Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-05-21

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In the year 1884, there resided in Eng.
land family composed of four persons
father, mother and two children. a son
and daughter. They were easy in cir
cumstances and happy in their homes
blessed in each Others society, their fire.
side was sacred spot around which they
gathered with delight. No de,ro, ing an.
gel had ever lowered over it-no rude in.
truder had ever polluted i. with his unhal-
lowed foot steps. There they lived bless
ed with all the heart could desire. until
the year | have meniioned--a year dawn
ed upon them with as bright prospects
and buoy ant hopes as any that had pre-
ceded il. but closed over them with gloom
that year the fatal cup was held to their
lips and they drank Of It's contents.
There appeared in the vicinity a man
styling himself minister of the church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Sain,s,and
like all his co-lahorers in the cause of
Mormonism he carefully concealed its re.
al character and principles. He represent
ed the Church to which he was attached,
as the only true and visible church, and
hurled the ana,hemas of perd,ion on all
unbelievers. He told his attentive hearers
that new and wonderful state of things
had taken place in these latter days-tha'
God had raised up Prophet in the New
World. through whom he communicated
his will to man. and that thousands upon
thousands were daily seeking salvation
under the banner of the Prophet He rep.
resented Nauvoo as paradise on earth
as The "Heaveny Zion" to which all the
Saints we're congregaling and where
there was neither temporal or spiritual
wani-a place where all dwelt together
in peace and unity. SO warm-so enihu-
sias,ic, and apparently so sincere were
his representations. and so new and start
ling his doctrine. that he found his wav
TO the confidence Of the family have
mentioned. They first Observation-Disclosures
ed-then embraced; in short they became
Mormons and like all new converts to a
new faith, were at once deeply engaged.
TO be Murmons and reside out of M.
on" was not to he thought of; to their ex-
cited imagina,ons, ii was bn, half reaIiz
ing tina, supreme happiness which they
now supposed awaited them through life;
and as will be anticipated the liule farm
with its neat and comfortable cottage
green pastures. cooling shades and clus
,ering vines, passed into the hands Of
strangers, and with its availS, its former
occupants started for Nsuvoo. Scarcely
had thew landed in that modern Babylon.
before the father and son we're ordained
Elders, and duly initiated into such of the
rites of The Mormon church as it was
deemed prudent To trust with strangers,
for let it be remembered. that the iniqnIty
of Mormonism is no, al once d,vn,ged t"
the new convert, bu. only developes itself
10 hi,n az he is found. or supposed to he.
villain or dupe enough to give IN his al
hesion to it, Ii is only then, thai all ils
demoral,zing ,endencies--all lis horrid
and debas,ns practices break full upon
the view Of the now passive behalder.
The mex, duty was to provide home.
and tn the uniformed, 1t NAV not be un
interesting tn know something Of the
mode Of acquiring one in Nanvoo. AZ 4
matter of speculation. Joe Smith opened
a land office in the Guy, and had regn
lar officer in charge OF it. To further his
: object. he established permanent regu
la,ion that no emigrant or settler should
purchase a lot from any person but him
. self, if he chose to sell one. and as vii
readily be perceived. this enabled him Il
dispose of il at his own price. Tie al
so established a recorders Office in the
city. in opposition TO the laws of the
State, and required all deeds. mortgages
bonds, &c., to be recorded ,here. SO tina
the proper records of the county were
scarcely ever examined by the inhabltant:
of the Holy City" and they really knew
nothing ahou, the title to their property
TO them i, was sufficient, they had pnr-
chased form their Prophet. They beIiev
ed him to be inspired-they regarded him
as .holy man of God sent to redeem
ruined world. and j, would have been
t high sacrilege to question his RICH. to a
small strip of land! They would not
they dared not do it, and yet, the fac. is
notorious, that Smith never had particle
Of title 10 any lots in Nauvoo, except a
few he frauduIen,ly obtained from some
gentlemen in Conneclicut.and these were
scheduled in his Bankrupt Petition. Still
however, he sold and would give vague
and informal obligation to convey at some
future period. and this was deemed al
sufficient. No one was heard to question
him, whose will was the law that govern.
ed The community. and thus i, was. that
Smith was enabled to plumber from his
lelnGed followers under the sembance oil
> fair business operations.
Like Others who had preceded him the
father Of the family, whose melancholy
history am writing applied to, and
purchased of him lot. which he paid
in money down. the enormous price oil
4I5OO. Himself and son applied them.