New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-02

letter FROM one Of the Saints Of Salt Lake CITY
concerning his experiences in religion the character
OF Deseret it, climse AID society, and that " pc
ouiar institution Of Deseret Polygamy. II ia the
oleart e1pos ana boIdest defense Of Poygamy
that we have yet SEEN and coming from person who
Possesses three wives with prospect Of more, its
arguments and tie facts stated demand attention.
We especially invite perusl Of il by Judge Doug
las and his friebds. whose Popular Sovereignty
doctrine 20 legslze Poygamy IN Deseret aud Utah,
and IL may be. in Illinois also.
CITY OF SALT LAgE, tDeseret july ~, 1884.
NJ DEAR FRIEND: have been promising myself
the pleasure Of writing 10 yOu on- family sort Of
Letter for the last eighteen mOnfs, a. assured yOd
/ woul1 when we parted. ana should have done so,
only that somehow when | have opportunities Of
sending one, thing another sure 10 inter-
fere with my time for writing.
The fnct is the Salt Lake City is plsce for rort
and oafers aud lazy people are entirely out Of ther
element here. never lived IN place where there Is
60 prevalent spirit of industry, where drones are
go little tolerated As consequence, there Is
scarcely any povery-none, mag say except nat
which il the result Of sickness and other m-iorta
and in such il ia not marked by the painful lea
lures which are observable IN the quarters OF tue
poor in Rochester. BuiIslO, ard Chicago, where |
have had opportunities OK seeing for myself for here
the poor taken of by the voluntary and lio-
trsl contributions Of ALL which are made IN pro-
fusion that you could not md IN a community OF
skin. flint Presbyierians rOns ided BipustS, expe-
rience-teDg Mehodists with sanctlmonious mem
bers Of evangelical churches in general. NO, no.
Here there is broherly feeling such "a marked the
character of the early ChIisans and here Is under
stood in its ulness the great truth, lie tAat giVeth
- 10 the poor lendeth unto the Lord
When last saw you, in ls5l now nearly four years
ago YOU expressed your regret that should connect
myself with q church and become a member OF a
community the doctrines AID rule Of conduc, Of which
were repugDant 10 all the social virtues and the re-
ligious principles which i had been taught from my
childhood up to 1896 | had then lls5ll lived hve
wears a believer in the truths OF the Book OF Nor
mon-had steadily and as faithfully a. knew how,
examined the tendencies OF those truths, and com
AIRED them with the old church of my father may
say fathers also, for they were all OF one faith for
three generations back-aDd had come to the con-
cusion that had at last found out what best for
nv spiritual wants here and hereafter. IL was after
this long experieDce-hs forty years IN the wilder-
uess-tbat became Satisfied with my DUTY, ana SCI
out with my family for the City OF Deseret. Sarah
Ann you know had her doubts about the move, 90.
pecey as she had heard awful stories about the Nor
mons who following the example OF the old Patri-
arcbs from Abraham down, had estAohshed Social
laws different from those which she had been accus
toned to look upon sacred Louisa, our eldest
pl then fourteen shared the feelings OF her mother
somewhat but il had foundation beyond educa-
ton, and felt, would soon be eraSscated.
When | arrived in this city iood all the comforts
that had expected, and was treated with kindness
and consideration that never met with in New-fork,
or any other State While each person here was in
as busy as bees their conduct toward myself aud ell
other new corners Impressed me with the belief that
they only labored for wealth that they might nave
means Of beneiiing those whom fortune mad not Ia
vored. My subsequent observation has not ehaced
but deepened that impression. There appears 10 be
the greatest pleasure manifested by high aud ioF ana
especially by those who nre high in the church. IN
aiding the poor and helping them 10 he themselves
the highest order OF charity, IN my estimation.
Each one seems TO feel that II rs better TO give IN N
"to receive" and the universal practical rule Is,
that he that gveth 10 the poor lendeth unto the
Lord" And the truth of this latter principle mas
been fully and satisfactorily tested. The poor who
are assisted soon become active and useful members
Of society and the church and are enabled TO repay
back an hundred fold all that they ever received
SO much for things in general. Aud now word
about the country. My friend, you have read
Moores enchanting description OF the " lovely wales
of Cashmere" but l venture TO say they Will not
at I'll compare in beauty, or in delicious atmosphere
with the charming valleys which are scattered all
over Deseret like little Edens while our mountain
scenery is msgnihc. nt-grand beyond the power OF
description Here is the place for poetry and song,
where one is perpeually surrounded by scenery aud
associations that develop the highest religious sen'
merits The soil OF valleys is good not as deep
as the soil of the Genesee Valley, or as the Illinois
prairies. but it is more lively, and produces more
than any soil ever saw in its virgin STATE Inere Is
scarcely any species OF grass gram or rt that we
cannot grow in the fullest perfection and If farming
receives the attention that it does in England and
Holland as have no doubt i Will, Deseret VIII be
capable Of feeding population as large as three or
four States like New.fork.
When first came here l went at my uade ana dld
well. Last year however, obtained farm at the
foot of Of the mountains which surround TINS val
lev and expect to have little paradise OF place
in a few wears. NeighbOrs are numerous and good,
and we shall possess all the educational advantages
that you have in the States-dld better TANK Tor
here our schools are better regulated. sil 1--we 10
the citv that is my family does, and am here the
greater part Of my time but expect to taAe up my
aa,d IN he
About the progress the Territory Is making, need
not say anything, as you viii get L more IN detau
from the papers send you Suffice 1t to say, that
we 90 ahead at a rate never expected, however
large my expections we've.
But suppose by the time, or before you have read
thus far, you have grown impatient, and wonder II
sm going TO avoid the subject which appears to con
Germ the people of the States as regards Deseret,
more than anything else. No, my dear TREND, am
not going TO dodge it. There time when |
might have been disposed 10 do 50, AnO "7pg your
feelings but il is not right, and shall be candid.
"Polpcamvi PoLYGANY - POLYGAMY'!! That
Is the word which you call u, and would thlnk,
from the holy horror with which your editors, preach
en- and politicians utter IL that Il s CRIME Of mag
nitude surprising al Others. by dear friend, Go
NOT doubt many o; you think 40 but Il Is all the re-
suit Of misunderstanding else, | assure you for
sneak from experience, as do thousands OF DINERS
bereAbout who once thCus ht a. yen do. bIt you
must know that the Church OF Jesus Chris' OF LaileF
Dsy Saints dscards al sectaral dognas ana coules
10 The plain, simple truths oi the BiOie-the "noie
Bible not part Of il. IL looks TO the lives OF ne
Patrarchs and Prophets-the men OF pure religion
and undefled for principles as well as 10 those
who came after them. IL sees no hgner OF more
heavenly stste Of society that tina; which existed
der the authority and direction OF Jehovah anterior
to the Christian era. Not that II opposes any doc
trDe Of Christ or those authorized 20 speak ioT him.
for il would leave every one Tree; no. Il gives me
highest sanction il can give 70 every principle eA9
GRATED in the New Testament, while i makes tne o.d
and the new entirely harmonic. The do,irne Is
founded on the Bible-the eternal rock OF Truth.
But shout the practical operation of Poiysd7'y, =