The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-04-02
too far from the Atlantic, and remote

/ from the racine.
So persistently has public attention been
turned Of late to the Mormon question,
that we suppose even the, most casual
| reeollections OF a correspondent would be
| thought incomplete without some data in
| regard to the ethics of Mormonism. Yet
this is just the point at which the cores
| pondent pattses reluctant He knows that
if he expresses his honest convictions he
will please neither Christian nor Nor
mon bothwill raise the cutlery of luke
warmness'; he fears that short sojourn
has not enabled him to penetrate the
springs OF thought and action of this
peculiar people; he thinks the whole mat
ter too weighty as question of the time
to come within the scope Of q curtailed
| and rambling correspondence Ergo,-his
opinions-and conclusions are to be classed
as mere impressions.
The Mormons as q people come largely
of New England, Scandinavian or English
stock. With the heather, as might nat
urally be expected, the missionaries of the
ptstAAS' 2NAbiO ~ DCtuDJ JIdl fCOts AOl-
monlsm must be grated on a foreknowI-
edge OF christianity: There are few con-
Verts from Roman Catholicism, and few
among the Indians-though the Mormons
feel deep interest in the latter, believing
them to be lost sheep of the house Of
Israel. They are unwearied in their
efforts to convert them, and are charitable
and lenient to the most unfortunate speci-
mems OF an unfortunate race.
Visit the Salt Lake market some fine
morning. The stalls are SPRAYED with the
silver fall from little fountains large pur-
pie and golden .plums contrast their tints
with crimson of apple and rose of peach.
Great yinous globes Of green and dark
ruby grapes are heaped above, and below
yellow squashes, fringed with parsley and
beetS and pearly onions, make riot Of
color. How kindly are the fruits Of the
of the earth, from the waxen-cheeked
pears and green melons to the potatoes in
their rough brown jackets. Here are sill
very trout strung on reeds, speckled prairie
OH1NhCIo- ct1tl III UAlo OHO
beautiful silken and snowy rabbits nibbling
crimson beets, in utter Inconsistencies OF
their brown first counsins, who hang stiff
and stark above their heads-awaiting
purchaser. On this scene Of plenty, enters
a squalid Indian woman. Her blanket is
foul and ragged her moccasins white
with the dust of road, and her beads bro
ken and taWdry. She IS one of the scrub
snakes, and she has come down from the
range to beg or to steal Watch her as she
passes up the market. At every stall she
receives dole; sometimes fine roast Of
red and white meat again cantalope,
until at the end of the street the large
''gunny sack she carries is fairly burst
ing with the donations Of the liberal Nor
mon traders.
To return; Of the twenty eight men
who are highest in authority in the Nor
mon church. twenty-four are American,
and eighteen are from New England. A
clergyman resident in the city, gives as
his opinion that the following conditions
are essential in obtaining recruits for the
church of Latterday Saints
First, that the Bible shall be loved and
reVerenced as infallible and all sufficient :;
that high esteem shall prevail for the let
ter OF the scripture coupled with great
Tondness for such works as Ezekiel and
the revelation. Second, that ignorance
shall exist
In connection with the latter clause,
must candidly say that | think tie masses
OF the Mormon church are very ignorant
Nor are the harangues from the leaders as
a rule, either edifying or eloquent, though
it is claimed for them that they are the
effort of direct inspiration. OF course
there are exceptions, and L have in my
mind as | write, an orator who delivered
a reasonable speech of three hours in the
closely-packed opera house-a speech fer
v1d, eloquent, singing, sarcastic and log
lcal which swept the listeners away on the
tide OF the man S magnetism in spite Of all
barriers of reason and justice. And
well remember certain bishop, pure, hon
est, OF good report a man of wide range
IN thought and action-one Of those who
even in the midst of Sardis have not de-
filed their garments. There are doubtless
the sincere and insincere Mormons those
who were hunted from town to town and
| across the wilderness who saw their
homes despoiled and the fruits of their
toll given to their oppressors; who learnt
their faith when it was young, from. the
lips of men who had suffered loss of all
things and to them persecution has made
it as dear as the covenant to the coyenaGter
or the scriptures to the Sollards. Then
there is the young generation growing up.
and careless Of these things. And there
are the majority WHO come for the tenn
poral prosperity-to exchange the coal-pits
of England Or the bleak dunes of Den
mark for shares in the fertile Valley of
of Deseret. Others there are, who en-
brace the opportunities offered for deluding
the masses, enriching themselves, and
gratifying their passions. NJ. Y. d.
ACTED Like Charm