Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1877-09-06
THE DEAD LEADER.


the poor fishers and boatmen who toiled by
the shores of the sea of Galillee-humble men
of no pretentions to knowledge or standing,
persons in the lowest social ranks. Mahomet
was goat-herd and was used to the ways and
precarious shifts of common laborer. Joe
Smiths father was a doer of odd jobs-some-
times well-digger and never a reliable tax
payer Joe himself never WAS producer,
never was trained in the ways of scholarship,
never even evinced any leaning toward religi-
Gus thoughts and things. He was of the for
tune-telling, gold chest finding sort-very like
a vagabond, so his commentators say, and
very plebian like and lowly as all admit.
Brigham Young was the son of poor YER
mont farmer, and was, Country fashion, self
taught in the carpenters and painter and
glaciers trades, illiterate and impoverished
Unlike Joe Smith, Brigham "got religion" in
the Methodist way, when he was about 20
years old. But when he had been baptised
into Mormonism he gave his tremendous en-
ergies and great courage full play and he
showed himself worthy right-hand man to
men and women, here and in Europe, to the
faith of the Latter Day Saints Before us is the
Deseret News. Its editors and publishers are
George O. Cannon and Brigham Young Jun.
1t is four-pa eight column paper, and all
its head lines and column rules are turned
up" as the printers say, making great black
lines and putting the paper in mourning,
Here, then, Brigham Young is dealt with, in
all sincerity, like saint, Says this organ Of
the bereaved followers of Joe Smith and Brig
ham Young, speaking of the death of the lat
ter ''He has, under God, rescued thousands
from poverty and raised them to indepen-
dence. opened the deserts of these mountains
to colonization, preached the gospel of saliva
ton to many nations, declared the counsel of
heaven to the Inhabitants of the earth, pre-
pared the way in the Temples of God for the
redemption of hosts of the dead, organized
and consolidated the order of the everlasting
Priesthood, and, having finished his work on
earth, gone into the spirit world to join with
Joseph, Hyrum, Willard, Jedediah, Heber,
George A. and other great and glorious ser
wants of the Lord, to continue the great work
they all labored for ON earth" Is this not.
the language OF undoubting sincerity, of fixed
and solid faith, of full devotion and belief
Commenting upon the Mormon manner of
dealing with this subject, the Sacramento
Record Union with admirable candor says |
" It is impossible to read the eulogies on Brig |
ham Young, delivered in the Tabernacle at
Salt Lake City ON the occasion of his funeral,
without perceiving that here were earnest ex-
pressions of very real belief in the goodness
and wisdom and divine authority of the dead
man, and that sentiment of religious loyalty
and conviction was appealed to which deser
yes much higher consideration than is com
monty bestowed upon it. Those indeed who
wonder at the credulity of the Mornlons, and
sneer at the crudity of their creed and gross
ness of their superstitions, no doubt for the
most part believe matters every whit as mar
yelous and as opposed to reason, yet for their
belief in which, they take credit to themselves.
Just now we are afforded an opportunity to
realize that the Mormon religion is as real and
true for the Mormon people as the Christian
religion is for the Christian people. We may
also perceive how circumstances are apt to
liter cases. No dead founder of faith could
20 spoken of with greater reverence and adj
niration than Brigham Young eulogists have
spoken of him. As the case stands, the Nor
non being a feeble folk, all this manifestation
If faith will probably be ridiculed by the out =,
'ide world but should Mormonism ever ex-
end itself and become real power it is easy =
o see that its advocates could make as lofty y
claims for it-so far as mere words go-as the
professors of any other creed. These men
yen now talk as gravely and reverently about
hat amazing imposture, Joseph Smith Bible, "
$ though there could be no doubt as to its =.
supernatural origin. And all this firmness of
aith in peculiarly coarse, clumsy and i'm d
ossible trick of very vulgar and ignorant
has grown up in single gener- - -
ton, and almost under our very eyes In
his case We have been able to trace the l
rowth of false religion from the very be- d.
innings, and there is no break in the chain
evidence. Seeing what human credulity HI
as been proved capable of in the nineteenth &C
sntury, and despite all the aids of civiliza-
on and science, ought We not to be very
!utious in accepting statements concerning ~