St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-06-02
Mormon Loyalty.

| 1t has always been Brigham Young s
policy to outlaw his followers, and thus
prevent the possibility of their return
to civilized society. This policy he
now pursued with more intentness
than ever before, and those who We're
untitled by nature for deeds of viO-
lrnce were compelled to take plural
wives, in face of Il recent act of Con
gress which was designed to reach and
punish such offenses in Utah. Philip
La Tour was among the number of
those who fell under the prophets dis
pleasure on account of his refusal to
comply with what the Mormon lead
ers designated as ''the higher law"
| lie had no leanings toward pOlygamy.
| lie loved his wife devOtedly, and his
home was the dearest spot on earth
to him-dearer now than ever; for
with the earliest flowers of spring II
tiny guest had come under their roof
Il dark eyed baby boy, so like the lost
first-born that it seemed almost as
| though he had returned to them.
For months the prophet cOunseled
| Philip, sometimes affectiOnately, some e
times sternly, to take another wife,
but in vain. At last when, as he said
|
ance had been reached, he summoned
his disObedient follower to IL private
conference.
1t was evident to Philip as soon as
he faced the leader of the people that
the prophet was very angry-tOO an
CRY indeed to waste any words and
in the most concise terms possible he
was informed that he would take an
other wife or he cut of from the church
and delivered over to the butfetings of
Satan. Philip sat as if stunned. To
| he cut off from the church For him
who had never known any other faith,
this was equivalent to Il sentence of
eternal death. And then he was to he
delivered over to the buffetings of Sa-
tan. He knew very well what that
means. His property and his life
would thenceforth be at the mercy OF
the Danites-and their tender mercies
were very cruel. He was incapable of
uttering Il single word in reply to the
question thrust upon him, and the
prophet continued:
81 know what is keeping you back
1t is the fear of what your wife will
say or do; and want you to tell hel
from me, that the judgments OF God
. have rested on her these many years
because of her rebellion against hi,
will. Every child that has been giveI
7 her has been taken away again, be
cause she would not harken to counsel
aud mark my wOrds'-here the proph
cts face grew terrible-"the child tina
she holds i'll her arms to-day will Ii,
in the grave month hence if sh'
does not submit to the law that ha
been given to this people"
"YOu will give me week to de
eide ?" Philip hardly knew his owl
voice as he pronounced the words.
Eyes, just one week, and not da!
over. You may go now; | have sal,
all that | had to say" and, with IL lool
on his face as hard and cruel as when
l5 years before, he gave Madame Ii
Tour the choice of alternatives whicl
brought her to the valley, the prophe
Y pointed to the door. Philip groped hi
way out blindly. The sun was shin
ing, but he saw nothing. When In
( reached the street he stopped and trie'
, to think. He could not go home
could not face Jessie, who sat eve
, now with her baby in her arms sing
n ing soft lullaby, while the bluevein
ed lids dropped over the bright eyes
> The baby What stab went thrOug
his heart as he recalled the prophet
~ words.
Do you, whose lot has been cast else
a where, scotf at him because he believ
ed what had been said to him Re
member that since his childhood h
d had heard nothing except MOrmonisl
W that all his life, almost, the word {
the prophet had been, to him and a
" around him, the voice of the Almighty
Of Remember also how in every age
. creeds which have been handed dow
from father to son have dominated til
is intellect and the will, no matter ho'
Is false and mOnstrOus they may haV
been in themselves. Philip La TOu
10 in accepting the dictum of the MOI
d, mon prophet rs absolute truth, di
only what YOU and | have done in +,
ceiving without question the belle
which our parents bequeathed us. II
did not use his reason in the matte
simply because he regarded every
thing connected with religion as abOy
the domain of reason. He was calle
now to pass through an experien,
more bitter than death; but if tie ca
was indeed from above he might NJ
disregard it. Was it true that Il
Judgments of God had rested upon hi
~ and his wife because of their disObed
ence ? Over and over he asked hin
IS self this question during the wretcht
" day that followed his interview wit
at al the prophet. Hour after hour passe
or 1t was almost night, and Jessie won
H. be anxious and disturbed if he stage
away longer, so mt last with the cOu
iul age of desperation he turned his fa'
Ao hOmeward, resolved to speak out
once and come to a decision before III
st other sun rose. "POor Jessie w
Of. it for this | won your heart 7" he sa
of to himself as he came in sight of h
own house.
for His wife was at the door, holding I
we the baby to welcome him. Both fac
ms were bright with smiles, and one W
IN as unconscious as the other of comm
in evil. Chow can ever tell her ?"
thought, and for moment a wild wi
- to seize wife and child and fly far fro
. the cruel fate that threatened them ;
Is possessed him, but only for a momer
de. Il cannot fly from Sod - this W
his next thought, and the deity of Il
Mormon faith-remOrseless, cruel, IL
r, relenting-seemed to his excited il
agination to stand in the way with
-, drawn sword, barring all escape al
ds driving him forward to the destiny
dreaded.
"Philip, what is the matters Y,
are surely ILL.,"
1t was the sweet voice of his VI
Of that fell on his ear, but the wor
I'm smote him like blow. How could
!. bear her tenderness, her wifely soli'
tude, when he was about to strike b