The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-14
Printed BY Special Arrqaosmens via he Author.
MORMONISM REVIEWED.
BY KATE FIELD.
Copyrighted 1885, by the Author-An Rights
Reserved.
PART III.

unit. coquetted with both Wings and Democrats,
and, being 10000 strengthening between three
and four thousand votes-they grew to be hated
and feared by both parties, as their word was
worthless. At heart they had no politics Parties
were used to serve their purposes as a distinct
people They even went so far as to contem-
plate separate government actually petitioning
Congress to establish the Territory of Nauvoo
inside of the State of Illinois, Then in the spring
of 1874 Joseph Smith announced himself as a
candidate for the Presidency of the United
States, and two or three missionaries were sent
forth in the dual capacity of preachers of the
gospel according to Joseph Smith and election
eering agents for the same! "a Sermon" writes
Gov. Ford, of Illinois, in 1850 was no more than
an infiammatory stump speech, relating to
their quarrels with their enemies.
and ornamented with an abundance of
profanity. From my own personal knowledge
of this people, ] can say with truth Ihave known
few of their leaders who were not addicted to
profane swearing. No other kinds of discourses
were heard in the city Curses upon their
enemies upon the country upon the govern
ment, upon all public officers were the lessons
taught by the elders to in1ame their people with
the highest degree of spite and malice against all
who were not of the Mormon Church or its OBJ
sequious tooss
About this time the spiritual wife doctrine be-
came bruited abroad, owing to the revelations
made by women who had repealed the advances
of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and others
Outraged at the general corruption, men within
the church resolved upon rebellion, and thus be-
gan the anarchy which eliminated in the deaths
OF Joseph and Hiram Smith They were MUIR
dered by an Infatuated mob for which deed no
excuse whatever can be offered in extenuaton.
These men, when imprisoned for crime should
have been tried according to law, but to asser.
that they were martyred for religions sake
unless intolerance treachery and crime be re-
ligion--is as absurd as it is false
In moving towards the Rocky mountains, the
Morinons pursued the only course possible for
salvation. They could not harmonic with gen.
tiles; therefore they would found a kingdom of
their own. Remember that their exodus was
before the Mexican war; Their dream was the
Pacific ocean, on the borders of which they
would fling their own flag to the breeze and set
up ''Zion." Even to-day may be found in the
Mormon Hymn book John Taylors song emit
tied:
THE UPPER CALIFORNIA
The Upper California, Oh that's the land for mo-
1t lies between the mountains and the great Pacific
The Saints can be supported there
And taste the sweets of liberty
In Upper CALIFORNIA; Oh, that's the land for mel
free.
Wen go to California and have our jubilee
land that blooms with beauty rare,
A land of life and liberty.
With focks and herds Astounding; Oh. that's the land
for me.
Wen burst off all our letters and break the gentle
yoke.
For long it has bcset u.s. but now it shall be broke
No shall Jacob bow his neck
Henceforth he shall be great and free
In Upper California; s0h, that's the land for mel
Well reign, wen rule and triumph, and God shall be
our king;
The plains the hills and valleys shall with hosannas
ring,
Our towers and temples thlre shall rise,
Among the great Pacific sea-
In Upper California; Oh that's the land for me!
Instead of lifting their glorious standard in
Upper California, the Saints, who had been
singing John Tayor's verses all the way from
Nauvoo, changed their minds 1t is strange,
considering their constant intercourse with the
that it had not been revealed to the
Saints how soon Mexico would lose control of
the Far West Much trouble would have been
saved. Brethren and sisters need nothave sailed
from Atlantic ports to meet the faithful in Upper
California: but the Lord made no sign and his
people crossed the plains in ignorance of their
fate. Before reaching Salt Lake valley, news
came of Mexican defeat The stars and stripes
foated over Upper California One wilderness
was as good as another and Brigham Young
halted where now stands the City of the Saints
Because old Biographies labeled this portion of
the American continent the "Great American
Desert" there is delusion which Mormons have
done their best to foster, that Utah has been
transformed from sterilty to a garden. The
beauty, fertility and pcturesqueness of several
valleys in Utah were known to mountaineers
and travellers long before Brigham Young
dreamed of turning his face toward the setting
sun. have talked with distinguished lawyer,
who, as youth, wandered through those valleys
and lighted his hunters fire on the spot where
now looms up the Mormon Temple. This was
several years before the coming of the Saints
He Toasted his eyes on wonderful natural beau
ties and remarked the richness of the soil, which
tIlou pIOuuoCU AuAuEldul grass IuEe0 anu TOUR
feet in height 1t was because of charm and fer
tility that the Mormons pitched their tents with
in sight of wonderful Salt Lake. The land that
was not covered with grass was covered with
sage brush, and it is perfectly we'll known to
those conversant with this Western country that
wherever sage brush grows there is fine soil for
agricultural purposes, given water, of course
Water kills sage brush and leaves the land
ready for seed.
The route to Salt Lake was we'll known and
well defined six years before the Mormon emi-
grafton. To refer to their journey across the
plains as Through country probably as little
known as were the deserts of Arabia in the time
of the Jews, and in the face of enemies as fierce
and bloodthirsty as those encountered by the
Israelites in their march from Egypt to the
promised land" excites smile from those who
preceded the Saints, as well as from women of