Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-07
Brigham ioung and Ills Son.

The death of Brigham Young marks a
vital crisis in the history of "the Church OF
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of which
he has been for more than thirty years the
head. lie was no common man. He was
no vulgar charlatan. If he was an impOs-
tor, he was the most successful impostor
that has thriyed by false pretcnces in en-
lightened lands since the advent of print
ing. Brigham Young was an industrious
and economical painter and glazier when
Joseph Smith, in 1870, used to become en-
tranced and "see VISIONS the same as the
Splritualists have since done. lie had be-
come Baptist exhorter when Smith was
visited by the angel Moroni, in 1893, and
informed that the Lord wanted him TO
translate the new Bible. written in Egyptian
on gold plates and hidden in a hill in
Manchester, n. Y. 1t was four years after
that when the angel dug up the tablets
and placed them in Smiths hand, and that
entranced prophet sat behind a blanket
and, with pair of stone spectacles on his
eyes C'the Trim and Thummim read the
miraculous revelation to Oliver COwdrey,
who committed it to paper.
Two years after this Young became
Mormon. He brought sense, thrift, force,
business habits, to the chaotic community
lie could take care of money, but he also
had "the gift of tongues he spoke in Ian
guages that nobody knew. He became one
of the Twelve Apostles" lie went to
Europe, shook up the dry bones and brought
back converts by the thousand. lie had an
eye to the main chance, too. Ills tastes
were like Joseph's, his themes were like
Joseph's, his manners were like Joseph's,
and he happened to have Joseph's nasal
drawl. So when Joseph was killed by
turbulent mob of Illinois loafers in Garth
age Jail, Brother Brigham came to the front
and was installed chief, and his principal
rival, Sid RigdOn, was communicated
When the new Prophet started westward
with his people in 1916 he did not know
where he should land them, but trusted to
the Lord, of whom he daily took definite
counsel. At last, after suffering indiscriba-
bic hardShips, he halted his army "bv COM
mand" in the deserts of the Salt Lake basin
"a parched and barren land. ten times
more desolate than Egypt In the season
of "a dry Nile" There was sage
brush, brackish water and a prickly shrub
nothing else anywhere. Buffalo had de-
serted the region and even the bark of the
eayotes was seldom heard. Here, on
leahcSs desert, he built his Church and
founded his State. 1t was a pure theocracy,
As the Governor was chief priest ard the
Prophet was king. lie enacted laws and
enforced them. In twenty years he had
erected an autocracy within the Republic
thrifty, sober, wcll-bchaved, orderly and
Industrious community, which was the
wonder of the world. lie had already en-
grated upon the Book of Mormon an ap-
pcndx authorizing polygamy, bearing the
signature of Joseph Smith, but believed to
he forgery. Aside from this Illegal and im-
moral sanction, the State seemed 10 visitors
a model of its kind. Its capital was the
clcanest city in the nitcd States and the
quictest BrothelS were unknown Drunk
enncss was very rare. Adultery was pun
ishablc with death, The desert became
garden. The sand harrens bloSsomcd with
luxuriancc Artificial rivers watercd the
thirsty land. Industry more than compcn-
sated for the natural disadvantages, and
Salt Lake City became Talmor in the
WILDERNESS bright, blooming and quiet,
hut eherishing one plaguc-spot, like old
Damascus Gentle visitors reported that
the fractional wives were unhappy, weary,
old before their time, but in every material
sense the thcocracy WAS Il success TO he won
dcrcd at and initiated.
after long reign. Brigham Young dies |
surrounded by more than a hundred wives |
and descendants. Ills son John succeeds |
him. We have word OF adyicc Tor the |
Prophet John. Let him immediately have |
a revelation. Let him find the rim and |
rhummin, OF get 4 new set Let him cLl- |
tivatc the Angel MOroni, and coax him into |
making an addendum. Let him hang up |
another blanket and read To his pinus scribe /
the Word of the Lord commanding his pco- |
pie to abolish pOyGamy. This is the way
out OF the woods. ~ shall his otherwise
harmless religion thrive and his cntcrprising
and beautiful State of Deserct shall prosper.
- Graphic.
Two Western men were discussing the
strike, one cundcmning and the other de
tending it. The latter appealed To the
Bible and quoted the wcll-knOw text
Strike till the last armed foe expires.
The opponent at once gave in, remarkIng
that be had not thought OF that
As FOR the office holders, why, there are
several postmlstEesses IN Vermont who have
heretofore managed TO live and do, not only
their caucusing hut voting even by PROXY