The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-08-29
LIFE IN MORMoNDoM.
A Chat With Delegate Game on the
Beliefs Of His Constituents
Their Missionary LabOrs.

great deal of talk here about the Nor
mons, which has been, in large part,
stirred up BY Kate Field. This young
lady appeared before the conluaittee Of
Congress this summer. and gave her
opinion on the Mormon question in very
decided terms. She. had one or more
apostate wives with her TO substantia:e
her statements, and she presents the
marriage relations Of the Mormons a
being far different from those shteh
they assert in reality exist. Shortly be-
fore Congress adj ,Urned, had talk
with John T. Game, tae Mormon dele
gate in Congress, upon this vert sub
ject. and the chat was fun OF so many
new ideas TO me upon the subject. thai
1 give 1t to you. Game appears to be
an enthusiastic Mormon. He has only
one wife, however, and Mrs. Game is
very pretty dark-haired lx0man. Kko
stays with him a good deal at Washing
ton. She does not 60 into socie.y h
any extent. She is. however, well edu-
Gated and well bred. She Is relative
of Florence Nightingale, ana Game ap-
parently thinks too much of her 10 take
assecond wife into his family. Mr..
Game himself is man-oyer5O yearsof
age, though he does notlook sHefs
very straight, rather slim. and has cold
blue eyes, brown hair aud sandy side
whiSkers. He dresses well, wears a tall
silk hat. and Is a well educated genti, .
man. Ia talking of marriage among
the MOrmons. he. said: Marriage 4
with US q duty, and il is founded on
that passage IN the Scripture which.
says that man must multiply and re.
plenish the earth. IT women OF Utah
look upon marriage as a religious duty.
and they marry IL many eases more.
with view 70 their CO. diiiOn in n future
lie than l. this. According TO our be-
lief, person does NOT enjoy heaven in
all Its tullness without be mas accom-
plished IN the full all the possibilities OF
his nature in this world. The woman
who does not marry does not attain her
highest perfection on earth, and the old
maid goes 10 heaven imperfectlv pre-
pared and unable there 10 stand on an
equal plane with women who have be. n
married. The MOrmons believe this
theory, and the men marry in many
cases to benefit their wives, and to give
them fair chance in the future life
Brigham Young. you know. had nearly
a score OF wives, but only five or SIX OF
these were held by him IN the'ordinarv.
marriage rel tons. The others. in
many cases, were beyond child-bearing.
don't think Brigham Young was, BY
any means, a sensual man. He was 100
busy man; aud too fun Of the great
things OF this life TO be 50. i knew him
very vel, and in speaking one day on
the marriage question he told me that
the revelation Of Joseph Smith as TO ihs
duty OF Mormons to take as many wives
as they could support was the hardest
foF-him to believe Of sII the revelation.
Joseph Smith had limitations Of this
revelation for a long time before the
spirits gave him permission TO announce
it." - -
viii you please give me. Mr.. Game,
the daily religious life of a Mormon in
good church standing ?'.
1t is very much like that OF the piOus
Gentle, replied Mr.. Game. ''Phe Nor
mon asks grace at his meals. and has
family prayer once or twice day. He
sends his children to church on Sun
day. and has religious observances, such
as prayermeetings at least oncea week
At Salt Lake City, and indeed through
out the Territory, the children go to
Sunday school, and in the afternoon to
church. At Salt Lake City the preach-
ing for the whole church IS done in the
Tabernacle in the afternoon. and the
sacrament is always administered. 9No
collection plate is passed around, and
the entire collections of the church are
from the tithing. This tithing is mat
eI--k - l. 1.fk ~ - NJ
his God. He gives to the church what
be says TO be a tenth OF his income.
The church accepts his statement rs
true, and does netinquire into IT, IN ]
THE Mormon church must be very
rich" said 1.
THAT is a mistake, replied the Nor
mon. The church is, m fact. AYerF
poor. 1t has taken in millions of dol
lars. but il has paid it all out in the i'm
proving Of the Territory, and in the ex-
lending Of the Mormon religion. do
not suppose that there is $50. 900 IN the
treasury of the church to-day. You
must remember We took Utah when II
was a desert. We came acrossN the
plains with all our provisions aud tools
10 Wagons. and as we came We drove
the cows and sheep which were toform
our stock for the new colony. Forsyears
our missionaries we're sent OUT OFbl<luc
country in wagons, and it was IN wagons
that they brought back the conyerts. a
caravan of one hundred or five hundred
teams would start from Salt Lake City
stocked with goods for St. Louis or the
nearest railroad station. At points
known Is last stations along the road.
they would leave supplies OF food and q
guard over them. On the return they
would get this food for use during their
homexard trip. AT this time many
men paid their tithing In provisions or
in wagons OF horses. Tnen OF late
wears The church has sent out many
MISSIONARIES. 1t has settled and made
garden Of the Utah desert, and 1t Is
now pushing its way into the surround
ing Territories"
TELL me something Of the mission
work of the Mormonsf"
Every Mormon is expected saio
Delegate Game, Ito accomplish 81 ieaSs
one mission during his lifetime. de
paws his own expenses, ii he IS able 70
doit. II the church sends him ioEtn
and he has not the means to CO. ~ VII
supply MIN with the necessary funds.
The majority OF our missionaries pay
their own way. L acted as missionary