Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-07
Tho Mormo Phenomenon.


OF all the phenomena OF courage, Nor
monism is in one sense the most remarkable.
Here, before the astouished eyes of a scien-
tific age, has a new religion come into being,
a religion with full-blown supernatural pre-
tensions Here, too, in the face of society
constantly becoming more truly human, is 4
new religion of which the main attraction is
that 1t repudiates one of the chief conquests
Of civilization, the homogeneous family
Odd and unaccountable as these phenomena
seem, these oriental phenomena occurring in
the furthest west, Mormonsm is really
evolved from very well-kuown and familiar
human conditions. We have seen that mis-
sionaries are not sent to Roman Catholic
countries, and have inferred that in Roman
Catholic countries missionaries of Mormon
ism would meet with no success. Why not ?
Clearly because Mormonism appeals TO
passionate and uneducated people, who know
nothing but the Bible. and (owng to their
general lack of cultivaiion) know that wrong.
In Roman Catholic countries the cnrres-
ponding class does not know even the Bible.
Only among the Countries Of the Refurma-
ton do we find men and women whose Gnly
reading has been the Bible, and who have
searched the scriptures with eyes unpurgcd,
attracted and fascinated not bv the spiritual
sense, but by the prophecies of earthly
glorics. Ignorant of history, OF geography,
of the science of language, certain number
of persons in Protestant countries are readily
carried away by any one who interprets
prophecy so us TO make 1t b ar on the event S
Of the moment, and who ipterprets history
so as to connect it all with the mysteries OF
lost tribes. This class is the ready prey nf
Mormon missionaries, who found in America
especially an tager pubic. Tue dark past
IF the American continent that continent s.
rich in relics of races who have irlt nc
name, nothing but mounds Ind palac $, anc
indecpherable heroglyphics, naturally ex
cites curiosity in imaginative people. Smitt
satisfied that curiosity in the way mos
readily apprehended, by connecting all tht
past of America with the chosen people o
Israel. Joseph Smiths revelation fascinstei
his disciples, as the "Anglo. Israel" theories
delight harmless enthusiasts. Mormons anC
anglo Israelit,s" both believe, aud rejoic,
to believe, that they are in direct contac
with, in direct descent from, the people o
the mysterious destiny, the chosen people
The Mormons take up the succession OF th
American lsrseite CHRISTIANS whose las
army fell before the "Lamanites' at Cum
morah. In New York state, In 3S4 A,D, On
of the remnant who escaped the "Lsnlanlte
Cor Red Indian) scalplng knife was Maroni
and Maroni left the golden plates from m whic
Joseph Smith deciphered the sistnry OF tn
spiritual ancestors OF the Mormons /
America. Now all the romance abou
!. American Israel, and about Nephi "a Jev
who discovered America about the tune
the Lydian empire), has n, attraction 10
uneducated Catholics. They have not mad
the Old Testament their constant companion
they have no curiosity about the prehstoii
past of America; and they do not want
! hear about Lamar, who rebclled again'
Nephi, and whose children are under cur.
as rcd men. The whole narrative could on
win credence from people at once curio,
/. . and ignorant; people who knew the U
Testament in sort of way, and knew |
other his ory nor literature.
e Mormonism has been toerably successf
It with this class In Protestant countrie
}, especially Qt is sometimes said in Vale
J. where perhaps the stories Of Modoc aud u