Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-06-23
TAG NEW MORMONISM.
Changes From the Beginning to the Com
pletion of the Temple.

Changes From the Beginning to the Conn
pl.tion of the Temple.
Mormonism has been revised and improv-
ed since the foundation stone OF the big
temple in Salt Lake City dedicated recently
was laid 10 years ago. Its gods have been
thinned out. Its apostles, prophets and
priests are of less account than formerly.
Its Golden Book" is far less revered than
1t used to be. 1t is less fanatical and better
tempered than it was. Its hostility to the
civil power has disappeared. Its sdherents
have ceased to be bellicose ever since they
were subjugated by the Federal army. Its
presumption has been reduced since the
federal courts laid hands upon the church
property. Its superstitiousness is on the
wane. Its young people have been lib
eralized by intercourse with the Gen
tiles" who now live in the territory.
it has felt the influence of certain acts of
the territorial Legislatures; it has been af-
fected by the Gentle" press, the public
school system and the Christian clergy; it
has been influenced by the growth of popu-
lar enlightenment; it has not for years pos
sessed the advantages of that isolation
which it once commanded in Utah, and,
more important than other things, it has
discarded the system of polygamy, which
Is the abomination of desOlation and was
brought into especial prominence by Brig
ham Young, who was the president of the
church from the time of the lynching of
Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism,
until his own death in 1877.
1t is the important fact in the transfer
nation of Mormonism that polygamy is
not now sanctioned by its leaders or prac
ticed under it's license. In this respect
Mormonism has adapted itself to circum-
stances under the mandate Of power
which it could not resist, which was en-
bodied in the federal government, acting
through congress, the courts and the army,
by the authority of the American people,
who were determined upon the suppression
Of polygamy. When the antipolygamy
laws were enacted the Mormon leaders de
clared that they would not obey them, as
polygamy had been sanctioned by n revela-
ton from heaven, but they soon found that
congress had provided penalties for disobe-
dience, with the enforcement of which
heaven did not interfere.
They next tried to evade the laws, but
the difficulty of evading them proved to be
as great as that Of resisting them. At last
relief came to them through a new and very
convenient revelation from heaven to the
effect that 1t was not thencefort Unnecessary
to practice polygamy, which had Seen pro-
hibited by the government of the United
States. Ii was but few years ago that
official announcement was made through
the church presidency, in conformity both
WIFI DlTdllOn lLc isiNS VI toit>ASNN,
that polygamy would not thereafter exist
among MoTmons. Mormonism is a religion
that has varied resources, some of which
are always available about the time they
are needed, at the call of the leaders, to the
satisfaction of their adherents, and this fact
sould not be better illustrated than when
Woodruff enjoyed an antipolygamic reve-
lation in perfect conformity with our anti
polygamic legislation.
1t is but just to say, however, that the
Mormons are at this time observing the
marital laws as well other laws, and
that the polygamic practices of past years
are now almost completely ended in Utah.
There Is abundant evidence of the truth of
this statement, and it is satisfactory to the
legal authorities of the territory. The rem
nant of aged Mormons may not have dis
carded their superfluous wives, yet pay all
necessary outward respect to the new order
of things.
In truth Mormonism has been much and
in many ways fixed up since Brigham
Young's death. Now, in these times, with
some of its old blotches doctored away, with
a part of its smudge cleared off or painted
over, with the partial reparation of its sys-
tenn through the administration of federal
remedies, with the growth of reason in its
mind and with such new tangled clothes
as it has got, it looks less ugly than it
looked 10 years or 20 or even 10 years ago.
New York Sun