Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-04-01
MORMONIsM IN NEW JERsp,
a Fugitive Saint Hiding Among HI
Old Nelghbors.
New York Times

New York Times.
A Deckertown. n. j., corresnopd
emit of The Nav York Times wrItas.
It is an open secret in certain ouartss.
that Elder Decker, a light of tae Mo-
mon priesthood of Salt Lake Civ To-
sought seclusion and concealmen
among his old friends aud relatives IN
this county, presumably seeking IN
evade arrest by virtue of a warrant
issued by the United States distr;cr
court, of Utah, charging him with IN,
lawful Ecohabitations with pluralitr
OF wives. The elder is reputed TO he
fragrant offender against the Edmunds
law, in that he holds marital relations
with a harem Of four womtn. II
would appear that, unlike some Others
of the offending saints with whoo7
Judge z lns has been called upoa 10
deal, he shups the crown OF martvr.
dom, thorny with fines and imprison.
ments, which ar obdurate gentle
court extends to convicted poIygam.
isis.
The germs of the Mormon faith
were planted in this region about 81
years ago, and the branches thereof
have not entirely ceased 10 bear fruit
unto this day. At that time two mis-.
slonaries of the then nascent Church
OF Latter Day Saints appeared in this
vicinity, and entered on the work Of
propagating their doctrines in this and
the adjoining county Of Orange, New
York.
1t is remembered that they were
rough-looking and uneducated per
sons, but they manifested a lively z7al
and devotion that gave weight and
mpressiveness to their teachings. Il
is also recalled that they avoided vii.
lagos where orthodox pulpits were
many, and turned their proselyting
efforts to remote districts, whose rus.
tic and scattered denizens were more
susceptible to the novel gospel pro.
claimed by the prophet Joseph Smith.
Here they preached diligently and
with fervor TO such congregations as
might be brought together IN private
dwellings and cross roads school
houses, and led their converts down
into the waters of the neighbor.
ing mill ponds to receive the rite OF
immersion, which sealed their pro
fessions of faith. The number OF con.
verts secured was not large, nor did
their efforts in this line attract any
considerable attention among ortho
dox people. In fact, the Joe Smith
imposture was then in its feeble in.
fancy, the infamies of polygamy were
as yet unavowed in the practices of its
devotees, and the outside world look
ed upon the movement as a delusion
too monstrous and absurd to gain any
permanent foothold in the land.
After a short period of labor in these
parts the brace of missionaries re-
ceived orders TO recall. Thereupon
they sent forth an urgent summons
to quit everything and follow Their
spiritual guides to the new Zion in the
valley af the great Salt Lake. A
small party, about dozen altogether
responded to the summons and turned
their faces to the land of promise.
Among these was a youth Decker, the
same who has now returned to his
native county after long years of alb
sence, in the guise Of grayhaired
elder of the church seeking a city OF
refuge from the stern mandates of
gentle justice.
OF the converts who failed to join
the exodus the greater number in
course of time backslided into other
folds. A faithful few however never
departed from the faith inculcated by
Joseph Smith and his co-workers.
Perhaps the last surviving member OF
this faithful remnant was Thomas
Perry well to dc farmer Of Montague
township, who died a few days ago at
ripe old age. In the ordinary affairs
of life and apart from his religion
idiosyncrasies, he was a person Of IN
common shrewdRess and good sense.
His peculiar belief in one direction
was never paraded nor denied, but
bis aquantances were give to under.
stand that his views were immovably
grounded and he did no desire to make
the same a subject for discussion. An
orthodox clergyman officiated at the
funeral and in compliance with the
suggestion of his family and lmmedi-
ate friends no allusion was made by
the preacher to the eccentric and OBJ
noxious views so long and faithfully
maintained by the deceased.