The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-07

Scattered ali over the United States and
In nsny portions Of Europe and Cansaa
ara Mormon missionaries snd elders. labor
ing with fans:icaI zeal 90 make prossiytes
70 their ;aith. and since the late signal de-
feat OF their co-rsiigionists in Salt Lake
City, .tAs central stake OF Zion. they have
rccoabie.i their esTsrts and have concocted
all sorts Of explanations and excuses 70 ac-
count for 80 pronounced a rebuke 10 them
in their stronghold and where they are
best known.
Some Of the statements with which they
essay 10 overcome popular hostility TO
their practice Of posygsmy are 80 at vari-
ance with familiar history as TO verge upon
the ladicrous. A notable example OF this
class is a statement made by an elder and
patIissesi In the Concordia, Kansas, Blade.
which purporss to give the reason for the
revelation commanding poIygamy. Its .
nsoroeau, and reads ~ follows:
How many Mormon haten know the true his
tory OF poygsmy among the Mormors? Not
more than one IA thousand. And Of the one.
but few are wiling 10 give IL honest thought
and sympathetic ahape.
AZ The Mormon party were about 70 starr on
their psf1lous journey across the red-hot plains
in search Of Western home . demand was
made upon them for regiment OF soldiers 10
so 10 Mexico. This number they could not fur
nish. aud compromised on I've hundred. These
went, after bidding sdieu TO wives, lovers and
friends and gave their lives TO their country,
ard Tor the extension Of slavery. For such Was
the motive that led 10 the Mexican war. They
we're not 20 blame for this motive" however.
Already. aud before this draft was made, pre-
ponderancs Of women over men existed In the
camp of tho prophet. and this made the pre-
ponderance much greater. Who would look
after this excess OF womenf Where were their
husbands TO come fromf Who would give them
OF .'laotber" ~ dear. - sacred. 20 one ~ an
other The modern Herod may say xiii
thera.' but The ssgsclous prophet OF the Nor
mon church devised . scheme more I'm accord
with humanity. lie took the Bible ~ his guide.
He beshousht himself Of the pafrisrchs Of old
who had . similar problem to solve. He
thought Of God revealing His win to them In
visions. and he prayed for similar enlighten-
ment-and it camel We - much believe that
smith received from the Almighty permission
To establish poIygsmy - spiritual Institution
~ that any vision ever went forth from God
The Salt Lake Tribune exposes the men,
dacity Of these statements. and its exposure
is more than corroborated by gentleman
OF this city who served in the Mexican
war. made . considerable poxtion of the
trip across the plains in company with the
Mormon battalion. and Is perfectly IA
miiiar with all the facts. oil Of which are in
direct conflict with the above statements
Of the Kansas elder. all Of which are false
In every alleged fact and implication.
1t Is not fact that at any time "a de-
mand was made upon the Mormons for
regiment TO 10 to Mexico. No such ''de-
mand" vas made on any particular body
Of the people. A certain complement OF
troops was called for. and more by many
mulsipses were offered than could be &c
ceptei. There was an excited scramble
for acceptance, which II was a matter of
influence and favor to secure.
The nambcr Of Mormons offering to en-
list WAS far In excess OF the number &C
cepted But in the view of the excitement
and violence Of which they had been OBJ
iects. and from fear of recurrence of the
like. ii was deemed wise policy TO adopt
this means OF getting at least portion OF
them out Of the region In which their
presence had excited hostility.
This was early in the month of May,
1919. The sagaoious prophet" who de
vised the scheme Of polygamy' Was Joseph
Smith. who was killed while trying to
escape from the jail in Carthage, H., June
~, 1854, and he had Illuminated the polyg-
amy revelation several years prior TO that
date. So that this Kansas Mormon elder
would have the world believe that the
prophet who died In 1874. and who an
nounced polygamy not later than 1872, was
impelled thereto by events which occsrred
ia isla II Is plain that his statements are
a tissue of falsehoods from beginning TO
end.
And thus, by fragrant perversions of re-
cent and familiar historical facts,
these shameless advocates of per-
nieious practice hope 20 create sym.
pathy and make converts 10 the
Church OF Jesus Christ Of Latter Day
Saints" In view OF such missionary work
In its behalf, how hlasrhemous this title
--------------