The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-11-12
q I S T o RIG A l..
: From Afslur's Home Gazette.
IT EH E vi d Eg MI ID N s i,
LATTER.DAY SAINTS.

Inc Orlgins raptd deVetnptneht.
and present prosperity of this ,reli-
sSloua sect, is one of the most re.
tnarkable and instructive historical
events Of the present; century. That
uoseph Smith. q native Of Vermont.
Sin obscurcindividual, without money,
education or responsibility, should,
under the Influence of an overwhelm..
Ing religious enthusiasm, successful
lyinduce belief in his immediate in.
spiration in the minds of hundreds of
ehcusands Of people, and cause "a
book entitled the Book of Mormon
TO be conscientiously received by
shem as Of equal, authority with the
Scriptures, and a. continuation Of the
sacred revelations Of Heaven, that, in
swenty years time tho disciples Of
Joseph Smith should have increased
from six to 100, 900, should have
founded State in the distant vii
derness, and compelled the govern.
lnent Of the United States practically
to recognise them as an independent
people with the right Of self govern
,nent; that the cmissaries Of this re-
lisious sect should now be preaching
Ito doctrines with success, in the
mos. enlightened nations in Europe,
and in pagan counties, and that con-
vera should oc continually flocAing to
che Morlnons settlement. in the val
10y Of the Great Salt Lake, from all
parts Of the earth: these are facts
worthy the researches of the philoso
pher, the consideration of statesmen,
and the pen Of the historian. Such
a revelation of the superstition and
folly Of humanity in modern times,
throws u bright light on similar events
which have occurred in former cpochs
of the worlds history, the revelations
on ssiuttlvt, &c.
The following is the a ,tount given
by5Lientenant Gunnison, [from whose
interesting book just published by
Lippincott, Grambo 4 Co., the facts
sct forth in this article are obtained,
of the origin of the Mormon sect:
The founder of the Mormon
sect was joseph Smith, a native OF
Vermont, who emigrated when quite
young in his fathers family to Yves.
tern New York. According to his
autobiography, published in series
Of letters, he was Of a religious turn
Of mind, and, when seventeen years
Of age, became greatly interested in
tho ''reyivals of religion often oc.
curing among the determinations
in that section of country. In one
Of these times his feelings we're SO
powerfully wrought upon that he gave
himself up to continued prayer for
some days-and mcditatins still at
night, he at length arose while all the
family were hushed in sleep, and
poured forth his soul "agonizins' to
have made known to him the truth,
among the conflicting opinions he
heard by the various sects. His
apartment became suddenly illnmina.
ted, and ~ah angel appeared and con.
versed familiarly with him, and in.
structed him in the way of righteous.
ness; informing him also that there
was no true churgh upon earth. The
doctrine taught on this point is, that
lthe church which was once establish.
ed, had fallen under the rule given
by the prophet, and had "changcd
the ordinances" .'broken the ever
lasting covenant" and CORRUPTED
the faith;" for which cause it was re-
moved from earth-or, in their fign.
rative expression, "the man child
was caught up into heaven" which
means that the priesthood was taken
away fifteen hundred years ago
And Joseph was tod that his prayer
were heard and registered in the
books on high, and that, being dear.
" beloved Of the Lord, he should be
commissioned a priest after the order
Of NIelchisidek, and restore that line
among men, organizing a church of
faithful persons, to receive the Lord
in the Millennium, which time should
be hastened according to their de.
gree of mighty faith, for he was de.
.termined ITO cut the work short in
righteousness" In after visits he
was further instructed ,hat "trnth
should spring ont Of the earth
x (Ps.) and that, accordingly, he
should be conducted to the hill Cuino
rah, in Palmyra, New York, and re-
ceiye without the ground holy ant
prophetic recorda concerning a fami
Fly Of Jews that emigrated from Jeru
salem in the time Of Zedckiah, an'
were miraculously led to America
across the Eastern ocean.
"On beinr uui,lrd to the Srut. Ia