The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-04-05

WHEELING, April 8, 1866.
Editors LnteLLigencer:
In looking over your issue of the 18th
ulGimo, I see an article headed with the
inquiry, .Have we a Bourbon among
us3i' which inquiry you afterward
show to mean, ''Have we a society of
Mormons among usP" You say you
have reliable authority for believing
that there exists in the city a society OF
Mormons. You confess your Ignorance
as to the exact nature of their doctrines
whether they hold to the practices
(polygamy) of Brigham Young and his
followers or not. You seem to be ap-
prehensive that such may be the case.
Allow me to remove all your doubts.
There has been society of Mormons
in South Wheeling for the last ten years.
And am happy to inform you tnat ma
they comprise some of your best citl-
zens. have yet to know of single
member who has ever been arraigned
before any court of justice in all that
time for a violation of law. AS to their
doctrines and practices being iden-
tical with those of Brigham Young,
allow me to say that the society
have n perfect adherence of all the
mere doctrines of men, and especially
of those ascriDed to Brigham Young.
They are not poIygamists eitherin faith
or practice. They simply contend for
the faith once delivered to the saints,
and for an understanding of thatfaith
I beg TO refer you and all others con-
cerned in the salvation of souls TO the
careful and prayerful reading of the
Bible, feeling confident when they
arrive at loving and practical
knowledge of the truths therein
taught, they will not consider the
society alluded to MS an organiza-
tion concerning which any apprehen-
foft
have time and again announced to the
public that they have no connection
Whatever with Salt Lake, much less
with the iniquities there practiced. AS
a Church of Jesus Christ we are not
afraid to meet and take issue with all
the isms of this momentous age, our
faith being founded upon the rock of
revelation, Jesus Christ himself being
the founder and builder of our hopes.
We expect to meet and brave the storms
of all opposition, come they from
whence they may. If our Church falls
it is not the fault of any work of our
hands, but an edifice not built with
hands. We believe, however, that
neither earth nor hell can prevail
promises to which we hold.
You say that you have beeninformed
that cures by the laying on of hands
have been attempted. This is true, save
that the cures were actually performed, =,
not attempted. The Scriptures teach
us that such things may follow those
who believe. refer you 10 the word
us taught by the apostle James, in the
5th chap. and 18th verse. We claim to
be complying with the injunctions of
High Heaven. There is no cause for
apprehension about such people, but
rather about those who are setting up
doctrines not taught in the Scriptures,
and claiming that these substitutes
will do just as we'll as the originals.
Our society is just as much opposed as
YOU can be to having ga little Utah set
up in our midst" So that no danger
is to be apprehended from them in this
respect. Our members are good, law
abiding citizens. Would to God we
had thousands of such. Then we
would have no need for policemen to
guard lives and property.
RESPECTFULLY yours,
A MEAIBERoF THE SOCIETY.