Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-04-01
From Our Special Correspondent,
LOGAN, Utah, March %, 1898.

euCy Ole uO6 81 IdI, DIS Gall SccS q pdIGlc-
ularly favored people as they chose to
regard themselves.
They are like any other exclusively
agricultural people, that have from the
beginning Of their history excluded them
selves, as much as possible, from the rest
OF the world and lived within themselves.
Just such communities can be found
in many respects similar to this one here
and there over the United States.
The religious prosecutions this people
have suffered has done very much to
unite them closely together, and make
them look with more or less suspicion on
all the outside world, or to openly regs I'd
it as their enemy.
The Mormons have shown their wis
dom in ignoring the mining industry and
devoting their energies to cultivating the
soil. As result every valley is thickly
populated with thrifty, wealth-produc-
ing class, and an almost total absence is
noticed of that shiftless transient gamb-
ling element of the population so charac-
teristic Of mining communities. Beauti-
full and coy homes take the place of the
bunk house and the rickety shanty of the
mining town.
The Mormons are no better and no
worse than any other religious sect.
They have become notorious on ac-
count of their views on polygamy, but
this was but minor point of their reli-
gion and was never practiced by more
than five per cent. of the male popula-
ton. It may be that occasionally a
gentle affectionate Mormon girl was
forced through some alleged revelation
to become the fourth, fifth or sixth wife
of some lustful, hestial, brutal Mormon
bishop or other church dignitary so as to
assure her an entrance into heaven (for
according to Mormonism no single
woman can enter heaven) but this was
merely sacrifice to ignorance and reli-
glous superstition and fanatioism. In
the effete east where fashion and ambi-
ton reigns and desperate attempts are
made to lift the family up, the same kind
of gentle loving women are often practi-
cally forced to marry the same kind of
coarse, brutal men to insure them and
their families an entrance into society.
This is a sacrifice to mammon and is con-
sidered proper where it prevails. Every
where people follow the prevailing super
stitIons or fashions regardless of suffer-
ing.
1t is only within the last three years
that free schools have been established
in Utah. Previous to this the so-cslled
schools were presided over by men ap-
pointed by the ward bishops and whose
chief fitness for the position lay in his
faithfulness to the church. And as spir-
itual matters are considered among ali
bigots as more important than temporal
matters, theology formed about the only
subject taught in these Mormon schools.
The influence of this teaching is readi-
ly noticeable for, Mormon who is al
most unable to read and write, is sway
up" on religion and, especially, those
points sustaining Mormonism. Thsy are
always ready to give the reason for the
faith that is in them, and will debate it
to the end,
[ must say that their views appear just
as reasonable, and their arguments as
logical, as those pertaining to any other
religious system ever heard discussed
but, of course, this is not saying very
much for them.
Since schools have been generally es-
tahlished throughout the territory, the
young Mormon generation, are taking
hold enthusiastically. The Agricultural
college here in its third year has 300
students. The Brigham Young college,
also at this point, has 800 students. This
is principally Mormon Theological
school, but it has greatly improved in
quality since free state schools have been
established.
The Mormon church has no paid min
istels, and the bishops and all other SER
wants of the organization, give their SER
vices gratuitously. Men are sent on mis-
sions for two or three years to foreign
countries without dollar in their peck
cts and without word of the language
at their command. They rely entirely on
God and He, very frequently, let's them
starve to death, and sometimes become
The victims OF the savage or of the preju-
lice and superstition of other religious
'ects, Their museums are full of old
hats, coats, etc., worn by martyrs to the
aith.
The Mormons believe in q personal.
God, basing their belief on Gen.,
lst chapter, 26th and 9th verse, Heb,
st chapter, Sd verse; Phil, I'd chapter,
It'll and 9th verse.
They believe in a progression after
leath and, of course, therefore, do not be-
ieve in a located hell or a located
heaven. This is more pleasant be-
lef than that of most other religious sects.
Their church is founded, SO they claim,