The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-10
THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 10.
Sealed Unto Him..
AstOry of the Early Days of srOrmOuism.
By JOAQUIN MILLER.
CHAPTER Y.


write down its endless round of repetitions
OF biblical words and phrases. Protesting
TO give in the style and language of the BIZ
bic, the history of the Tribes from the time
OF their dsaffection till they possessed
America and became the mound-builders. il
is simply intolerable as a piece of artistic
work. Yet, as it was found in all mining
camps, where in the snowy Businesses we Of
ten had nothing else left 70 read, it thus fell
to my lot to read it through not infrequent-
~. From title-page to colophon there is
not one lofty or inspired or inspiring
thought, like those filling the volume it af-
+, fects to follow. A dreary, weary book it is.
And yet it answers the Mormon's purpose
in this: that where he cannot find excuse for
bis actions in the real Book, he can surely
ind it in the forged one.
After this huge man with the book and
the deep hollow eyes had exhorted and
preached and read for hours and hours.
Mating now and then as he read, devouring
the whole camp and all that circle about
him with his hungry eyes, the girl drawn
even nearest of all, and right under his eyes
and right BY the side of her ignorant and ia
natical executioners, he calmly and with
earnest exhortation begged to baptize his
listeners In the faith of the Latter-Day
Saints.
No one answered or moved. Many long
breath was drawn, many deep sigh was
smothered, bit no one spoke. The mission
airy, as he now announced himself, looked
straight and hard and earnestly at the girl.
She lifted her weary black eyes to his once
more, and tried hard to read if there was
any help or hope al all in them. But she
did not speak. The man arose, went down
to the bank, drank cupful of water came
back and began to read aud exhort and ex-
plain and endeavor to proselyte once more.
Aud SO this strange man kept on till the
day was spent.
No one had spoken save himself. No one
had tasted food. Some of the children had
slept, their heads in their weary mothers
; laps, as they sat in circle and listened and
listened in silence, that long, long day, I'M
der the vast blue sky, by the dark and des3-
late lake Of death.
And now markl When that man was
done reading and the sun was going down,
there was not weary and overcome man
or woman there who was not awed or terri.
fed or fascinated into some sort of half be-
lief!
Again the man rose up and pleaded for
converts to his singular faith. He stretched |
his hands over the darkening lake as the sun |
went down; he lifted his long arms to the |
mountains of snow beyond the young city; |
he appealed to nothing low, to nothing bad, |
but to much that was noble in man and sub |
lime in nature. His lips were dry, his ewes
were deep and hollow aid wild, but he kept
on till the sun had fallen behind the steep |
bill that rose in our road before us. Surely |
the man was mad. And yet as typical, as
true Mormon elder was he as photograph |
could print. BE made a last appeal. To the |
weak and now PROSTATE girl. Some one of |
the party. wiser than the rest perhaps, beck
oned her silently to comply
She put out her two hands helplessIy. and
he led her to the water, the men with the
horses rising in their places and uncoYering
their heads. Others did the same. -
Whether the Mormon missionary impro-
vised his brief ceremony and action, or fol-
lowed the prescribed forms, it is not impor-
tant to say. But he led her back soon to
where all stood waiting, respectful. silent as
before.
The girl seemed bit refreshed, hopeful.
What had he said to her? What would he
do now? Hand her over to one of the bloody
men there as bride2 Keep her for himself?
No, not this last. There was not a shadow
of interest in her in any one of the hard and
very deep lines of that massive and monk
like face. He stopped still moment and
prayed.
How new, strange, awful, weird all this
was in the dim twilight by the darkeniRg
lake of death Some birds flew into camp
from the hills. 1t was strange thing, and
the first time in thousand years, that man
had come to pitch tent in their resting
place.
The moon, round-faced and full, leaned
out of heaven and looked straight down,
close down, calm and plying, like nun at
prayer.
Surely, in scene like this, now at last,
after all this suffering, this suspense-sure-
ly, surely after prayer and baptism in the
name of the Most High God-she would be
saved; saved in body and in mind saved in
all her purity, and peace of mind, and love,
and sympathy, and sad memories of her
dear dead who lay buried out yonder in the
lake in chains
The horsemen stood waiting orders. They
had not tasted food or water all that time
they waited there in the grass. These poor
deluded men believed they were listening to
the voice of God. They were men who |
who could not read their names. Never had
Mahomet such blind, faithful, devoted fol-
lowing as these bloody men here waiting to
do the work of death.
1t is notable that all false religions save
the one religion of Christ, have had their
corner-stones laid and cemented down in
blood. They have been built up by gnor-
ance and maintained in impurity.
The giant missionary came forward up
the bank, leading the girl by the hand
He was evidently worn and weak, but ne
was as full of mad zeal for his work as ever |
before. He again appealed for proselytes.
No one came forward. Then his furrowed |
brow grew dark and revengeful.
d6 U6CkOutu iOE 0lo 1OAtoWSAS w o.
ready. In moment more they were ready
to spring into the saddle. In the meantime
he had motioned to our party to lay in
keg of water, rouse up the resting cattle,
woke them and climb the hill on our journey
to the west. Our party obeyed this last in
junction with alacrity. They could hardly
conceal their pleasure. Yet nights per-
sistent travel and a days dreadful anxiety
following on its heels are hardly calculated
to charge any one with superabundance OF
spirits.
In little time the cattle were once more
in line under the yoke and standing With
nose lifted to the hill before them. The
horsemen held tightly to their horses, one
foot in the stirrup. The poor horses paved
the ground in Impotence to reach the water