Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-05
THE BOAPD OF TRADE LECTURES.
Interesting Points About the Plains...The
Indians and the MormOns

Mormons and the Mountains.u The
lecture was an exceedingly interesting
narrative of a journey across the plains OF
the far West in 1866, where the speaker
went in search of health. His descriptions
of the scenery on the way, the life of the
emigrants, the conflicts with the Indians,
the life, religion, home and customs of the
Mormons were most entertainingly and
graphically presented. The lecture was
in every respect a complete success and
the effort has added to the already high
literary reputation of Mr.. McGuffey.
We give below such extracts as our space
will permit. OF the trip across the plains
Mr.. McGufley says:
Rude and toilsome is the weary march
of the Westward bound traveller, full of
peril and hardship, hut free and vigorous
and well calculated to keep eye, limb and
arm ever on the alert and develops to the
full that quickness of resource and indOm-
liable endurance under toll and labor,
which is such a characteristic of the
American people. The mode of travel
presents but little variety. Every morn
ing, in the pale light of early dawn, the
unwelcome shout of the wagon master
summons us half asleep from our blanket
cOuches on the ground or under wagon
covers, and amid the struggling, wrang-
ling and cursing which accompanies the
yoking of the OXeu, we see the sun rise in
beauty beyond the horizon over the homes
we have left so far behind. AS his beams
grow fiercer the train moves slowly on,
the wagon master riding in front to see
that the way is clear and to look out for
water and grass for the next encampment,
the wagons trailing out in single file
behind.
HOW INDIANS FIGHT.
The style of warfare of the Indian is at
once peculiar cowardly and effective. The
most vigilant eye can rarely detect his
stealthy form except in the moment of at
tack, swooping suddenly out from behind
some neighboring bluff, the painted war
riors mounted OH their swift Indian ponies
rush down on the startled train, riding in
curves and circles, so as to battle the aim
of the emigrant, and uttering most savage
yells in the endeavor to stampede the stock.
The drivers, taken unawares and encum-
bered with the care of their teams, are able
for few moments to offer no effectual or
resistance, while in the
mean time showers of H.
dian arrows and bullets come ming,ing
with their savage cries. Is a gun or pis-
tol pointed at one of them the willy savage
drops behind his horses side, and cling
ing by leg and arm continues to discharge
deadly missels from under his horses
neck. In few moments either the ami
mails of the caravan are stampeded and
running frantically in every direction over
the prairie, or the the attempti is over, the
travellers are forming corral, or fiOcking
together at the point of danger, aud the
-, Of hiatt 6oc
out OH the prarie beyond rifle
reach, and secure of pursuit, unless unus-
ual desperation or overwhelming odds
should tempt him, as is sometimes the
case, to dare the chances of a prolonged en-
gagement.
ABOUT THE MORMONS.
The Mormon system of religion which is
far more Intricate and plausible than is
generally supposed, is based on the belief
that the true church Of Jesus Christ was
marked by the gifts of the gospel, speak
ing in tongues, prophesying, healing, cast
ing out devils, working miracles, and that
this church disappeared from the earth, to
be restored again by Joseph Smith. The
words of Christ, "these signs shall follow
them that believe" they consider as ap-
plying, not alone 10 the time of the Savior,
but to all coming generations.
Their church organization is modelled
after that of the Scriptures, with which it
Processes to be in most res poets identical.
They have their twelve apostles, their
bishops, priests and elders, even rank
known as seventies to correspond with
the 'other seventy whom Christ sent
forth into the world. Joe Smith they con-
slider as divinely inspired prophet as
Isaiah, as directly in Communication with
God as Moses on the Mount, and as holy
and sainted Martyr as Stephen.
Laying on hands and amounting with
oil for the healing of the sick are still prac-
ticed and many speak with evident inten
tional truthfulness Of wondrous cures of
which they have been the subject or the
witness, while the numerous failures are
generally attributed to lack of faith.
1t is difficult to realize that one is on the
American Continent and in the nineteenth
century, to see a quartette of grave elders
holding up between them bottle of olive
oil, while (the cork being first carefully
drawn) one of their number repeats a
prayer, the object of which is to cleanse the
fluid from all contamination it may have
experienced by passing through the hands
of those "who know not God," to wit: all
but the Mormons, and render it efficacious
for healing the Saints Of the Lord, or hear
men gravely telling of heaven-sent visions
of themselves or their brethren in the
church. -. ..-.s
Asceticism is above all things discour-
aged among them. Brigham was himself
the owner of the theater, a son-in-law the
manager and some of his daughters among
the actresses. Dancing is not only allowed
but recommended by the authorities of the
church.
HOW TIE MORMONS DANCE.
A ball witnessed in our little village
served to illustrate many of the striking
anomalies of Mormon character. The
scene of the dancing was the village
church, and the exercises were opened
with prayer. A brace of 1iddlers perched
on an elevated platform commenced their
music and the sport began. All ages and
conditions mingled in the circle; here
might be seen mother dancing with her
son, there venerable and much-wived
dignitary of the church leading out a
young girl soon to be added to his harem.
At intervals the younger brethren retired
from the building and drawing from their
hiding places in the snow their liquor
TASKS, refreshed themselves and returned