New-York daily tribune., 1844-05-28
THE TRIBUNE.
Life In, Nauvo@.
OF the .HisSohr' nep ,e.
SoIeSS u.a.L C,nn,v H. April 18th. lsi


n ,rd n O a. Y. What the Juggernaut Is
A. crowd of Hindoo dcvotees-what Jerusalem
WAS 10 the Crusaders, who poured OUT theit oo'0
to rescue the holy sepulchrc from Proianatioh-
what Mecca is to the troop ofpllgrims, VINO year
l., throno the shrine of the raise Prophet =
:nand such is Nauvoo to some oil the WcaveTs III
Lancashire. the miners in Cornwall and Inc core
vaincrs who thump the lapstone near the loFme'
abode sf the witches, which have given Salem
immortality. Thither they have fiockcd: the CRY
he;no still they come,'' until praine and nvet
bottom which FIVE years ago was desert, is en-:
l;veued by the hum sent up by fifteen thousano
human souls-besides much cattle. How power
fol is superstition How sincere are those VINO
weld themselves, body and soul, to It's fatal EN-
braces! Can any believer IN the Trinity, or IRE
destination, or Apostolic succession-or Ddptlsn
by immersion-or Purgatory, or the Virgin Mary
be Iaore earnest, more devout, or more fAithiu
than he, who thinks the everlasting Gospels were
written on plates-now deposited at Nauvco, III
Joe Smiths holy Of holes-but formerly dug out
of a side hill of clay gravel in the Western Paft
~, The State of New York? The Mussulman
cries out "God is God and Mahomet is his Pro-
phet"-the Mormon varies 1t, with :" God s Goo
and Joe Smith is his Prophet" In many respects,
Joe has the advantage over his illustrous predc-
cessor: he, Joe, is not only Prophet, but IS also
Mormon King, and in his triune function of Pro-
phet, Priest and King, he lords it over Gods herlt-
age with such strict eye to the Lords treasury,
that he will by and by be enabled to present the
world with a faint imitation OF the outward
glories of Solomon's temple.
OF course, neither you nor your readers expect
me to trouble them with the history of Mormon
ism-of it, as a form of superstluon-as mani
festation of that phrenzy to which men are some
times subjected, of crcdulty and fanatlcism
For 1900 years, to go back no further, there have
from time 10 time, started up some gloomy OF
hairbrained enthusiasts who were convinced that,
shortly after the preaching of their belief, the sun
would rise for the last time, and the things OF time
and sense be no longer The Millcritcs are the
latest example of this superstition-nOt TO men.
ton others equally absurd and fanatical-Ihcse
were the Anabaptsts OF Munster, the Filth
Monarchy men-the followers Of Joanna South.
cote, and of Ann Lee The face Of society has
been, and is now SO specified over with these
eruptions of fanatcism and folly, that the re
mark may not be far from the truth that the
sane man is the exception, the madrnan the
rule. But truce to speculation and now few
words about Nauvoo.
The "town site" Of Nauvoo is most beautl
full probably situation on the Mississippi
above st. Louis, can compare with 1t for beauty
of location. Rising gradually from the river to II
slight elevation, it extends out in broad and lev
el plain, nearly mile, then rather more abruptly
to still higher elevation, on the highest point o.
which, the Temple is 20 be- situated, the first
story of which is now completed. Stone masons
and other workmcn, TO The number of near
hundred are buslly at work upon 1t; all Other
public Improvements are at present suspended 81
that the faithful may concentrate their means for
the purpose of completing 1t without delay. J.
=. C.. Iol 4 ,lo,
favorable,) it will be the most remarkable public
building of modern times II is to be built o!
stone, 1877 feet long, 66 feet broad, 26 feet high,
with tower $50 feet high from the ground
These are the general outside dimensions; the in.
terror plan is yet undecided upon or rather, the
Prophet has not received revelation in regard to
the interior arrangements, the Lord having re-
yealed to him thus far only, how the baptlsmal
font must be constructed. This is quite finished
It is large vessel built of wood-oblong in
shape--ebout six feet Deep capable of containing
twelve or fifteen hogshcads of water, and resting
upon twelve oxen, carved out OF wood the beasts
are as large as life, and about three times as ma
tural." Although specially revealed 10 Joe IN
these latter days, yet the idea is evideny borrow.
ed from scripture, as may be found IN lst hlngs
7th chapter.
There are two public houses-the "Nauvoo
is kept by the Prophet. Another hotel three
stories high, built Of brick, situated near the TEN
pie, is nearly completed. The Nauvoo House,
when finished according TO the present design,
will be an elegant and commodious hotel-front-
ing on tive streets l27 feet the foundation is
already laid. The city is laid off into lots OF
one acre each-the streets all intersect each other
at right angles. 1t is impossible to estimate cor
rectly the number of buildings by general obsos-
vation there are many substantial brick build.
ings stores and private dwellings, dotted over ii
space of near three thousand acres, comprising
the limit of the city. The appearance OF every
thing here is fourishing.
In reference to Joseph Smith, and the Mormon
religion, presume there can be but one opinion
out of his Church; but Joe and his religion have
been the subject of gross and uniounded mlsreprc-
sentations. That his followers are laborng under
most unaccountable delusion, admits OF little
doubt-the majority, however, are honest and
sincere in their belief. Joe has doubtless, become
somewhat arrogant, not to say tyrannical. He
has attempted to force measures of public policy,
as well as articles of religious belief which many
of the better part Of his people resist, causing
the present time some little trouble. In the end,
such division will doubtless bring the whole sys-
tenn to an end; it is idle TO think they can be put
down by any other means cannot understand
why it is that persons, having opportunity Judge
correctly, will persist in msrepresenting these
people and their leader. A story was recently put
in circulation that Joe and his wife had quarrel.
ed, sc. This story, like a hundred others OF
similar character, is not only false, but without
the shadow of foundation. So long as these peo
pie are misrepresented or prosecuted, so long will
they grow and flourish; 50 long as they have
pressure from without to resist, they will be unit
ed as one man.
The country in the immediate vicinity OF Nau.
VOC is really beautiful, the land being OF The best
quality, with an abundance of timber &c To
great extent it is under cultivation many of The
Mormons being farmers, have settled ON these
lands and opened fine farms, giving support and
employment to great number OF laboFers.
You have seen 1t announced that Joseph Smith
is a candidate for the Presidency OF the United