The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-07
TIL E MOkMONS.
Their Journey to Salt Lake-DescrIp RI pt lon
of Their Grent Temple.

Their Journey to Salt Lake-DescrI Mt ion
of Their Great Temple.
In 1916 the Mormons were forced to leave
Nauvoo, Illinois. and seek to the westward,
in the Businesses of the Rocky mou untans.
beyond the boundaries of tho United States,
a home where they could worship God ac.
cordin0 TO their p. .culiar beliefs. hey had
been driven ont of Missouri in 1888 under
many charges, the principal one of which
was that they were abolitionists. From
Missouri they went to Illinois. settled on the
east bank of the Mississippi and called the
place Nauvoo: here they built pt city town
and began the erection OF a temple. but
they seem to have again fallen under the
displeasurc of their neighbo 8. They were
charged with all sorts of crimes and mis-
demeanors, though none of them ever seem
to have been proven, or even an attempt
made to bring the Mormons to Justice for
their alleged crimes, though the laws and
the powers wee all in the hands OF their
accusers.
Their leader and prophet. Joseph Smith,
WAS thrown into prison, and while under
the protection of the law was mobbed and
shot to death.
the Mormons to seek home beyond the
boundaries of the United States. This
thoy did bv the Evacuation of Nauvoo IN
February, 1886. Though it was midwinter,
they crossed the Mississippi on the ice and
faced the hardships of a journey across the
bleak, wind-sWept prairies of Iowa terri
tory.
1t was July "a. 1847. nearly eighteen
months after the exodus from Nauvoo. that
band Of LAG, the advance qua OF the
Mormon people, under the leadership OF
Brigham Young who had succeeded Joseph
smith as president of the church, came
through "Emiarant Pass" in the
"WaSQtChO rnnua and hehalH hoIow thar,
the great inland sea, salt lake." and the
un-scorched hills of the wide valley rolling
down to its blue waters.
On the shoulder of foothill putting out
from the "Wasatch,' in the most COM
manding spot, Brigham Young, as he smots
the ground with his cane, said: Here We
will build the temple of our God" They
were then in Mexican territory, but il be-
came part of the United States shortly af-
terward by the terms Of the settlements Of
the questions that had caused the Mexican
war.
The Mormons had come to the valley
very pnor. The first question was to live.
They we're in the midst of n desert, but
they went braveiy and patiently to work.
digging ditches to bring the streams that
flowed down the mountains, fed BY tho
eternal SHOWS of the high ranges, and turn
touch of water WAS like that of a magic
wand on this thirsty soil. making it won
derfully productive.
Across the long marches. 1900 miles ( ON
their old homes on tho east bank of the
Mississippi. in their pnchinR poverty, came
the strHerling Mormons. They settled on
the desert lands; grain. vegetables and fruit
spgung up as il by magic, and under the
matchless executive ability of Brigham
Young. though isolated from all communi-
ties. they became prosperous and self-sus-
tanning.
1t was on Feb. IA, 1859, that the begin
ming was made on the temple suggested by
President Young. And on June g. 1853, the
cornerstone was laid with impressive cere-
monies. The work has proceeded slowly
and steadily for over forty years. or late
years, since railway was built southwark
from salt Lake, the work has been more
rapid. Previous to the building of the road,
each of the great blocks OF granite had to
be hauled twenty miles with oxen and
carts, aud it often required four days to
get one stone from the quarries to the
temple. -Four, ak or eight oxen. drawing
a cart under which was swinging a block of
granite weighing many tons. was a familiar
sight on tho strests of salt Lake City for
over a quarter of II century, during which
time the work, necessarily. proceeded very
slowly, but it did proceed. with few inte:-
ruptions.
In 1851. whom Gen. Albert sydney John
ston's army was approaching Salt Lake for
insuborulnation to the government ON tho
part of the Mormons, tho people. thinking
the scenes of their EXPULSION from Missouri
and from Illinois were to be repeated, de-
So ted thei' homes and took refu2a in tho
mountains. leaving only enough mon to
burn and destroy tho city for they deter.
mined that Johnston's army should De
greeted by smoking desert.
Actual war was avoided, md .he peo lie
to their homes. work was ngail
esumed on the temIle There were Lri,f
interruptions when famine threatened tue
people from grasshorper inyasio"s. Aud
again in 1868 and 1870. when the gre,
b railway WAS beiug con
structed. and all of the available force 4
Mormons was employed in this great worh,
and still again, whom the receiver was ap-
pointed under the Edmunds- Tucker act to
control the eschsated property of 'ths
church and a seizure Of the temrle was
made, II was in the possession of the ie-
ceivsr for short time.
The exterior of the temple was oon,-
tAkA LII