The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-04-15
THE MORMON.
A Glimpse of Joseph Smith When He
Was Building the Latter Day Saints
Church at NauyoO, Ill.
The OrerLaaad MonthLu is printing

Churcn at NauYOO, IH'
The Overland Monthly is printing a
series of letters from Nauvoo, ILL.,,
written in 1913. 1t is interesting to
read in them a contemporary notice of
one who has been the founder of such
formidable religious sect as the Nor
mons. Here are few extracts from
her letters, written to a friend and of
course with no thought that her casual
mention of such men as Joseph Smith
and Brigham Young would ever have
the smallest interest for posterity. She
says:
''Since my return home Mrs. Good
wins youngest child, her little Sarah,
has died. l Twas there great deal, and
was with her the night she died. She
was buried Saturday.
"The Goodwins are Presbyterians,
but as there is no church here except
the Mormons, the funeral services
were conducted by the Elders, Taylor
and Young The house was well filled
by kind neighbors and others, who did
the singing. Each of the Elders made
a lengthy prayer in which they fer
vently pleaded for the conversion of
this afflicted family to the Church of
the Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ.
Elder Young, who had recently re-
turned from long mission, in a most
self-satisfed manner gave a detailed
account of the various modes of con-
Quoting funerals by different nations,
some in remote ages, and of funeral
customs-so cold and heartless and
inappropriate to the occasion, giving
| no ray of comfort to the bereaved pa
rents! l hope. for my friends sake, l
shall not die in Nauvoo.
Miss S., from Bangor passing
the summer with her brother in Quincy,
has been with us the past week. We
have been reading together very in
teresting book. called Home trans
| lated from the Swedish of Ffederika
Brem, T, by Miss Hewitt. 1t gives us
a good idea of what might be Swedish
home life.
1--WE have seen but little of the Judge
this summer. We think he has been
around the country, electioneering for
the Whig party, Last Sunday after
noon, to our surprise he made his ap-
pearance. He told us Joseph Smith
was talking as he passed the grove, so
| Miss s. and l soon had our bonnets
on and were on our way to the grove.
Mr.. S. had evidently been giving a
political discourse. AS we seated our
selves he was most vehemently berat.
ing the lawyers as a pack of hounds
and extortioners, who corrupt the peo-
pie, deceive by vain words, like Judas
are ready to be bought or sold-for less
than thirty pieces of silver. Yes he
says, even like Esau, for mess o.
pottage; they will sell themselves for q
promise of some little office to poll
tician, no matter how corrupt he may
be. Instead of dealing justice, they
promote strife and envy, and rob the
widow and fatherless. Now. if any
of you have any difficulties to settle
there are in the Church apostles
prophets and teachers, men appointed
by the spirit of revelation, who vii
settle all disputes without money anC
without price
From the lawyers he turned to th
doctors, who he termed "a parcel o
ignorant quacks, going about tn
country pretending to cure you of al
diseases, and you swallow what the,
give you like young robins, wlthou
knowing what it is. l wonder yol
don't die. taking their nostrums! The,
are wolves in sleeps clothing, seekin!
whom they may devour. Have we no
many gifts vouchsafed to us, anon:
which is healing the sick by the layin,
on of hands, in which you ought t
have faith? Why, there is more virtu
in the laying on of my handkerchie
than in all the doctors so-called medi
cines, and he took from his pocke
and fiourished before US very ding,
affair." ''But he added, if any of yo
r are so welded to the gods of you
fathers, and can't do without a doctor
1 advise you to have DR.. B, one O
our faith, who has just come among u
with high recommendations.
II had noticed a gentleman seated
on the platform just behind the speak
. er. On this Introduction he stepped
forward to Joseph's side, and boweC
graciously low to the audience. H
was apparently about fifty years old
slightly grey, with decided militar.
bearing. Thought he looked mucl
more like wolf in sleeps clothing
than any Gentle doctor l had seel
here.
Miss Savage was very much amused
and particularly so when Elder H
in the concluding prayer, after numer
Gus petitions, added one also for th
= speedy erection of the Nauvoo House.
In another letter the young lad,
writes:
..Wher they left, brother and 1 a,
companied them to the steamboat. Th
Mayor of Quincy, Hon. Judge Young
and other politicians called on MIR
Smith, and invited him and his lad,
on board the boat, where they were in
troduced to most of the company
they seemed pleased with the atten
ton shown them. and as they left th
: boat Captain Whitney's band played ;
fine march. The Prophet graciousl,
invited US to ride in his carriage. W.
: rode along the bank of the river, keep
ing the boat in view, hearing beautiful
music and exchanging waves of hand
kerchiefs with friends on board.
when we arrived at Mr.. Smith
house we alighted, and were politel
invited to stay to tea but we declined
Then Mr.. s. offered to take u
home, and honored US with hi
presence. As we rode through tn
streets the little children came runnin,
forth, clapping their hands and shout
ing, There is Joseph's carriage, AM
there is Joseph! This homage ap
peared quite gratifying to him. Indeed
\ he seems very much beloved by hi
q people"
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