Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-12-09

the congregation lifted up their voices
and cried: "Hallelujahl Hallelujah y
and the little child, which had been but
eight months In this storm-tossed world,
cried with an exceeding loud voice.
"HalIelujah p And the people heard
and were dumb with amazement.
Do you wonder, kind reader?
Notwithstanding these wonderful
manifestations of power, the mass of the
people refused to come into the Mormon
fold, and the little pot of Indignation
was kept steadily boiling until finally
it splashed over and ran hither and
thither, driving all before it. Lake all
similar attempts to crush out fanatics,
it only strengthened their hands, and
when they fed to Missouri. their num-
ber was larger than even they themsel-
YES anticipated.
But they found no peace there, al
though it was comparatively new State
and its people our rough pioneers. Gath
ering their little all together, they
again fed. prosecuted by men and wo-
men who were surely no better examples
of religion which holds charity to be
the greatest of the virtues, than were
those who dared to look upon Joseph
Smith as prophet.
Remember that the revelations con-
corning polygamy were not received"
until July, l643, and were not favorably
received until some time after so it can
be said of the Mormons, they broke no
civil or moral laws; they simply de-
clared themselves to be believers in and
followers of the new religion promulgat-
ed by Joseph Smith, and to receive at
his hands instructions as to their daily
walk and conversation. There was
enough of superstition about it to satisfy
those who are always cropping after the
mysterious enough that bore the SEM
blance of the truth to catch those who
were unwary: enough individuality in
the leader to give him power over men
and women with less self-will; yet left
to themselves, they soon would have
wearied of his arbitrary rule, and in
disgust, would have returned to the re-
igion of their fathers.
But the storm which commenced like
gentle rainfall, increased in strength
until it descended like a torrent. Men
were imprisoned, tried, acquitted for
want of evidence, only to be again ar
rested and forced to re-vindicate them
selves. At last furious mob murdered
InsAnh Smith and his hrnther. Hiram.
and their ol0od sealed firmly together
~, at otter Day oaaD~-
their leader martyred saint. o"Ad
Then uprose Brigham Young-coarse,
illiterate, but possessed of a wonderful
will, and an unyielding tenacity of pur-
pose, far.seeing, analytical mind.
Through terrible hardships he led this
people out to their new home in the then
far West. Many died upon the road,
and those. who survived the journey,
look over its stretch of miles and shud-
der at thought of what they suffered.
On reaching Salt Lake Valley they
found only barren waste; but the
mountains shut them in from all the
world, and they saw in their new home
refuge from their prosecutors. No
time was lost in mourning over forsaken
homes or hardships before them; they
set brayely to work to build themselves
shelters and to cultivate the soil. A
site was chosen for the town, and two
miles square were staked off into streets
about eight rods in width.
Eagerly they began their tasks, but
there was not much for them to learn
before they could make the desert BIOS
som like rose. I can fancy with what
impatience they watched for rain when
the summer months came-an impa-
thence out of which grew anxiety and
despair. for Utah, like California, has
only two distinct seasons wet and a
dry one.
But these men were not easily dis
heartened. Finding that through all
the long summer months not one drop
of water fell to refresh the baked earth,
they made new channels for the river
which they had named Jordan. and soon
a small stream of water was flowing on
each side of many of the broad streets,
furnishing supply for irrigation and
adding charming and novel feature to
the town. Later, when the village had
taken on the dignity of city, the noun
tain streams we're tapped to increase the
supply.
Were to trace the course of these
pioneers from the day their little band
first halted in this valley down to the
present time, it would seem like strang-
est fiction. The hardships endured by
them; the desperate energy with which
they fought to overcome all obstacles
the tenacity with which they clung te
their new faith, even when starvation
and death walked closely beside them
above all, the power of the man, Brig
ham Young, to lead them in whatever