Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-12-14

OF 1t all NJ in one werSl---wATEE What
seemed TO the eye NJ desert became fruit
ful when irrigated and the mountains
whose crcsts are elcibadin perpetual snow
furnished in the unltilbag supplies Of their
ravines the nec2ssais fertilizer. | need
only allude toithe constant market they
have had for their prodncts-frst, by the
almost continuous procession Of teams,
crossing the continent, which stopped there
.naturaIly for supplies, reftting, otc.; and,
secondly. by the large demand from the
mining regions of Idaho and Montana, Of
which they were the nearest food-produc-
ing neighbor. All this has tended to en-
rich them and the church leaders, whose
fittings depended on the products of the
people, selulously and wisely inculcated
industry. But when we contrast their de-
velopment, in the twenty-five years since
lS47, with the development Of Colorado
Territory in the ten years since 1859, it
does not seem as unexampled as the mag
mates of their church assume.
Ii. THEIR PROSECUTIONS.
This also is one of their favorite themes
Constantly is it reiterated by their apos-
ties and bishops, from week to week, and
from year to year. 1t is discoursed about
in their 1'abneracle and their ward and
town ch6rches. 1t is written about in
their per pdicals and papers. 1t is talked
about With nearly every stranger that
comes into their midst. They have been
driven from place to place, they claim,
solely on account of their religious belief
Their faith has subjected them to the
wickedest prosecutions b. unbe!icvers.-
they have been desroiied, they insist, Of
lheir property, naltreated IN their persons,
hufetcd and cast out, because they would
not rencunco their professions and then
revelations. / abhor, as much any ont
can abhcr; rero ations ot any ienomina.
ton, or Of any pe0pi4, en- account o.
their religious creed Bat history tells
us that what they denounce was canseJ
! by far different reasons. lido not attempt
10 decide that the charges against then
we're all well founded, for | was not IL
such close vicinity as to be eognIzant ot
them from my own knowledge. My Oh.
ject, by this historical RETROSPECT, is tC
show that they were not driven from any
region on account Of hostility to their re-
ligion, as they SO persistcutIy assert.
| Their church was first established at
Manchester, New York, in 1880; and
their first removal was in 1881, to Kirt-
land, Ohio which they declared was re.
yealed to them as the site Of their New
Jerusalem. Thence their leaders went
West to search anew location, which they
found in jackson County, Missouri, dedi.
Gated site for another New Jerusalem
there, and returned TO Kirkland to remain
fer FIVE years, ayowedly to make money
A bank was established there by them
large quantities of bills Of doubtful value
issued and, growing out of charges Of
fraudulent dealing, Smith and Rgdop
were tatred and feathcred in 1882. This
was the FIRST persecution; and. unjustiiia-
bic as such outrages are, this one was
based on alleged fraud, and not on relig.
ious belief. In January, 1888, the banl;
failed, and, to avoid arrest for fraud, the
leaders fed in the night to Missouri
Their followers joined them there, and
we're soon accused by the people Of "plun.
dering and burning habtations, and with
secret assassinaticns." Nor do these
charges against them rest on the testimony
of those who had not been Of their OWL
faith. In October, 1888, L. B. March,
ex-presidcnt Of the twelve apostles Of theiI
church, and Orson Hyde, one Of the apos.
ties, made afidavits, before an officer il
Ray County, No., in which March swore,
and Hyd5 corroborated it;
"Thyy have among them a company
consisting Of all that are considered true
Mormons, called the Danites, who have
taken an oath to support the heads Of the
church in all things. whether right OF
wrong. have heard the prophet say
that he would yet tread down his cueniei
aud walk over their dead bodies; that, i
he was uot letalone, he would be d sec
ond Mohammedto to this generation anc
that he would make itonc gore Of bloot
from lhe Rocky Mountains 10 the ATTAIN
tic Ocean." Hl
The sermon Of Sidney Rigdon, tlie Al
Of July previous, in which be bad 'hreat
cued g that, If they were disturbed, the
would make it war Of DETERMINATION
with their enemies, till the last drop 0
blood was spilled, carrying the seat o
war 10 their own houses and their owi
families" seemed 70 confirm the swor
Testimony above quoted Of those who ba
boon at that very tinie in the highest pla