The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-06-05
MoRMoNs IN PENNSYLVANIA
"reminiscences of the Times When the Sect
Was In Its Infancy.

1t would surprise many of the pres
ent generation to be- told that at one
time this lower corner of Armstrong,
as well as the upper end of Westmore-
land County, was literally infested
with Mormons; yet such is the fact. In
the fall of 1912 a number of Mormons
aoated down the Allegheny River on a
rude raft. The party was composed OF
old and young, zen, women and chill
dren, and at what is row White Rock
Station, on the Valley road, a stop was
made, Winter began about this time.
and the party concluded to make that
point temporary headquarters and
spend the winter there. Joseph Smith
and his brother Hiram visited the party
while they were located there, aud
under their instructions the work of
PROSECUTING was vigorously begun. A
man named Nicholson headed the
w hite Rock branch of the order, and
his influence was soon apparent. Con-
verts were made rapidly, and in a short
time scores of persons from every walk
in life had accepted the faith OF the
Mormons.
When the springtime came almost
every person in the immediate neigh
borhood had been convinced that their
future salvation depended on their adj
herence to the doctrine of JosephSmith,
and a large party agreed to accompany
his followers into the Western wilds.
Others remained with the intention Of
joining the main body when they had
entered into their promised land. A
correspondence was carried IN between
those who had gone before and those
who were left behind, and your CORE
spondent was to-day allowed the priv
ilege of examining some of the time
stained missives which we're sent back
to strengthen the faith of the followers
who were left behind. The person to
whom these letters were addressed has
long since been gathered to his fathers,
but MS wife and children are still ma
tives of this county.
One letter is dated Nauvoo, H.,
August 10, 1874, and is as follows:
Your health OF soul AID body is
my joy, and, if you live in Christ, then
is my joy full. We are glad to hear
that you are in good health. This we
learn from Brother John Greer, who
came to this place in good health and
ine spirits, just In time to attend our
Conference, which was held on Tues
day, to set the wheels of the Church
in motion; for, since the death of Jo-
seph Smith. we have been almost like
sheep having no shepherd. running to
and fro, picking a little pasture where
ever we could get, and waiting for the
twelve to return. Brother Rigdon
and nine of the twelve having returned,
a conference of the whole Church was
held on Thursday. There was a vast
concourse of people, should think
nearly 10000. The twelve were called
to stand in their proper places, and
Joseph's c~ounselors. S Rigdon and A.
Lyman. were called to the stand on
their risrt, and on their left, that they
might aid and cooperate with the
twelve in carrying the gospel to all
nations.
.You raust not let your faith fail
you because Joseph Smith has been
killed by wicked men No; he told
the brethren, and others not members
of the Church, that he was going as a
lamb TO the slaughter; vet he was as
calm as q summers morning. He
said that his time was come; but the
brethren did not seem to realize the
truth till after the fatal deed was COM
mitted, and then they remembered
what he had told them. Had the
brethren had the least idea that he
would have fallen as he did they would
never have allowed him to go to Car.
thage. 1t seemed an hour of darkness
to us all. When Joseph fell he cried
out: %, my God! Then his spirit
took its fight. Brother Sidney says
he saw our beloved prophet in a vision
which he had opened to him in con,
nection with one he and Joseph had
on the 10Th of February, 1882, which
you will find recorded in the Book OF
the Covenants"
The letter is signed Thomas Hicken-
hooper," and is written in a bold, clear
hand. The writer was a local magis'
trate here prior to his departure for
the West, and was a highly respected
citizen. In other letters he speaks Of
the intentions of the Mormons to seek
refuge still further West, and says that
there was a probability of them going
to California. He also inquiries par,
ticularly after the welfare of other
converts to the faith who remained
behind, and exhoris them to be firm
and fear not. In the neighborhood q
Bigdad there are still a number of per
sons who embraced the faith in tn,
early days, and who still believe in thu
doctrines then taught them, as well a
the Institution of polygamy, which, .
course, was established subsequent Il
their location here. Within a Eadiui
of ten miles others can be found, and
among them are persons who triet
Mormon life in the wilderness will
unsatisfactory results. And, again
there are those who were once resi-
dents of this section. who have with
stood all the hardships of the earl,
davs and ara now with THAR descend