Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-09-02
M Miscellaneous
TWO HOURS WITH BR1GHAm YOUNG

TWO HOURS WITH BRIGHAM YOUNG.
Salt Lake City, Utah, July 13, 1859.
My friend Dr. Bernhisel, NJ. c., took me
this afternoon, by appointment, to meet
Brigham Young, President of the Mormon
Church, who had expressed willingness
to receive me at 2 P. NJ. We were very
cordially welcomed at the door by the Pres
ident, who led us into the second story par
lor 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 sever
al other leading mon 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 and 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 will
lingness to respond to all pertient inquiries
and the conversation proceeded substantially
as follows:
II. Gam l to regard Mormonism $50
called, as a new religion, oras 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 and
Savior Of mankind. Such achurch 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
II. G.-Then am to understand that
you regard all other Churches protesting to
be Christian as the Church of Rome regards
all churches not in communion with itself
as schismatic, heretical, and out of the
way Of salvation!
B. Y.-Yes, substantially.
H. G.-Apart from this, in what respect
doyourd doctrines differ essentially from those
of our orthodox Protestant churches--the
Baptist or Methodist for example?
B. Y.-Wc hold the doctrines of Chris
tianity, as revealed in the old and new Tes-
taments-also in the Book of Mormon,
which teaches the same cardinal truths, and
those only,
H. G--Do you believe in the doctrine of
the Trinity.
B. Y-We do; but not exactly as it is
held by other churches. We believe in the
Father, the Son, aud the Holy Ghost, as
equal, but not identical--not as one person
being We believe in all the Bible teach
es on this subject.
II. G.-Do you believe in apersonaldev-
ia distinct conscious, spiritual being,
whose nature and acts are essentially malig-
nant and evil
B. Y.-We do.
II. Go you hold the doctrine of Eter-
nal Punishment!
B. Y.-Wo do; though perhaps not ex-
actly as other churches do. We believe it
as the Bible teaches it.
H. G,-I understand that you regard
Baptism by immersion as essential.
b. Y.--We do.
II. G.--Do you practice infant baptism
BY.-No.
II. G.-Do you make removal to these
valleys obligatory on your converts?
B. Y.-They would consider themselves
greatly aggreved if they were not invited
hither. We hold to such Il gathering to-
gether of Gods people as the Bible fore
tells, and that this is the place and now is
the time appointed for its consummation.
II. G.--Thc predictions to which you re-
fer, have usually, l think, been understood
to indicate Jerusalem orJudea) as the place
of such gathering.
b. Y.--Yes for the Jews-not for Others.
II. G.-What is the position of your
church with regard to SIavery9
B. Y.-We consider it of Divine institu-
ton, and not to he abolished until the curse
pronounced on Ham shall have been re-
moved from bis descendants.
II. G,-Are any slaves now held in this
Tenitory9
b. Y.-There are.
II. G.-Do your Territorial laws uphold
SlaveryG
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.
H. Gam to infer that Utah, if ad-
mitted as member of the Federal Union,
will be a slave State.
B. Y.-No; she will be a free State.-
Slavery here would prove useless and un-
profitable. Iregard it generally as curse
to the masters. l myself hire many labor
ers and pay them fair wages; l could not
afford to own them. / can do better than
subject myself to an obligation to feed and
clothe their families, to provide and care
for them in sickness and in health Utah
is not adapted to slave labor,
II. G.--Let me now be enlightened with
regard more especially to your church pol
ity; l understand that you require each
member to pay over oue-teuth of all he
produces or earns to the Church.
B. Y.-That is a requirement Of our
faith There is no compulsion as to the
payment. Each member acts in the prem
ises according to his pleasure under the
dictates of his own conscience