Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-05
CAPE con MoRNroNs.
Latter Day Saints in the Heart of New
England.


England.
A correspondent Of the Boston Tran
script gives the following description of a
strange sect Of Latter Day Saints in the
heart Of New England: West Harwlch
is a clean, lively little town with good
accommodation for summer boarders at
moderate prices. This was quickly
learned, and we started to see the
saints" whose houses occupy two long
streets or roads down to the port. These
dwellings are comfortable in appearance,
and have gardens about them. A moder-
ate-sIzed building, larger than the houses,
We were told us the place where the
Saints have their meetings.
Our driver was true to his principle OF
reticence concerning the Mormons, bat
excused IL with the promise to find Capt.
HoWes, one Of the most prominent Of the
"Saints," who would tell us all we wanted
TO know; and, suiting the action to the
word, he drove onto the wharf and called
out to an amphibiOus looking individual
sitting in boat that was close to the
dock.
Captain, here's some folks from ever so
far; that want to see you"
The Captain stared, and so did the
dozen or so fishermen lettering about and
talking OF the mornings catch of 1900
mackeral that was to be sent to Boston,
but after moment he called out that he
would come ashore. The sea was slightly
ruffed with an east wind, but was of that
deep blue that artists love to picture, and
away out were the fishing smacks coming
into port with their burdens. We had
turned and been driven under shelter by
the time ''the Captain" made his appear
ance, and closer observation proved him
70 be hardy specimen Of his peculiar
calling; tall, 1.-the, keen-eyed and of a
rather intelligent Visage. YES" said be,
as If he had hastily made up his mind
what to say, 81 am perfectly willing to
talk Of my religion. We are MOrmous of
true Later Day Saints we do not believe
in plurality"
'YOu mean polygamyr'
yes, that is what L mean. When the
Morm0ns separated, at the time Of Joseph
Smiths death, some of them went off TO
their destruction with Brigham Young
but we don't cOuntenance them. Joseph
Smith. Jr., of Plano, ILL.,, is our LEADER
And his father, Joe Smith"
1--WE believe his father was a true
prophet. We believe in immersion as the
true baptism, because Christ was baptized
in the river Jordan; we believe that no
one Will be eternally lost, although they
have to suffer for their sins, and we think
Christ is coming in person to reign over
u.s."
slow about your form of Worship"
"WeI, we have a Bible that Elder
Pratt translated-it' like the King James
Bible, only it explains things a good deal,
makes them clear; we sing aud have
prayer meetings and a Sunday school
and Sunday services, just like other peo-
pie"
'fou have good many religions mixed
up in one"
gether."
And the Book of Mormon?"
well, that is history of Mormon that
smith found writte1 on some gold
plates"
"Who wrote itr'
81 don't know"
He then went on to state that he had
always resided at Dennispert; that he
was converted by an elder, a Mormon
missionary, and that Joe Smith, Jr., had
attended one of their conferences, two of
which are held in Ocean Hall at West
HarWlch each year; that these meetings
are largely attended by Mormons resident
IN New England, who are cOlOnized in
several places-at Fall River. Providence.
Boston and elsewhere.
II wish had time to talk more of our
people," concluded the fisherman, "but
you must go and see our elder" and he
turned away with a little twinkle in his
gray eyes.
The elder was i'll or forewarned of our
coming, and we did not see him, but from
less cautious person we gathered some
slgnlncant statements respecting the
saints" While thew profess not To be-
heVe IN plurality" they act in numerous
cases upon the principle of "afinity."
Marriages among them have in this way
Deen frequently broken and resumed.
One woman went to Utica, was gone
twenty years, and returned to her old
marital relations. Our informer, when
we expressed surprise at this and other
statements Of like character, said:
why, it's right enough; people can't
help liking each other if they are mar
ried."
Inc conferences this person mentioned
as most enjoyable occasions with E'good
speaking from real smart men," and a
general attendance of the people in the
nelghborhood, some of whom, it is said,
are genei ally made converts. It was i'm
possible to learn just how many Mormons
tnere were at DennispOrt-reallya part of
west HarW1ch-but there are more than
fifty OF their dwellings, and over 100 resi-
dents In them may fairly be estimated.
Inc children of this colony attend the
free school with the other children of
Harwich, and there is a general tolerance
of the Saints old and young by the resi-
dents in the vicinity in a business, if not
in social way. An intelligent man,
born and brought up on the Cape, in
speaking of them, said: ''These Mormons
are industrious and behave very well;
but, of course, they've got some black
sheep among them like any other body of
religious people. another said, in ex-
cuse for one of the 'Saints" who departed
from the colony with an affinity" E'Why,
he came back and lives here now"