The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-05-26
AMONG THE MORMONS.
a cANTONIAN WoRsHlPs IN THE GREAT
NOR MON TEMPLE-THE BIGGEST
CONGREGATION ON THE
CONTINENT.
View 8 Of the Mormons as a People Inter.
esting Account of the Mormon Growth.
And Now for the Pacific.

eating Account of the Mormon Growth
And Now for the Pacific,
special Correspondence of the News. Democrat.
SALT LAKE CITY May 49,
A word from this place presume is al
ways interesting to our readers.
Salt Lake City and the Mormon religion
nFe known world wide.
The city was founded by 143 Mormon
pioneers in lS47, at the foot of u large
mountain and 20 miles from the great Salt
Lake. They must have had great faith in
their religion that prompted them TO leave
their homes and kindred and seek place
like this was then, to cast their lot and
future life, At that time this place was a
barren waste, not a tree to mar the mo-
notony of the place. IL then seemed as II
nothing could grow here, The mountains
are covered with snow nine months in the
ySar and il never rains in the valleys in
summer time, Brigham, Young inaugural.
ed a system of irrigation and brought the
water which the melting snow in the
mountains make all the summer, in thou.
sands of bitches over the plains and val
leys below. Water by irrigation caused
vegetation to spring into life. The -vales
became green in summer and fruitful in
the autumn, and they commenced the
building of this city that has now grown
80 great, and IL seems now that they have
more than realized their fondest expecta-
tions.
| attended their services yesterday at
their Tabernacle from 2 to 4 p. M; 1900
people were in attendance, 1000 people
sang in the choir and the organ is as large
as some church buildings. This was the
largest congregation ever saw, and the
most remarkable. The ministers voice
could be easily heard in every part of that
vast auditorium. 1t is said that the
acoustic properties of this room is so
good that If you drop pin on the pulpit
dOor when the room is empty one can hear
10 strike the floor when standing III the
fartherest part of the room.
The beautiful residence that Brigham
Young built for his favored wife, Amelia, ,
has been conHscatGd by our general gov.
er1ment on the ground that as the building
was put up with the church money the
Mormon church owned tue property, and
that no church under territorial law
was permitted to own so much property.
Some limit it seems 10 made by the law
for any church to own and the court held
(Which of course was Gentle court that
this church had more property than the
law, m tde bv Congress which governs tue
territory OF Utah, allowed, and the general
government took the property away from
the people who built II. lhe people OF tie
church are very indignant at this proceed
ing and claim It is useless for Them 10
enter the Federal court as il is certain to
always deCid' against them.
There are about 10000 people in Utah,
more than twice as many IS some of the
other states have, but our Congress will
not admit them to statehood because the
AOrmOns are so largely in the majority
Only about 30 600 Gentiles are in the ter
ritory and IL admitted as a state the Nor
mons would have the right of a state TO
govern themselves, in which event the
Gentiles would not fare so we'll as they do
now with the general government to back
chem.
The Norman church commenced the
building of their temple in 1852 1t is
now nearly completed and certainly is
one ct tue finest buildings in the United
States. II covers ground 200 feet by 100
Aeet and is 200 feet high at the highes st
point. Its architectural beauty is beyond
description. It's cost is over three mil
lions of dollars. 1t is surrounded by a
high stone wall, and within the inner
chamber OF the "Sactum Sanctorum" it is |
ordained that the feet Of no GENTLE shall |
ever tread. This temple is and always |
will be the pride of the latter day saints, |
as they call themselves. There is talk |
here amoug the Eeutiles 70 make an effort |
70 nave tuis magnificent piece of property 1
3lso counscated and taken away from that |
Guurcn, through the Federal courts and /
the power Of the general government Ii 1
seoms to me this should not be done in 1
The boasted land Of religious freedom. 1t l
looks 70 me TOO mucu like interfering
wlth the constitutional rights Of our peo-
~ WAlANLA pItA liAl III 10 mistaken terms
that our people shall not be prevented
70 worship their God according to the
dictates OF their own con5rience.n The
Mormon church since the 'Edmuuds law
took effect has abolished the poligamy
part of their creed aud now it is said is
not practiced by any Of their church. If
this is true persecution on the part of the
general government shall cease and JUS
tice bold impartial sway it seems to me.
AS l walked down street Saturday met
=. p. Bush and his Two sons who now
reside here and are engaged in the min
ing business 10 miles the mountains.
/ also met on Saturday Col. Sewers who |
is we'll known in Canton and who now
resides in this city. He is also paying
attention to getting out of these noun.
tains which are all around this place the
precious metals that we all admire and
love TO have plenty of.
Most of the people in this section want
free sflVe2, but they want the general
gOvecDr.tnt to pay them we'll for the
bpE. on. Can't blame them much for
theY have much of it for sale, and like
everybody else want TO make make money.
1 will proceed to San Francisco, Cal,
today. JOHNSON SHERRIcK'