The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-10-25
From the Illinois Patriot, September l6.
THE MORMONITES

THE MORMONITES
A preacher of this sect visited us last
Saturday. We heard a part ofhis lecture,
which occupied more than two hours.
From his account this sect came into
existence little more than year since,
in the following manner: A young man
about 23 years of age, some where in On
tario county, N. Y. was visited by an an
geE (here the preacher looked around
him, apparently to see if the credulity
Of the people, in this enlightened age
could be thus imposed on who informed
him, three times in one night, that, by
visiting certain place in that town, be
would have revealed to him something of
importance. The young man was dis
turbed, but did not obey the summons un.
til the following day, when the angel a
gain visited him. AT the place appointed
he found in the earth box, which con-
tanned a set ofthin plates resembling gold,
with Arabic characters inscribed on them.
The plates were minutely described as
being connected with rings in shape of
the letter ID. which facilitated the opening
and shutting of the book. The preacher
said he found in the same place two
stones, with which he was enabled, by
placing them over his eyes and putting
his head IN a dark corner, to decypher
the hyeroglyphics on the plates This,
we were told, was performed to admir-
alton, and now, as the result, we have
a book which the speaker informed us
was the Mormon Bible-a book second
to no other-without which the Holy
Bible, he seemed to think would be of lit
tie use.
1t appears from his statement, that
three of the offsprings of Joseph, by his
youngest son Ephraim, whose names
were Laman, Nephi and Lehigh, as near
as we could understand, were the persons
from whom sprang Mormon. Lamar
and Nephi rather declined from walking
in the right way, but Lehigh was firm in
the faith-Mormon was a prophet, and
led them eastward until they came to the
sea, as we suppose, where they built a
ship and came to this western world.
To prove this, the preacher referred us
to Genesis, 49th chapter and 22d verse,
and said the branches running over the
wall were neither more nor less than the
progeny of Joseph, leaving their own and
coming to this country He went into
detail of the reasons which induced him
to join himself to this peoplc--that on
account of SO many sects being in the
world, and the discrepancies in their opin-
ions, he became eptical-that, hearing
of these people in July last, he joined
himself to them, believing them to con-
stituto the true Church; and that he came
this way to meet convocatiOn of elders
in Jackson county, Missouri, which is to
be their New Jerusalem, but was disap.
pointed in not seeing them there. He in.
sisted on the Bible being joined with his
book, by quoting the 10th and 18th verses
of The 37th chapter of Ezekiel, and com
pairing the Bible and Normon's book.to
the two sticks there spoken Of We
thought this part of his subject too ludic-
rous to be refuted by any man in his righ,
mind. We cannot now enter into the
merits of his DISCOURSE, nor should we
have given this hastily written sketch,
had we not been requested to say some
thing on the subject. Some ofthese men
may he sincere, but does this prove they
are in the right q? The worshippers of
Juggernaut are sincere, ,or they would not
sacrifice there lives by throwing them
selves under the wheels of its life desroy-
ing car. As far as we are acquainted
with the bible we now have, we are
satisfied that these Mormonites are de-
luded set of men whose doctrines are mt
only dangerous. but, Notwithstanding all
their professions, they are calling down
the curse of God on their own heads.