale. Thie hook re- r
presented the American Indian* aa the lost i
,, AGRICULTUKA]
JTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY
'ing It will bo readily allowed, that there are
are, passages in Scripture which nre hard to
mc- he understood, and about the exact meanac,
i?g of which the learned disagree. Exhat
perionce shows that men may pore over
he the hidden meaning of such passages unthe
til they become religiously insane, and are
ie it thus led to "wrest the Scriptures to theia
len. own destruction." When we find the
den most mysterious parts of the Bible, in
. I 0 ? i. . t
COMMERCIAL
LANCASTER, C. H, SOI
.ribes, gavo an account of their lcai
Jerusalem, their contentions and w
which were many and great. One ti
when lie was reading to me the tragic
;ount of Laban, I pointed out to him w
[ considered an in consistency, vl::cb
promised to correct; but by referring to
Hook of Mormon, I find to my surprif
itauds there, just as he read it to me tl
some months ago I borrowed a gol
Hible, * * * had not read twenty mini
x-fbre I was astonished to find the alassages
in it that Spaulding had rea
ne, more than twenty years before, ti
lis "Manuscript Found." Since tin*
lave more fully examined the said got
jible, and have no hesitation in sayhat
the historical part of it is principa
f not wholly, taken from the "Manusc
Pound." I well recollect telling Mr. Spai
ti? that the too frequent use of the woi
'Now it came to pass," "And itcann
xisa," rendered it ridiculous. Spauld
eft here in 1812, and I furnished i
with the means to carry him to Pittsbi
vherc he said he would get the Is
irintod and pay me. But 1 never he
.1.: e t-?_- *
,..j I..IIIJ4 iu'mu irum mm, or 01 ins w
ngs, till I saw them in the Book of M
non."
The same in effect is the evidence
lie brother of Spaulding, that he he:
iiuch of the "Manuscript" read, and tl;
iccording to his beat recollection, M'l
took of Morinon is the same as my brc
r Solomon wrote, with the 'xceptior
lie religious matter." All this is confii
d by more than half a dozen other g
lemon; and by the widow ami daugT
>f the author of "Manuscript Found."
It appears that Mr. Spaulding left. Pi
>nrg in 1814, and that his widow, al
lis death, in 1810, removed to Onondt
ouiity, Now York, near to her early
idencc, and carried a trunk thither, c
uining the writings of her deceased h
and. During a part of the time fr
817 to 1820, when she again marr
lid moved to Massachusetts, the tri
ras at her brother's in Onondaga llolh
icar the residence of the Smith fam'ly
Vhen the Book of Mormon appear
nd its identity with the Spaulding R
ras dis<-ovcred, the trunk was hunted
nd search made for the Spaulding >
t had mysteriously disappeared, and I
Manuscript Found" has ever since Im
lie "Manuscript Lost" From these <
umstances it is thought that Jose
iinith obtained possession of it, and mou
d it into the Book of Mormon, srrangi
nd altering the matter so as to suit
wn purposes.
A copy of the Book of Mormon v
laced in our hands a few days ago, wh
oHuVnation tn saving that a more s
cssful attempt to imitate the S riptui
ins |H'rha|is never mule. lis leter*
Lvle and merits are, however, truly c>
1'iufitible, its author having been plait
Viimt fi? i,?'jii??i.i -?r 11...
...? i^nwinii? .? imv i unit w| mtm
nar ami composition us a Hottentot
Contrast the revelation* in the Hook
lormnii with the sublime beauty ?
randeur of the revelations of the i
hanging laws of nature, in the "Princ
f Newton." llow truly contcmptibh
ujM-rstition!
The manner of writing the Hook
lornum was as follows: "Smith woi
ilace his pseudo gold plate* in a hat, n
like the stones, Urim and Thnmini
diieh ho affirmed had been delivered
lim ut the hill Cumorah, in Palmyra,
n angel?and, raising a screen of cl<
etween himself and the scribe, proci
a look through the atones, and the woi
ii reformed Egyptian character* wo
hange to his vernacular, and "pass
[>re his eye* l?v the power and gift
i..d."
lie gives us a particular account of
irst persecution by his neighbors,
ried to capture the "gold plates;" an
scape from this, he concealed them ii
arret of lieans. We are also told t
'owdery, the scribe, was sharply rcbul
r>r impertinent curiosity, in wishing to
he gold plates, trhieh wan (he propK
mvilege only.
The Hook of Mormon whs isanod
1830, and on the 4th of April, of
ame year, the first Mormon church \
rganized, consisting of only six memb
?the father of Smith, hi* two broth
md Oliver (Powdery, a schoolmaster,
ng amongst the number. It is said t
Powdery first baptized the nrophet, a
o render the act legitimate, tnere was j
cnt as sponsors, Moses and Elias, tog?
r with Peter, Jaines and John. The j
iliet now baptized and commissioned <
rs, who began their enthusiastic prea
ng. sad converted ?*veral visionary cb
jwrtunil wimntii any KlUM 0|
onsin Christianity, of a weak and *u{
tilious Uirn of mind, and liable to he
nediately carried away hy the first <
[iieut harangue in favor of Millcrii
iforinonism, or any other religious d<
ion. In this manner, the Mormon chu
padually increased in numbers.
In the following August, Parley
"Valt, a Cainpbellite preacher in 01
vho was praeching notions on propht
ho restoration of tlio Children of Isr
ind the Millenninm, met with the B<
tf Mormon, and became a convert, wh
at a visit to the State of New York,
lie return, he presented the new BibU
mother still more enUiusUutio pen
tamed Sidney liigdon. lie too adop
?w Kl' ill. illVW WOIO lKIl|H>n
idditione to the Mormon Society. D
rere men endowed with UlenU, learn
ind eloquence. We would remark h
hat Higdon had for three yean tan
he literal interpretation of Scripture j
iheciee, (he gathering of the hnuHte
eeeire the eecowd coming, the literal re
>f the Hainta on earth, and the m
niraculou* gMls in the oharch.
He? ciuuing the prophecies and revelatitnis, inline
variably quoted to sustain their peculiar
f() views by the Mormonito and Millcrite
tun preachers, and this with a degree of posin,
[ tiveneM of assertion which will admit of
den no consideration, common sense as well as
ing Christianity plainly shows such preachers
Jly, to be nothing but religious fanatics or imript
posters. "Fools rush in where angels fear
lid- to tread."
rds, The first Mormon settlement was formJ
to ed at Kirtland, in Ohio, in January, 1831.
ing To this place the prophet and his people
lim remove<l, where Pratt and Iiigdon had
irg, already a society of over a thousand to rexuc
ccive them. In the month of June, Joseph
ard Smith professed to have received a revciarit
tion, which resulted in the sending forth
tor- of a mission of elders into Missouri. The
site for a city was selected, which was
! ot called Zion, and there was soon collected,
ird I in Jackson county, Missouri, over 1200
iat. Mormons, buying land* and- cultivating
I'hc them peaceably. Two)cars thus passed
.th- away in peace, but in 1834, the people in
i of Jackson county collected and drove them
rm- out. This attack appears to have boon
en- altogether unjust, and without any moiter
tive but the fear of the Mormons gaining
a political ascendency in the county, and
tt*- a dislike to their fanatical doctrines and
fter institution*. Tim : *'?
- ...x uxniuviio agum jjwirier>ga
ed rapidly together in Clay and the adre
joining counties, and prosperity again aeon
companied them in all their efforts. In
us- 1837 a Mormon bank was established at
om Kirtland, and public credit obtained to a
ied considerable amount. This bank failed
ink in 1838, and ita manager* were pmaecut>w,
cd for swindling. The Mormons in Mis.?
souri and Ohio were now driven out of
ed, these States, and 12,000 of them arrived
IS. on the banks of the Mtssiasippi, in a desti- '
up, tutc condition. Their tale of distress
IS. touched the hearts of the Illinoisian.s, and
the tliey received them hoapitably, furnishing
. en them with both food and clothing and a
:ir- place on which to effect a settlement.?
j>h The city of Nnuvoo waa now built by the
Id- Mormons, and the site for a temple chosen,
mg The State favored the exiles; charters were
his obtained for the city, with peculiarly favornhle
privileges; the Nauvoo Legion was
tns incorporated, and the arms of tho Slate
ion UOUaitefck,
uc- prophet as Lieutenant-General. Misaionroa,
aries were now sent abroad to Palestine,
,ry Africa, and Europe.
mi- One of that hand, still well affected toil
ly wards Mormonism, though differing on
in- one point from its teachings, related to
.? Lieut. Gunnison some parts of the disof
course of Joseph Smith to th? Missionamd
ries.
l,n* One main point insisted on was, that
'P* "spiritual wifery" was to be most pointed*'s
ly denied; and that tliey taught that one
man should live in chaste fidelity with one
of woman in conjugal relationship. In the
aid dark concerning tho revelation allowing
ind polygamy, he sincerely declared that hut
iin, one wife was ever known to any of his
to brethren. While rcalou?ly preaching in
hv tlie city of New York, he wan thought
>tfi worthy, by the Apostle Lyman, to U? l? t
*?d into the secret of the "blessings of Jacob,"
ds, tlio privileges of the Saints. Called aside
uld one day by the President of the Stale, he
bo- was told that Chd had always rewarded
of Hid distinguished saints with special privileges,
such as would be wrong for sinrhe
ncrs, but by revelation made harmless to
' <> | the good. As an instance he would cite
| Jacob, David, aud Solomon, who had mail
a ! uy wives allowed them. In these last
hat days, also, the like had been accorded to
;ed Joseph Smith and others; and having now
see full confidence in his holiness, the priest
els' could have the satne privilege of adding
to the household of the faith many chiljn
dren, bv choosing additions to the present
thn wife. The priest says he was utterly aswan
tourxlori, but. on reflection, chose to diasemblc,
and say he would consider the
er# matter. In the evening he was invited to
he.' witness "a sealing" of several couples, at
lIHt a large boarding-house. In the front parnt]
lor tne ceremony, like a marriage, was
)re' performed; and, as each pair was "ftnish>th.
>h!" by the priest, they retired through the
>rty. folding doors, and thus to their own apart |d
ruent*> The guest was so shocked, that
ho retired to bis home, and though he
iar. never took any open part against the
"church of new privileges,'' he was deMr.
nounoed as a deserter in their papers, and
the nublic i-sutinnAfl tiriinit liim >
fo. famer.
Am, From 1888 lo 18-44, Mormonism aprlu
pear* to hare bean in a state of continurcb
f>us prosperity at Nauvoo, It was during
thia peaceful interim, that the revelation,
]?_ allowing to Joseph, and the high priest*
,k>, of the Mormon hierarchy, as many wives
*>v' u they could support, was alleged to have
M|* been received frotn Heaven. In vale the
x>k wife of Joseph, styled by himself end fob
,i)?t lowers, "The Klect Lady," threatened, by
Oq way of retaliation, to lake another husj
la band; the only counotation *he received
)Qi)t was that a prophet must obey the Lord?
ted tahe would be obedient to the Heavenly
ant
oth The Mormons now boasted of having
ing 100,000 persons in the faith, throughout
ere, the States. tn 1844, Joseph sent forth
gbt bis "Views on Government,' and was so*
wo- toallv put forth by the infatuated votaries
i to of his religious imposture aa one of the
tgu candidates far the Presidency! Now H
I of was that these who had treated them so
hospitably, became incensed against them,
L, GENERAL AP
MORNING, NOVEMBER 3, I85i
It wa3 asserted, and with truth, that no
Gentile couldobtain justice in the Nauvoo
courts. The property of the people of
Illinois was stolen from them, and traees
of it were obtained at Nauvoo. Men of
influence and talent row deserted the j
standard of the prophet, denouncing him <
ns an impostor, debauchee, and tyrant.? '
Women impeached him of attempted
wroncr. whilst th? misnralilw -.> i
-J ."WVX..,*i- |
sorted to by him, that he did it j'.'st to see ;
if they were virtuous, only exasperated I
those families which he had sought todis- >
honor. The Expositor having published j
a list of the prophet's debaucheries, and j
those of his friends, a party of Mormons \
attacked the printing-oftiee, broke the |
press to pieces, and scattered the type in i
the streets. This attack was resented on !
the part of the people, and justice having |
been refused, the Governor of the State j
was appealed to, and Joseph and llvrum, j
his brother, together with I>r. Richards j
and John Taylor, were lodged iu Carthage
jail.
The citizens of Carthage now conspircd
together to attack the jail, and take I'
justice into their own hands. Early on |
the morning of the 27th of June, 14, |
they assaulted the door of the room in i
which the prisoners were incarcerated.? '
Richards and Taylor, lying on the floor, '
made a stretch across the room, the feet I
of one against the shoulders of the other, I
and kept the door from fully opening.? i
Guns were thrust in and discharged, and j
Joseph, w ith a revolver, returned two shots, J
hitting one man in the elbow. A ball | J
mrucn liyrutn, the patriarch, and he fell, |
exclaiming, "I am killed!"?to which |
Joseph replied, "Oh, brother liyrutn!"? J
The prophet then threw up the window,
and, in the act of leaping through, was |
killed by balls fired from the outside, saying,
as he fell, "O Lord, my (J d!". The j
people in the hall forced into the room
and wounded Taylor, the other escaped
"without a hole in his robe."
After the death of Joseph, the struggle
for the leadership followed, and Hrighum
Young was elected. The persecuting
spirit did not cease with the death of the
prophet. Nothing would satisfy the people
of Illinois but the exp ilsion of the
Mormons froui Nauvoo ami the surrounding
country. It was announc.'Hl, by revelation,
that the whole church must retire
iuto the wilderness to grew into a multitude
aloof from the haunts ot civilization.
The Valley of the (ireat Salt Lake was
selected for a settlement, and on the 21st
of July, 1847, the pioneer party arrived,
and on the 24th the Church Presidency,
which latter day is now their grand epoch.
coArmuetf to "proap^V. vi hey hare by their
industry fertilized a barren region, and
made "two spires of grass to grow where
only one grew before." And there they
are bidding defiance to their persecutors,and
ready to fight for their rude rocks and
snowy lands. They demaud a recognition
of their independence as a State, on the
ground that they know lietter than all the
world l*esides w hat is suited to their condition.
They are a peculiar people. "They
have termed everything on the model of , j
a republican State, adopted a constitution, !
liberal, free, and tolerant of conscience in |
religion, and have a criminal code which !
applies to their peculiar situation and
feelings;" and it is not to be presumed that ,
lawyers and judges, however eminent in
their profession at home, can understand
or appreciate the statutes of this wild
country. Oentile judges are, therefore, regarded
by ull Mormons as an unjust im|>osition,
and they are resolved on resist- .
ing all such foreign interference.
Experience has shown that Mormonism
cannot exist in these States. It must con- I
quer or die. The Mormon settlement is |
at present rendered harmless by its geographical
position. The Valley of the
Great Salt Lake is situated midway between
the Mississippi States and C'alifor- ,
nia, and is hemmed in on all sides by inhospitable
tracts of country upwards of a
thousand miles in extent It is, in fnct, a
three months' journey, with the present
conveniences for travelling, from the near- ,
est civilized community to the Mormon !
settlement. j
Wo have given an outline of the histori- !
cal picture of .bormonism drawn by our
author, and we shall now take a glance at
a few interesting peculiarities in the Mormon
theology.
i nej.Mormons worship a Trinity, or rath- (
er a duality of person* in the Godhead. r
(iod the father is an infinitely perfect man;
Jesus Christ is the Son of God by the
Virgin Mary, and the Iloly Spirit is the
one mind possessing and acting in the
Father and the Son. Passages are quotted
from their own work- to show that
uch are in reality their view*.
"First, God himself, who sits enthroned
in yonder heavens, is a man like unto one i
of yourselves, that is the great secret.? .
If the veil was sent to-day, and the great
God who holds this world in its orbit, and
upholds all things by His power, if yon
were to see Him to-day, you would see
Him in all the person, image, and very
form as a man: for Adam was created in i.
tlie very fashion and image of God; Adam
receivou instruction, walked, talked, and
conversed with Him, as one man talks l
and communes with another." ?
There is a quotation extant from the i
author of the "Voice of Warning," to the \
effect that "we worahip a God who hath ]
both body and parte; who ha* eyes, i
mouth, and ears, and who speaks when,
and to whom He pleases?who is just as
good at mechanical inventions as at apy <
other business." I
But we are referred by their teachevs to
the Apocalypse^ where it is written of the 1
Redeemer] "And hath made ua kings 1
and priests unto God and Kit Father? and 1
to t'!re apostle that said, "there aro gods '
srn ton at txtt?
many and lords many," to prove tliat the
Father had "his father," and they talk
boldly of the grandfather, great-grandfather
of God, thus tracing back almost
ad infinitum to the "llead God, that called
the grand council together, when the I
worlds came rolling into existence."
< )ur author adds:?"The prophet has |
not left on record, to my knowledge, the
manner in which the llead God originated."
And, hence, amongst the Mormons,
the mode of his origin is a inerc matter!
of opinion!
The Mormons believe that the "head I
devil," us they term him, retains many of
the noble qualities which he possessed
when an archangel; that lie is a "perfect
gentleman," all the meaner temptations
being resorted to by the baser sort of imps.
They entertain |?eculiar views 011 the
resurrection, believing that the same body
will be raised, but that it will lie without
any blood, which they consider to be the
mortal part of our nature. This peculiarity
in their faith is thus expressed by the <
apostle Pratt, one of their authorities in j
doctrinal matters.
"Jesus was the exact pattern of our rc-1
surrccuon* "And Jesus Christ catne forth
triumphant from the mansions of the
dead, possessing the same hotly which had
been born of a woman, which was crucified;
hut no blood flowed in his veins; for
blood was the natural life in which were
die principles of mortality; and a man
restored to tlesh and blood would be mortal,
which was not the case with our 8ariourt"
and he was substantial, for he told
'lis disciples to handle him, and kcow that
lie had "flesh and Ikim*;" which will be
.ho constitution of all resurrected bodies."
It is believed that a person mav be
'moved by the spirit" to utter any set of
rounds iu imitation of words, the speaker
mowing nothing of the ideas expressed,
ind that another member of the congregation
may have imparted to him, by the
amo spirit, the "gift of interpretation of
ungues," so that he can explain to the
o the audience what has been said in inelligible
language.
It is unnecessary to ^jive further extracts
rom Lieut. Gunnison s book. Wo have
vritten thus much 011 Mormonisiu because
vc think the rise, progress, present pros
>crity and jieculiarities of this religious
ect ought to be more generally known;
uul we wish to call particular attention to
his work as a faithful and truthful exjiostor
of Mormonisiu.
That polygamy is practised among the
Mormons is undeniable, and, indeed, the
iubjoct begins to be more openly discuss- 1
;d than formerly, and it is announced that
^rdAiiKitw.fiKitr^-ino-n^it'oi *11 V/niT*tians
to a plurality of wives, if not to dedare
their own practice of the same.
We dissent from many of the views in
.hi, volume. Morman prosperity is attributable
to their admirable system of
xunbiiiing labor, whilst each has his own
orotic rtv in land* and ""'I
i - ~i ?y ~ ?..v* ??.<*/
lo their industry. Similar results would
follow, under any other religious system,
provided the laws were equitably adminstered;
and therefore are not to be attributed
to the peculiarities in the Mormou
hcology, or priestly government.
The success of the Mormon prophet is
.o be attributed more to the ignorance
ind superstition which is still so abundantly
prevalent in society, than to the skill j
m?l science with which he was endowed. |
Our author speaks in terms of agrandizencnt
of Joseph Smith wielding "the pow-;
rs of life and death over a multitude in '
in enlightened a<jt ami commipuniti/] but.
lie success of so transparent a system of
mposturo, shows that much of the dark- i
less and superstition of past ages at pre-!
out clouds the understandings of men, |
ind that in religious matters, the intellect
if a largo portion of the present genera-!
lion are but little brighter than those of
'.heir predecessors, anterior to the Lutheran 1
Iteformation.
A Beautiful Figure,
Livk is beautifully compared to a foun-1
jtin fed by a thousand streams, that perish I
f one l>e dried. If is a silver cord, twisted j
vitha thousand strings that part asunder, I
f one be broken; frail and thoughtless j
Mortals are surrounded by innumiuerable j
langers, which make it much more strange i
hat they escape so long that they almost j
ill perish suddenly at last. We are
incompnssed with accidents every day to
:rush the mouldering tenements we inhabit.
The seeds of disease are planted in our
^institutions by nature. The earth and
itmosphere whence we draw the breath
>f life are impregnated with death; health
s made to operate its own destruction,
;he food that nourishes containing tho elencuts
of decr.y; the soul that animates it
by vivifying first, tends to wear it owt by
ts own action, death lurks in ambush j
ilong tbe paths. Notwithstanding this |
s the truth, so palpably confirmed by the
laily examples before our eyes, how little
lo we lay it to heart ! We see our friends
ind neifldlhnrs ameinrr nq hnf hftw ulrtim 1
Joe? it occur our thought* tliHt our knoll
thai! perhaps give the next fruitier warling
to tho world.
'reswext Smith, of Marietta Col J
}epf, is now on the continent of Europe, engaged
in the purchase of books to the auount
of about $5,000. This is his seconJ
nait to Europe for auch an objoct, and tho
present purchases will establish the libra7
on an excellent basis.
BW A Wertkrx editor announces the
ieath of a lady of his acquaintance, and
thus touch ingly add* :
In hor decease, the sick lost an invaluable
friend. Long will she seem to
itand at their bed side aa she was wont,
with the balm of consolation in one hand,
tnd a enp of rknhorh ?a tjb other / "
k
LLIGENCE.
[NUMBER 39.
ilgrirnltnvul.
jar t iik following we extract from a
pamphlet, tilled " An }vs.nay ou the Agricaltural
Capabilities of Chester District,
die.,
Agriculture is the basis of our national
wealth and prosperity. It is essentially
the Pabulum of nil other pursui's, and we
cannot conceive of their success without
having reference, at the same time, to the
culture of the soil. Professor Johnston
says, "that art on which a thousand mill
ions of human beings are doj>cmlnnt for
their very sustenance?in the prosecution
of which nine-tenths of the fixed capital
of all civilized nations is embarked, and
probably two hundred millions of men
expend their daily toil?that art must
confessedly be the most important of all?
the parent and precursor of all other arts.
In every country, then, and at every period,
the investigation of the principles on
which the rational practico of this art is
founded, ought to havo commanded the
principal attention of the greatest minds.
To what other objects could they have
been more beneficially applied f" It must
be a source of regret to every one, that
agriculture has not received that attention
to which it is so preeminently entitled in
South Carolina. This has arisen from a
variety of causes. At first, the fertility
of her soil precluded the necessity of laborious
research, ni order to apply scientific
principles to the art, and consequently the
investigations and counsel of scientific men
were wholly disregarded. In fact it was
once considered presumptuous in thecliemist
and geologist to make even a suggestn n
to the practical planter ; thus committing
the serious mistake of supposing that tlio
only avenue to correct information in agriculture,
was through the sad reverses of
ignorant experience. And it has only
been within a few years, when the extensive
researches of Liebig, and the profound
investigations of Johnston, have established
the utility of scientific knowledge to the
farmer, that a favorable change li .s commenced
in our system of agriculture. Vet
it seems that as long as the soil is not
coinpltely exhausted, and as long as the
arduous labor of the husbandman yields
him a comfortable support, although ho
sees his plantation becoming less profitable
every year, he adopts the advice of scientific
men with reluctance. If is a remarkable
fact, that in countries where the soil is
very productive, and where but little manUikl
IhImIT riktliinul
terprize. Look, for example, at that portion
of North America lying between the
10th deg, and 40th deg. of latitude, Here,
it is true, wo may see much wealth, but it
is not of that character to stimulate enterprize,
to promote commerce and to
enrich the people. We, of course, speak
relatively. Turn now to New England,
where Providence has conferred but few
natural advantages upon the people, and
what do wo perceive? Lands which never
could afford maintenance to her population
?a barren, rocky soil, which presents no
inducement to the agriculturist, and a
climate of such severity as to blight all
reasonable expectation of remunerative
tillage. ltcvert to Massachusetts about
the period of her settlement, when her
apparent doom seemed stamj>ed upon her
everlasting hills of Grauite. Who would
have supposed then, that the sterility of
her soil, and the unfruitfulness of agriculture,
would but arouse the powers of her
inhabitants, stimulate their energies, and
indirectly make her wealthy, prosperous
and happy? Now, if a State like Massachusetts
can be thus brought to accomplish
such results, what fright not South Carolina,
with a fertile soil w hich will yield abundantly
almost every product of profitable
culture known to the world, with as good
watcrpower as can be found in the United
States,?with the greatest facilities for
rail road communications, and undoubtedly
with tho cheapest labor to bo obtained
on earth,?what might l ot she do? Whocould
foretell her great destiny, or describe
in sutlicicnt language her unbounded prosperity
? But how are we to effect this
wished for change? What can bo done
to retrieve her fallen fortunes, and make
our people energetic, enterprizing and
wealthy? We answer, in the language
of Gov. Ilavne, "wo should diversify her
pursuits." \Ve should build rail roads;
establish factories, erect mills of every
description, cease the destruction of our
woodlands, and resort to tho reclamation
of our impoverished lands in cultivation,,
by a thorough scientific system cf manuring.
Gen. IlaramoUw has shown conclusively,,
that the Gulf States must soon supersede
us in the Cotton market, from the freshness
of their land% and superior staple,
and it has been demonstrated that cotton
w;u .1 ??*? ?- -
-in nvt loiiiiiiicinm nir priuiierw, unless it
sells at about eight cents per pound. Tho
south-western planter makes more by
raising this staple at five cents than we
can at eight. How then can we successfully
compete with him? We are inclined
to lielieve that the objection to the cessation
of cotton planting, because these
States will in a short time abandon it for
the culture of the sugar cane, is merelv
conjectural. Pnt suppose that the prediction
is verified in tho course of ten or fifteen
years,?can we not make more by other
prod acta, for that period, than by cotton?
And thrv, when our lands have beta
improved and rested, the yield of eotlow
win be at least doubled. I* it not thno
for us to prepare for that revulsion, which
unless provided against mast either
reduce our population to abjecrt poverty,
or drive it to the Fair West, toseek portable
employment?