The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-03
The Ms1nens@The Mahomstans Of sho Nine.
tee tn Century.

philosophers tell US ina the grand law oil human
progression does not hold good in respect of moral
and metaphysical science II this be true-and We
see to doubt tiff, while may safely
consider the steam engine the printing press, the
loom and the telegraph, to be the imperishabe and
inafenable property of man, we have no guarantee
for the stability of religious creeds and schools
Of ethics-if our descendants may be found moro
gross and earthly in their passions, more debased in
their feelings and desires, than we are-the birth
and infancy Of new religious doctrines and strange
sects deserve a peculiarly careful notice at our
hands At time when a devout Able c0nfesses,
with deep sorrow, that Christianity can no longer
keep pace with the intellectual progress of the
world, and mitred orator heard to declare his
conviction of the inadequacy Of the Protestant doc
rne to satisfy the popular craving for mental food,
when the converts made by countless missionaries
abroad too few TO supply the 70 created by
assertions at home, we may be permitted, perhaps,
for arguments sake, to suppose for moment that
the present forms of Christianity win passaway, AMI
4 TO ask the appalling question-What religion is to
succeed them? At what shrine will posterity knee!
Some worship of higher Being is an imperative
want in the human heart-sOme source of morality,
nobler than mere penal code, is absolutely indis
pensable to cement the elements of society. Among
the new schools of religion which are springing up
around u.s. is there any which absorb Protestant
and Catholic, Unitarian and Free thinker, and sub
stitute new faith for future ages!
We leave speculative philosophy to suggest a re-
ply. But we cannot refrain from making few
brief remarks on the growth and prospects of the
most remarkable of the many religious factions
which have come to light in this country.
While to the thoughtless reader the name Of Nor
monism is only suggestive of ribald epigrams on
the ontinency of Mr. Brigham Young, and the ex-
stonce Of The sect is treated asa mere joke, the
eyes Of thinking men are fixed on the young settle
nent az Degeret, with apprehcnsions of no common
magnitude The colony at Salt Lake is no assem-
bage Of harbrained socialists, Agapemone
rogues and dupes-a haunt of hypocrisy and beast
y Righteousness; Brigham Young and his followers
are neither idle knaves corrupt proaigates. The
stumbling blocks which have led 20 the downfall Of
50 many false sects have been avoided by the Nor
mons Their religious code is imbued with enough
mysticism TO attract the imaginative; but it is
linked and coupled with moral law framed on the
wiscst basis
We belieye.n say the aormons in being honest
chase. temperate benevolent yrtuous and upright
ana il dong good TO all men, indeed we may say tnat
clow the admunition Of Pau we believe all things
nope all things, have endured very many things
ara hope TO he able to endure all things Eve.y thing
Lowry. yrtuous, lraiseworthy and OF good report,
after looking forward 70 the Of re ward
hut ilc lazy person cannot be Christian nei ber
have sslration he Is done and deserves 10 b. stuuS
death, and tumbled out Il the hise.'
| Despite all the cslumnious tales which have been
circulated we have every reason to believe that the
MoTmons are just in their dealings and kind and
charitable both to strangers and to each other. Po
lygamy, it is true, is praosed among them, and has
been severely used as weapon in the hands of their
ho,,rr do
to oeprayed passions, it is only tolerated in order
to increase the number of the faithful, and the
principle quoted above, that drones-whether male
or female--must be driven from the hive. Female
chastity and conugal fidelity are essential virtues;
adultery and Illicit intercourse will be punished
with death by the Mormon code Both honor and
religion oblige the man whose wife, daughter, or
sister has been injured, to kill the seducer.
1t would be foreign to our purpose to attempt to
analyze their religious belief. 1t is eclectic
compound Of Christianity Platonism, Brahmnisn,
Mahometanism, and that spiritual philosophy,
which, under various names, is captivating the
perstitious minds of the nineteenth century. 1t i,
peculiarly calculated to satisfy the aspirations OF
those who feel void in their hearts, which Christi
anity cannot m Like all successful sects the polit-
ical constitution of the Normons is pure despotism,
the president chief priest holding undisputed sway
over the property and persons Of his subjects But
according to the testimony of apparently trust.
worthy writer, "there is not (among the Mormons)
the usual man worship found in the admirers Of
splendid abilities and achievements Of the founders
, of religious sects'-'each man watches, with an
eagle eye, that first principles adhered to, and
stands ready to proclaim apostacy in chief lay
man'-and sthere seems to be as fair a sample Of
intelligence, moral probity, and good citizenship
(amoDg theml, be found in any Christian
| community"
Whether joseph Smith did or did not deal in i'm
posture, sect established on such principles these,
and which, after struggling existence Of twenty
years, counts its votares by hundreds Of Thousands
is entitled to something than sarcastic and con
temptuous These but add fuel to the goal Of
the acoytes persecution braces their energies, and
strengthens their convictions. While We look on
with Indifference, thousands in Europe and America
silently enrolling themselves under the banner Of
Normonism. Where is this to end
All religions, which have been a. the same time
civil politics, have been the work of single ndivid
ual, and have seemed, in their origin, insignificant
and ridiculous. Abraham was the inspired founder
Of sect which was destined to become immortal
and to practise uCury and sell old clothes throughout
all generations: for many centuries twas but fam
lily Egypt fought long against the hardy priests Of
Isis they purchased victory with their blood. Lit
tie did Zoroaster think when he taught his disciples
the pure tcnets Of his simple faith, that Persia
would one day hold him to be God, and that his
creed would become che established religion of the
| empire Theseus and Romulus founded religions
which were also politics. how petty were their be-
gnnings how dshcarening the scorn Of their neigh
bors Yet each in turn threatened to subjugate the
world. Who has not heard Of or stood in the damp
vaults Of the catacombs, where the trembling few,
| who constituted the elect Christian church, used to
meet and pray that they might be permitted to
practise with impunty novel harmless moral form