Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-12-08
Impending Crisis Of Mermonism.

The Morrlons at Salt Lake City
have lately held a Conference, and
the brief reports which we have OF the
proceedings show that the leaders OF
the Mormon delusion have no little
anxiety in regard to their future
They instinctively shrink from having
their community brought into contact
with the Christian civilization of the
States, and they see that the compile
ton OF the Pacific Railroad will most
efectuaily take away from them that
seclusion and isolation which have
hitherto been their chief strength
The object of this Conference seems
to have been to consider in what way
the evil effects of the influx OF the
worlds people, which will inevitably
follow the completion of the railroad,
can best be evaded and avoided. The
result of their deliberation was a
unanimous decision that commercial
intercourse with the Gentiles must be
restricted to the bareSt provision tor
Mormon necessities and nothing more.
Elder Pratt announced that he would
rather clothe himself in the skins OF
wild beasts of the forest, hunted and
killed by his own hand, than transfer
a single dime of his money to the
pockets OF a Gentle trader. This
was rather holder ground than the
rest were prepared W take, but the
spirit of his sentiment was readily re-
sponded to. and it was voted that
those Mormons who shall purchase
generally OF the Gentiles shall DE eX-
PEELED from the church. This method
of punishment was urged as essential
to self-preservatiOn, and the Mormon
elders and leaders seem to have
thought that they have now etfectual-
" disposed of the dangers incident to
the completion of the Pacific railroad,
and the removal of the physical bar
riers that have hitherto kept any bu,
the most adventurous and enterpris,
ing of the Gentiles from taking up
their abode at Salt Lake City.
The restriction OF trade between
Mormons and Gentiles to 1.-THE sup
ply Of the necessities" of the former
is quite an indefinite phrase, and il
is doubtful whether all of the saints
will give it so strict a construction
as Elder Pratt would make for him
self. With an opportunity to eX
change all their surplus production
4 for articles of necessity, comfort ant
= luxury. we fancy that the Mormon el
ders will find themselves working
against both wind and tide ii they TT,
to persuade or compel general ah
i stinence from all trade and commerce
e 1t is one thing for a Mormon elder t,
i ostentatiously announce his willing
! ness to wear skins for garments, an
quite another to persuade or tore
= the whole Mormon people to retuS
to sell whatever they have to sell, o
e buy whatever they want and have tn
means for. The penalty which tn
elders have affixed to this un-Saintl
conduct of buying and selling as til
wicked Gentile5 do shows that tn
leaders themselves have a strong az
; probation of the danger which threa
It ems them. If it be true, however, q
l. nearly all writers who have write
o in regard to the inside workings Q
Mormonlsm have alleged, that man
of the Mormons, especially among ii
q women, are kept in their places |
IL other wills than their own, the pena
Is ty of church expulsion will not prov
Is a very serious punishment, and Wi
-, rather encourage the forbidden traC
and commerce than operate again
them.
III The crisis of MOrmonism is evideI
p ly at hand, and the effect upon 1t
a the aggressivenesS of our civilizatio
ba as represented by the locomotive al
the enterpriSing and vigorous settle
=. who will 60 wherever the railro
IL across the continent will hear the
CHI cannot fail to have a decisive inf
C. ence in crushing out the strength a
Ie vitality of this great barbari8m of 0
country. If MormoniSm survives
effects of the completion Of the Paci
nu railroad with undated power, it "
H., be able to withstand and resist
10. the moral forces that can be broug
mt to bear against it, and the result
MO this impending conflict between civ
" ization and barbarism will be Gag
lo- ly awaited throughout the ent
lit world. Journal
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