The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-03

many and lords many" to prove that the
Father had "his father" and they talk
boldly of the grandfather, great-grand-
father of God, thus tracing back almost
dd intfnitum to the Head God, that cali
ed the grand council together, when the
worlds came rolling into existence"
Our author adds:-"The prophet has
not left on record, to my knowledge, the
manner in which the Head God origipat-
ed" And, hence, amongst the Mormons
the mode of his origin is a mere matter
Of opinion!
The Mormons believe that the "head
devil" as they term him, retains many of
the noble qualities which he possessed
when an archangel; that he is a "perfect
gentleman" all the mcaner temptations
being resorted to by the baser sort ofimps.
They entertain peculiar views on the
resurrection, believing that the same BODY
will be raised, but that it will be without
any blood, which they consider to he the
mortal part of our nature. This peculiar
ity in their faith is thus expressed by the
apostle Pratt, one of their authorities in
doctrinal matters.
Jesus was the exact pattern of our re-
surrcctlon' sand Jesus Christ came forth
triumphant from the mansions Of the
dead, possessing the same BODY which had
been born of woman, which was cruel
he'd; but no blood flowed in his veins: for
blood was the natural life in which were
the principles of mortality; and a man
restored to flesh and blood would be NOR.
tai, which was not the case with our Sa-
viour::" and he was substantial, for he told
his disciples to handle him, and know that
he had "fesh and bones;;" which will be
the constitution of all resurrected bodies
1t IS believed that person NAV be
moved by the spirit" to utter any set of
sounds IN imitation of words, the speaker
knowing nothing of the ideas expressed.
and that another member of the conpre-
CATION may have impaired to him, by the
same spirit, the gift Of Interpretation of
tongues" so that he can explain to the
to the audience what has been said in in
telliglble language.
1t Is unnecessary to give further extracts
from Lieut.. Gunnison's book. We have
written thus much on Mormonism because
we think the rise, progress, present pros
perity and peculiarities of this religious
sect ought to be more generally known:
and we wish to call particular attention to
this work as a faithful and truthful expos
itor of Mormonism.
That polygamy is practised among the
Mormons is undeniable, and, indeed. the
subject begins to be more openly discuss.
ed than formerly, and it is announced that
q strAat'sa,is rpoies,- -rno -rgut 'or III OnrIs-
tians to plurality of wives, if not to de-
clare their own practice Of the same.
We dissent from many Of the views in
this volume. Norman prosperity is at
tributable to their admirable system of
combining labor, whilst each has his own
property in lands and tenements; and also
to their industry. Similar results would
follow, under any other religious system,
provided the laws were equitably admin
istered; and therefore are not to be attri-
buted to the pccuiarities in the Mormon
theology, or pricstly government.
The success of the Mormon prophet is
to be attributed more to the ignorance
and superstition which is still so abundant
ly prevalent in society, than to the skill
and science with which he was endowed.
Our author speaks in terms of agrandize-
ment of Joseph Smith welding "the pow
ers Of life and death over a multitude in
an enlightened age and comm ,cunity; but
the success of so transparent a system of
imposturc, shows that much of the dark
hess and superstition Of past ages at pre-
sent clouds the understandings Of men,
and that in religious matters, the intellect
of largo portion Of the present genera
ton arc but little brighter than those Of
their predecessors, anterior to the Lutheran
Reformation.
A Beautiful Figure,