Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-11-24
HIGH TINES AT SALT LAKE,
Elders Stenhouse; Kelsey and Harrf-
SON Excommu municated from the Nor
mon Church-Cause, Utterances Re-
pugnant to the Teachings of the Nor
mon Code! = -


pugnant to the Teachings of the Nor
mon Code! -.t f--.r- .
- From the Omaha Republican
A reliable gentleman, officially connect
ed with one of the prominent railway lines
of the country, arrived in this city yester-
day afternoon direct from Salt Lake He
US that there is trouble in the
Mormon brotherhood, and that four of the
most able and influential Elders have been
by order of Brigham, for
giving expression to and indorsing utter
ances, adjudged by the great law-giver OF
the Mormons, to be METEOROLOGICAL and
schismatic. ze.ss7Es.5. .....s.. ...r, -.
Elders Godbe and Harrison are the edi-
tors and publishers of q weekly magazine
at Salt Lake. It is q handsomely printed
octave, and edited with marked ability
In the number for October % the objection
able article appeared in the Utah Magazine
(for such is the name of the publication in
question: under the head, 'sWe are moth
ing if not spiritual" The article in ques-
ton is somewhat lengthy, but as it has
been the cause of disrupting the Mormon
church, and creatin a schism which we
believe will never be healed, but grow wider
and deeper until it produces total disrup-
ton, we publish it entire, in advance OF
every other newspaper outside of Salt Lake
City. Tt is as follows:
WE ARE NOTHING IF NOT SPIRITUAL.
When Joseph Smith inaugurated our
church, nearly forty years ago, it burst
upon the world as a revelation CT spiritual
power. The main popularity of our system
was, that we asserted the necessity ofclose
and constant intcrcommunication between
this and the heavenly worlds.
While we freely admitted that light and
Intelligence were continually being i1npart-
ed by God to mankind through inspiration
of an intellectual or mental kind, we strong
ly protested against the suficiency of this
kind of revelation. SA .s...
Our Elders went forth declaring the
opening of dispensation of angelic visit
alton; an age of revelation and prophecy;
a new grand period of heavenly manifest
ations. The sick we're to be healed hence
forth mainly by the laying on of hands
Visions and divinely given dreams were to
be the constant companions of the mem
bers of the church; the curtains of heaven
were to be lifted up, and a church esta,
blished which-to use the language the
doctrines and the covenants-by the multi
plicity of heavenly manifestations poured
upon mankind In the flesh, was to prepare
them for the fullness of Jehovah's presence
in the world of glory, and without the en-
joyment of which they could not be so per-
fected.
As a means to this end spiritual power
was to be built up to be called Zion, whose
people should have constant witness OF
the presence and association of heavenly
visitors.
Spiritual power was our battle cry We
were nothing if not spiritual" /" We were
founding kingdom whose glory was no4
the wealth of its people, the extent of THEN
farms, or the elegance of their homes, but
the fire of the Omnipotent spirit and the
presence and influence OF the great ones Of
the invisible world, while sweet and holy
sentiments, changing hearts and purifying
the lives Of men were to distill through
inspired lips upon the church.
. This was the programme to which we
have given the most vital portions of our
existence and for which we have all borne
the scorn of the world. Some of us travel
ing for years as poor dependents, over the
face of the world, and all of the struggling
through hardships innumerable to these
desolate valleys, to pursue any and every
occupation that might present itself-con-
genial or otherwise-sole that we might
see gigantic spiritual power rear Itself in
suffered, and for this we struggled through
poverty and hardships to this land, and for
nothing else.
'tAbroad among the nations" we had
plentiful confederation that this theory was
no idle dream, but based on facts. Whole
sale spiritual manifestations did there at
tend u.s. Our sick were then healed by the
hundred. During the great cholera year
in England among 80, 600 Latterday Saints,
scarcely one succumbed to the disease. We
we're rich in spiritual manifestations. We
felt angelic presence even if unseen. We
lived in an atmosphere that made us feel
every day very near to God and the heaven.
ly world. All this bore witness that there
would be established upon the earth great
central reservoir from whence spiritual in.
fuences should spread with electric force
and kindle the world afar in due time.
Cut this grand sign out OF the mission Of
this people, and there is nothing left. To
open up the fountains of the heavenly world
to stand hand in hand-the mortal church
with the invisible behind the veil. This
was the destiny for which we started as q
people, and unless we realize it we have
done nothing worth talking about. We did
not congregate together to build up a big
nation whose numbers and might should
overawe the world. We needed distinct
existence as people. of course, and there.
fore required cities and national influence
bnt these were but secondary objects
merely means to an end Our temporal in.
fuence was simply to be kind of bulwark
within which our spiritual powers should
be developed. External surroundings,
without the divine part of our religion fol-
which the whole was brought into the ex-
istence, would, we understood, be nothing
but mockery and sham.
In the providence of God, for a number
of years we have been marching almost en-
tirely in the direction of temporalities, un-
til they are the all absorbing theme. It is
temporalities upon the street. in the gar.
den, in the meeting and in the council
temporalities from the rising of the sun to
the going down of the same, and from one
years end to another. We have but one
kind of subjeet-houses, fences. dry-goods
and money, worlds without end. This is
how it is at present, and there doubtless
is providential lesson in it, but we cannot
remain so forever.
We say this much in calling attention tC
the true object of our existence as people
because there is to day an inspiration rest
ing upon us as community, that we are
very near TO q uay OF spiritual poWer-One
that will not only take us back to our ole
position, but eclipse the past by its bright
ness Thousands of hearts in Utah fee
that light is coming that will repay US fol
all, and Justify all our grand expectations
It stands to common sense that temporal
ties, without far more spiritual power thar
we have at present, will not build up {
heavenly Zion. No temporal order or sys
tenn, by itself, can bring this about. Th
presence of Revelation widely diffuse(
amongst US will alone constitute Zion, ant
that must depend upon the channels of re
velation in our souls being opened up
Everybody in the church may be wealthy
and the church as whole, by its grand co
operation, have but one pocket, and there
by be able to out-purchase the world an,
bring it to our feet, and all this may add t.
our temporal comfort; but no union O
wealth-of disunion either-can create
union OF spiritual power. Spiritual powe
should in fact be first, and our union groy
out of that, and not cur spiritual powe
grow out Of our temporal union. The pun
ity of our natures, the spirit of Christ in it
self abnegation and love in our bosoms
can alone bring angels to our homes. The
will not come there because we all have on