Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-06-13
THE WORKINGS OF MoRMoNIsM.

An English clergyman, who left England
TO ioin the Mormons, returned to London 10
September last lie has just published o
volume giving his opinion Of the saints found
in the vicinity Of the Great Salt Lake. We
quote:
"One of the most repulsive features oi
Mormonism is the proxy system. This is so
destructive to every good aud honest feeling
that many staunch Mormonites reject it alto.
gether. l heard one Of the oldest deciples
say that nothing on earth would ever per-
suade him TO believe in it, and that ii he had
dog that believed it, he would shoot him.
Nor will any reader be surprised when he
knows what it is. | will endeavor to explain
il briefly. When n married man is called by
conference TO n foreign mission, he has the
privilege, as they call ii before leaving home,
of choosing some one to take the oversight Of
his cattle, goods and whatever he may pos
sess; TO provide for and overlook the family,
and o become the protcmporc husband OF
the wife"
The ostensible reason for this arrangement
is to prevent the husband from suffering any
loss" during his absence on missionary iabors,
since the greatness of his future kingdom
depends upon the number OF childrend he has
here. 10 carry out this idea, the wife is
handed over TO deputy husband, who main
tains bis position in the family till the husband
returns. Base aud immoral as this theory
may be, it is strongly advocated by the lead
ing men at the Great Salt Lake. We again
quote the returned clergyman:
But there is something more awful and
paralyzing than all have yet narrated. ]
mean the fearful sin of incest, which is so in
timately and closely connected with polyga
my. could particularize instances where
mother and daughter are married to the same
man. md live with him as his wives; others,
where brother and sister are man and wife,
and son. Brigham Young, speaking once
upon this subject in the Tabernacle, said that
he hoped the day was not far distant when
these principles would be more fully taught
and acted upon, and that children would be
brought up to regard each other as future
partn, r. for that thus the family would be-
come more compact"
AS "a case in point" We would mention
that some ten months since there was man
ut Liverpool, who held the Office of counselor
to the British Presidency, who aided by the
authorities there and the emigration iund.
persuaded family-father, mother and three
daughters. the youngest in her teens--to' en-
igrate to Zion. They had been highly re.
spectacle family and their character is ire
proachabe. On arriving at :heir destination
in marriage, and the parents gave most
reluctant consent. This man Of God las he
styled hmselD was married by Brigham
Young to these three on the same day, and
took them together, to his house. where he
hsd young wife already, and which house
consisted Of but one room Cor the nccommo.
dation Of them all. In about year one
brought forth q daughter and another son
This caused him great rejoicing, as he said
the sons would in time marry tho daughters
and thus inalienably become the foundation
Of his kingdom.
This statement reads like fable. and yet
there is no state Of facts more easily proved.
That such doctrines should exist in Chris
tim laud in the year Of our Lord 1857, is one
Of those pecuculiar monstrosties which no
amount Of logic can account for. Mormonism
is the great evil Of the day. How shall
it be got rid of, is difficult to say. 1T may
se put down by force, bat it will not bo put
down by reason; for if men could reason they
would never become NJ Mormons.