Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-08-27
Two Hours with Brigham Young.
SAIr LlKr CIry. JnIy I3. 1859.


SALT LAkE CRY. July 13, 1859.
My friend DR. BernhiseI, NJ c., took me
this afternoon, by appointment, to meet
Brigham Young, President of the Mormon
Church, who had expressed a willingness
to receive me at 2 p. m. We were very
cordially welcomed at the door by the Pre-
sident, who led as into the second story
parlor of the largest of his houses (he has
three) where was introduced to Heber
G. Kimball, Gen. Wells Gen. Ferguson,
Albert Darlington, Elias Smith, and sew.
eral other leading men in the Church. with
two full grown sons Of the President AT.
ter some unimportant conversation on gen.
eral topics, stated that | had come in
quest of fuller knowledge respecting the
doctrines aud polity Of the Mormon Church,
and would like to ask some questions bear
ing directly on these, if there were no OBJ
lection. President Young avowed his viii
hngness to respond to all pertinent inquir-
les, and the conversation proceeded sub
stantially as follows:
H. Gam to regard Mormonism $50
called) as new religion. or as simply
new development of Christianity ?
B. Y.-We hold that there can be no
true Christian Church without a priesthood
directly commissioned by and in immediate
communication with the Son of God aud
Savior of mankind. Such church is that
of the Latter Day Saints, called by their
enemies Mormons; we know no other that
even pretends to have present and direct
revelations of Gods will
III. G.-Then / am to understand that
yon regard all other churches protesting
to be Christian as the Church of Rome re-
CARDS all churches not in communion with
itself-as schismatic, hereticaI, and out Of
the way of salvation.
b. Yes, substantially.
H. G.-Apart from this, in what respect
do your doctrines differ essentially from
those of our Orthodox Protestant Church
es--the Baptist or Methodist, for example,?
B. Y.-We hold the doctrines of Chris
tianity, as revealed in the Old and New
Testaments-also ia the Book of Mormon,
which teaches the same cardinal truths, &
those only.
II. G-Do you believe in the doctrine
of the Trinity
b. we do; but not exactly as it is
held by other churches. We believe in the
Father. the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as
equal, but not identical-not ds one person
[being]. We believe in all the Bible teach
es on this subject.
II. G.-Do you believe in personal
devl-a distinct, conscious, spiritual being,
whose nature aud acts are essentially malig-
nant and evil p?
b. Wv do
FL G-Do you hold the doctrine of Eter-
nal Punishment
d. Y.-We do though perhaps not ex.
actly as other churches do We believe il
as the Bible teaches it.
III. G.-I understand that you regard
Baptism by Immersion as essential.
b. Y.-We do.
H. G.-Do youpractce Infant Baptism?
b. Y.--NO.
H G.-Do you make removal to these
valleys obligatory on yOnr converts 2
b. Y.-They would consider themselves
greatly grieved If they were not invited
hither. We hold to such a gathering to-
gether of Gods People as the Bible fore
tells, and thai this is the place, and now
Is the time appointed for its eonsummation.
II. G.-The predictions to which you re-
fer gave usually, think, been understood
70 indicate JeSusalem for JHdea) as the
place of such gathering.
b. Yes, for the ] ews---not for others.
II. G.-What is the position of your
Church with respect to Slavery?
B. Y.-We consider it Of Divine insti-
tntion, and not to be abolished until the
curse pronounced on Ham shall have been
removed from his descendants.
II. Care any slaves now held in this
Territoryl
b. Y.-There are.
II. G.--Do your Territorial laws uphold
Slavery
B. Y.-Those laws are printed--you can
read for yourself If slaves are brought
here by those who owned them in the
States, we do not favor their escape from
the service of those owners.
II. G.-Am to infer that Utah, IL ad-
mitted as = member Of the Federal Union,
vii be Slave State.
B. I.--Ho she viii be Free State
Slavery here would prove useless and uD-
profitable regard il generally as curse
70 the masters myself hire many labor
ers and pay them fais wages / could not
afford 10 OWN thenl. can do better than
subject myself 10 an obligation 10 feed and
cloihs their families. to provide and care
for them Ia sickness and health. Utah Is
not adapted to Slave Labor.