Smyrna times., 1881-09-21
Two Thousand Mormon Recruits.

converts bound for Salt Lake CITY saws
that over 1000 recruits for the Utah settle
ments have left that port during the past
Summer. This fact shows in a striking
manner that the Mormon hierarchy is
making II greater effort than ever to
strengthen its power. Every one of these
converts cost money, and the money
comes out of the treasury of the Mormon
Church. Nobody joins the Latter Day
Saints from his or her own uninfluenced
Judgment. The converts are poor crea-
lures, for the most part, gathered up in
the ignorant back-cOuntIy districts of
Europe by shrewd missionaries who are
paid good salaries and travelling expenses,
and who work under the orders of the
President" and the "Twelve Apostles
of the church. 1t is doubtful whether
anything is said to them about the institu-
ton of polygamy, and they are not intelli-
gent enough to have learned much about
the practice of the Saints" save what is
told them by the missionaries. The pros
pect of free farms and an easy life, together
with free passage to America, are the
chief motives which lure them from their
homes. Many Of them are doubtless
" converted by emotional preaching. ex-
horting and singing, but it is not to be
supposed that they get any clear concep-
ton of the fantastic doctrines of the
Mormon sect or any correct idea Of the
manner of living in Utah.
When the Mormon converts reach Salt
Lake City they find themselves in the
situation of the private soldiers of regu-
lar army The Mormon Church is like a
military organization, and the first duty
of its members is to obey its officers. The
new arrivals ignorant and destitute. have
no choice but to go where they are told to
go. They are detailed like the pioneers
OF an army to extend the line of Mormon
ism by occupying fertile valleys not yet
settled, or are sent as reinforcements to
feeble frontier communities.
We are beginning to realize of late that
Mornonism Is not weak and dying insti-
tuition. 1t is the best organized religious
sect in the world with the possible excep,
ton of the Catholic Church, and has a
church polity especially adapted for steady
growth. The governing body has tempor-
al as well rs spiritual authority, and is
constantly on the watch for opportunities
to establish new settlements. The whole
OF Utah and much of the adjoining Terri
tories of Idaho and Aaizona have been ex-
plored with view to finding favorable
localities for Mormon colonies. When it
Is decided to plant u new colony, detail
is made of few old and trusted brethren
who sell their homes at the word of COM
mand, and move to the site chosen In COM
pany with a detachment Of newly arrived
foreign recruits. The new community
thus formed is carefully nurtured by the
central authorities until it is prosperous
and independent. Polygamy is favorable
to rapid increase of population and the
Mormon doctrine that those who have
the most children will enjoy the highest
seats in heaven is a special encouragement
to large families. Thus the Mormons
increase rapidly by natural growth as well
as by heavy impOrtations of foreign con-
verts. They have already Overspread the
limits of the arabic portions of Utah and
their settlements may he found five
hundred miles South of Salt Lake City in
Arizona, and two hundred miles North in
Idaho.
We must give the MOrmons credit for
redeeming from a desert section of
country which would hardly have attract
ed immigrants not moved by religious
fanatlclsm. Perhaps their deluslon may
have indirectly accomplished great
work for the future civilization of the
continent in changing the barren valleys
of its central plateau into green GASES of
fertility, but they are too powerful for
their continued growth to be regarded
with Indifference by the rest of the country.
They are not Americans in any proper
sense, for their only allegiance to the
United States is an enforced and unwilI-
ing one. They are Mormons first and
last; the authority of their President,
is held to be more binding on them than
that of the President of the United States.
and Governors and Judges are regarded
with nothing like the respect they pay to
their " Bishops" and Apostles They
are capable of doing a great deal of mis-
chief if they should ever carry their
hatred of the civil authorities to the ex.
tent of armed resistance, 1t Is q high
time to show them that the United States
law is superior to the DEGREES of the Salt
Lake City hierarchy, A strict enforce.
ment of the statutes again polygamy, to
the extent, at least, of preventing any
more plural marriages, is probably all that
is needed to convert the powerful Mormon
Church into II harmless sect. for it Is their
peculiar institution which makes the
Mormons people apart and menace to
the tranquility of the country. If they
were not lawbreakers they would soon
lose the superstitious sentiment of duty
which makes them the slaves of their
church authorities, and might in time
become as good citizens as the members of
score of other queer sects which cur
liberal laws have allowed te grow and
prosper upon our soil, N, y, Trt6uae.
1t has been demonstrated time and time
again that plain, hunt men are the safest,
trNest and best persons 10 trust, the ones