The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-06

streets, and each building LOT contains
nearly two acres. All : much married
man has to do Il 10 locate each wife on
lot and furnish the water and she
can produce enough to support herself
and something for him when he comes
around. The town Is yet new, the
houses small and struggling among
the mesquite, 90 there was nothing Of
much interest for me to look at about
the town. But the Graham mountain
that arose to the west of the town with
its white cap Of snow, heavy forest Of
timber and rugged sides was sight to
look at and long to be remembered.
Breakfast over, with mine hostess, I
wended my way to Sabbath School.
l must say more demure, proper act
ing young woman have not often
met. The school house was filled with
a few of the elders, stout young men,
well dressed, pretty young ladies, win
some little girls and sturdy little boys.
The sacrament, partoken of by nearly
all, old and young, was passed and the
school began. Correct principles,
Christ Jesus and Him crucified was
taught, and If / had not known, I
would have supposed that was In a
well conducted Methodist Sunday
School. I thought If some of my
Christian friends in the east, who talk
of stamping out Mormonism, had been
with me and heard those elders teach
ing the same truths to the little chill
dren in the wilderness, thoughts they
We're teaching to their children i'm q
pleasant land, they would stop and
consider before they began to stamp.
Most every religious sect has some
thing cranky in its doctrine, and if the
Mormons want to believe in Joe Smith
as q prophet, the healing of the sick by
laying on of hands, the casting out
ofdevils. and other tom-foolery, they
have just as good right to do 30 as any
other sect have to believe their doc
trine. Polygamy is legally wrong and
should be treated in legal way; treat
ed in Arizona and Utah as in Kansas
or New York. When we change into
a persecution what ought to be pros
ecution we make a great mistake.
Give the Mormons all the religious
liberty guaranteed by the constitution
and punish them when they break
the law Of the land, as everybody else
Is punished, and all in time will be
well. But persecute them for their
fool doctrines and they will cling the
closer to them and find enough scrip
ture in the Bible to console them and
make them believe they are being
prosecuted for Christ's sake.
The Mormons say "They are not af-
ter US solely on account of polygamy.
If we do away with it there will be
something else they will want us to
STOP" And 1 am afraid there is too
much truth in 1t. Let the other relig-
ious sects in the land allow the Nor
mons the latitude they want for them
selves and the government look after
the offenders that break the laws,
whether he be Catholic, Protestant,
a Mormon or a non-believer, and the
whole question is solved.
Naturally was anxious to see the
Mormon women. I expected to see
them sad faced But on the other
hand more cheerful looking lot Of
matrons have never met. And the
young women did not look as though
there was life of bondage and OPP
preston i'm store for them. I looked at
the men, and rougher. more ignor-
ant set Of pen 1 never saw together.
And the only wonder that filled my
mind was how such fine looking lot
of women could put up with such a
hard looking lot of men. The only way
I can read 1t is that the men put them
selves forward and bear the hardships
and exposures. care for and guard well
their women.
I attended church in the afternoon
and in the evening. The one was
fair sample of Quaker meeting
where the leading members held forth.
The other was a good old Methodist
love feast. brothers and sisters, I
feel it my duty to stand up for Christ,
I have the testimony in my heart that
this is the kingdom of God. want you
all to pray for me-" The above is a
good sample of what went round, wo-
men and men, cid and young. Some
hing was said about polygamy, but
hat was brought out more on account
If the prosecutions on the part of the
government than as a part of the object
If the meeting.
After meeting was over had quite
discussion with one of the members.
rs long as l could keep him on legal
grounds could down him, but when
le took the Bible he dOwned me. So
soon learned how to keep Mormon
rom convincing me that polygamy
3 right-to tell him I did not believe
he Bible.