The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-09-20

iot ,.-... D"p,.-. .,.oavuer, ana IN
1882 Joined the Mormons at Kirts
land, Ohio. Joseph Smith, the Ma
hoinet of the Mormon creed, was nj,
so native of Vermont mud Young's
junior by four years. BY the aid Of
Sidney Rigdon he produced the
Book Of Mormon which no pre-
tended TO have found by angel gui-
dance on plates aud with this he
organized church at Manchester,
n. Y. in 1889. aud the next year he
removed to Kirkland, where he built
q church, started wild cat bank
and was tarrod and feathered for
fraud, in company with some OF his
disciples. Brigham was q suitable
co-laborer with Smith was speedi-
ly made an elder and an apostle, md
was engaged in proselyting until
tho whole party was driven from
Kirt land in 1888 They escaped to
Far West Missouri. but were speed
lily driven away for immoralities
and settled at Nauvoo. Ill. There
Smith concentrated all powers, di-
vine and human, in himself before
ho was shot in June, 1S4i. Young
aspired to tho succession and hav.
in shown more ability than any 9TH
er man, was unanimcusly elected
President. He'excommuuicated his
great rival, and when the city was
attacked in 1876 led his followers to
their promised land in Utah. Tho
migration was most prudent, and.
inddpd, absolutely necessary and
it was conducted by Young with
great skill and energy against very
great difficulties and dangers.
In the summer Of 1917 tho new
Prophet founded Salt Lake City,
and two years later organized the
territory of Desert, Of which he was
the absolute ruler. He laborered
zealously to attract immigrants. aud
felt h imself strong enough in num-
Der and distance to defy the authors
ity of tho Union when u nonsMor-
mon was appointed as his successor
in 1854 For three years he was
not seriously interfeared with, and
his apostles sent in many recruits
from various portions of Europe.
His boldness grew with this grow
ing power, and it was not until 1857,
when a military force of two thous-
and five hundred men was sent ont
with Governor Cumming, that his
preten.ions were curbed. lmmedi-
atoly after his arrival ut Salt Lake
Young promulgated tho doctrine OF
polygany rs reserved revelation Of
Smith. The ASSERTION was denied
by Youngs family, and led to q
schism i'll the church. Some OF tho
carly followers of Smith seceded
with his sons, but Young incorpo-
rated tho doctrine as achurch tenet
and maintained it to the last.
In the administration of his great
powers the lato leader showed sig-
nal sagacity and power. He concili,
ated the neighboring Indians. He
organized and directed tho Danites
band Of armed men responsible
only to him, by whom emigrsnts
were plundered and killed and tho
disafected were controlled. Ho
made industry tho cardinal basis OF
mirit, and by a shrewd system Of
tithes accumulated great share Of
all the products OF labor in his own
hand. His apostles were sent into
all parts of Europe, to the Sandwich
Islands and to Mexico. He 10 70.
ported to have large investments in
Europe, and did certainly control
no inconsiderable political power in !
congress for some years.
Young seems to have had no dih-
Guilty in his domestic relations, al. |
though he had eighteen wives and
seventy children, until o suit in Iii.
vorce was commenced against him
by Aun Eliza, who was only pars
TALLY successful before the courts.
He was possessed of O fearful greed
for money he truly loved it, nd
miser over gloated over his gold
with greater ecstacy, although h(
informed tho faithful that he liked
money only for the good he could
do with it, and all that he had thd
Lord had given him. II is believed
that he was worth many millions
dollars, but he never could have ad
cumulated anything like one millioI
had he not had the titbing Office q
his back and been perfectly unscru
pulous in trade.
The life Of Brigham Young is
singular commentary ON the cruelt
of the age. His death is the earn
est of the dissolution or departur|
of the body no controlled. 1t wa
organized, held together and direc
cd by his personal sagacity an
power. It is improbable that a suc
cessor can be found who viii unit
the same characteristics in the sam
degree and greater skill and grea
or power are required to continu
what he founded. So far as he
personally concerned there 10 n
reason to suppose that he viewe
| the Mormon doctrine as anythin1 /