Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-06-09
How Jones Joined The MormOns.

A laughable story is floating respecting
the proselytism OF an old Welshman to the
views of Brigham Young. In little ham,
let distant some three or four miles from
Town, where one, would fairly imagine
that the name of the Prophet could never
have reached, and Utah would have been
terra incognitd, there live two men both fast
approaching tie "sere and yellow leaf,
employed in breaking stones and doing
various odd jobs about the road. For vari-
Gus reasons, against one of these men
strong suspicious had been entertained
that he was a member of that sect known
as the Latter-lay-Salnts, and these suspi-
cions have recently received remarkable
verifcation. 1t appears that for some time
he has been varying the monotony of his
daily labor by the relation to his fellow
workman, whom we will call Jones Of
those special advantages which the follow
ers of the Prophet are held to possess and
beguiled the old fellow with the prospect
of the New Jerusalem in such golden col
ours that without great difficulty, he sue.
ceeded in winning over Jones, hitherto q
member of the Methodist denomination to
the opinions professed by himself. For
tunately, perhaps, for Jones, the partner Of
his Joys and woes ia q strong-minded fe-
male, who, fore-seeing what might result
from the division of affection or the plural
ity of wives Jones might enjoy in the fel-
lowship of the mormons, persistently turn
ed deaf ear TO the voice OF the chaTmer,
so that the arrangements subsequent to the
conversion had to be carried ont without
her interference. One Sunday was fixed
or the immersion, and il was arrange d, in
order that the ceremony might be carried
out with as great privacy as possible, that
the neophyte should be knocked up at four
a., M, and then proceed to the River Ac-
cordingly at that unearthly hour of the
morning timid knock was heard at the
front door, which, failing to have the desir-
ed effect was repeated again andagain, un-
til Mrs, Jones was aroused, and requested
to see who their early visitor was. Jones
admitted his visitor and calling to his wife
to have some dry linen prepared, he left
the house in company with the follower of
the Prophet and wended his way to the
river. She quietly followed the pair, and
reached the river just in time to witness
the immersion. She hastened home,
barred the door, and going upstairs waited
the return of her husband. Gently did the
newly -baptised saint raise the latch, but
the door was securely fastened; and he
soon became aware of the unpleasant fact
that he was locked out. He tried the win
dow, but that too was secured, SO that
nothing was left for him but to rouse his
wife.
He knocked again and again; and remem-
bering that he was clad in the most airy of
morning costumes, having nothing in par
ticular but q pair of Wellington boots, he
raised his voice pitifully for readmittance,
but the reply "We don't want any Latter
day Saints here his wife did not tend
to reassure him in any way. The fact be-
came noised about the village, and the poor
old fellow was surrounded by an unsympa-
thetic crowd, who chaffed him TO their
hearts content. 1t is satisfactory to know
that the Mormon community have recog-
Missed the services which he has rendered,
and have forwarded him his passage mon
ey to the New Jerusalem. Mrs Jones has
not yet recovered the shock which this do
nestle drama has given her, and was con-
lined to her bed for some days after this un-
fortunate occurrence.