Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-05
MORMONIsM OF TO-DAY
How Salt lake City Appears to a
Gentle.
THE MORMON THEA E.
Brigham Young a Prophet Without Honor in
His Own COuntp-His Neglected
Gra,e-How the Curious
are Kept at Dis
lance

1t is customary to hear q good deal
about the beauty of Salt Lake City's
buildings and its noble streets, with
their rivulets of clear mountain water
cunning on either si1e. The beauty OF
the buildings was unable to discover.
The one principal business street has
some substantial brick and stone stores,
but by no means superior to those that
are to be found in the average western
city of from 1000 to 80, 900 inhabitants.
If the city is not specially beautiful in
itself, its establishment and growth in
a little more than thirty years are really
marvellous. Probably no more unpromis-
ing site was ever selected, and the
choice was made with the belief that
10 one would dispute the possession OF
such worthless land. Yet today the
country for thirty miles southwest OF
the city presents n succession OF splendld-
ly-worked farms, and the fruits, especial
ly apples and plums, grown there have
become famous.
The Tabernacle
and the Temple are the most important
buildings in the city. The former was
constructed from the designs OF the
late Brigham Young. 1t is oval n
form, with u length of 80 feet by q
width fl5O, and has q dOmed-saaped
roof entirely without central supper e.
This is Unqu-stiOnably the largest un-
supported roof i'm the world. 1t is con-
stfucted Ct gIrder irons and is eight feet
thick. The total seating capacity Of the
building i $4,000, two-thiTdS of whom
are accommodated on the ground floor,
on plain wooden benches.
Nearly all the side walls are a series
Ofd0Ors, and the building can If neces-
sary be emptied Of its worshipDerS In an
incredibly short spare OF time. AT one
end is an extensive platform, on which
stands the grand organ, very large
ana fine tuned instrument, which was
built BY resident wOTkmen. In front OF
the organ sits the head of the church,
or, as he is universally called, the
president" Below him are his three
highest officers and advisers: still lower
the Twelve apostles, and then ranks Of
Seats for the Bishops.
Large water. huts for baptismal purposes
stand on either side of the platform.
There is no regular preacher, but any
member whom the spirit moves gets up
and exhOrts. The acoustic proprletleS
of this enormous chamber are simply
marvellous. The balcony is a gigantic
whispering gallery, and the winding up
Of watch OF the dropping Of an
ordinary pin into stiff hat at one end
of the 6uiidiug can be distinctly heard
at the other, 80 feet away.
Immediately across the stree. from
the temple i the tithing yard, piece
Of ground several acres IN extent, scat
tered here and there with buildings for
the storage of produce and the keeping
Olive stock. All good MOrmOns are
required to pay, in addition to ter.
ritOTial and city taxes, one tenth Of each
wears produce to the church, and 1t is
usually paid in kind. Wagons bring
ing i'm fruit, hay, corn, straw, oats, cat
tie, pigs, sheep, salt, etc, are constantly
arriving. Each class Of produce is re-
ceived by special elder, who has
charge of its storage and subsequent
sale.
MORN OuiSm
is certainly rot an aseetic religion. The
theatre has always been encouraged by
the church, an0 the president said that
that, though he WAS now getting too old
to 90, the members OF his family were
frequent visitors.
There are two theatres in Salt Lake
City-une the Mormon, very Old and
large building, having n prOscenium
arch higher than any in this country
Ills neCesSitateS the use of scenes forty
het high, or more than ten feet higher
than those used i'm Booths. Both Law
renee Barrett and Mime. MOdjeska have
recently played very profitable engage
ments there.
The Zion House, nearly opposite the
Amelia Palace, still bears on the door
plate the name Of Brigham Young,
and some members of his family still
reside there. Other houses, inClOsed by
u common wall, contain some of his
windows.
The Prophets Grave
lies lonely and little cared for about q
quarter OF mile away. 1t Is the only
grave on a plot of ground, about half an
acre i'm extent. y plain granite Slau
covers the remains, aud high iron
railing surrounds the slab, on which
there is neither name nor inscription OF
any kind. Brigham, the elder, is GER
tainly not wOTshiped after death. His
name is seldom mentioned, and when ii
is, not with very great respect. He
is thought to have grown TOO rich at
the expense of the church, and his for
tune OF many millions is pointed at as a
reprOach. Brigham Young was un-
dOubtedly q man of original mind Snd
great executive ability. In these re-
D-.-;.l.v,f II. hn hal
him in number of wives, is no fit sue
cessor. The strongest mind in the COM
munity seems TO he that Of George q.
Cannon, the delegate to Congress for
several sessions. The late OrsOn Pratt
was very highly thought of, and his
mathematical and astronomical writ
ings are pointed to with pride by all
MUImOns.
Ii is almost
Impossible for y Gentle
to get any thorough insight into the
interior workings of POlygsmy. Even
the men are averse to speaking much
on the subject, though they will declare
In general terms that it Is entirely salts
factory. The women are carefully Sc
cluded, and when spoken to are evident
IL unwilling or too frightened to state
their feeliJgs. The great argument of the
uphOlders Of pOlygamy-that it prevent:
prostitution does not seem TO be true
for the authorities say that in proportion
to the population the houses of Hire
pute are quite as numerous IS in Othel
cities.
Peruna,
This medicine Ws1 introduced - tn
medical profession and 10 the public a
large by s. B. HARTNAS. N. d., 1877. ate
H. h. vraaerfhaA 10 Nvar A DnA ,