The sun., 1889-11-10

In IIlinois. uFiere they built Napyoo. the SOC
odIled Holy City or City Of Joseph, which. be-
fore the end Of 1910. contained some fifteen
thousand eouIs, Including converts from
Europe and Canada, as we'll as from almost
every part OF tho United States. AlthouRh
this city was destined to be short lived,
it contained a temple OF white limestone,
which cost $t.000,000. and which measured
1873 feet in length by SO In breadth and 90 In
height The House Of Joseph, which was at
onoe private dwelling and hotel. had 'front.'
age on two streets Of 100 feet each. and was
said to have cost 100000. Under the charter
OF Nauvoo the State Government was virtually
superseded within the precincts OF the colony.
the, Mormons having their own courts and
their own militia, organized in what was
termed the Nauvoo Legion. OF the inhabi-
tRnts OF Nauvoo. II was said by Gentle OBJ
server: They are wonderfully enterprising
people. Peace andharmonY reign In the city.
"A drunkard Is scarcely ever seen. neither does
any profane oath strike upon the ear" .....
In the origina al creed OF the Latter day Church
there was no sanction Of polyRamy During
the first ten years after the organization OF
Mormonism we hear nothing about this retro
Rression from the practices OF civilized lands.
But In Nauvoo as early as 1s41 Joseph began
to take to himself plural wives. and his exam
pie was. followed by some OF his Rdherents.
Finally, In 1843 there came to Joseph q revela-
tion-tbe last Of which there is any record-for-
mally authorizing polyRamy. For years, how
ever this revelation was confined to a few, and
Il was not promulgated until after the great
exodus, when the Mormons had become estab-
lshed in Utah. The fact nevertheless, that
polygamy was countsnanoed by the leaders OF
the new Church leaked out, and greatly aGgra-
waited tho hostility with which the Nauvoo set
A. 4 n...A -
This hostility eliminated in June. 1874. In the
assassination Of Joseph Smith and his brother
Hyrum. who had been taken to the town OF
Carthage by the State authorities on q civil
charge ''.'
, That Josenh Smith was a remarkable man
Beems to Mr.. Bancroft incontestable. How
we'll he was qualified for the workfhe under
took is shown py the fact that he made scores
OF thousands believe In him and in his teach
inRs. Had he not possessed physical and men
tai aptitudes for the proselytlzinR function he
must have failed, for his days we're full Of
troubles I'VE raad thGt hiR haople - were often,
petulant. his elders auarrelsome, his ablest
followers cautious and captious. While the
world scoffed and the neighbors used violence,
his high priests were continually asking him
for prophecies, and II they were not fulfilled at
once and to the letter, they stood ready to
haved dsgracefully, and brought reproach
and enmity upon the cause. Moreover, Joseph
was constantly in fear for his life, yet though
by no means desirous OF death. In moments
OF excitement he often faced danger with ap-
parent Indifference to the results"
tits not generally known that Brigham Young,
who succeeded Joseph Smith as President OF
the twelve Mormon apostles was four years
older, having been born In 1901. Like his pre-
decessor. he was a native Of Vermont The
son Of poor farmer he received but little
education. having been obliged to earn his
own livelihood from an early age. He had
been byturns farmer. carpenter. joiner, house
painter. and glazier when in 1882 he became
convert to Mormonism and was made an elder.
Henceforth he was Smiths most devoted fol-
lower moro than once shielding him from
treachery or persecution at the risk OF his own
life. He had been sent upon mission to Eng
land In 1910. and, although he had returned to
the United States some time before 1874. he
was not in Illinois at the time Of the prophets
ASSASSINATION. He was chosen Smiths success
sor by an overwhelming majority over Sidney
Rigdon. the principal contestant. 1t was he.
who in 1S46-4S directed the migration Of the
Mormons from Nauvoo to Utah and esta ablished
new Zion by the shores OF the Great Salt
Lake. We find the mans character sketched
in an appreciative way by Mr.. Bancroft on
page 201. Young was not eloquent. 1t seems.
like Rigdon. but something more than oratory
was needed to obtain control OF the Mormons
at the crisis Of their history. "Of that some
thing" we are told. Brigham found himself
in possession. 1t was the combination of quail
tiles which we find present primarily In all great
men. in all leaders Of men-intellectual force, |
mental superiority. united with personal mag |
netism and physique enough to give weight to |
will and opinion. Brigham Young was as
suredly great man, II by greatness we mean |
one who is superior to others in strength and |
SKILL moral. intellectual. or physical. The Sc |
cret OF this mans power-a power that within |
D few years made itself felt throughout the |
world-was this He was sincere man. or. II /
an impostor. he was one who first imposed /
upon himself. He was not hypocrite; knave
IN the ordinary sense Of the term he was not
though he has been q thousand times called |
both. II he was a bad man. he was still |
Zreat man. and the evil that he did was done
with honest purposes. He possessed great ad-
ninistratiye ability; he was far-seeing. with a
reen insight into human nature, and q thor
,uRh knowledge OF the good and evil qualities
II men. OF their virtues and frailties. His su-
'eriority was native. but he daily and hourly
rev more powerful"
What became Of Nauvoo. which once con-
aimed twenty thousand inhabitants. after the
Mormon exodus? This question Is answered
IN page 235 The temple was destroyed by
Ire and tempest, and all the woodwork con-
umed, while the rock was utilized for miles
round as foundations Of houses. for door
tops. and other purposes. A French company
oming in later bought the stone from those In
possession and built wine vaults. Foundations
4 buildings were broken up. and houses once
urrounded by carefully tended flower gardens.
illaGed OF all that was valuable. were aban-
oned by their ruthless destroyers. In 1858
he Icarians formed the most important part
the population Of Nauvoo. They lived In
'nR, ugly row OF buildings. the architect Of
'hich and OF the school house was a cobbler.
n the house built for the prophet and his fam
y dwelt in 1854 the prophets widow, his
lothOr and other relatives"
The pioneer band Of emiRrants under Young
sached the site OF Salt Lake City in the sum-
Ter OF 1876. By the close OF 1848 some 5000 {
Iormons had accomplished the long and diff I
llt journey from their so-oalled winter quar-
'rs near Omaha to Utah. In 1850 according
} the United States census. the population of {
10 Territory was 1884 of whom rather moro i
ian half were residents OF the city In 1889 | a