Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-02-28
Mormondom.

Mormondom.
Expansion is one Of the leading tenets
Of the Mormon church. Leather the
saints into these valleys of the mount
aims" is commanded every Sunday
from the pulpit of the tabernacle in this
city. To increase the numbers of this
church in America is to give its priest
hood additional power; for from the
numbers of the body of the church is
collected one-tenth of their hard earn
ings to support these priestly para
sites. Since the earlier days of the or
ganization of the church, and especial
ly since Brigham Young became its
President and leader in Utah, it has
had large fund known as the "per-
petual emigration fund.- out of which
has been paid, when other sources
failed, the expenses of missionaries in
foreign countries, and of chartering
ships and railroad trains and the like,
for the purpose of transporting hither
both new and old disciples of this
peculiar sect While it cannot be
doubted that the motive which actuates
the most of these emigrants who come
hither under the auspices of this church
is to better their condition by the acqui-
sition of lands and home, yet the DOM
inant incentive to the managers of the
church is to increase its members and
bring them Immediately under their
control here for the purpose of increas-
ing their revenues.
These leaders cannot be unaware of
the fact that in large numbers of good
and true resident members lies the
chief power of the Mormon Church on
this continent. When there were about
FIVE handred of its members in Utah,
the rate of tithing was one-tenth of what
one of the laity earned or produced an
nually. Now there are more than one
hundred thousand persons within its
membership, a great percentage of
whom are subject to the tithing tax,
and yet the rate is now, as formerly,
one-tenth. There are many per-
sons in and about this city who
pay an annual tithing tax to the
church of more than $4,000; in other
portions of the territory there are many
others who pay annually more than
81 900 tithing. There are few Nor
mons in Utah who do not, either di-
rectly or indirectly, pay something. A
majority of the members of this church
in Utah pay more than ten dollars each
on an average annually; the remainder
pay more than five dollars each on an
average, either directly or indirectly.
From the first class of tithe-payers the
church derives annually at least $780,
900. Total $1,000,000. The annual
increase of the church for the last ten
years cannot be put down at less than
1000 persons; total, 40,000-3, 600 an
nually by emigrants coming in large
companies, 1000 arriving in small par
ties. And if nothing prevents the Ordi-
nary course of emigration hither this
number will increase annually during
the next ten years, until it reaches 10,-
900 annually. So, with the natural
increase of population within the terri
tory, by births, the church fold in Utah
and the territories adjacent will en-
brace more than 800, 900 persons before
the year 1890. This number of people
will form the basis of one or two States
and several territories besides Utah. 1t
is the common experience of every nom
Mormon that the members of this
church, both men and women, vote as
a unit; that the church nominations of
candidates for office are manipulated
by the leaders, and to vote against
their candidates thus nominated is an
offense against the church, punished
with ostracism, which is to be damned
or tabooed by the whole Mormon COM
munity. The Mormon voting party,
led by the priesthood, is compact and
well organized, and against its candi-
dates no member dare to vote; or if he
does he knows beforehand what the
penalty is. 1t is social annihilation,
and in too many instances financial
ruin. The consequence is that COM
paratively few Mormons vote against
the church candidates, and the vote re-
mains solid phalanx. Within ten
years, under this influence and discip-
line, the church will have party we'll
organized and disciplined, composed of
$50, 900 voters at least. Here, then, is
an army of voters which very many
politicians may aspire to command and
be glad to be the recipient of its polit-
ical favor, and woe to the candidates
who oppose such an army at the polls.
While, therefore, the Golfers of the
church are increased with the increase
of its members, it's political power is
increased in the same proportion
Salt Lake Tribune.