The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-05-26


generauy occupied by the President, two Vice
Presidents, and twelve Apostles, and OCCASION
ally othes leading Elders, some of whom com
monty address the assembled multitude MS NAV
DC agreetl upon at the moment, without previous
preparation.
Sunday two since had the Measure of
hearing z sermon upon the plurality of wives.
from Brother Orson Pratt as well as the reading
OF the original revelation to Joseph Smith upon
the same subject, by President Young. From
these gathered clearer insight into the rnys-
teries OF 1dorman theology than [ had ever had
before. The Mormons believe in the autbenti-
city OF the Old Testament, and in the divine
character mission and revelations of Jesus Christ
But they further believe that similar revelations
OF the Divine Will were made to Joseph Smith
ana are now being made, as circumstances re-
qulre, to Brigham Young and the other patri-
archs OF the Church. The Mormops beIieye in
Polythelsm as well as polygamy. The two 90
hand IN hand The one creates and proves the
necessity of the other. According to the origi
nal ideas of their theology they are themselves
all Gods aud the progenitors of Gods, varying in
power, intelligence and dignity who have hu-
initiated themselves for !. while by apnearinp
upon the earth and assuming human form
One OF their great duties in this their humili-
ated character Is to propagate their species, and
people not only this, but also worlds unnumber-
ed and ahereated with their descendants, Gods
like themselves. Hence the great necessity and
reason for the adoption the system of the plu
rality Of wives, for the more speedy accomplish
ment OF this the great object of their being
After death they will ascend TO heaven, resume
their original godship, and there live in state OF
perpetual beatihc enjoyment, surrounded by
their numerous wives and posterity In their
belief there is no such place as a separate dis
tinct hell. Hell consists simply in the depriva-
ton OF those who are unworthy from the ioys
and pleasures OF heaven.
wish had time to give you brief sketch
OF many OF the novel views and ideas developed
in this original and characteristic sermon.
think that you would find it both curious and in
terestlEg, and gain from it more perfect and
satisfactory idea of the pecuHarities of this
strange rehgion than you could from most any
other source. One singular idea advanced by
Mr. Prattin this discourse l cannot refrain from
mentioning. That was, that the principal rea
son why the people of the United States and Eu-
rope did not adopt the system of plurality of
wives was that they were too avaricious and pc
nur7ous to support such large families; that
they wsra fast becoming too fond of gutd TO sup
port even single wife and her offspring. This
explanation of custom which has heretofore
been attributed to virtuous principle upon the
part of our people and Europeans, will undoubt-
edly surprise and shock not few of them.
The Saints are using every endeavor to make
proselytes to their religion. They are sending
oui missionaries, with that object, to every quar-
ter of the globe. In a few days some eighty or
ninety of these apostles of Mormouism will de-
part upon their missions, some destined to the
various States of the Union, others to the differ
ent countries in Europe, and others yet TO Chi
ma, Hindostan, Australia, the Sandwich Islands,
and other remote regions. They are generally
selected promiscuously from the community of
Saints at large, and are sometimes called upon
to depart upon these distant missions with not
more than week or ten days notice, and with
out pay or reward. This duty they usually per
form with cheerfulness and alacrity. Mr. Pratt,
who delivered the sermon to which have allu-
ded, accompanies the party on a mission to Wash
ington City, where he goes to edit Mormon pa
per. Through the columns of his journal l
presume that the public will be fully enlighten-
ed TO all the more important points of Nor
mon theology, including the doctrine of spiritual
wives as well as others.