The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-02-17
A MORMON VILLAGE.
How the Latter.day Saints Live =
Their School Teachers and
Their Lawsuits.

illustrate the daily life of rural at
serdsy Saints. I select the town o.
Msyfield. For five years I have
visited this and other towns in pro-
iessional capacity, and know whereof
I write. What I write of Mayfield
may. however. be said OF rine-senths
Of ell the towns in Utah.
May6sld was settled about eight
years ago by families crowded out OF
larger settlements. The population
now numbers some seventy families,
or about $50 souls. all told. They
are Swedish, Danish and English
immigrants, and the children of the
same races born and raised in Utah,
together with several American FAM
lilies. All are members OF the Latter.
day Church. with the exception of
one or two families who never Joined
the church, and two who have left it.
All live in harmony and good will,
the latter receiving neither persecu-
ton nor insult. When the town was
first established, by the counsel OF
the head authorities, three OF Che
best mon in the community were
chosen by the people to manage and
control the settlement. These men
are designated the Bishop and his
counselors. Their instructions we're
to act as fathers, counsefors and in
structors to tie people under their
charge; to urge them to habits OF
order, industry and frugality, and to
instruct them, in the principles OF
their religion. To my own knowledge
they have earnestly and faithfully
performed their duties. To furtber
assist their Bishopric, Q number, OF
the best men are selected TO visit ekch
iamiIy--esch man has special
block under his charge-ior the pur.
pose of seeing to the welfare OF each
and importing spiritual and secular
advice. It il something or the Same
principle that an Episcopslian rector
sends bis onrats TO visit bis parish.
toner's, only the basis is wider and
more comprehensive. These men
are termed teachers, and these are
they of whom 90 much nonsense has
been written, terming them "Dan.
ties" and Destroying Angels. "
These simple yeomen destroy only
the gopheis and weecs in their adj
mirsbly-cultivated grain 6elds. Az
riculture is their main occupation.
They flourish ct it.
All disputes and differences are
settled by these teachers through
arbitration. If q difficult case cannot
be thus settled, it is taken to the
Bishops court. formed by the Bishop,
o0unselors and teachers, who deter.
mine the case upon the principle OF
moral and common law. From this
court there is an appeal to the High
Council OF the county or "stake"
and from there to the Council of the
Twelve Apostles. and finally to the
Presidency of the Church. These
courts are open TO oil, non,members
OF the church IS we'll a. members. /
know OF many instances in which
outsiders have preferred TO recover
from q Mormon in this court, than to
sue in the regular magistrates court.
May field hasa good public school,
under the tutorship of An experienced
teacher. The children of the Nor
nous. spos,ates AMI Gsntiles attend
this school without let or hiudrance.
When / last visited the school about
eighty names were enrolled. The
teacher passed to several of the pupils
. late copy Of the Deseret Nea0s and
asked them to read at random an
article. which hs.s done in every case
with huercy and understanding.
After sharp questioning in physical
geography, he named promiscuously
countries and cities in all parts of
the world, when their location was ct
once described and pointed out on the
map without hesitation. The pupils
also drew q map of Utah from mem
DRY. locating the counties, towns and
rivers. The teacher next asked them
to write a letter ordering q bill of
goods. It was quickly and well doze.
The articles were arranged in their
proper departments. In arithmetic
the cost OF the construction of a
that of bin OF wheat, pile OF
lumber, teste in fractions, and an &C
count of sale were given and done
quickly and accurately.
I know that every school in the
Territory is not up to the standard of
this, yet there are many equal to, if
not superior to it, ard this not taking
into account high school or colleges.
The authorities of the church, John
Taylor and George Q. Cannon, espe
cially are urging the people to educate
their children and improve their
school system. A favorite remark
ofMr. Taylor is, ''Better to have no
teacher ct all than a poor and incom.
petent one." "You cannot afford
it will not pay-not to educate your
Yet for all this. the ma
iority of the people are oentsWise and
dollar-fo foolish, for they engage cheap
oYct,Sos for tpanhpra and OyDn bling lV