The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-27
AMONG OHIO .MORMONS,
FOLLOWERS OF JOSEPH SMITH WHO
ARE NOT POLYGAMISTS,

ARE NOT PolYGAMISTS.
A Description of the Magnificent Mormon
Temple Built by the Founder of the
Stood for Many Years.
There has recently been held at Kirkland.
twenty-five miles from Cleveland. a con-
ference OF mich interest. The mention of
| The name Mormon Is usually sufficient TO
| give the people the horrors, yet In attend
ing this convention / found az interesting
and as devout a class of people as any de-
nominatfo can show.
1t was at Kirkland that Joseph Smith
first established the Mormon church. In
1880 he began his preaching, and in five
years be had gathered about 5000 people
about him and built temple that is a
most remarkable specimen of architecture.
What added particular interest to this con-
| terence was the fact that it was held at the
original temple, and delegates were present
from all over the country from Massachu-
sets to California The several religious
meetings IN no way differed from the SINH
ar conferences of the Baptist, Methodist
,r Presbyterian churches so far as doctrine
S concerned.
| These Mormons, however, are the 10
sephites," not the "Rrighamites," or poiyg-
smous Mormons The Josephites claim
| 20 be the true followers of Joseph Smith,
md their leader is Joseph Smith, Jr., son
Of the prophet Joseph. Their belief differs
III L. It ! D.
for they do not believe in polygamy or in
the blood atonement So certain are these
| Josephites of their faith being the true one
that they send and keep several mission
aries in Utah to convert their wayward
brethren there who have brought odium
on the faith by their polygamous prac-
tees.
JOSEPH SMITHS WORK.
The temple shows that Joseph Smith
must have been a most remarkable man.
Two years after he began his preaching he
laid the foundations, and three years we've
required to complete it. Evidently it was
built on honor, for in spite of all its vicis-
STUDIES there is not a crack IN the walls,
and the plastering is as solid and as firm
as the walls, there being only one crack in
it in the whole building. The walls are
like a, fortress, being three feet thick, and
solid stone and mortar from the founda-
ton to the roof. The timbers and jcists as
seen in the cellar are in keeping with the
walls, being huge hewn pieces of hickory
and oak.
Kirkland is pretty littlegillage situated
In the broad valley of the Chagrin river
The temple is on the top Of bluff over
hanging the village, and Is conspicuous in
the landscape for miles and miles on &C
count of its commanding position. Only
about sixty members Of the church remain
out of large settlement, and except the
temple but few traces of the early Mormon
days remain. Every vestige of the house
where Joseph Smith lived is gone, but the
old store-n0w the postofice-still remains
In the center of the village. In this build
ing the present Joseph Smith was born.
The temple, as have said, is a remark
able specimen Of architecture. On the first
floor is the main audience room. At each
end are the rising seats for the different
grades of the church dignitaries-priests,
elders, bishops, etc. On the ceiling is a
peculiar arrangement of hooks, from which
draperies are hung, and the main audience
room is sub-divided into half a dozen or
more divisions. Within the last few years
the entire building has been renovated, as
relic hunters had despoiled and pretty
nearly wrecked it
THE TEMPLE TO-DAY.
Thousands of dollars have been expend-
I'd, not in undermining the structure, but
in restoring it to it's original condition.
even in the smallest detail This arrange
ment of hangings is an effort to approach
as nearly as possible to the temple con-
structed in the time of Solomon.
The second story is practically like the
first, and is used for overflow meetings at
such times as a conference, and as Sun
day school room Instead, however, Of
having hooks to hang drsperies from, there
Is device for using curtain shades which
can be wound up and unwound The third
story is fitted up into several small rooms
for the use of the several ''quorums" and
other bodies of church officials From the
top Of the tower is grand view of the sur
rounding country, and off northward
stretches Lake Erie for miles.
The sole aim of the Josephites is to live
as closely as possible in the way that the
early primitive Christians did, and their
church organization and life is based upon
their Interpretation of the Bible. In all
the preaching that ] heard not word was
said about Joseph Smith, the prophet. or
of Mormonism.
1t was simply Gn expounding of the
particularly the New Testa-
ment, and literal Interpretation of them.
No sect could more conscientiously and
closely cling to the words of the Bible than
do these Josephite Mormons. The preach
ing is intensely docrinal, but based solely
On strict interpretation of the Scriptures.
FUTURE OF TIE SECT.
1t is believed that the days of revelation
and miracles are still with Us, and several
preachers cited some very. surprising in
stances of modern inspiration. The older
believe i'm plicitly in these things,
but the younger ones are rather doubling,
and say little or nothing on the subject.
Most of the older Mormons believe that
the Lord will yet restore Kirkland to its
former prominence in the Mormon world,
and that it will be the center OF a great
and dourishtng settlement. The younger
Ones have nothing to say on this subject,
though some are inclined to believe that
the Lord has withdrawn his favor from
and bestowed it on Independence,
No., as there are several thousand Nor
mons in that vicinity.
Joseph Smith, the leader Of the Joseph
ties, Is remarkable man. Every induce
neHt was brought to bear to induce him TO
20 To Utah and Ia fhA head of the church