Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-06-07
MONTPELIER, FRIDAY, JUNE Z, 1914.

fifteen thousand human souls-besldes much cat.
tie. How powerful is superstition How sincere
are those who yield themselves, body and soul, to
its fatal embraces! Can any believer in the Trim
ty, or Predestination, or Apostolic successon--or
baptism by immersion--or Purgatory, or the Virgin
Mary, be more earnest, more devout or more faith
tul than he, who thinks the everlasting Gospels
were written on plates-now deposited at Nauvoo,
in Joe Smiths holy of holes but formerly dug out
OF side hill of clay or gravel in the Western part
OF the State of New York The Mussulman cries
out God is God and Mahomet is his Prophet
the Mormon varies it. with "God is God and Joe
Smith is his Prophet" In many respects, Joe has
the advantage over his lustrious predecessor: he,
Joe, Is not only Prophet, but is also Mormon King,
and III his trune function Of Prophet, Priest and
King he lords it over Gods heritage with such
strict eye to the Lords treasury that he will by and
by be enabled to present the world with faint i'm
ltatlon OF the outward glories of Solomons temple.
vi course. neither you nor your readers expect
me to trouble them with the history of Mormonism
OF 1t, as form ofsuperstiton-as manifestation
OF That phrcnzy to which men are sometimes sub
iocted, Of credulity and funatcism For 1900 years.
to go back no further there have, from time to time
started up some gloomy or hairbrained enthusiasts
who were convinced that, shortly after the preach
ing of their belief the sun would rise for the last
time, and the things of time and sense be no lon
ger The Millerites are the latest example of this
superstltion-not to mention others equally absurd
and fanatica These were the Anabaptists of
Munster, the Fifth Monarchy men-the followers
of joanna Souhcote, and of Ann Lee The face
of society has been. and is now so speckled over
with these eruptons of fanaticsm and folly, that
the remark may not be far from the truth: that the
sane man is the exception, the mailman the rule
But truce to speculation, and now few words a.
bout Nauvoo
The "town site" of Nauvoo is most beautiful !:
probably no situation on the Mississippi above St.
Louis can compare with it for beauty of location
Rising gradually from the river to a slight eleva.
ton, it extends out in broad and level plain near
ly mile, then rather more abruptly to a still high
er elevation, on the highest point of which. the
Temple is Ito be) situated the first story of which
is now completed. Stone masons and other work.
men, to the number Of near hundred, are busily
at work upon it; all other public improvements are
at present suspended, that the faithful may con.
centrate their means for the purpose of completing
it without delay. If it is ever finished, land the
prospect seems now favorable it will be the most
remarkable public building of modern times II is
to be built of stone, 1877 feet long, SO feet broad
90 feet high, with tower $50 feet high from the
ground. These are the general outside dimensions ;
the interior plan is yet undecided upon or rather,
the Prophet has not received revelation in regard
to the interior arrangements, the Lord having re-
vealed to him thus far only how the baptisnal front
must be constructed. This is quite finished It is
large vessel built of wood-obong in shape-a-
bout six feet Deep capable of containing twelve or
fifteen hogsheads ofwater, and resting upon twelve
oxen, carved out of wood the beasts are as large
as life, and about three times as natural" Al
though specially revealed to Joe in these latter
days, yet the idea is evidently borrowed from scrip
ture, as may be found in LIST Kings, 9TH chapter
There are two public houses-the "Nauyoo
Mansion" and the Masonic Hail." The former is
kept by the Prophet. Another hotel, three stories
hIrh htrI1f Of r.,1 sod
nearly completed The Nauvoo House, when fin
ished according to the present design, will be an
elegant and comnodious hotel-fronting on two
streets l27 feet; the foundation is already laid
The city is laid off into lots of acre each-the
streets all nersect each other at right angles It
is impossible to estimate correctly the number of
buildings by general observation there are many
substantial brick buildings stores and private dwell
llngs, dotted over space of near three thousand
acres, comprising the limit of the city. The ap-
pearance of every thing here is furnishing.
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 unfounded misrepre-
sensations. That his followers are laboring 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, well as art-
cles of religious belief, which many of the better
part of his people resist causing at the present time
some little trouble In the end, such division will
doubtless bring the whole system to an ends it Is
idle to think they can be put down by any other
means | cannot understand why it is that persons,
having an opportunity to Judge correctly. will per-
sist In disappearing these people and their lead
err. story was recently put in circulation that
Joe and his wife had quarreled, &c. This story,
like hundred others of similar character is not
only false, but without the shadow of foundation.
30 long as these people are misrepresented per-
secuted so long will they grow and flourish so
long as they have pressure from without to resist
they will be united as man.
The country in the Immediate vicinity of Nauvoo
is really beautiful, the land being of the best quail
ty, with an abundance of timber Sc. To a great
extent it is under cultivation: many of the Nor
mons being farmers, have settled on these lands
and opened fine farms, giving support and employ
ment to great number of laborers.
You have seen it announced that Joseph Smith
is a candidate for the Presidency of the United
States Many think this is hoax-not so with
Joe and the Mormons. 1t is the design of these
people to have candidates for electors in every
State of the Union; convention is to be held in
Baltimore, probably next month"; The leaders here
are busy in organizing their pans-over hundred
persons leave in few days for different States to
carry them out as far as possible | mention these
facts only to show that Joe is really in earnest He
Indignantly spurns the proposition to run for the
second office on the same ticket with Mr. Van Bu-
rem he thinks his chance would be much better
alone than to be associated with the sage of Lin
denwad; doubtless, it is equally as good. The
true for this movement is to prevent his fol-
lowers in this county from becoming divided even
upon political questions.
There are many thoughts suggested to the mind
by visit to this place but | have neither the
space nor present inclination to follow them out.
In conclusion | would say, let no man sheer at
these people, or deem them as of little consequence,
either for good or for evil. They are becoming of
potent influence to the people of the State of ILL
nos. 1t is serious question: What will be the
end of these things?
When it is considered that four years since this
place was a desert-that but four families existed
here, numbering scarcely twenty souls in all and
that now the population undoubtedly exceeds fC-
teen thousand, of hardy, perseverng and enthusiasts
tic neonle surely il will strike the mind of the