Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-16
How the MOrmOns Play 1T.

liable globe. [ might say right here
that | have seen Mormons recruited
from the people of England, Scotland
and Wales, but [ don't think ever
saw one from Ireland. But to con-
tinue: These missionaries preach to
them the doctrine of Mormonism,
emitting, of course, all reference to
polygamy. They, of course, visit the
down-trodden, low and ignorant Eu-
ropean classes who have been en-
shaved you might say, all their lives,
promise them property, farms, and
hold out the inducements of living
under their own fig trees, and all that
sort Of thing, and these people are so
anxious to lead better lives that they
grasp at most anything, and the re
suit is that they emigrate to America,
their fare being paid out of what is
known as the emigration fund of
Utah. At Castle Garden these people
are manipulated by man named
Stearns, the agent of the church, who
ships them to Utah. Upon arriving
in the land Of the Saints, they sell
them few acres of land which origi-
nally cost them about 81 per acre for
about $15 an acre, and give them
number of years to pay for it. The
head of the family goes to work, tills
the soil, digs away-he generally has
a wife and large family depending up
on him for support he can never
get ahead or succeed in paying for his
land.
How do you explain that?'
In the first place, One-tenth of
everything he owns in the way of
property must go to the church, and is
known as tithing money. The heads
of the church have their eyes upon
him through the Bishops of the differ
ent districts throughout the State, and
the very moment that the heads of
the church see that he has succeeded
IN making a number of payments, and
is going out Of debt, the order comes
from Salt Lake City that brother so
andso must take another wife; should
he refuse he will be forever damned
In that manner they crowd him with
wives and children, weave the meshes
around him to such an extent that he
will never leave the church, even if
he hate it from the bottom of his
heart"
Should they become tired of it
are they allowed to leave the terri
tory?o
Not by any means. Only six years
ago it was worth as much as your life
to escape from their clutches, especial
ly if man had been behind the cur
tain, that is, in secret session with the
elders. =
In what does the Mormon religion
differ from that of ordinary Chris
tain?n
They believe in the Bible all the
way through, from beginning to end,
and further affirm that Joseph Smith
was a prophet, who appeared in the
world for the purpose of populating it
In it's last days with saints or Gods
chosen people, to prepare it for the
second coming of Christ. When be
was killed Brigham Young took his
place Since the death of Young,
John Taylor has occupied the position
at the head of the Church, but he has
not been pronounced prophet as yet
The MormOns in Utah believe that in
course of time they will govern the
world. They will first occupy all of
the United States and dispense law,
counsel and religion from the throne
at Salt Lake. They are instilIed with
an undying hatred to the Government
OF the United States. They
are educated IN living just
inside the law; they don't re
cognize the Government in their
hearts or actions, but being in the ter
ritory of the United States they are
obliged to behave, so that the law can
not touch them. This rancorOus, bitter
feeling is intensified and transmitted
from generation to generation. They
are as busy as bees, while the United
States is actully sleeping over this inn
portant question. The Indians are all
with the Mormons. While I was
there assisted in baptizing 800 Piute
Indians, and [ can say, without fear
of contradiction, that the Mormon
church, in case of necessity, can COM
mand an army of 100, 900 armed men
at almost moments notice When
Brigham Young was confined in Jail
for only four hours, such a howl was
raised that the United States
Government was compelled to lberate
him on short notice Had they kept
him over night, the torches were all
distributed and ready to convert Salt
Lake City into an ash-pile, and [ know
that the massacre Of between 5000
and 10000 Gentiles would have fol
lowed the confagration If the Gov
eminent at this day should send an
army fully equipped they could not
enter the city with any force they
might bring against it.
How are the religious services in
the Tabernacle conducted?"
1.-THE head of the church announces
that brother so-and-so will preach to-
day, and the preaching generally con-
sists of mixture of domestic, relig-
ious and political matter, and to an
outsider sounds very much like a bus
mess session"
Have women any rights there2"
Women have nothing to say, nor
the men either, for that matter. When
the head of the church opens his
mouth they must obey. He holds