Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-02-25
Among the MOrmOnS.


The Rev. G. NJ. Peirce, of Salt Lake
City, Methodist clergyman, and the
editor of the Rocky Mountain Christian
Advocdte, has been fighting Mormon
ism in that Territory as an editor, min
lister and teacher for the last twelve
years. In late lecture in New York he
said:
1t is very difficult to speak satisfac-
torlly upon Mormonism in n mixed as
sembly like this, for the worst phases of
the institution cannot with propriety
be dwelt upon in detail. | will, there
fore, give you few anecdotes of my life
there, illustrating the character and life
of the people. When l went there
twelve years ago as Methodist minister,
they all said to me, from Brigham Young
down, 1--WE want You to understand
that we consider you aud your like our
bItterest enemies; ministers and teach
ers are onr worst foes" | met many
postale Mormon woman, and they all,
without exception, said that as soon as
they left the Church the leaders and
people, through the press and by every
other means, tried to blacken their
characters One young woman told
me that before her change of faith she
was pet of Brigham Young's, but tina
afterward he did every thing in his powe
to blight her reputation. Such is tn
spirit of terrorism and persecution that
is constantly held over the women.
Knowing all this. ! was not the least
surprised to see in the newspapers that
tie Mormons had threatened - expose
the private history of every Congress
man who opposed their scheme
/ knew one bishop who married three
Of his nieces, sisters, and all on the
same day Another high diguitary Of
the church, who had three wives,
brought up little niece until she was
sixteen years old, and then he married
her. Brigham Young wished 10 send
young man to establish Mormon col
ony in Arizona. He asked him if he
was married. He was not. We'll,
said Brigham, " Brother Jones, who
lives three doors from You, has three
daughters. Go 10 his house, tell him l
sent you, and have him bring his three
daughters into the room. Take your
choice for wife" Brigham was obeyed,
as he always was.
Where the Mormons' interests are con-
cerned, you cannot place particle of
dependence on what they say, even
under oath. Their moral sensibilities
become so blunted that they have not
the slightest hesitation in taking other
peoples money, if they can get 1t. At
one time bishop was on trial for muir
der. Many witnesses swore that they
had seen him deliberately and i'll cold
blood shoot man, yet Mormon jury
brought in verdict of not guilty. The
leaders in the Church are great brag-
CARTS, but are nevertheless the most
abject towards, and if there is ever
direct issue between the Government
and the Mormon Church, the latter will
yield at once. All over Utah there is
the most complete system of espionage,
so that Mormon cannot enter Cen
tile meeting without being warned not
to do it again. The missionaries and
teachers can take care of the children,
but they cannot touch the thousands
that flock to Utah every year from all
quarters of the globe. 1t is against this
that Congress must use its power, and
the only way it can do SO is to distran-
chise polygamists, take the Legislative
power out of their hands, and give it to
a commission appointed by the Presi-
dent. There are in Utah now twenty
six gentle churches. forty-three minis
ters and ,2lS church-members. There
are forty six mission schools with nine
ty-four teachers and 3,761 scholars,
5000 of whom are children of Mormon
parents.